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.

Training Tips

Interval Training For Cyclists

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interval training, high intensity interval training, cycling workoutsIn their quest to improve both stamina and speed, most cyclists will try out a number of training regimes before they find the one that gets the results that they want from the workout.

Many head to the gym to work with weights in an effort to build their power, however, there are a number of ways that you can train using your bike alone, so that you get all of the cardio benefits in addition to making gains in your cycling technique. One of the key training methods that many modern cyclists espouse is interval training.

What Is Interval Training?

You have probably heard the term interval training before, as the general concept can be applied to many different types of exercise. It is essentially the idea that exercising intensely for short, sharp bursts, with adequate rest periods in between, it is a more efficient way to boost your strength and overall fitness.

The theory can be applied to cycling just as readily as it can to many other types of workout, as there are many different interval training techniques that you can use to improve your speed, cadence and power levels.

What Does Interval Training Do?

Interval training is designed to get you at your peak levels of speed, strength and stamina as quickly as possible by making use of special exercises that focus on a particular area of your riding.

As such, it is always best to conduct interval training on a bike that you feel comfortable on and in optimal conditions for riding. Smooth surfaces are a must, as you will be focusing on maintaining consistency and good form in an effort to improve your overall technique.

And that’s what it comes down to. Interval training forces you outside of your comfort zone for short periods of time, while also calling upon you to maintain the technique that you need to really make gains in your cycling.

What Are The Benefits of Interval Training?

The benefits of interval training are numerous, which is why it has quickly been adopted by many fitness professionals throughout the world, in addition to a lot of cyclists.

Of the many advantages, the below are the four that are likely going to be most appealing to the average cyclist.

Efficiency – Interval training is designed to get you the best results in the shortest amount of time, so you will find that you end up spending a lot less time on your workouts.

Fat Burning – The intense effort required in an interval training program means that you will burn a lot of fat much more quickly than you would with standard riding. You also boost your body’s repair cycle during interval training, which means that you will lose more calories and fat following the completion of the workout than you would after a standard ride.

No Equipment Needed – One of the main sticking points of going to the gym to build power is that you need to use equipment other than your bike. In doing so you aren’t improving your technique and you’re often spending money to get results. Interval training just needs you and your bike to get the job done.

Challenge – No workout is going to keep your attention for long if it doesn’t offer a challenge and, even worse, it will start to lose its effectiveness if you find you can do it easily. Interval training is never anything less than a challenge, especially because intervals can often be scaled up to become harder as your body improves.

So what do you think? Is interval training for you?

What is Functional Threshold Power (FTP)?

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What is Functional Threshold Power (FTP)?

What is Functional Threshold Power (FTP)?Functional threshold power is the maximum power that you are able to sustain over a one hour period.

How To Determine FTP

Firstly, functional threshold power is a moving target and will constantly be changing. FTP will increase with the proper stresses of training, but decrease when overly fatigued, sick or due to a lack of training. In order to determine FTP you require a power meter.

What is My Functional Threshold Power?

There are 2 ways to determine your functional threshold power. Both should be done when you are properly rested and performed on a slight and continuous uphill. Ensure there are no traffic lights or stop signs that may interrupt your test. Also ensure that you get a proper warm up in before either test.

The 1 Hour FTP Test

The obvious and least practical way to determine functional threshold power is to do a one hour ride as steady and as fast as you possibly can. The reason why I say least practical, is because it is unlikely that you will have the will to go as fast as you are able. You probably will not be as rested as you should be, you will not be racing anyone, and no one will be judging you if you go slow or congratulating you if you go quickly. If you choose to ride for an hour and it is not during a race you should take the average power output and add 5% – 8%. So if your average watts were 250 then your functional threshold power would be between 262.5 and 270 watts.

The 20 minute FTP Test

The easier and more practical test can be done in 20 minutes. Again your goal here is to maintain the highest average wattage possible. It is easier to start out too fast in a 20 minute test, so ensure you get up to speed quickly, but do not push it too hard as you will tire too quickly and it would result in an inaccurate result. Once you have completed the 20 minutes reduce the average wattage by 5% – 8%. So if your average watts were 250 then your functional threshold power would be between 230 and 237.5 watts.

How To Improve FTP

Everyone’s goal on a bike is to become faster! Some focus on becoming a better sprinter, while others focus on endurance or hill climbing. I focus on functional threshold power.

Why do I focus on FTP? It is simple, a higher FTP will allow me to ride away from the other cyclists not leaving it to chance on a sprint. There are two basic ways that I increase FTP:

Riding at FTP

The best workout to do for any cyclist is a 2×20 interval:

The workout is fairly self-explanatory – you are going to ride two 20 minute efforts. In between is a 5 minute slow recovery pedal. You will want to pace your effort such that you maintain a steady pace throughout the first effort that leaves you feeling pretty tired, but knowing you held back a bit. For the second effort, you still want it to remain relatively even paced, but you should be about as close to falling over as you can push yourself. If you’ve done things right, your efforts should be about the same power output (or pace if you don’t have a power meter)

Increasing Your Stress

By increasing volume, duration and intensity by 10% – 20% you will form positive adaptions that will increase your FTP. If you are so fatigued that you start cramping then you have gone too far; however, if you are just quivering then you have likely pushed the perfect amount.

Getting to the next level is no easy task and takes commitment. Are you ready for it?

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.

Benefits of Positive Self Talk and Imagery

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Benefits of Positive Self Talk and Imagery

benefits of positive self talk and imageryDay in and day out we ride, thinking which workouts will serve to increase the endurance of our bodies. However, we tend to neglect the one body part that serves as our center of command…our brains. We need to think of this part as a “muscle” as well, in which we exercise it, push it to its threshold, just to increase it’s endurance in the next workout.

One of triathlon’s greatest veterans (and my personal favorite), Chris “Macca” McCormick, was disliked for the mental tactics he’d use on his opponents when racing. He would study his opponents, learn their tendencies, and find a way to break their mental game. Hence, why the mental aspect of cycling is just as important as the fitness aspect. Here are some tips to improve our mental toughness during training.

Positive Self Talk

As mentioned in the previous article “Positive Talk Increases Endurance,” it’s scientifically proven how vital our mental game can be. We must train ourselves to overcome that little devil on our shoulder telling us “you can’t do this”, because if there’s anything I love more about this sport, it is the ability to prove this voice wrong every day. Being able to do this consistently, really provides us with an intangible sense of confidence. Yet, as we’ve seen with cycling, endurance isn’t gained easily, and we must train ourselves to drown this voice when it rears it’s ugly head.

One effective method is positive self talk, where we replace these negative comments we say to ourselves with positive ones. Last year, I had the pleasure of sitting in a small seminar MACCA gave, and he discussed the idea of “folders.” Essentially, he explained we must create different mental folders for diverse situations we face in training and racing. I’ve modified this idea and have named my folders “not so bad”, “ok, this sucks,” and last one, “alright, I might die today.” In these, I’ve not only placed positive comments, but also memories of training/racing triumphs, motivational quotes, and lyrics to my favorite songs.

For my first folder I have comments like “you got this”, “keep working while others sleep”, “champions are made when no one is watching.” My second folder contains specific memories in training when I really thought I’d explode, and yet completed the session successfully. Also, I use some of my favorite quotes like “embrace the suck,” “when the pain comes I smile,” “keep going, this is going to make you better”, “you’re not a quitter”’ or “you’ve faced tougher things than this!” In my third folder, I typically keep lyrics to songs I like so I can sing them to myself such as “started from the bottom now I’m here”, “lose yourself”’, or “remember the name” by Fort Minor. I also remind myself of how I started cycling and how far I’ve come. Therefore, even if I’m not PRing, I’m in a better position than last year. Last thing, I make sure to keep adding material as new experiences arise and time goes on.

Imagery

This tactic involves imagining a particular goal manifesting itself. It is a great tool even outside of cycling, which can be used to cope through injuries and life trials. When struggling through a workout you can imagine yourself to be in a race setting, where giving up is not an option. On days when I’m lacking motivation, I imagine having someone behind me, and tell myself if I slack I’ll lose the race, and dishonor my hard training to date. Sometimes for fun, I envision my favorite Pro next to me, and not wanting to embarrass myself next to them.

Imagery is subjective to one’s feelings, goals, and experiences. There is no “wrong” image as long as it’s not one with negative outcomes or emotions. The idea is to stay positive and place yourself in an image where you are succeeding. Also, it helps to practice this often, and be as detailed as possible when creating the mental scene. By using this tactic, we can improve motivation, effort, and desired outcomes. It can also be used to decrease anxiety towards a particular experience such as riding in a large group, mountain biking over a treacherous hill, or returning from a cycling crash. The more we go over these scenes in our mind, the better prepared we will be when encountering these scenarios in real life.

By using both of these sport psychology tactics, we can increase our mental toughness in a sport that requires endurance in multiple ways. Sometimes the best athletes in cycling aren’t necessarily the most talented, but the most mentally tough, and know how to “suffer” more than their opponents.

The Best Way To Lose A Race!

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The Best Way To Lose A Race!

starting too fast on a bikeWe have all been there, months of training and planning mounting to this one race and we destroy it with in the first minute.

Starting Out Too Fast

It is something so simple to avoid, yet escapes 90% of amateur racers (probably 100% of men amateurs and only 80% of the women – as I have learned they are smarter and less egotistical.) So why is it that in training we make a plan and then the gun goes off and all of it goes out the window within the first minute. Do we have supermen complexes thinking races are so much different than training?

As experience will teach you, the tortoise will beat the hare, more the steady than the slow, but you catch my drift. So in knowing this, as I do, why do I still continue to start off too fast and finish so slow? Well, sometimes it is because I believe my training has prepared me better, other times I don’t realize how tired my body actually is, sometimes it is nutrition, but most notably it is that I get caught up in the competition. I don’t bike my own race! I want to be first! I don’t want that guy (or girl) to pass me! I want to give myself a chance at my dream goal time! I have a lot of excuses…

So… how do I overcome this complex? Brutal honesty and experience!

The more I race the more I learn. I am realistic about how much I have trained, how I feel and how the elements are going to affect me. Hotter days = slower times + more hydration required and I adjust accordingly. The only way you are really going to learn this is through experience and testing out different theories. I have attempted several 1 hour time trials to finally convince myself that starting out slower than I think produces much better results! It only took me 7 years!

Make a Plan and Stick To It

Before I race, I look at the weather, and then make a nutrition plan, a hydration plan and a race/effort plan and then I try to stick to it the best I can with only minor adjustments. What you eat on a long ride  and how much you drink is just as critical as how much effort you put out. I have a power meter so it is very easy to measure effort; however, most people use heart rate. Whatever the measure try to be realistic. Training days will give you an accurate gauge of the race day!

Concentrate on your own pace and do not get caught up in the moment and understand that adrenaline can mask actual effort – especially in the beginning!

Climbing Steep Hills

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Climbing Steep Hills

Climbing Steep HillsClimbing a Steep hill is a gut busting experience, but with some of these tips hopefully it wont be as painful or dreaded as it previously was.

First of all, we are not talking about an ordinary hill here, if you want climbing techniques for hills read this post. Steep hills are a whole other animal all together.

Compact Ring

Before you even begin this precipitous climb set yourself up for success, make sure your bike is set up properly. Consider if getting compact cranks or even triple cranks upfront is right for you. If you are grinding away at 50 rpm for any extended amount of time then it may be time to make a switch.

Before The Climb

If you know the steep hill is coming up, take it easy before the climb, restore your energy. If you are in a group allow them to take turns upfront, try to come into the climb as fresh as possible.

Mental Game

Brain wash yourself into “loving” the climb, always saying how easy it is going to be or how you are looking forward to it. The mental game is a most of the battle, it is the same for any type of work… It sounds ridiculous, but I promise it makes it better.

Reduce Weight

Make sure to only pack what you need… especially if there is a store that you can get things at or an aid station on the other side.

Don’t Start Too Hard

Make sure that you don’t go in to oxygen debt immediately, you may hate life half way through the climb if you started out too hard.

Zig Zag

See that picture up above? The pros are doing it… so should you! I zig zag in order to reduce the grade and make it easier on myself, especially if it is a hill that is leading up to a strava segment. If your cadence is starting to slow to a grinding halt zig zagging may just save you from an embarrassing stall.

Take Wide Corners

Take the outside of the corners effectively reducing the grade. This will save your legs for steeper sections of the climb.

Stand up

Use your body weight to help you getup the hill. Make sure to rock the bike back and forth gently in order to put your body weight directly over the pedal on the down stroke.

Pull Down

As the grade continually increases you will need to start engaging more muscle groups in order to complete the climb. While standing up, pull down on the handle bars with both hands to give yourself more power.

Core Strength

It takes a lot of core strength and proper weight distribution to complete a steep climb. Your lower back might start to scream in agony, but just remember the mental mind games and how much you “love” it.

Secret Weapon

As with any hill… envision rocket boosters attached to your bike… it is practically cheating it is so effective.

Cycling 100 Miles or a Century

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Cycling 100 Miles – Century

Riding a century, cycling 100 miles, cycling a century, riding 100 miles, century, endurance ride, long distance cyclingSo you want to tackle cycling 100 miles (also known as a century)! Riding a significant distance takes more than physical endurance; it takes mental stamina. But with the right training and a good strategy, there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to complete a 100 mile ride, and then some!

Training For a 100 Mile Ride

It all depends on how fast you want to go…

Important things to keep in mind when looking for a training plan: Your skill level, time you have to dedicate to cycling and how long of a time period you have before you want to cycle the 100 miles.

If you want to do well it will take several weeks/months to prepare for a ride this serious in magnitude. Training should consist of more than just long rides. It should also include intervals that are faster than race pace and other types of speed work. Speed work is what builds your lactate threshold, allowing you to bike for longer distances easier.

A typical plan will have a couple interval/speed training days during the week with an endurance ride on the weekend. The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling has training plans tailored to beginners, intermediates and seasoned pro’s.

How Long Does It Take To Ride 100 Miles

Riding time varies largely on terrain and experience level, a 100 mile bike ride can take anywhere from 4 hours to 10 hours. That’s a long time to be on a bike!

Before 100 Mile Ride

Drive the 100 mile route so you know what is coming ahead or better yet (if you have the opportunity) practice on it. Do it in sections, noting  every detail, what gear you have to be in and when, where to carry your speed, where to push it and where to hold back.

Make sure to eat a carb rich meal of approximately 400 calories at least 3 hours before your ride, (sometimes that involves waking up at ridiculous o’clock to eat before an early start time) and are sufficiently hydrated.

During the 100 Mile Ride

Fueling up before the ride is essential, but sustaining your energy level is just as important. A proper hydration and nutrition plan should be practiced during your training rides to figure out what you need and when you need it. Before you begin the century ride you should know how much to eat and drink every hour. A rough guideline to start from is… one bottle of sports drink, and one or two gel’s or gu’s washed down with water for every hour of riding to avoid bonking. Look to consume approximately 350 calories per hour of riding.

I cannot stress the importance enough about starting off slower than you think you should. When you push yourself too fast in the beginning (which many of us inevitably do) all the blood you have will be going to your legs leaving very little for digestion. The question then is not if, but when will you bonk. The food and drink will build up in your stomach and slosh around undigested, the glycogen that your muscles require to keep working will not be delivered. So… race your pace not someone else’s… don’t blow up!

During a century your body will be in one position for quite some time, so things are likely to get a bit uncomfortable. To stave off tension and keep things loose, you need to move around. Ease your grip on the handlebars change your hands’ positions every so often to prevent numbness. Stand up on your pedals once in a while. Avoid locking your joints and make it a point to stretch now and again.

After Riding the Century

You did it! You accomplished your goals and completed something most people only dream of. But you’re not done yet. Recovery can be just as important as training in helping you to avoid injury and muscle soreness.

Immediately after the ride, take some time to cool down. Don’t just hop off your bike and call it a day. Ride at a gentle, easy pace for 10 to 15 minutes to allow your muscles time to wind down.

Your glycogen stores will be depleted once you finish, so it’s important to eat something right away. Opt for something rich in carbohydrates to replenish your glycogen, and protein to repair your muscles. The ideal ratio for recovery is 4:1, or 4 grams of carbohydrates to 1 gram of protein. Don’t skimp out on rehydrating. A good sports drink can replace lost water and electrolytes.

As soon as the next day, you can go for a recovery ride. A recovery ride should be nowhere near strenuous or challenging. Its sole purpose is to help you recover. If you’d rather not hop right back on the saddle, go for a massage. Massage has been proven to help with recovery after an intense period of exercise. What’s more, you’ve earned it!

Training Plan

If you are looking for a century training plan, begin with the “The Complete Book of Long Distance Cycling“. The century training plan will give you century training tips, long distance cycling nutrition information, mental approach to riding a century and advice on training.

Enjoy the ride.


To Clip or not to Clip

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To Clip or not to Clip

to clip or not to clip cliplessThere’s something about making the switch to clipless pedals that seems to signal to the world that you’ve made the jump from casual biker to biking enthusiast. But is the expense worth it? Are clipless pedals really necessary in order to take your cycling experience to the next level? [Read more…]

Interval Training: Why It Works

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Interval Training: Why It Works

interval training why it worksA number of athletes turn to interval training in order to improve their performance. Interval training involves periods of high-intensity riding that alternate with low-intensity rest periods. The purpose of interval workouts is to improve a cyclist’s speed/power as well as his or her level of endurance. Here is a look at precisely what interval training does and why it works. [Read more…]

What is Criterium Racing

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What Is Criterium Racing

what is criterium racingIf you are looking for something a little different to add to your bike racing calendar, or you just want a fun way to improve your bike handling skills, consider signing up for a criterium race. Criteriums are personally my favorite race to ride in, and everyone I know who has come to watch one has loved the whole event. What’s not to like?

What is a Criterium Race?

Criterium races (or crits, for short) are short, fast races held on closed loop courses usually between 0.5 and 2 miles in length. Crits differ from standard road races in that there is no fixed race distance. Instead, you race for a predetermined length of time…well, sort of. Here is how a crit works. The race starts off just like a standard road race – after the gun, the field will take off around the loop, jockeying for position, attacking, normal race stuff. The first distinguishing feature of crits are ‘primes’ – these are similar to intermediate sprint points in road races, but there are usually a lot more of them in crits. As the field loops past the start/finish line, a race official will ring a bell signifying the end of the next lap is a ‘prime’. Primes are often cash or merchandise prizes for whomever gets to the line first! Because they usually pop up every 5 minutes or so during the race, they tend to keep the pace fast and exciting.

The end of the race is where crits are really different. In a normal road race, you always know exactly how far you are from the finish. Not so here. The end of a crit race isn’t determined until shortly before the race actually ends. Here is what happens. While all the racing action is happening, race officials are monitoring how long each lap takes. Based on that, they will try to end the race close to the advertised duration of the race. At the appropriate point (usually 5-10 minutes before the end), they will ring a bell and display lap cards that tell the racers exactly how many laps are left until the finish. At this point, with a definite end in sight, the pace really heats up, and the racers typically have 3-5 laps to position themselves and prepare for the mad dash to the finish on the last lap!

The Good

There are a lot of great things about criterium races. Perhaps most importantly, they are awesome spectator events! Anyone who has watched a major bike race live knows that waiting a couple hours to see a bunch of multi-colored blurs zoom past you for a few seconds isn’t the most riveting viewing experience. Because crits are held on small, usually urban courses, you can pick a nice spot and see the action every couple of minutes – making it easy to follow what is happening in the race and providing plenty of chances to check out your favorite rider.

It’s not all about creating an awesome experience for those watching the race though – crits have been hands down the funnest races I’ve ever participated in. They go just about full throttle from start to finish, with attacks and counter-attacks happening all the time, and you have to be constantly alert to your position, who is around you, and how you are going to take that next corner. There is no chance of getting bored in a crit race!

In addition to the fun factor, crits are a great opportunity to develop fitness and bike-handling skills. Though the first few laps of your debut criterium might feel a bit overwhelming – there is nothing quite like heading into that first tight, 90 degree corner at 30+ mph with 60 or 70 other cyclists inches away from you – you very quickly get accustomed to the situation. You begin to corner with more confidence, you know exactly which lines to take to maintain your speed, and you no longer freak out about the close confines of the peloton. And, of course, you are doing all of this while your heart is threatening to burst out of your chest because you feel like you’ve been sprinting flat out for 10 minutes now – and the race has only just started!

The Bad

Not everyone is quite as enthusiastic about this style of racing as I am however. Criteriums can be prone to crashes, especially in the lower categories, when people are less experienced and haven’t fully developed the pack-riding skills to stay safe. The tight courses that a lot of criteriums are held on only exacerbates this problem, and a poorly laid out course can be downright dangerous regardless of your bike-handling aptitude. Starting off with lower-key crits is the best way to minimize your crash risk – most major cities will hold a weekly ‘twilight race series’ (no, nothing to do with the book) on weeknights, and these races tend to be smaller, shorter, safer races.

As we all know, crashing not only impacts you, but your bike as well. Humans are very good at repairing themselves – bicycles, unfortunately, haven’t evolved such abilities. I know a lot of people that don’t race crits because they don’t want to destroy their super expensive bike, to which I say ‘get another bike!’ A simple aluminum frame, mid-range bike can be had pretty cheaply and will be practically indestructible – aluminum is much less likely to shatter or crack from impact. In the event you are involved in a crash and break something, your replacement bill will only be a few hundred dollars, rather and a few thousand. And an added bonus – you can use the bike as your rain bike!

Is Criterium Racing For Me?

You’ve read about the good and bad sides of what is, in my opinion, an awesome style of bike racing – but is it for you? If you like excitement, speed and competition, it is! If you are looking for the next challenge on two wheels, give criterium racing a try. Even if you don’t love it, the benefits you get in fitness and bike skills will make you a much better rider on the road!

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