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How do you become a better cyclist? (Faster would be good too)
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A group of us were on a long ride this weekend and noticed how different the riding styles were. Some of the guys relied on power and definitely had more descending skills and some of the women kicked on the long mountain climbs.

The big discussion was if nutrition, weight, equipment, fitness and endurance were all equal and the hours in the saddle have been put in, how do you ride fast?

What are the cycling skills, tricks to upping your average speed for IM or distance ride. Cresting hills strong, how to change your gearing going up hills, better pedal stroke were some of the things talked about, but any ideas or explanations would be welcomed.

Ultimately, how do you become a fast cyclist?



it turns out that our OP is only "mostly" dead........ ElGordo
Last edited by: GregZ: Apr 16, 08 15:08
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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I believe if you want to be a fast cyclist, then you have to do a lot of fast riding. If you want to become a good climber, then you have to do a lot of climbing. Just my $0.02 which is probably all it's worth.
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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The best way to ride your bike faster is to ride your bike, faster.

I'm paraphrasing, of course... ;)
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [snoots] [ In reply to ]
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My 2c worth:
1) Hold your aero position as much as possible, even going up hills. Yoga helped me with this. Also, make sure you ride on your aero bars on long rides throughout the year. Avoid getting in the habit of riding with friends and sitting up every 20mins to chat.
2) Related to 1. Organise your drinks and nutrition so you can get it all done while on the aero bars. I use a profile bottle on the bars for water, and a concentrated bottle of perpeteum on the bike. No need ot sit up and faff around with food in rear pockets or rear bottles.
3) Keep your power output as even as possible. Don't go too hard up hills, but do make sure you keep the power up on the flats and downhills
4) Get properly fitted on your bike
5) Always try and pedal in smooth circles. One footed pedalling is good practice for this. Or, just think about your right foot for 30 revolutions, then your left foot for 30, then both together for 30. I dod this frequently in races

I improved my IM bike split from 5:52 to 5:21 in 12 months by working on the above, and there is more to come by carrying on with these habits.

Hope this helps.
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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Appropriate for the women's forum...it just takes TITS. Time In The Saddle.
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [Demagogue] [ In reply to ]
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Or TIS, Time in Saddle, which backwards spells SIT!
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Post deleted by GregZ [ In reply to ]
Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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i agree with Dawn. ride with a group or person who is faster than you. i do all my long rides with the boys, and it's a huge struggle. or as I say, sit down, shut up and HOLD on to that wheel in front of you for as long as you can. the surges in pace in a faster group force you to develop more power to match the accelerations.

oh and intervals, intervals, intervals, especially on the hills.
Last edited by: sto: Apr 16, 08 13:04
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [sto] [ In reply to ]
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I always figured it was leg strength that was holding me back. This year I am pushing a harder gear whenever I ride to be sure I'm getting my legs stronger. Once the shitty weather finally clears I'll be hitting the hill repeats.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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Maybe there is another way of looking at this. How do you help triathletes without a cycling background understand how much time they are losing when they are not efficient on the bike and help them/me learn to be more effective on the bike?

Examples:

Popping up to eat or drink when their timer goes off, just because the Coach said drink every 15 minute, regardless of their surroundings or terrain.

How to develop proper gearing going up and down a set of rollers.

The information NoBrakes passed on and the huge time savings are worth more than aero helmets and more carbon.

My girlfriend and I are doing IM CDA and have been working for years on developing stronger base - critical fitness levels. We are doing all the work consistantly and are happy with the progress. We know more time, more volume, more strength, lose weight, stroke cadence, pedal stroke, etc... all the aspects of the proper training principles and are working to improve as much as we can in these.

What are the pieces of information you have learned that that made you faster as you became a better cyclist.

For me a couple were being able to choose a good line through a set of downhill curves and learning to better weight my outside pedal to corner harder.

Any other thoughts?



it turns out that our OP is only "mostly" dead........ ElGordo
Last edited by: GregZ: Apr 16, 08 13:53
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [jenhs] [ In reply to ]
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i would guesstimate that the vast majority of women's limiting factor on the bike is leg strength, or even more important, strength to weight ratio. those damn genetics. womens reach the peak strength to weight ratio just before puberty or about 14 years old... i.e, those Olympian gymnasts, figure skaters and swimmers who are teenagers.

anyhow, increasing / maintaining my strength to weight is why i generally spend alot of my off-season lifting. it does make a huge difference FOR ME on the bike. in terms of speed / power, AND endurance.
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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i think you question would better be stated, what makes you a BETTER cyclist, not necessarily FASTER. they are, in my mind, pretty different.

and yes, there are lots of little tips that would relate as you mentioned like shifting, position, etc. i do like the single leg drills like he mentioned.

a big peeve of mine is people not knowing how to corner or braking in corners, swingin wide, causing havoc (ask me about the old 1/2 IM Utah and how a very prominent older AG female forced me into the curb, not once but 2x in a matter of a mile). the bike handling skills of the average triathlete is borderline pathetic.

S
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [sto] [ In reply to ]
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So then what is the best line to take thru a corner during a crowded bike course? I can totally see how improper riding technique would chip away over time. The new CdA course looks there are lots of turns so I need to be sure I'm doing those most efficiently. Seems like taking the best line while riding alone might not be the best in a race situation where you could be moving in front of someone who is trying to pass you.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce
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Re: How do you become a better cyclist? (Faster would be good too) [GregZ] [ In reply to ]
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Trying to keep up with folks who are just a little bit faster than you goes a long way to making someone a stronger cyclist.

I started off mountain biking with former xc racers. I fought to keep up the first few rides but eventually, I just became one of them. Being a strong downhill skier, I'm not afraid of speed and, from a few seasons of racing, have a good understanding of high speed turns. All of that translated well to mountain biking.

I took the same approach when I started road riding. By that time I already had decent skills from mountain biking so it was a matter of improving the fitness and endurance.
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Re: How do you become a fast cyclist? [sto] [ In reply to ]
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You are right, better and more efficient cyclist is probably what I am trying learn more about. I have changed the subject.

I also agree that understanding the fastest line and then taking a look at and understanding the people around you at a race can change the situation radically. I am amazed by the amount of people who ride in their own bubble. How do you ride into the back of a tractor if you are focused on the course?

For female cyclist I defiantely understand the power ratio and we have been doing our mountain climbs all winter, ok my girlfriend has been riding the top of the climbs, even when I thought she was nuts, but how do you guage how big a gear to be riding in. for me, I am the opposite and I am always working on upping my cadence.



it turns out that our OP is only "mostly" dead........ ElGordo
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