Overlooked ways to cycle faster
Facebook
Twitter
Copy link
https://swinny.net/Cycling/-4466-Overlooked-ways-to-cycle-faster
Cycling is extremely simple as a concept: all you need is a working bike! But cycling fast, or efficiently, gets a whole lot more involved. Here's a summary of techniques and checks that you must do, to give yourself the best possible ride. These are inspired by a racer-oriented list published in Cycling Weekly, but most will apply to you regardless of your inclination to race.
The ride
- Wear decent kit
- Light wheels, please
- Keep equipment to a minimum
- Get a proper bike fit Including your shoes and sole inserts
- Don't scrimp on tyres
- Check tyre pressure
The body
- Train a lot
- Avoid "recovery rides"
- Do core strength exercise such as weight-lifting
- Get your thresholds measured
- Be race-ready: taper!
- Eat and drink enough
- Try beetroot juice, beta-alanine and sodium phosphate These are good, respectively, for blood pressure, lactate absorption, and peak oxygen uptake.
- Split up endurance and intense training
The mind
- Be SMART with goals
- Identify your weaknesses
- Be comfortable with group riding
- Learn to descend
- Spin the gears
- Learn to pedal
- Take control of the race
- Cage the Chimp
- Learn from a coach
- Write stuff down! Include data where possible (such as heart rate zones and weather conditions) to help you fine-tune your analysis.
- Get a power meter
- Get over the hill Don't stop pedalling hard until you've levelled off or are starting to descend.
Comments
It's quiet in here...Add your commentGet more out of your power meter!Free sign-up now
Calendar
All Cycling events | All events
Coming soon...
24 November 2024 (Sunday): Iceni Old Buckenham Cross
01 December 2024 (Sunday): Stow Scramble inc Eastern Region Championships
15 December 2024 (Sunday): West Suffolk Cross
Related Reading
About the author
My name is John Swindells and I'm a keen recreational cyclist with a preference for long one-day rides. I've also previously dabbled in time trialling and cyclo-cross. See more of what I get up to on Strava!