Competitive Cycling Tips : Training for Time Trials in Competitive Cycling

[Scorfio]

This guy can't be serious? If you want to improve your time trial, you need interval training!. If you go max out each time you train, you'll never get better. In fact, you'll get worse cause your anaerobic treshhold will go down. My advice is: do long trainings with a steady heart rate (about 70% of max) average, and combine that with interval training on a gear of 53x16 or something like that, for a few min and a heart rate close to your anaerobic trehshold. then rest, and repeat several times

[MrBryan6906]

This guy means well, i'm sure. My best advice is to warm up sufficiently to your optimum level of circulation before you set off. Focusing on your most efficient cadence will vary with everyone......so, find that first and using your gearing to maintain that as smoothly as possible. Your body position is very important and keeping as low as possible with your elbows down is the norm. But, you can cause an adverse affect if it becomes too uncomfortable. Find what works best for you and enjoy.

[MrBryan6906]

This guy means well, i'm sure. My best advice is to warm up sufficiently to your optimum level of circulation before you set off. Focusing on your most efficient cadence will vary with everyone......so, find that first and using your gearing to maintain that as smoothly as possible. Your body position is very important and keeping as low as possible with your elbows down is the norm. But, you can cause an adverse affect if it becomes too uncomfortable. Find what works best for you and enjoy it

[kona6495]

worst training ever. worst advice ever.

and maybe you need a new TT bike if you think the 'bent over' position is uncomfortable. get your bike set up by someone who knows what they're talking about and you will find its one of the most comfortable positions possible on the bike

[danfoz]

The first 3/4 of my last 20k TT was done between 89-92% of my maxHR with the last 5 minutes spent ENTIRELY between 92-94% of my maxHR. If you can't handle 90% for more than 3 minutes you'll have zero chance at bike racing.

The advice of is rather vaque, 90% threshold power and 90% of Max HR are actually two different values

[coobzzz]

@purdnimfej Thumbs up! :O and 46k/hr is bloody fast without (or with, for that matter) aerostuff...

[cr38961]

The idea that the effortyou needs to be even seems flawed. Extra effort up a hill buys you much more speed/time than the same extra effort on the flat. You are, after all, pushing a wall of air. Anyone who puts out the same 300w over an hour on a hilly course will be slower than someone who ups it uphill, and recovers a bit downhill, where the extra 40w (or whatever) wouldn't buy much time.

[jindia155]

@thexaxzax

its 90% of what you know you can do over that set distance not 90% power. nobody can do that thats like sprinting for 2 hours just not possible

just think you misunderstood slightly

[kyletwatts]

rubbish! you should be doing short, hard sprints and you should always keep your head up, especially if youre wearing an aero helmet

[percdann]

@purdnimfej Cheers for clearing that up, when i heard him saying 2 hours i was thinking WHAT!? Thats a fast way to run yourself down long before you race! Im glad you said that because i think this way of training in the video is dangerous!

[backlippy777]

Thanks for the advice! I am definitely riding more and more. I plan to start riding with a team when I feel more comfortable. I am looking up the book on Amazon right now!

[backlippy777]

I have only been riding for about 6 months. Mostly 22-25 mile rides with hills. Other than riding and spinning on a stationary bike, any other suggestions on how to improve my cycling?

[givemetoast]

Wow! That's 28-29 mph. You are a stud Champ!

[thexaxzax]

90% is for sprints idiot. you should be doing that for only about 30 seconds anyway and then recover for several minutes. expert village is not to be trusted.

[ramosFTW]

@thexaxzax actually a sprint should be anaerobic giving every thing youve got for a very short period time, whats the point of hitting the theshold for a sprint when your quickest and most powerful muscle contractions are in the anaerobic zone seeing as though a sprint is almost always at the end of a flat race

[1cerebrum1]

@thexaxzax hmm well most ppl can run about 1-2mins above the lactate limit so if your making 30 secs then you suck.

[TLPnega]

you cannot sustain 90% of your heart rate for that long. its physically impossible. Land Armstrong doesnt ride for 40mins at 90%, he rides for 40mins ar around 80%. the lactic acid build up is just far too great for anyone to sustain that amount of "output" for that period of time.

[ramosFTW]

@TLPnega actually your max HR determins your lactic threshold where your body clears lactic acid as fast as it is being produced which for trained athletes or just trained cyclists should be at around 90%

[Gibz101]

@TLPnega The Lactic Acid Energy system on an avg person lasts for only 3 minutes. Then it need to recover Aerobicaly

[Bikeboy1976able]

I agree.Intervals & efforts