Why can the same Xiser setting feel easy for one step and demanding for the next? Each pedal travels the same distance at every setting. What changes is how hard you have to push to move it through that distance. You can feel the difference by changing just one thing at a time: first your pace, then the setting.
Same setting, quicker steps
Pick a comfortable setting and take a few steady steps. Leave the adjustment alone and gradually quicken your pace. As you push the pedals down faster, the hydraulic system pushes back harder. The pedal still travels the same distance; you’re covering it in less time.
If you’ve used a fan rower, the feeling may be familiar: a quicker pull meets more resistance even though you haven’t touched the adjustment. The Xiser uses hydraulics rather than air, but the useful comparison is the same: your effort changes what you feel.
Same pace, higher setting
Now try the opposite. Find an easy rhythm you can remember, then stop stepping and raise the resistance setting. Start again and aim for that same rhythm. You’ll need a stronger push to keep time. If you keep your effort about the same instead, your steps will slow down.
That’s why a higher setting can make it difficult to step quickly. It takes more effort to maintain your old pace, and more still to go faster. It doesn’t give you a longer pedal stroke.
Choosing a setting
Start with the pace you want. If you want quicker steps but find yourself slowing down with each push, try a lower setting. If you want each step to take more effort at the pace you already enjoy, try a higher one. You can also leave the setting alone and vary your pace.
New to your trainer? The Xiser setup and resistance guide walks you through getting started.