How to improve my bike time in 4 weeks?
newtotri80
Posts: 2
in General Chat
I did my first ever tri last weekend and loved it. I'm now getting ready for Blenheim in 4 weeks' time where I'll be competing against a fewfriends and I'm wondering how I can shave some time off the bike leg by then.
In my last super sprint the bike leg was a flattish 20k that I managed to do in just over 40 mins. It was the part of the race where I ranked the lowest compared to the swim, run, and even T1 and T2. For comparison the best guy on the day did the bike in 29:01. With a month to go until the next race, what can I do to pick up a few kms/h and gain at least a couple of minutes over 20k?
1) Training - My cycling isn't great compared to swimming and running because I only bought my bike in early April. So far I've done mainly base endurance and familiarising myself with the bike. What kind of specific training should I do?
2) Kit - What single piece of kit would give me the best pick-up in speed assuming I can learn to use it in a month? I've got a Specialized Allez 16 with its bog standard wheels, tyres, flat pedals etc. Should I invest in clipless pedals and cycling shoes (never used them before), tri bars, some slick race tyres?
Any advice would be appreciated!
In my last super sprint the bike leg was a flattish 20k that I managed to do in just over 40 mins. It was the part of the race where I ranked the lowest compared to the swim, run, and even T1 and T2. For comparison the best guy on the day did the bike in 29:01. With a month to go until the next race, what can I do to pick up a few kms/h and gain at least a couple of minutes over 20k?
1) Training - My cycling isn't great compared to swimming and running because I only bought my bike in early April. So far I've done mainly base endurance and familiarising myself with the bike. What kind of specific training should I do?
2) Kit - What single piece of kit would give me the best pick-up in speed assuming I can learn to use it in a month? I've got a Specialized Allez 16 with its bog standard wheels, tyres, flat pedals etc. Should I invest in clipless pedals and cycling shoes (never used them before), tri bars, some slick race tyres?
Any advice would be appreciated!
0
Comments
Spend more time in the saddle.
Similar with running,practice interval training,be it sprints or hill reps,both will help.
Allow your body to recover,after overloading them,hard session,easy session steady session,hard,easy rest,repeat.should help you get speed.
Tri bars fitted and used correctly,they need not be expensive,forty quid should get you some basic ones.
If the course is hilly then bike shoes will be an advantage,but as with tri bars practice with them.
You can BUY speed,which may make you faster but will it make you better.
Minimising time in transition will improve your time,
train on the course,so you know the route,the turns,knowledge is power.
Enjoy.
you will immeadiately be faster... albeit slightly poorer.
as jon says - spend some time in the saddle, if you want to go faster then it's intervals/speedwork/hill reps!
I would agree with the rest. I am new to this and started in Jan. My bike time is getting better and better with time in teh saddle, and teh jelly legs re getting less and less.
Also for me I have a route which i do every couple weeks that i know excaly how far it is and has part every sort of ride, and use this as my bench mark for improvement.
Other simple things I found was makign sure you tyres are at the right pressure, and the saddle extra are in the ringht postion.
Hope my limited knowelge helps
WIll
I've been commuting to work 3-5 times a week now for about 6 years now and it pretty much substitutes most of my bike training. My commute is 19ish mile each way, I varey the pace depending on what training I have planned for the reat of the day. On a early day (5am) I basically time trial it and on the way home its intervals traffic light to traffic light (london - traffic lights every 200m
Downside is it can knacker you out, but who said training was easy
Aerobars are also a top idea, as Jon says about £40, you will need to practice. Another thing is that your position will be thrown out of kilter. Have a read of this, lot to read http://www.slowtwitch.com/mainheadings/ ... kefit.html
Get clipless pedals. fall over. get up. repeat.
Get aero body position
Get aero wheels
Get anything else aero
In that order.
Then repeat with more expensive stuff.
Triathlon. done.
Thanks for the advice. I'll have to add intervals and hill reps to my training. After all I already do them when I run and swim (not the hills - my local pool is fairly flat!). Any favourite interval sessions out there?
The speed concept looks nice but I couldn't even tell which side to get on!!! So I'll stick with my 1-month old Allez and try to experiment with pedals. Checking tyre pressure also sounds like a good idea with a lot of impact if you get it wrong.
Suggestions
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... Googlebase
http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... Googlebase
They give a more efficient connection twixt man and machine
You will need shoes
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-r1-road-cyc ... n=products
Shoes are generally snug so if any doubt go up half a size
Also check out ebay, I got a pair of new Diadora tris shoes (if it has triathlon in the name it doubles in price, they also have a single broad strap instead of several) for less than £30