The best way to get faster is to do group rides with people who are faster than you. It's also a lot more fun than riding alone and you'll increase your miliage. If your rides are between 15 and 30 miles, you're not putting in enough miles to build the strength neccesary to get fast. Look for a local tri or bicycle club and start riding with a group as soon as the weather gets better.

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''Sweeney - you can both crush your AG *and* cruise in dead last!! 😂 '' Murphy's Law

Pedal harder, faster and more efficiently.

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Tom Demerly
The Tri Shop.com

I forget the attribution, but it supposedly came from some grizzled Italian champion, who when asked by a rookie how to ride faster he replied, "Apply more pressure to the pedals".

vo2

Learn to love your windtrainer. Especially in the summer months when intensity is high and everyone else is out puttering around in the sunshine.

Whatever you do, don't listen to Zinc. Loving your wind trainer in the summer when the weather's nice is just about the stupidest thing I've ever heard. It may reduce the occurance of stop lights and traffic, but find a nice road (there's always a nice road somewhere relatively close) and these factors become minimal.
Ask yourself this question: Why do we ride? Solely to get faster, or to enjoy life and our sport at the same time as making gains? It would be a huge mistake for all of us to ride indoors all summer and get super fast, while wasting beautiful weather for the sake of negligible relative gains. All trainer workouts can be done on the road, but not all aspects of road riding translate to the trainer. Riding is beautiful, rotating a trainer while staring at Tour reruns for the hundredth time while the sun is shining is absolutely not.
Live to ride (and run and swim)

Ride Lots

-Eddy Merckx

Smitty,

the question was not how can I enjoy cycling more - it was how do I ride faster!

Sure in the summer its great to go out and cycle, you need to do this atleast twice to maintain a good base anyway - but when it comes to speed, nothing beats a turbo.

You want to ride in the sun? move your turbo outside and use a walkman.

my coach, who has coached some of the athletes who were at Sydney and will be at Athens, beleives Turboing is the answer to cycling in triathlon, its the only way a true training session can be run.

The "best" cycling work outs are more or less the same as for running - sustained long efforts close to race pace and hill reps or sustained long climbs. Do these regularly without overdoing it and appropriate recovery and you will get faster!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

[quote]What are people doing to increase their bike splits?

Shouldn't people be looking to reduce their bike splits?

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"Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee. It springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parents of it, the mind. No glass so mirrors a man's form or likeness so true as his speech." - Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter.

Good point. I guess I did not read the original post to carefully.

To "increase" your bike splits - keep doing more and more LSD training. Keep the Heart rate down in that zone. Never go out side of that zone. Never ride fast. Keep doing more and more longer and longer rides. Avoid all hills.

Hope this helps!!

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Steve Fleck @stevefleck | Blog

I'd also consider eating more cakes, drinking more beer and spending as much time as possible on your couch.

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"Language most shows a man: Speak, that I may see thee. It springs out of the most retired and inmost parts of us, and is the image of the parents of it, the mind. No glass so mirrors a man's form or likeness so true as his speech." - Ben Jonson, Timber, or Discoveries made upon Men and Matter.

Sam,
I guess I approached the question a little to philosophically...I'll try to express my viewpoint a little more explicitly related to performance.

With all due respect to your coach, I just don't agree. Riding a trainer is not the same as riding a bike (granted, it's very close), but until we race on trainers, it's not the best training value for time invested. I think what you're referring to is doing sustained TT type efforts on the trainer. How many courses do you do that are flat, with no bumps, turns, wind, or other factors (...competitors) to worry about, and during which, someone holds your bike up for you? A trainer doesn't properly teach you out of the saddle technique should you need it to sprint out of corners, or crest hills. You can get TT type workouts on a road course if you pick the right place to do it. Get a friend who's faster than you and chase him all over the countryside for an afternoon. Beats the hell out of any trainer workout. OK, specifically, try this: On a road course with varied terrain, do 15 minutes at TT race pace with a 5 minute spin in between x5, 15 min warm up, 15 min cool down. Doing it with a partner of similar abilities is an asset, but not necessary.

As for the comment on moving your trainer outside and use a walkman, there's just so many things wrong with that (philosophically speaking, but we won't go into that).
Happy riding

I guess I have to respond...

Smitty, you are making some assumptions that are don't hold true for everyone. First off, is choice of roads... I live on Long Island. I haven't found a stretch of road I could ride for 15 minutes without hitting a stoplight. The long stretch of road I do have with few lights is completely flat with no corners (still not 15 mins at a stretch though). I'm new to Long Island and I don't know any other triathletes, so I won't be chasing anybody anytime soon. Aside from the fact, I'm not really interested in trying coordinates schedules with someone else. Lastly, I live in a place that can honestly be described as automobile anarchy. Every law you ever thought existed to make driving safe is not optional, it is completely ignored and there is no penalty or attempt to change this behavior. I'm talking speed limits, turn signals, stop signs, stop lights, double yellow lines, no shoulder driving, etc... All ignored.

You are correct, there are certain things that a trainer can't do for you. However, things like out of saddle climbing, bumps, wind, and cornering are not my weaknesses. Leg strength, aerobic endurance, and saddle time are my weaknesses and for that a trainer is marvelous rain or shine, cold or hot, day or night... The only thing I feel like I'm missing by riding the trainer is the wind in my face and the sun on my shoulders.

In short, riding outside may be more beneficial than a trainer for some, but for me personally, I don't see that being the case. During the summer I'll usually get one long ride outside per week, the rest is on a trainer.

Lest we forget this is a 3-event sport, I still get plenty of time outside on all of my runs, and some open water swimming during the summer. I'm far from suffering...

As backup I'll mention a 53' 40K TT guy that I know who does most of his rides on a Computrainer, because in his words, "it just so damn efficient". Works for him...

With all due respect, I believe a trainer IS the best training value for the time invested (for many people).

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Justin in Austin, get it? :)

Cool races:
- Redman
- Desoto American Triple T

Justin,
You make some very good points, not everyone is blessed with ideal riding conditions, and sometimes live in downright unrideable territory. It's really too bad that the riding environment is that bad in RI. My problem is with the assertion that, given the choice, the trainer is better than riding outside. It's the choice of being on the trainer when there's roads available to ride (which is not true in your case) that I have a big problem with. Necessity is a completely different story. If you're ever in Toronto, let me know and we can chase each other around (with a group of my riding buddies).
I also know a guy who live in the best riding country around here and does all his rides on the Computrainer. And he seemed like such a normal guy until I heard that...

I absolutely agree 100% with Sweeney. Join a roadie group.

I'm one of those relatively new endurance athletes. I'm an old power athlete, SO, while I can hang with some insanely fast roadies (because I recover so quickly after a hard effort), I don't go as fast as them on TT's, UNLESS there are decent hills. I can power up the hill, then recover going down the other side. I just don't lose time on the hilly TT's compared to them. It's the long flats that show my weakness...so, for me, a trainer is a great tool.

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Quid quid latine dictum sit altum videtur
(That which is said in Latin sounds profound)

My vote is for Dr. Coggan's 40km TT workout (performed indoors or outdoors):

2x20min intervals at 90-100% of 40km TT power output, once a week. Recover sufficiently in between intervals to complete 2nd interval at same or higher power output. For triathletes, add an easy run in between (5-10minutes...keep this the same through season), and add another run after 2nd interval (starting at 5minutes going 10km goal pace, increasing duration through season). This way you work on 40km TT specific power output, work on your transition, and work on running off the bike incrementally. As most exercise physiologists will tell you: specificity, specificity, specificity.

Forget HR, use PE instead. Of course, this presumes you have access to a powermeter. In which case you can still use PE, but may take some time to learn how to "pace". In indoors, make sure you have a nice fan or two running.

For specific pedaling technique...I'll paraphrase Dr. Coyle (another cycling researcher)..."just stomp harder".

Just my $.02.

Dave

The windtrainer is the best place to do intervals, not only is it safer, but it's also the place to really learn how to suffer. For all the wild training programs there are out there, there is only one thing that will determine how much you take away from it, and that's the ability to push your body hard.

If you want to ride for pleaure then that's your choice, ride slow. I'll ride slow when I'm too old to walk, till then I'm going to ride fast. If you can learn to handle an 8x8 minute interval workout with 1 minute rest when it's 75 and sunny outside then you'll really start to explore the depths of the pain cave. I'm not even talking about the ability to control your workout to the exact correct intensity...

This may sound sadistic and crazy, but too many people give up too early.

BTW, I've gone from a pure runner in summer of 2000 to trying to break 54 for a 40k for this summer.

Please explain your 8x8. Do you pyramid your intesity?

I used to be coached by Steve Trew, a British coach... one of his staple workouts was the longer interval sessions. They would start with 6x6 minutes hard with one minute rest in between and a 15 minute warmup and cooldown on each side of the workout. Over the course of the preseason they progressed to 7x6 minutes, then 7x7 minutes, etc... I was doing 8x8 minutes hard when I started to get really strong. It was once a week or so. I came down with glandular fever in March and didn't realize what was wrong with me till May, so I didn't get to see how the progression would have continuted. Towards the first Olympic distance races of the season I was doing 1 hour time trial simulations (at a slightly lower than TT effort) to prepare for staying locked in the aero position at high intensity for 40k.

As a variation of the 6x6 mentioned by Zinc, my coach has me currently doing 5x105% of CP30avg/55-60rpm until HR =CP30avg+3bpm(172 for me) or 6min, whichever comes first. I'm doing it on a computrainer. That is a really tough workout, especially trying to maintain decent spinscan #s AND maintain watts at 105%xCP30avg +/- 3 watts. I've increased my workout wattage 30 watts in four weeks of workouts and todays sets ended up at 6:00, 6:00, 6:00, 5:48, and 4:30.

Next we'll move to shorter/harder intervals of 30sec beginning at CP6/30sec off for 4 weeks and then back to the 6min intervals, but at normal cadence. I'm not sure whether we'll add intervals or time or both to each interval as I progress at that point.

Whatever...its quality work like this, added to group and long rides that will make the difference in your cycling.

I'm unfamiliar with your terms. What's cp30avg and cp6 mean?

I hope this won't become excruciatingly obvious to me after posting.

Thanks

Obviously Zinc, we just don't agree. Saying that you can't know how to push your body hard, or know what it is to really suffer...you can't suffer in a road workout?? Hm, I guess that's why pro cyclists from North America spend all the off seasons NOT in Europe training the courses they're going to race, but staying at home on their turbo trainers in the garage. It's actually mentally tougher to maintain focus in a road TT than it is on the trainer because you have to focus on your workout while responding to factors beyond your control that will also affect you on race day.

Riding on the road does not mean you've resigned yourself to being slow, making that assertion in your post is just plain arrogant. "Your way is the only way" is not a very intelligent way to look at things. As for that little posturing comment at the end, congrats. I went from being a non swimmer, non biker, recreational runner to being in the top half of my age group at worlds in two years. With what you said, I can't believe I did it without even owning a trainer. (it's rollers all winter for me) Thanks for the workout tip (the 8x8 minute/1min rest), sounds great, I'll give it a go while the snow's still on the ground.

Enjoy the view from your "pain cave", I'm going to do my TT's in the sun.

Read http://www.sportsci.org/jour/0101/cf.pdf and it should give you some ideas.

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http://www.fabish-sport.com

CP6, CP 30, etc. etc. are terms coming from training with power. CP stands for Critical Power. If I say my CP30 is 300watts, then 300 watts is the average power that I can hold for a 30min TT. Power devices are only recently becoming available to the masses, but there is a lot of theory out there on how to apply power to training. My coach happens to be a Friel associate and applies the theories coming out of that camp. He only tests CP30, and makes formulaic guesses at the other CPs for purposes of designing training.

fantastic stuff.. no more zone 1 and 2 training for me!! just kidding.. I've always done interval training for both cycling and running, and have had fantastic results. Now there seems to be some controlled studies to support my results.

Strange how the 30 second /w 4.5 min rest and 4 min /w 1.5 rest produced the best results for 40k time trials. Which points to anaerobic work benefitting aerobic efforts!!

mike

CP30 is the average wattage you can produce for an all out effort over 30 minutes. CP6 is....6 minutes, etc. Joe Friel did an article for Powertap or that other wattage measure device describing training with power that goes into detail on determining, and training with, the various levels. You can probably find it with a google search. Of course, it can't be used without a means of measuring wattage.

Just to stir the pot a little...

http://vnews.ironmanlive.com/vnews//985981276

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Dave in WI
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"What you once were isn't what you want to be anymore" - Wilco

Well I was obstaining from posting for a while, but I wanted to comment on this one. I have been training 3x per week on the traininer (plus 1 long TT road ride) for the past 10 months. I think that is is very efficient training and has greatly improved my strength. Oh yeah, I live in San Diego as well and can ride year round (although it is raining right now).

My only concern right now is keeping my motivation high to compete year round. I go into "burnout mode" every once in a while, probably because I train/race 2x per month all year. I am going to try and get some addl road time in to see if I can pep up and get back into it.

there's probably some truth to that article, but there is no way someone without a cycling background will be able to effectively finish a 100+ mile ride without regular longish rides.. your body needs to be exposed to those distances. This guy trained with pro-roadies in Spain, no wonder he kicks ass on the bike. He's already built a huge "base".

I'm sticking with a one intense interval indoor trainer session, another fast roadie ride mid week, and a long ride with tri buddies on the weekend.. throw in some technique work occasionally.

mike

Gary,
Congratulations on your success achieved by training indoors. My question is this: do you think you could do the same workouts on the road that you did on the trainer? The general feeling I've been getting is that people think a trainer ride is the only way to keep themselves honest in a workout. Wondering if that's the same feeling that you have.

Riding indoors all the time does seem to wear on the motivation, though (as you mentioned), as does competing all year. Coaches I've talked to (and the opinion of Slowman on this site) is that there should be a definite 'rest period' during the year to keep the motivation up, especially mentally.

Smitty,

I do all my riding outdoors, even today in the rain but I will be under cover. WIth the ocean breeze flowing in - I set up the traininer at lunch in the shade and ride outside. It is the most valuable piece of equipment I own, really. Right now my times have been off because of stress, but I have greatly increased my leg strength and ability to ride at LT for extended periods of time.

That said, when I started on the traininer it was really difficult to ride for 1+ hours at a hard pace. Now it is a daily routine. Generally my training program consists of:

(this is my real program that works best for me)

1. 1 day of low rev BIG gear strength training, 1.5 hr
2. 1 day of short high level interval repeats, 1 hr
3. 1 day of 1 hour at 80% mhr at 80-85 rpm
4. 1 day on the road for a 2.5 to 3 hr TT ride, with a 1 hour warmup, 1 hour variable TT session, and 30 min cooldown.

I might mix in some running to do some summer sprint Du's and road 50 miler races, most of my racing is 20k, 10 mile and 11 mile time trials.

Gary (PS I use a Kinesis)

Two weeks before a important race my coach puts me a from 5 to 8 max effort series of 4 km.... 1 km rest between them....

This works fine to me....

Now that I'm training for 1/2 Iron sometimes I do some sprints of 8km max effort....

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Luiz Eng

"If you're ever in Toronto, let me know and we can chase each other around"

Living in rural Ontario,I have to ask where do you guys ride in Toronto? I hate driving my car there with all the traffic. Can't imagine riding a bike there, at least not safely.

Honestly, I question the safety of doing hard interval workouts on the road... I know that there have been more than a few times when I've been too shot to trust myself to ride the bike straight. In an actual TT race this isn't as much of an issue because the roads tend to be closed the course marshalled. In tri's it's not an issue because you're never riding to your limit in a triathlon (if you care about your run, that is).

The ten mile time trial outside will teach you pacing and improve vO2 max, LT, etc. The 5mile TT inside on rollers will imrove your vO2 max, and pain tolerance :)

tommy

"Living in rural Ontario,I have to ask where do you guys ride in Toronto?"

I actually used to ride right in the heart of downtown in rushour while going to school. Keeps you awake, that's for sure, especially in the snow. Definitely don't recommend that on a road bike. But, finding a road with a bike lane that takes you down to the lakeshore isn't too difficult (Royal York in the west) and if you ride outside on the weekend mornings, everyone's asleep 'till at least 10 anyway. There are roads or paths all along the lakeshore that can be ridden to get you out of the downtown core. If you want to do a flat TT type workout, it can be done on the Commissioners St circuit near the Leslie Spit and Cherry Beach. It's pretty much deserted on the weekends.

However, my riding partners and I will often drive outside the city or leave from work (in Mississauga), to get to the great roads around Milton, or the Forks of the Credit near Orangeville.

Don't know, man. I guess riding on the rollers has taught me to die in a straight line... :)
(or the drivers are getting more courteous....naw, can't be that)

If I could add anything to this discussion, it would be this, and it pertains more to ironman cycling than the olympic distance.

When you are doing your long rides, it is essential that you do not stop every 20 miles or every hour to refill bottles, screw around, go to the batchroom, stretch etc. In the beginning of the season and during base training it is good to go on group rides with your buds that are more social and include goof off stops. However, toward the end of my ironman build up last year I started doing all my long rides solo and with the camelbak (which I absolutely can't stand to wear). This would allow me to do long rides of 100+ miles and only stop 2 or 3 times. You need to do this to learn how to ride within yourself and hold the pace on race day when you will have your butt planted on your seat for 112 miles straight. Also, learn how to "evacuate" your bladder on the bike even for training rides.

I live in Madison, WI where we have a plethora of country roads without stoplites or traffic to faciliate this appoach. If you live in a metro area, then maybe the trainer is the place to pull this off. But I can't personally imagine riding for 5+ hours on rollers or trainer.

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Kyle Handley