The 10 Most Important Tips For Cycling
Hi
I got this article off the net some time ago... but I didn't save the link to where I found it
My apologies to the source for not ackowledging you, and if anyone recognises it, can you please pop the link in.
I just thought it is a good and succint little list...
CYCLING IS AN ENDURANCE SPORT
You should therefore do at least one long training ride per week which is 20% longer than the distance you intend to race.
TRAIN AT LEAST 3 TIMES A WEEK IF POSSIBLE (PLUS THE WEEKEND RACE)
Your body needs this amount of exercise in order to force it to make the physiological adaptations necessary to improve performance.
YOUR LIVER IS YOUR FUEL TANK
It will usually store about 2 hours worth of glycogen for your muscles, on any ride longer than 2 hours you need to eat (fruits, energy bars, glucose squeezies and fruit pastries are best). Also remember to drink often (add a carbohydrate powder to your bottle to make energy intake easy) and drink BEFORE you get thirsty, otherwise your body will be playing catch-up in the hydration stakes.
ALWAYS REMEMBER THE 'PENNIES' METAPHOR DURING A RACE
It goes like this:Everybody starts the race with a bag of pennies, some start with a whole lot of pennies; others start with only a handful. Every time you go to the front of the bunch and pace, attack, close a gap or make an effort, you 'spend a penny'. Learn to be a miser with your pennies and you'll find yourself a lot fresher at the end of races. Only spend when you absolutely have to, don't pace if someone else is prepared to and don't attack unlessyou are positive you can put yourself in a winning position from that attack. It's far better to spend all your pennies in the final 10 km's of a race than in the first 50.
NEVER OVERLAP THE WHEEL IN FRONT OF YOU
If the rider in front swerves for some reason and touches your front wheel, you're down.
YOUR BODY IS YOUR ENGINE
And engines need to be kept cool in order to perform properly. Drink at least 1,5 to 2 litres of fluid every two hours of riding.
MAKE SURE YOUR BIKE IS SET UP PROPERLY
A sore or aching neck, back or arms can indicate an ill-fitting bicycle. Speak to a recognised and well-known cycle shop for advice on correct bike size and set up.
ALWAYS TRY TO RIDE IN AN 'EASY' GEAR DURING A RACE FOR THE FIRST HOUR
This will prevent you from pushing too hard early on and possibly 'blowing' later on.
MAKE SURE YOU WARM UP BEFORE A RACE
For about half an hour, just ride on the small front chain ring and work up a light sweat. The shorter the race the more intense your warm up should be.
WHEN YOU HIT A LONG CLIMB GO STRAIGHT TO A VERY LIGHT GEAR FIRST AND STAND FOR THE FIRST HUNDRED METRES
This will ' wake up' your legs to the fact that they now need to climb. As you get into a rhythm try to change to heavier gears and concentrate on maintaining that rhythm in the heaviest gear that is comfortable.
BONUS TIPS
STAY IN THE BUNCH ON THE CLIMBS
If you are climbing and you feel you're about to get dropped, shift the rear derailleur one gear heavier and stand for about one to two hundred metres. Then sit down and change back to the gear you were originally in. This should help your legs to recover just enough to keep you in the bunch until the top of the climb.
CLIMB WITH YOUR GLUTEUS MUSCLES
When climbing sit right back in the saddle in order to ensure maximum power transfer to the pedals, by using the large gluteus muscles in the pedal stroke more.
TRAIN HARD
REMEMBER: TRAIN HARD AND YOU'LL RACE EASY.
Andrew ReevesBA Phys Ed. WITS
