I am working for a coaching organization that is focused on bicycle skills training, and one of my main projects Is is to establish curriculum for Tri-specific bicycle skills classes. I figured that I could shamelessly exploit the board as a resource, and ask for some feedback…
Would you ever take such a class?
If you did, what would you EXPECT to learn, what would you LIKE to learn?
Would you prefer one on one, small group, or large group instruction?
Would fairly advanced riders/athletes participate in a class like this if they were receiving instruction from accomplished (Cat 1 and pro level) cyclists?
cornering, how to ride in the aero position w/out swerving or weaving and skills such as bunny hopping, emergency stops, shoulder bumping, wheel rubbing and stealing someone’s rear mounted water bottle in case you are dry.
Besides the obvious drafting and safety issue stuff:
I’d think mounting/dismounting would be important to teach…maybe it will prevent at least one one-legged dismount that ends up in a nasty Endo as the front brake is grabbed at the dismount line.
When, if ever, different body-types of riders should stand to go up various grades/lengths of hills would be a good thing to go over. Gearing strategies; such as the old “at the beginning of a hill select one lower gear than you think you need, as the hill levels off, select one higher gear than you think you can handle”. I’m surprised how often those two ideas have never been heard of by triathletes…but, after all these years, I’m even more surprised how it is almost always the right thing to do.
Cornering for triathletes? Lots of people lose time here…as an old criterium and road racer, I certainly lose lots of time in corners in a triathlon compared to what I’d do on a road bike…but, it just isn’t worth the risk to blast through a corner that you’ve never seen before. Although weighting and center of gravity could be taught to help cornering be more solid. Teaching that you just MUST stay off the brake lever when you’ve gotten into a turn too hot for comfort…that’s a good one…but, I don’t know how you’d go about teaching it.
There are too many white knuckles and sitting up going on during the faster downhills, and triathletes could learn a lot here.
I really don’t think a Cat 1 rider’s handling instructions would help riding in a triathlon…unless they are working on positioning or noticing bad habits. I think their experience is invaluable in learning how to ride in a peloton…but, triathlon? I don’t know…
It’s a great idea though, I hope you get lots of takers!