this has happened a few times and it confuses me so I thought I would reach out to more experienced riders to see if they have any insight.
Maybe I’m just going crazy… maybe there is a slight uphill in the sidewalk and I can’t see it?
Anyway - here is what is happening. I go for a 3.5 mile ride everyday. I’ve been riding since April. The temperature here is 50 degrees.
I have a Nimbus II 26" and I’m running the tire at 50psi.
For the first 1.5 miles it seems the wheel spins fast and I’m going along real easy. Then for the last mile I start feeling like the tire is loosing air. I have looked down a dozen times because it feels like it is about to go flat… kinda like riding through gravel or sand… just real sluggish.
I check the tire and it’s fine. What gives?
Do I need to lube the bearings? I’ve never done that… maybe the cold temperature is causing the tire pressure to decrease as I’m riding?
I know this feeling from the times I was riding 24h MTB race every year. Towards the end I looked evey few minutes down to my tire to see if is flat or covered in chewing gum or glue
It’s just your legs gettin’ tired
There’s a certain spot nearby where I live that gives this feeling. The terrain isn’t soft, but for whatever reason riding that one bit of path ALWAYS makes me feel like my tyre is squishing about under me. Once I’m past it, all is well. Really odd!
Try riding your route in reverse. Do you get the same feeling in the same place? Then it’s something weird with the riding surface. Do you get the same feeling after the same amount of riding time/distance? Then you’re just getting tired.
I paid more attention to the slopes today. I think it is a combination of fatigue and a slight incline. I went faster today because I stopped halfway and took a 10 minute break in the gym. Just a few minute break can really boost your energy.
I think your unicycle is slowing down much like the rotational speed of the earth is decreasing over time. I think that, eventually, your unicycle will stop entirely. I predict that my unicycle will stop entirely in the next 20 to 30 years.
wind. even a 5mph tailwind, when turned around in your face can make it feel like a huge difference. One of the primary forces you fight while riding is air. . . assuming things are flat.
It’s tire pressure! From your house or garage to outside cooler temps you can loose up to 5lbs. Even 1/2 lb difference is noticible, not by touch but by ride feel.
