Bike Training
MAJOR PAYOFFS
BY MACKENZIE LOBBY While there is no
substitute for good old- fashioned hard training, there are plenty of tweaks you can make to your training and equipment that pave the path of least resistance. This is particularly true on the bike. The most technical of the disciplines, changes to equipment and technique can elicit significant jumps in performance. Regardless of whether you’re a newbie or a veteran triathlete, these changes are much easier than adding mileage or intensity to your training plan. While there are certainly no shortcuts in the sport of triathlon, these come pretty close.
BIKE FIT “Get your fit checked or refit at least every 9
to 12 months. Your body is never stagnate,” said Aaron Ross, a biomechanic and aerodynamic fit specialist at FASTER in Scottsdale, Ariz. A proper bike fit will assist in better performance and will also increase comfort and decrease the chance for injury. Indeed, if you aren’t positioned cor- rectly on your bike, it can spell disaster one pedal stroke at a time. “If the bike fits poorly, you will not be trans-
MAINTENANCE Lubrication of all moving parts is paramount
to the performance of the bike, and in turn, your performance. “Chains should be clean and lightly lubed and the sprockets the chain runs on should be clean and not lubed,” Pearce said. “Wheel bearing should run smoothly with no play — side-to-side movement.” Tire pressure is another important mainte-
AERODYNAMICS Any excess drag is going to slow you down
on the bike. This is especially true when it comes to what you’re wearing. Proper helmet fit is of the utmost importance and should be monitored by a specialist at your local tri shop. You should also avoid wearing any baggy cloth- ing that can act as a parachute catching the
30 USA TRIATHLON WINTER 2014
mitting power efficiently through the pedals,” explained Mark Pearce, a triathlon coach with a master’s in sport and exercise science and more than a decade of work with Olympic triathletes. “On a performance level, you may not be as aerodynamic as you could be, therefore using more energy to go slower.” Pearce, who also runs the coaching website intelligent-triathlon-
training.com, pointed out that a poor bike fit can decrease running performance by overloading or underloading certain muscles and joints incor- rectly, putting a damper on your run form.
nance component, whether you’re riding an entry-level road bike or an expensive tri bike. “Tire pressure is vital. Too little and you are pushing against extra resistance. Too much and it will feel like riding a solid tire that will not absorb the bumps and ripples in the road,” Pearce said. He recommends starting with your tire pressure in the middle of the manufactur- er’s recommendations and then tweaking from there.
wind. “The tighter the clothing, the better,” Ross said. “Aside from helmets, clothing can be just as important.” Water bottle placement is another thing to
consider. “Between the bars and in the frame are good places to start,” he added. “If you need more hydration, try one bottle behind the seat; two bottles, depending on riding profile, can really have a big impact on aerodynamics.”
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84