Chloe Woodruff, rider for the Crankbrothers Race Club, reviews resources, insight, and encouragement for those wanting to get involved in women’s cycling in the Boulder area. Stop by the Valmont Bike Park or check out CommunityCycles.org for more great bike riding resources.
Pactimo is proud to the the apparel partner for the crankbrothers race club.
by Stephen Gallagher from FORME Coaching
Profiling a professional rider’s progression to the Tour de France via the Giro and Critérium du Dauphiné.
Analyzing the riders CTL, TSB and performance management charts pre/during/post TDF. How riders handle the stresses post TDF, e.g. crits and travel along with them maintaining and increasing form post TDF, factors that must be taken into account. How recovery is an essential ingredient and how it is fitted in around travel and racing post TDF. The difference on riders who go to the TDF with the aim of a peak in August/Sept to the guys going for the GC.
https://www2.gotomeeting.com/register/372674890
Forme Coaching is a Pactimo partner in the UK and Ireland.
A public service announcement from the Colorado State Patrol on Colorado’s 3 Foot Law.
What do you think?
Using a power meter is the preferred training device most professional cyclists and triathletes these days and the information below explains why. Other devices such as a heart rate monitor and cyclometer can be used but this guide will focus on the usage of power meters to accurately track performance.
Why train with Power?
The power meter allows you to accurately and quantitatively measure your training, define areas of strength and weakness, fine tune your training plan to meet your specific goals, and to provide a common language with which to communicate with your coach. As your coach, power data allows me to see exactly what you are doing during your workouts as if I were there. When I ask you how hard was your workout, “hard” is a relative term meaning different things to different clients. Being able to look at your power output enables to me to see not only exactly how “hard” the workout was, but if you completed it accurately and how your body responded to it.
According to Charles Howe in the article “Empower your training” he lists the following benefits to using a power meter:
Using heart rate and the Perceived Rate of Exertion scale in conjunction with the use of a power meter provides additional, useful data in examining the body’s response to training.
Have you ever heard the saying “it is not always the strongest racer that wins”?
This is definitely true and whether you are an aspiring racer or recreational cyclist just looking to improve your fitness, proper form and technique is a way is key to improving your performance on the bike.
There are 2 major components to the above statement.
The first is addresses your ability as a cyclist to become as efficient as possible on the bike. Yes, watts are still important. But even more importantly is speed and efficiency. We must keep in mind the end goal. For example if you are time trialing against someone else your exact size but you are generating more watts, will you win? Not necessarily. The other rider could be more efficient, thus has to generate less power and yet still be faster. There are many ways to increase efficiency on the bike. The most common are developing proper form and technique, (including a smooth pedal stroke), refining position and aerodynamics without losing speed. Remember, it is possible to generate more power and actually go slower. Therefore, we work to find the optimum balance between generating power and efficiency.
The second component addresses your mental ability on the bike. Do not underestimate this one. Even if you never desire to enter a competitive situation, you can still benefit from using mental strategy. The most common way to use this technique addresses being a smart rider. You need to become adept at reading your own body and others while riding, always know where you can conserve energy, where you should expend energy for the greatest result, and if necessary how to take advantage of other riders and their strengths and weaknesses. This topic is best covered with athletes individually. I could write pages on the topic but the best learning comes from experience and conversations with your coach.
Some general tips on form and increasing efficiency on the bike:
Every cyclist should be familiar with the basic mechanics of his or her bicycle and also have a record of bike setup or measurements. Why? Seatposts, handlebars and other parts can slip or rotate, maybe you will need to travel with your bike and need to take it apart and rebuild it, if you get a new bike you will need to know how to set it up to be similar to your old bike, if you are uncomfortable and want to refine your position having accurate measurements will allow you to make precise adjustments and have record of the changes made. These are just a few of many reasons why a cyclist should have a record of their current bike measurements.
Use the diagram below to fill in the measurements. Keep your measurements from bike to bike, year to year. Determining optimum fit can be a lengthy process and any previous fit data can be helpful in determining changes necessary.
In addition to the measurements below, I always measure my saddle height and mark the seat post height with electrical tape. I measure seat height along the down tube, measuring from the center of the seat to the center of the bottom bracket. This way I can quickly see by the tape if my seat height has changed and also reset it to the proper height.
Many people think that the pros don’t work on their handling skills but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Most professionals routinely do handling drills to keep their skills at the highest level. Being comfortable and competent on your bicycle allows you to focus on making gains in training and in competition. Knowing how to handle your bike in difficult situations gives you the confidence and knowledge to avoid crashing or injury. So frequently athletes will focus on power and speed and spend little time on handling skills and drills. Spending a few minutes each week on drills is well worth the time- you will be more comfortable and confident on your bike.
Here are some examples of drills. Most of the drills can be done during a recovery ride and you don’t need to spend hours on them. Just a few minutes each week will improve your bike handling skills. And the next time you are caught in a tight situation, you will have the tools necessary to maneuver the bike safely out of trouble.
It is recommended to do drills in tennis shoes and on grass/dirt (where applicable) or an empty parking lot away from any traffic. Tennis shoes or grass will allow you to quickly put a foot down if necessary or have a soft landing should you need one. 
Some of these drills are advanced, be sure to start with the easier ones and work your way up and modify as needed for skill level.
Common Drills:
Ride the Line - In an empty parking lot or on a quiet stretch of road, practice riding directly on the white line on the side of the road. Look ahead, relax, and work on holding the bike in a nice steady, straight line.
Figure 8’s: Cornering vs. Steering - Cornering-using body weight to control the bike. Put pressure on the inside handlebar, outside leg and watch the bike carve a corner. Generally used for maintaining higher speeds.
Steering- turning the handlebars to control where the bike goes. Generally slower speeds and technical areas.
Figures 8’s on your bike are a great way to demonstrate this drill. Also- setting up a slalom course of bottles/cones can be great too!
Starts and Stops - Practice clipping in and rolling out quickly and in a controlled manner. Remember to put your start foot (the one clipped in) at about 2 or 10 o’clock position depending on which foot you start with. This will allow you to get a good “push off” and not have to do the stutter step. Do not look down at your pedals, know where they are and clip in with confidence. Be sure to practice clipping in with both feet, not just one side. For an extra challenge, practice clipping in on a slight uphill.
Practice stopping in a controlled and smooth movement. Choose a stopping point and brake, unclip and put a foot down in one smooth movement. Practice with both sides.
Remember to think about gearing before stopping so when you take off again you will be in an easy gear to start.
Touch Your Toes - While riding around in a large circle practice touching one foot or toe at a time. Start with touching your toe when the pedal is up, closest to you and work up touching your toe when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Do not take your eyes off of the road in front of you and get comfortable moving your body weight around on the bicycle to maintain a straight line. Be sure to work on both sides.
Group Riding - Get a few friends or family members together and practice riding in a group. Ride single file and get as close as possible to the wheel in front of you without overlapping. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and into the draft! J Feel the sweet spot and how the draft makes it easier to go just as fast. Practice taking pulls (remember to look first, flip your elbow, and say “off”), taking a drink, and all of the general guidelines in the attached group ride document.
Do you have any drills you recommend?
