Boy am I slow...

[rij73]

Jolt, you can definitely develop skill and fitness on the bike you have. It can be a great training bike, I'm sure. Just don't fall into the trap of comparing yourself to others. There are always going to be people much faster, and if they are on a road bike, that's a definite big advantage. Just keep working hard and you'll improve! Then, one day, you'll go for a spin on a road bike, and you'll just fly!

[Geonz]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.
We managed to get 'em adjusted better (tho' they were at the end of the adjustment point) and yes, that rider feels stronger - but pretty tired!
I think what was nagging at the back of my mind was that she was *never* coasting. We were going into a 13 mph wind but still... welp, between less friction and a tailwind, the ride home was much faster.
Fill them tars up and go for a ride

[rij73]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.

Wow, were they embarrassed they hadn't noticed that? I bet they were relieved that the bike just had a simple maladjustment that addressing is going to help a lot!

[Jolt]

... just getting back from my group ride which last week a couple turned back & didn't go the whole distance for; this week they hung with us but SLOW (as in <9 mph) ... and so at the halfway point I felt compelled to peek at the bike and yea, those brakes... I picked up the wheel and spun... I mean dragged the wheel around.
We managed to get 'em adjusted better (tho' they were at the end of the adjustment point) and yes, that rider feels stronger - but pretty tired!
I think what was nagging at the back of my mind was that she was *never* coasting. We were going into a 13 mph wind but still... welp, between less friction and a tailwind, the ride home was much faster.
Fill them tars up and go for a ride

Wow, pretty bad! I know that's not my problem (if the brakes were rubbing I'd definitely hear it, and the wheels spin freely). That said, that did cross my mind that day as there's a sound that was coming from my front wheel it seemed on each revolution--thought it might be brakes but when I spun the wheel around I didn't get the sound and it spun fine. Still not sure what the sound was--any ideas? Or could it have something to do with the brakes and it only does it when I'm riding as opposed to just spinning the wheel?

[Geonz]

They weren't rubbing enough to hear - the wheel would go around about once before stopping. Besides, she'd just brought it in to the shop (for it's "30-day free checkup" from when she bought it... except that it had been ten years!!) ... my favorite LBS, I'm embarrassed to say, but at least I can say that it had been adjusted out to the end, so my guess is it was one of their new guys who didn't know what to do when you've adjusted as far as it can go and didn't want to ask (I know, I just know my guru wouldn't have let it out of the shop knowingly ... he'd have given it new cable or whatever!)
There aren't too many things that only drag the wheel when you're riding - then it would be something in the pedal crank perhaps. I am completely unmechanical - I even suggested that smaller tires might make the brakes not rub before I looked at them and of course realized it's not the tires they hit... doh... (her hubby seemed to be leaning *hard* towards getting her a new bike, so here's hoping their trip in for gear turns into something even nicer!)

[Jolt]

They weren't rubbing enough to hear - the wheel would go around about once before stopping. Besides, she'd just brought it in to the shop (for it's "30-day free checkup" from when she bought it... except that it had been ten years!!) ... my favorite LBS, I'm embarrassed to say, but at least I can say that it had been adjusted out to the end, so my guess is it was one of their new guys who didn't know what to do when you've adjusted as far as it can go and didn't want to ask (I know, I just know my guru wouldn't have let it out of the shop knowingly ... he'd have given it new cable or whatever!)
There aren't too many things that only drag the wheel when you're riding - then it would be something in the pedal crank perhaps. I am completely unmechanical - I even suggested that smaller tires might make the brakes not rub before I looked at them and of course realized it's not the tires they hit... doh... (her hubby seemed to be leaning *hard* towards getting her a new bike, so here's hoping their trip in for gear turns into something even nicer!)

Hmm...maybe the (wicked underinflated) tire was bulging and THAT was hitting the brake pad while I was riding? The sound was short (like half a second each time) but it did sound a lot like the sound the front brake makes when I stop. It happened while coasting as well as while pedaling, so that probably rules out a crank issue. I may go for a ride tomorrow if the weather clears and I can't talk my friend into going on a hike...that will be a good test of that hypothesis because I'll make sure the tires are properly inflated this time!