By Coach Patrick Kelly

Something a little curious happened during a recent Spin class. One of the athletes said she felt like the flywheel was slipping as she was pedaling. She said it just felt a little loose on a few occasions. After the class I hopped on that particular Spin bike and tried to replicate what the rider said she felt. I didn’t feel anything wrong. I tried both sitting and standing, various cadences, and varied the resistance. Nothing strange. Curious, but that seemed to be the end of it.

A few weeks later I had someone else say the same thing. In both cases the riders were more on the beginner side of the spectrum. In the second case the rider had done Spinning before, but several years back.

As it turns out the not so mysterious mystery has to do with the flywheel on the Elite model Spinner bike.

The Spinner® Elite does come equipped with the ‘push brake safety system’. The push brake safety system ‘brings the flywheel to a fast stop with minimal effort.’ A rider can push down firmly on the red knob just behind and below the handlebars. (Similarly, on some models a rider pulls up on this red emergency knob to bring the flywheel to a stop.)

But the Elite is not a true firm fixed wheel setup. It allows a rider to stop pedaling even at high pressure and/or cadence and the wheel will allow for some spin while the rider also feels some resistance as they bring the momentum of the wheel to a stop. The Spinner Elite isn’t a true FIXIE but it also doesn’t just coast out or spin out like a standard geared bike.

So why the feeling of slipping? It comes back to rider technique. The slipping happens from a pause or lag in pressure on the cranks. This could be the results of a number of things:

•    Not enough resistance when the rider goes from seated to standing. Add resistance. There needs to be enough there to properly support the rider’s body weight.
•    The rider may be doing a very up down style push with lag points in the pressure through the revolution. Remember to push those circles; maintaining a smooth pressure throughout the revolution, not only pushing downwards, but also lifting up.
•    Or could be bad foot position; most likely a pointed toe with heel too high.
•    Might even be the rider’s position on the bike. A coach can help you check your general alignment and setup.

You will get the most out of your Spin class if you approach your technique as if you’re learning something new. Most of us know how to ride a bike, but the technique involved on the “fixed” gear of the Spinner is new to many. Your instructor will give you pointers on how to have a smooth and safe ride. Happy Spinning!