I Love Bicycling

I Love Bicycling is a website that is geared towards cycling for beginners with road cycling tips, training articles, nutrition tips, weight loss, how to’s and bike repair articles.

Heart Rate Zone Training for Cyclists

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Heart Rate Zone Training for CyclistsHeart rate zone training is one of the most effective ways to get to know your body and what you’re capable of. It’s easy to stop doing something when it’s hard, especially if you don’t have a tangible goal. Using your heart rate zones, you can push yourself further than you may think possible, while also ensuring you aren’t overtraining.

As a cyclist, you always want to be improving. Whether you’re aiming for a 100 mile race or want to keep up on group rides, making the most of your time in the saddle will get you there. Here are some sample training sessions, using heart rate zones, to increase your efficiency and get you flying up those hills.

If you are unfamiliar with the heart rate zones, please first go read this article on how to determine your perimeter beats per minutes and define your zones from there.

The long slow distance

3-4 hours in Zones 1-2

Breakdown: This one is pretty self explanatory. Plan out a long distance ride with moderate climbing, and be sure to stay in HR zones 1-2, even if this means getting into your climbing gear earlier than you usually would.

Everybody loves LSD! And no, I’m talking about the drug. The long slow distance ride is your entry into heart rate (HR) training, and the perhaps the most overlooked because let’s be real, it can seem slow and boring. It’s hard to be disciplined enough to stay in these lower zones, but it will pay off in the long run. It seems counterintuitive, but these relaxed rides build up your endurance and overall fitness, and will make your faster.

It may be a good idea to ride alone for these ones to avoid your more competitive side getting in the way. Sit back, enjoy the scenery, and spin those legs!

The high intensity intervals

40 minutes in zones 1-7

Breakdown: 10 minute warmup (zones 1-2)

3 sets of 4 x 30 second sprints (zone 5) with 40 second recovery (zone 1-2)

5 minute cool down (zone 1-2)

No pain no gain, right? This ride is short, but it will burn fat, improve endurance, and increase your overall fitness. Intervals may not be a whole lot of fun, but if you mentally prepare yourself, the pain really doesn’t last that long. Take it one interval at a time, and make the most of the rests in between!

A little bit of both

2 hours in zones 2-3 with zone 4 intervals

Breakdown: 50 minutes (zone 1-2)

10 minute sprint (zone 4)

40 minutes (zones 1-2)

10 minutes (zone 4)

10 minute cool down (zone 1-2)

Heart Rate Zone Training for Cyclists

It’s all about endurance. This ride will build both your strength and endurance over time, and the ten minute sprints are actually a whole lot of fun. Don’t cheat yourself, but stay focused and within the zones if possible. If you’re just starting out, try two hours in zone 3 instead, and work up to this ride.

Keep in mind, the more riding you do, the better you’re going to get. Even if you do the same ride twice, it may take you more effort to get into the different zones than it did before as your body becomes more efficient. Once you reach a certain level of fitness, many cyclists tend to plateau, but using HR zone training you can avoid this and keep pushing yourself each and every ride.

Best Cycling Supplements

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best cycling supplements

While your training will achieve plenty of great results, especially if you’re going at a high intensity, getting the right mix of cycling supplements will ensure that you get the most out of each workout, allowing you to achieve the results you want much more quickly.

There are tons of different supplements on the market, all of which target different aspects of your workout and body, so it is a good idea to know what each one does and how you can use it to help you along the way to becoming a better cyclist.

Whey Protein

A favorite of practically every athlete and gym rat, whey protein aids in the building and recovery of muscles. It should be consumed during the exercise sessions, when it will be quickly absorbed and put to use by your body.

Alternatively, if you take some whey protein after a hard cycling training session, you will find your muscles recover quickly enough for you to go on another ride. Couple that with the fairly low price, the ease of making and consumption and it’s no wonder why this is one of the most popular supplements on the market.

Electrolytes

You will probably find that an awful lot of sports drinks make a big deal about how they include electrolytes, so you are probably consuming this supplement whenever you bring one along with you. That is generally a very good thing, as electrolytes aid in the process of rehydration, helping you to maximize fluid recovery.

The electrolytes mix into the fluid that contains them to help your body retain them, rather than expelling them through sweat. This keeps you feeling hydrated, particularly in hot weather after a tough training session, when you are gasping for a drink.

Multivitamins

Taking the recommended amount of vitamins that your body needs on a daily basis can be tough, especially if you are using them up with high intensity training sessions. This is where multivitamins come in, as they can be used to replace anything that you lose during the session in addition to helping you to stay healthy.

They also act as a recovery aid, though their effects are much slower than most other supplements on this list. Try taking one pill a day and you will gradually notice a difference in how you recover post-workout.

Fish Oils

Is there anything worse for a cyclist than getting yourself all hyped up for a training session, only to fall ill a couple of hours before? Fish oils aim to help in that respect, as they take care of your immune system and keep it performing no matter how hard you are training.

Ideally you want to find a fish oil that contains omega-3 fatty acids, consuming somewhere in the region of 500-1000mg every day. While they don’t aid in muscle building, meaning the effects aren’t immediately apparent, your immune system will be bolstered and you will get ill less often as a result.

Caffeine

We all know about caffeine and its ability to make us feel energized, and we would be willing to bet that there are more than a few people reading this article who barely even feel human in the mornings until they have had a cup of coffee.

However, caffeine can also be used as a handy cycling supplement that is vital for many riders who take part in endurance races. A caffeine-based drink or supplement boosts energy and increases the metabolic rate, allowing riders to keep going at a faster pace for longer, allowing them to stave off the effect of exhaustion so that they can keep pushing through.

Do you use cycling supplements? Which cyclist supplements are best for you?

Why Get a Cycling Coach

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why get a cycling coachIn the build up to any new cycling season, your focus should be on improving both your fitness and technique so that you can really start to compete during any events you take part in. While there is a lot that you can do for yourself to get competition ready, including getting better equipment and interval training, the benefits of hiring a cycling coach to help you iron out the rough edges of your cycling game can make all the difference when it comes time to compete.

So can a cycling coach really help you to improve? Here we take a look at what they bring to the table and how you can make use of one to get better.

What Does A Cycling Coach Do?

A cycling coach’s purpose is twofold. They will work to improve your fitness levels with a dedicated cycling training plan that is tailored to your particular needs. If you want to build speed, they will be able to tell you what you need to do to make sure you’re the fastest you can possibly be on that day. If endurance is your focus a cycling coach will make sure that your training plan is more suited to build up your endurance.

Secondly, a cycling coach is also a confidante and companion as well as a personal trainer. They will aim to develop a relationship with you that is geared around helping you to achieve your goals and ensure that you continue to enjoy this great sport.

The Benefits of a Cycling Coach

Knowledge – An experienced cycling coach brings a ton of knowledge to the table that you likely do not have yourself. They will be able to tell you what type of gear you need, how to train properly and how to keep your body fueled at all stages of a race. You can certainly learn a lot of this yourself, but why spend years doing that when you can hire somebody who can distill that knowledge into the essentials?

Application – Having the information you need to succeed is one thing, but knowing how to make proper use of it is what will separate you from the rest of the pack during events. A coach will be able to train your mind and your body so that the little things that really matter become second nature and you can process the information you receive and use it to your advantage.

A Personal Link –One of the many joys of cycling is that you become part of a dedicated community of people who are all striving to reach similar goals through the sport. The personal connection you build with your coach will often lead to an invaluable friendship, plus you always have somebody to talk to about your passion for cycling.

The Dangers of Not Having A Coach

Nobody is claiming that you need to have a cycling coach if all you want to do is hop on the bike every weekend and go for a ride. However, if you really want to get yourself into tip-top shape and take part in various cycling events, not having a coach can be a detriment.

For one, you will have to learn everything you need to know through experience. This can mean suffering an injury before you realize you need to make adjustments to your positioning, or failing to bring enough food and water for a long distance race the first time you try it.

With a coach you get the benefit of years of experience that you otherwise need to build up yourself through trial and error. It takes all of the uncertainty away from your cycling and instead allows for you to improve quickly and enjoy the ride a whole lot more.

Tips to Increase Cycling Speed

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Tips to Increase Cycling Speed

tips to increase speed cyclingWhether you’re a road cyclist or a triathlete all of us have one common goal…RIDE FASTER! Perhaps you’re putting in the time, yet aren’t seeing the desired results. It’s possible you’re not doing the right training that will translate to increased mph. However, by following the five tips below you’ll increase your speed and work towards that PR you’ve been chasing.

Interval Training

There are different interval training workouts that really improve your efficiency and speed on the bike. Although challenging, it is a great workout to complete once you’re in the build phase of your training during racing season. Depending on the distance of your next race, you can determine how long your interval workout will be.

It is prudent to not start intervals without a proper warmup, as this could lead to muscle strains. Hence, a warmup of 15-30 minutes depending on your fitness level is indicated. Ensure that during your warmup phase you’re simply spinning, in a small-medium gear, with a few off-seat pedal strokes. Upon completion of your warmup, you may begin your intervals using the following sequence: work interval (WI): x amount of time, with a rest interval (RI) that is ½ of your work-interval. For instance, if you had a work interval that lasted 10 minutes at a high intensity, then your rest interval should be no more than 5 minutes. This pattern should be repeated and becomes the bulk of your workout. The length of time for interval training depends on your fitness level and duration of your next race.

In addition, there are different types of work intervals that can be completed to increase speed. You can complete work intervals that have you riding at goal race pace. Another effective interval, is riding in a smaller gear with a high cadence, and maintaining that cadence throughout the WI. If you’re a beginner cyclist, then these WI can include drill work such as single-leg pedal strokes. In this drill, you spin with one leg doing the work, while the opposite leg glides along. You complete this until fatigue sets in, then switch legs, completing this pattern until the WI time has elapsed.

Trainer Work

An effective method to increase speed work and cadence involves trainer workouts. Although they can be incredibly dull to the senses, trainer workouts is great for cycling training. On a trainer, you can manage the amount of resistance by adjusting the back knob to your rear wheel. There are no gaps when riding on a trainer, forcing your muscles to constantly work.

Tempo Rides

Tempo rides involve a proper warmup as listed above followed by a specific duration where you’re riding at a sub-maximal level or goal race pace. Once again the duration of your tempo ride depends on your fitness level and distance of next race. Typically, these are very challenging rides that push you to new limits and help your body adapt to a higher average speed.

It is recommended to do these as a group ride with riders that are at a similar or higher fitness level than yourself. By riding with more experienced riders you push yourself beyond what you’ve grown accustomed to thus, improving. These can be completed 1-2 a week during your build and peak phases of training. These group rides are sometimes conducted by your local bike shops or through memberships to cycling teams/groups.

Riding More

By reading this headline “riding more” it seems like an obvious concept however, as a beginner cyclist you may just try to ride the duration of your next race and think you’re set. However, in order to become fast it’s important to ride at least double the distance of your next race. If your next race is 24 miles, then have some long rides where you’re riding 50-60 miles. In using this method, once you ride those 24 miles they’ll feel like a breeze and you’ll be able to push yourself more during the shorter distance. Additionally, if you’ve only been riding 2-3 times a week then it would be advisable to increase your riding sessions to 4-5 times a week.  However, ensure you do not make this jump from one week to the next in order to avoid injury. This increase in riding has to be completed gradually over time in order to adapt the body to the higher volume.

It is imperative you do not ride just for the sake of riding; each workout has to have a goal and execution plan. For example, if you’ve been noticing that you acquire lactic acid buildup quickly and need to increase your threshold, then insert some workouts that involve anaerobic work. If the issue is endurance, then include long rides at a more moderate pace.

Weight Lifting

Integrating weight-lifting sessions with your cycling regime is beneficial for numerous reasons. For one, if you’re increasing your volume or speed, strengthening your legs can help address muscle imbalances and prevent injuries. If you’re new to the world of cycling then weight-lifting that is centered around high-weight/low repetitions would be helpful in building muscle mass and preparing your legs for the cycling sessions to come. By building muscle mass, you increase the amount of cells within those muscles which house mitochondria. Having more mitochondria, helps increase your aerobic capacity and energy production, because you have more cells working towards the same goal. As an experienced cyclist, it is indicated to weight-lift with low weight and high repetitions. In doing 15-20 repetitions with low weight you increase the endurance of your muscles thus, increasing the time they reach lactic threshold when riding.

Many times cyclists think that by buying a more aerodynamic bike and corresponding equipment it will help them go faster. Although a carbon frame is lighter than aluminum and can make riding easier it is not the ultimate solution to increasing speed. It’s been shown that aerodynamic equipment makes the biggest difference when long course racing, but not much in short course races. The vital component is working on the “engine” and having the equipment become a secondary help. In following these 5 tips your cycling “engine” will improve significantly.

5 Tips To Increase Cycling Motivation

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5 Tips To Increase Cycling Motivation

tips to increase cycling motivationAs much as we may love cycling, there may come a time when we lose motivation. We may struggle to reacquaint ourselves with that burning desire to ride at the crack of dawn. When we’ve hit this plateau in our training, there are a few ways to change the monotony of our routine. Here are five tips that will reignite the passion for cycling again!

Time of Day

Perhaps we’re losing motivation to ride because we’re too tired to wake up early in the morning due to overtraining or life’s general responsibilities. Although riding early in the morning does have its benefits, it doesn’t mean we are bound to riding as the sun rises. At times our bodies demand more sleep than usual and we need to listen. It’s helpful to change your ride times to late afternoons instead. By riding in the afternoon we have time to sleep in and get all our work done, rather than rushing to arrive to work on time post ride in the mornings. There’s also the added bonus of finishing your ride and watching the beautiful sunsets. The other advantage of a late afternoon ride is being able to de-stress after a long day’s work. Having something to look forward to at the end of the day, functions as a motivation to finish your responsibilities, and see cycling as your oasis rather than, “something you HAVE to do.”

Riding Partner/Group

If you’re someone who’s accustomed to riding alone and are beginning to find your sessions rather repetitive or lonely, it’s helpful to find a new riding partner. Riding with a partner who is highly motivated can be contagious as well as fun. Also, having someone who you can compete with when riding can not only push you to improve, but make you motivated to ride more. The same can happen when riding with a cycling group. In riding with a group you can take turns being the leader or drafting, both of which have benefits in increasing self-confidence when riding. Riding with a group is also a way to build camaraderie with others who are just as passionate about the sport as you are. Another advantage of group rides, is they usually have set times and days when they ride, forcing you to be held accountable!

New Route

Depending on where you live cycling routes may be limited, forcing you to use the same path constantly. However, in cities where cycling is highly supported there are several bike paths for cyclists throughout the city. Regardless of the circumstances, if you’ve been using the same route continuously it may kill your drive to go out and ride. At times it’s beneficial to stimulate the senses and choose an alternate route. It’s highly motivational when you’re seeing new sights, smelling different air (ocean side vs farm land), and feeling diverse wind patterns.

Fresh Gear

There’s nothing that can increase motivation more than buying a new bike! You count the days, hours even, until you can give your new baby a test ride. Immediately you want to investigate how responsive the bike is, its comfort level, or how smooth the gear shifting can be. Even if you’ve only bought new clothing gear, there’s always an itch to go and show it off. This can also relate to buying new cycling shoes, where you can assess the difference between triathlon shoes versus road shoes. Having new cycling equipment by any means is exciting, it’s a cyclist’s version of Christmas; hence, an effective motivator to go out and train as soon as possible.

New Workout

As a rookie cyclist, every workout seems new, exciting, and challenging, but if you’ve been riding for quite some time now, these workouts can become repetitive. Although there are certain workouts, which act as staples and deliver results, it doesn’t hurt to try out a new regimen occasionally. “I Love Bicycling” has some great articles on different workouts that address specific weaknesses. Also, Joe Friel’s book “The Triathlete’s Training Bible” and “The Cyclist’s Training Bible” both have great workout routines. Friel does a great job on breaking down different types of workouts, providing drills to address weaknesses, differentiating speed work vs endurance work and when to do either one. By completing a new workout, it helps us feel as though we’re progressing towards our goal, and provides us with some confidence when we complete them successfully.

In trying any one of these 5 motivators we will certainly see a surge in our eagerness to ride and consequently in our efforts.

Advantages of an Unbroken Bike Path

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Advantages of Riding on an Unbroken Bike Path

unbroken bike path, continuous bike path

One of my favorite aspects of cycling is the feeling of freedom, and ability to take in my surroundings while exercising. Although I love long paths in my city that take me either along the beach or farmlands, these routes typically require several stops due to traffic lights and traffic overall. When I’m in training mode one of the most practical routes I use is a local golf course that goes around in a four mile loop, with no traffic lights or stops. There are several advantages I’ve found with this route as a beginner cyclist and now avid rider. Here are some advantages for riding on an unbroken bike path despite what level of experience you have riding.

Bike Handling

Riding on a continuous route allows you to practice several things required when riding, in particular if you are just learning how to ride. For one, you are able to practice the maneuvers required in turning, such as slightly leaning your body, weight distribution, and bringing up the leg closest to the turn. You can also practice wide turns versus sharp turns, because both skills are needed in different riding situations. It is ideal to practice this along a continuous stretch with no concerns for oncoming traffic, or having to clip and unclip. Also, it gives you the ability to play around with your gear shifters and familiarize yourself with the different speeds and your comfort level with each one. This is even better if your unbroken path is a flat one so you don’t have the resistance of any rolling terrain. Typically, with this type of route you will experience a tailwind and headwind, which may affect which gear you use when going into a headwind, depending on your fitness level. Playing around with gear shifting will teach you which gear is most efficient in each situation.

Bike Position

This type of path also lends itself to practicing bike positions without having to be as vigilant as you would be if riding in a higher traffic area. If you’ve recently purchased a tri bike, you can practice getting down in the aero bars, and still maintaining balance. I remember as a beginner I had a difficult time with this as I attempted practicing in a bike lane next to oncoming traffic. I was so nervous, and white knuckled on my aero bars I nearly rode off the bike lane into trees that were on the right of me. After this experience, I decided to practice in a low traffic area like my neighborhood. I would practice staying aero and gear shifting in this position as well as reaching down for my water bottle without having a tragically, embarrassing fall. Also, if you own a road bike you can play around with the position that is the most comfortable for you, and leaning forward on the road bars when going into a headwind.

Another position that is important to practice is pedaling off the saddle as this offers a few advantages as well. This requires some practice so you may become comfortable with the “dancing” motion required with this technique. When I ride on this route, I use this motion a lot to gain more speed after turns. Additionally, to simulate climbing since it is a flat route. This specific exercise helps your legs get stronger, and makes you more comfortable whenever you are actually climbing a hill or bridge. Since it is a continuous path I tend to time myself and do intervals of one minute pedaling off the seat and two minutes of riding with high rpms.

Training

Having a continuous path is ideal for interval training because you don’t have to interrupt your work sets by stopping at traffic lights or signs. You’re able to experience the advantages of interval training, and have a great workout. Also, you can fully focus on your gear shifting, pedal stroke, and RPMs. It is especially beneficial if you are completing a ride in a cycling group, and take turns drafting and pulling.

It is also great to practice different cycling drills within a workout without interruption. Some examples may include “spin-ups” where you’re in an easy gear and are working on maintaining high RPMs; Also, “pick-ups” where you do work intervals faster than your race pace. Another good drill to complete on this route is “isolated leg work”, where you complete intervals pulling with one leg, while the other one is “resting.”

Safety

When comparing this route to one which requires me to ride with traffic or alongside a busy road, I find this one to be a lot safer. As a beginner or someone who is still not comfortable riding with traffic you can still enjoy cycling without the constant worry of being hit. These paths typically are in low traffic areas with several signs indicating it’s a bike path and to respect cyclists. Therefore, the few cars that drive in these areas are aware that it is a common cycling location. There are also minimal, if any parking lot entry/exits so you don’t have to be in a constant high alert environment. Lastly, many cyclists ride on these routes so if you have any bike trouble such as a flat tire, you can count on someone being nice enough to stop and help you.

Although riding on an unbroken bike path may not be the most scenic route, as you can see it does have its advantages for all levels of cyclists. All of which, can improve your riding ability and make you a stronger cyclist.

 

Winter Doldroms

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Training: Winter Doldroms?

winter doldromsThis training article comes courtesy of Rob Swan, a NCCP Level 3 certified coach with Critical Performance Endurance Sports.

For many cyclists December marks the end to the cycling season. It also signals the start of the “Dreaded Winter Doldrums” – a time of seemingly perpetual darkness. We end up going to work in the dark and coming home in the dark; so the only time we see daylight is from a window or on the weekend. But how do we beat it and actually become stronger for next season? What can we do through December to maintain or improve upon last season’s fitness?

At this point I assume you have taken a rest and recovery period after your final race and training season. Amazingly, there are many options for us to choose from during the cold winter season.

Snow Shoeing: The sport of snow shoeing has really taken off in the last decade or so. Best of all, it’s a great cross training sport for any cyclist. Snow shoeing can be recreational, fitness building, or competitive. North America’s snow shoe racing scene is growing with independent races, race series and even national and North American Championship races each year. Some of the benefits of snow shoeing are:

  • increased aerobic capacity;
  • increased leg strength;
  • increased lung capacities with altitude training and High Intensity Training (HIT);
  • feeling your lungs explode in one of the toughest sports around; and,
  • the combined social benefits of the sport and being in nature.

Cross Country Skiing and Biathlon: It is no wonder that Nordic athletes have some of the highest VO2max readings on the planet. They are training and competing almost always at higher altitudes then most other sports for extended periods of time. Furthermore, the type of training they need to do requires a tremendous amount of energy and aerobic fitness and capacity. Cross country skiing consists of two styles: Classic (old) style, which has more cross-over benefit to running; and Skate skiing, which engages the larger cycling muscles. Whichever style you choose, the greatest benefit would be the ability to improve your aerobic capacity. Cross country skiing engages the entire body, so the oxygen demands are greater than most other sports. On a basic level this increase oxygen requirement contributes to an improved ability to absorb and transport oxygen to the muscles.

Biathlon is one of the oldest winter sports and is the most popular winter sport in Europe, on par with hockey in Canada. It also happens to be one of the most demanding sports. Biathlon features athletes skate skiing various distances followed by five rounds with a biathlon rifle. Needless to say combining cross country skiing and rifle marksmanship into one punishing sport makes biathlon an excellent winter sport for any athlete. There are many youth and masters programs all over the country.

Cyclocross: With its incredible variety of intensity, terrain, obstacles and weather conditions, cyclocross is not only the most spectator-friendly form of bike racing, it’s an awesome spectacle for any sports fan. Fans of the sport are treated to 30 – 60 minutes of constant, intense action-packed racing, with many opportunities to see their favorite racer from just one vantage point.

Cyclocross is a great way to stay in shape during the off-season, but road racers will benefit from better handling and confidence in adverse conditions and bumpy surfaces. Mountain bikers will enjoy more versatility and efficiency in handling extreme technical terrain and forced dismounts. Triathletes will also benefit from a way to maintain cycling and running fitness, and improve bike-handling skills.

Indoor Cycling: I am not going to get too in depth into indoor cycling as the subject has been covered often. What I will say is indoor cycling can benefit every level of cyclist. There just may be days when it’s not possible to get outside or you may just want to boost your fitness with focused and precise training. The greatest benefits to indoor training are time management, precise control of intensity levels and duration, and the social aspects of riding beside one of those “fast” athletes you never get to talk to on a group ride. Go find a Computrainer studio and race your friends up Mt. Ventoux of the Tour de France.

winter doldromsFAT Biking: Now if you truly want to stay outdoors through the winter months, test-ride a FAT Bike. Then, of course, you will be buying a FAT Bike because you will want to ride every day, winter or summer. These bikes can go anywhere, anytime and anyone can ride them. For winter, they are great as a commuter because they will roll over roads, dirt, snow and ice without a problem at all. You can take them on snow covered mountain bike trails and on snowmobile trails for the ultimate in winter fun. As well as sheer enjoyment, these bikes will help you maintain your fitness.

Rob Swan is Biathlon BC’s provincial head coach, as well as a NCCP Level 3 certified coach with CriticalPerformance Endurance Sports. Rob can be reached at: coachrob@criticalperformance.ca.

Sign up to race in the Grandfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan here after some winter cross training.

Alcohol and Cycling Performance

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beerAlcohol and cycling. Do they really mix?

How bad is alcohol in relation to cycling performance? Well… some of this information might make you feel depressed. If you would like to plead ignorance in the future I would just stop reading now.

The Liver

I think we have all heard/said the statement “I am carbo loading” in relation to having that delicious cold beer. Unfortunately, this could not be further from the truth. What actually happens when you start drinking any type of alcohol is that your liver spends all of its energy trying to remove alcohol from your bloodstream; it no longer has the capacity to convert glucose into glycogen.

Glycogen is a major energy source that your body uses to pedal that bicycle. It is generally quite depleted after a ride and should be replenished by consuming carbohydrates.

Since your liver is busy trying to clear the alcohol from your bloodstream and is unable to convert the glucose to glycogen, your body has to do something else with it… I’ll give you one guess… … … Fat. Yup… that glucose will now be stored as fat. Soo… to be more realistic, we should actually be say “I am fat loading.”

Recovery

Alcohol has been known to affect sleeping. If you do not sleep well then you will not produce as much human growth hormone – a hormone that builds muscle. Coupled with that, alcohol is a diuretic resulting in the fact that you will likely need to get up from your already disturbed sleep.

As you know from my article about hydration as little as a 2% decrease in body water weight decreases your performance. So it is going to be difficult to perform the next day at your best.

On top of all of this, studies have shown that drinking alcohol lowers testosterone levels. Testosterone is key to developing muscle in men AND women.

All of these factors add up to a less than optimal recovery.

What Are You Going To Do About It?

1. Having a few cold beer after a ride because I feel I “deserve” it.

I certainly make a point to refuel properly by eating before indulging in my “reward”.

2. Drinking before an event.

It is not a good idea to drink the day, or even 2 days, before an event, as the 2% dehydration rule may effect your outcome.

3. Overall consumption.

Decreasing your overall consumption is relatively easy in small increments. Just focus on cutting out excess as discussed in my 5 healthy tips for cycling article.

This article may be a little depressing;however, I am not going to give up drinking. It took me a couple frosty beverages to complete this article. I am not getting paid to bike for a living and I am all about enjoyment of life. On the other hand, knowing this information certainly has changed a few bad habits.

Braking It!

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brakingBrake your bad habits! Proper braking will lead to safer riding and ultimately… faster riding. Scrubbing the proper amount of speed at the right times will make you a more efficient rider saving valuable energy for when it is needed.

Anticipation

Anticipation of when to brake and how much to brake is half of the battle. This is especially true when you are in a group ride. Keeping a finger or two on the brakes when you anticipate a corner or a slowdown will prevent you from slamming on the brakes because you were already in the right position and you were able to start braking earlier rather than later.

Feathering

A lot of braking is done by feathering the brakes, this is accomplished by lightly squeezing the brakes. Feathering a brake can be accomplished with one finger and should not slow you down so much that you feel your weight shift forward. This is a particularly important skill when drafting in groups to help prevent yoyo effects and wasted energy.

Hard Braking

In the event that you have to brake hard you should keep a few things top of mind.

First, most of your braking power comes from your front brake… I will throw out a generic number like 70% of your braking power comes from your front brake. The reason is that all of your weight an momentum is shifting forward putting more weight and pressure on your front tire… resulting in more grip and more stopping power. This leads me to my next suggestion.

Shift your weight further back and low. If you allowed your weight to shift forward it would become difficult to steer. An easy remedy for this is to be in your drops whenever you anticipate harder braking, this will automatically shift your weight back and low and will also allow you to brace yourself so that your weight does not shift to far forward.

The E-Brake

For emergencies only! In order to stop abruptly for potential hazards on the road (fallen cyclists, car doors opening, or that stop sign you nearly missed) you need to slam on those brakes. In order to do that safely you have to move your weight back as far as possible, as low as possible and as quickly as humanly possible. I sometimes throw myself back so fast and so hard that my ass is just over the wheel and my chest is on my seat.

Key to Braking Fast

The key to braking fast is touch, weight distribution and experience. In order to brake quickly balance braking as hard as possible without skidding. Without the right touch you may brake too hard and skid out loosing valuable time, but more importantly, control. If you brake too softly you are not able to carry as much speed into a corner and you have to start braking much earlier. This balance is learned through experience. Test the limits of both extremes as you become more comfortable with your bike handling skills.

Remember that most of your braking power is in your front brake, I cannot stress this important fact enough for newer cyclists. This is even more important when the terrain tilts downward. If you are newer to biking I challenge you to try going down a hill and only braking with your back brake then going down that same hill at a similar speed again and try braking with only your front brake in order to learn the important differences.

Wet Braking

feathering brakingYou obviously have to be much more careful on wet and slippery surfaces. If you brake with your front brake too much on slippery surfaces the front wheel will slide out from underneath you and you may end up in a ditch faster than you know what happened. Your experience will be very important here as the proper touch and weight distribution will be amplified. Try to keep your bike more upright in order to prevent slip outs, break earlier and more gently and if you start to feel as if you are losing traction ease up on the breaks.

Mastering these braking skills will lead to safer faster riding.

Cycling Training With Power

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cycling training with power

What power is and why you should use it.

This training article comes courtesy of Paul Cross, a Vancouver-based fitness consultant and a partner in the FitFX Studio.

I’ve noticed a lot more athletes using power this past season than ever before. Now that the indoor season has picked up I have also noticed more athletes asking me why they should train with power. From where I sit as a full-time coach it’s pretty clear that riding with a wattage meter is becoming more popular. So what’s all the fuss about? If you’re curious about training with power but not yet familiar, please read on. If you already use power I seek to give you some information that will help you use it more efficiently.

There is merit to having an honest conversation up front. What kind of rider are you and where are your priorities and goals with regards to your cycling? Some of you may not admit to being “competitive”. While you may not enjoy “racing”, I have never met a person who did not enjoy improving his or her performance. Plain and simple…we like progress, and power aids progress. The decision to get power, however, should ultimately come down to weighing your desire to improve your cycling with the cost to do so. If we do that rationally we purchase power meters BEFORE spending money on other stuff like $10K bikes, carbon fiber wheels, a third bike, a fourth bike, or a closet full of Rapha clothing.

What is Power?

Cycling Training With PowerIt’s pretty simple really…power is a measure of work over time. It’s measured in watts. While it might seem as easy as visualizing the amount of pressure or torque you’re putting into the pedals, it’s in fact a little more than that. The same amount of pressure at 80 revolutions per minute (rpm) and 100 rpm will give you lower and higher wattages relatively. This is because you are doing less or more work per minute. If you’re cruising along on a pancake flat road at 90 rpm in an easy gear, and then you switch into a harder gear and while maintaining an identical cadence, you will also be applying more power. In this case the amount of pressure on the pedals has increased. One thing is certain, more power means more speed.

Why Power?

I first started training with power on a CompuTrainer (a computerized indoor trainer) back in the early 90s. I got immediate results. I was working smarter, riding steadier and the rate of my progress increased. Using a power meter can make you a better rider. Quick example: An athlete I’ve been coaching for a couple of years rode with me the first year with no power. Then I suggested he try it. He did and within only a few workouts he was singing the praises of power. Now even though he doesn’t ride with power all the time he says it transformed his training and racing, permanently making him a better cyclist. This kind of positive feedback is typical in my experience.

If you know how to use the numbers power can be the most beneficial training tool you have. Your riding buddies may be kind, but the power meter will not embellish. As I am fond of saying, “the numbers don’t lie”. If you started too hard the power file will show that. Of course, you need to download it and look at it. Do you have a lot left in the tank at the end of your event? The power file will show that too. If you’re not riding steady the power will clearly reflect that. Conversely if you ride like a super-hero the power will give you the proof that you have done so.

Cycling is an endurance sport. For any activity where endurance is concerned, efficiency is paramount. Efficiency means being more steady. If you are applying steady power, you are efficient. If your power is changing quickly from 100 watts to 400 watts to 200 watts – up down and all over the place – you’re not going to be very efficient. This is actually how a lot of people ride a bike, often without realizing it. Their ego gets the better of them and they need to pass that rider in front only to have to slow down later. Perceived effort is not a bad way of controlling yourself to ride steady. Heart Rate is a better way of controlling your pacing. But ultimately power is the best way.

Another athlete I coached this past season was new to training with power in the spring. He had thought of himself as a “weak climber”. What we discovered quite quickly by taking a look at his power files is that he was starting the climbs way too hard. At the beginning of the climbs his power was spiking up to about 130, 140 and even 150% of his lactate threshold. This is a sure way to set yourself up to climb poorly. Once he started to approach the climbs much more conservatively at a wattage closer to his threshold, he started climbing better. He was more able to keep up (even beat) some of the guys in his riding club. Some of these guys had previously been ahead of him on the climbs.

Let’s keep in mind that riding well is not all about the physical stuff (i.e. strength, skill, stamina and speed). Riding well is also about confidence. More confidence means better execution on the road. In a study of returning Olympians, the number one thing that athletes said they would have, could have or should have worked on more before the Games was mental skills. Bring your A-mental game and chances of both success and enjoyment increase. Confidence breeds excellence. Uncertainty breeds mediocrity and possibly failure. And power provides the information to build confidence on race day.

Athletes will sometimes cite heart rate as an excuse to not get power. In the absence of anything else, heart rate is awesome. It’s just not as good as using power and heart rate together. Where does heart rate play into the mix? Well, heart rate is telling you how you are responding to the work. If you are in better shape, then you will respond to the work by not being as tired, relatively. Let’s say you start riding in the off-season out of shape – for example, at 150 watts for five minutes your heart rate is 165 beats per minute. After months of training you may be able to ride at 195 watts for five minutes at the same 165 beats per minute. Ultimately, it’s rather hard to know this unless you’re using a power meter.

Different Power Meters

Cycling Training With PowerAccurate power tools for cyclists are more available now than ever before. Of course, you can also purchase power tools that are not as accurate. There are plenty of options out there. Which power tool should you get? That’s a question that demands it’s own dedicated article. Should you get hub-based, bottom bracket-based, pedal-based, or crank-based power? It all depends on several factors. The purpose of this article is not to debate the merits of different power tools available on the market. I do hope I have shed some more light on why people are choosing to use power meters and how you can benefit from getting on that bandwagon. I will say this, however, in regards to power meters: the “get what you pay for” axiom applies. Pay for a decent power meter or don’t bother. Like grandma used to say: “do something right or don’t do it at all”. Some of the decent power meters available include: SRM, Power-Tap, Garmin Vector Pedals, Quarq, and Stages.

So…are you ready to start playing with power?

Paul Cross is an exercise consultant, owner of Cross Athletic Consulting, and partner at Vancouver’s Fit FX Studio. Paul can be reached at: paul@fitfxstudion.com

This article was provided by Grandfondo Axel Merckx Okanagan. Sign up and come race in one of the most beautiful areas to cycle in the World!

Here is a great book on Training and Racing With a Power Meter written by Hunter Allen that will transform the way you train.

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