Get in Gear

The month of April is dedicated to cycling tips.  Items and advice to help you get better at cycling.  You can be riding your bike to work, on a joyful cruise through a park, or doing this competitively, these simple executions, on any bike, can help improve your ride, fitness, and enjoyment as a individual.

Getting started: Take care of your bike

It doesn't matter if your bike is $50 or $25,000, simple bike maintenance is a must and it can be taken care of easily.  It doesn't take much effort but doing the following will guarantee the longevity and performance of your bike:

• Pump tires to adequate air pressure before EVERY ride (AP varies so look on the wheels and follow the instructions)
• Wipe the bike to clean any sweat, rain water, or any type of residue to protect from rust and deterioration
• Oil and clean the chain, brake lines, derailleur, and crank set
• Take the bike in for an annual performance adjustment (advanced riders)
• Pro bike fit (advanced riders)

After you perform these tasks, your bike will always be ready to go and give you the opportunity to perform at your very best.  It also is the most efficient way to ride because as any triathlete, dual athlete, or cyclist will tell, efficient speed leads to victory and personal records.

This now brings us to riding on different terrain (Uphill, Downhill, and Flatland) and how we use the bike gears to tackle any obstacle with reckless abandon.

Uphill:

No matter the size of the hill, how you execute gear shifts will make all the difference between getting to the next level and bonking out.  It is an elementary task but simple executions will help get over local hills, mountain passes, and even the Alps.  Just follow these tasks, no matter what the circumstances.  Do not take any hill for granted or it can be a humbling experience:

• Stay Calm (Don't overexert yourself during ANY part of the hill)
• Go two shifts below your flatland gear about 200 feet before the start of the hill (This is to build up your cadence without overexerting yourself)
• Find your cadence (Don't fight the hill, go with the hill---over time and practice, this will become clearer)
• Sync your breathing with your cadence (Your breathing and cadence is rhythm...find it...stick with it... and you will find yourself getting stronger as you're ascending)
• Shift gears (This is based upon the hill and how you feel but shift gears as your ascending to find a comfortable cadence)
• Hammer on the bike (You should only do this for two reasons---survival or improvement). 
• Survival---This is your only option left to conquer the hill (You can always get off the bike and walk it up the hill as well)
• Improvement---(Hammering on your bike is the quickest way to enter your lactate threshold which isn't a bad thing because this what you are trying to build for on race day so keep chugging away but do it at your own risk)

After you conquer the hill, drink your favorite electrolyte beverage as a reward.  Now, I have tried them all: Powerbar, Gatorade, Hammer, Cytomax and Amino Vital and none has helped me out more than Amino Vital.  The drink is an elixir.  I feel better during and after my bike ride, which is vital (pun intended) since I have to run afterwards.  I recommend drinking this after your workout as it will help recovery as well.  I can't count how many times Amino Vital has saved my ass. 

Downhill:

There are two situations to consider when attacking a downhill: Training and Race Day

Training--- Get into your big gear and hammer---That's it, just go for it---It builds muscle and confidence

Race Day--- You can follow the training situation but I recommend you save your energy--- Just let gravity do the work and only pedal if you feel you are losing speed.  There are very few moments in where you can recover during a race, this is one of them.  Take advantage of it

Flatland:

This is based upon you.  No one can help you with this but you.  Find your cadence.  Find you gear.  Find your breathing.  When its comes together, ride it out.  You will steadily improve and push yourself.  You will redeem the rewards on race day.

Good Luck and Have Fun