Cycling computers

The cycling computer gives the measurements of loops & rides whenever you drive them. Besides, the odometer fixed into it gives the mileage which determines your ability. The censor of the equipment must be attached at 5mm away from the spoke so as to avoid hitting the spokes and a kind of flimsiness arising out of it. So cycling computers act as a very effective equipment for a good training purpose.

Power meters
Power meters for increasing V02 max

Conducting trainings with power meters like Powertap, SRM, Ergomo etc gives you the scope to determine the physical demands required for cycling. Suppose you want to increase the consumption of oxygen, conduct a test of maximizing the VO2max power output. The power output can be maintained for five minutes. Setting up a proper target in training, is the basic objective of all trainings. As the VO2max training is tough so it’s better to split it up within shorter intervals.

Are power meters really needed?

The following functions are performed by a power meter:

* Measure & displays the heart rate.
* Measures the riding speed, time & distance.
* It determines the maximal aerobic power (MAP).
* Provides instant feedback about performance and measures the rider’s actual output.
* Hence, power meters are so necessary for cyclists.

Power meters, which one is best for use?

Always go for a power meter which is professionally built for athletes and sports persons, especially cyclists.

It should preferably be carbon-enforced and aluminum structured for lightness. The weight should preferably be not more than 500 grams. The components should be completely encased within the shell to protect from moisture. And best if wireless!

Trainer Vs outdoor cycling

How to use a trainer for building up base miles indoor?Well, it varies widely.
Try to start off with long sustained trainings. Like starting off with a schedule of 2 and ½ hour long, slow race with a low intensity.
Next day increase the schedule to 3 and ½ hour of low intensity again.
The day after, go for a recovery ride of 30 minutes.
And the next day, take a ride of 45 minutes on the trainer, with some intervals.

Turbo trainers
Turbo trainers Vs gym exercising bikes. The firsts are much preferable than gym bikes.

Firstly, they save you the time, which is crucial in this busy life.
It is hot and uncomfortable in gym, maybe the heart rate shoots up easily.
The bikes in the gym are not comfortable.

In all these ways, the turbo trainers are way better than the gym bikes. And above all, no need to pay for the gym membership!

Cycling is an outdoor activity and, therefore, most of the training takes place outdoors as well. To be as good as you can possibly be and avoid injury and soreness, you’ll be doing strength training, cross training and circuit training.

Although the ideal place for this training is outdoors because that’s where you’ll be doing your riding, it is possible to do these types of training indoors as well. In fact, not only is it possible but it may be necessary if weather conditions are not agreeable or you live in areas of extreme cold winters.

You should make every effort to spend as much of your time training outside as possible. But in the situations where you can’t be outside, you can have some effective training indoors as well.

Making Your Indoor Training Effective

If you’re in a position where you’re forced to do your cycling training indoors, make the most out of this training. It’s very important that you use the same bicycle that you normally use outdoors and in competitions. A very effective way of continuing your normal training is to attach a stationary trainer or rollers to your bike.

These trainers can be attached to the back wheel on your bike. Trainers are excellent for allowing you to perform the normal training methods you would use if outside. The negative about a trainer is that it will increase the wear and tear on your tire. In fact, if you spend a lot of time training indoors, you may find yourself replacing your rear tire more often than you’d like. To ensure that you are in the correct riding position, make sure you prop your front tire up so it’s the same height of the back tire.

Training Varieties

There are many varieties of trainers available today. A very popular trainer is the wind trainer. It has blades that you attach to the roller that’s attached to the rear tire. This causes a resistance for your training, but the resistance can be adjusted by switching gears when riding. This makes it very similar to outdoor riding. Because they have fewer parts than other trainer, they are less expensive.

The one thing that many don’t like about wind trainers is that they are noisy. What many people use are hydraulic trainers, which use a break pad and fluid. This helps to add some extra resistance. Not only are they easily adjustable but they’re also very quiet. Another choice of many is magnetic trainers, which work great for adding resistance. You’ll have to choose the method that works best for you based on your skill level and budget.

How to rate your fitness level

The first part of your training season that you need to consider is the base training. Serious competitors begin their training more than a couple weeks before their season begins. You need to begin by asking yourself some questions.The first question to ask is, “what level of shape am I in?” This question can be answered by placing yourself in any one of five categories. These five categories are:

1. I am a successful cyclist, I have completed entire seasons of cycling for each of the past several years, and I train year ‘round. I never take more than two or three days of rest except during my recovery periods on my training schedule.
2. I usually take a portion of the year away from cycling, but I have completed one or two seasons successfully.
3. Last year was my first season of competition, but I ride most of the year. I take an occasional extended break from cycling, but I want to improve my abilities.
4. I have only been cycling for a few months and I am not usually too serious about cycling. I rarely train for competition and take many extended breaks from the sport.
5. I am new to cycling with no previous experience with an endurance sport. I do not train year round, I have never competed before and this is the first time I have considered training for competition.

Guess your fitness level

You will need to make an educated guess about your fitness level and experience. The first category is for people who consider their selves to be avid cyclists who train all of the time. People in this category would have the fitness of a top amateur or professional athlete. People in the fifth category would be anyone with a very limited amount of experience who only rides a few days a week in the better part of the riding season.

All of the other categories are in between. This will also be helpful in determining your base training. After you have decided which fitness category you are in you can begin to create you training routine and schedule. The lower you rate your fitness level the higher you need to set your goals. The number one would be considered the highest rating and the number five is considered the lowest.

Just because hard work will produce good results does not mean that you have to train to be a better rider. Countless kilometers riding, hours of cross-training, tons of weight lifting, stretching your muscles for hours on end and hyper-focus on skill improvement is not necessarily the best way or even a way to become a better rider.

Proper balance and adversity

Over training is the result of a training routine that is not properly balanced with recovery time in the training scheduled to let your body recuperate gaining strength and endurance. Your body’s response to training is complex on many levels. The many levels include, but are not limited to the way your body uses the fuel you feed it, the way your blood cells adapt, the way your heart and lungs respond. Improved performance is the result of the correct training, with adequate recovery time for your body to rest and build strength along with proper endurance. If you over train your body will respond adversely. At a specific stress level, your body no longer gains improved performance from the stress of training. Every athlete has natural abilities that may be heightened. If you train at or slightly above your natural abilities over a period, you will be able to raise your abilities and even gain new abilities.

Overtrain for short periods?? Some bikers will over train for short periods followed by a rest period. The rest period will allow their body to increase in strength and endurance beyond the point they started. This will result in achieving a new higher level of fitness. After this short period of over training followed by an abrupt rest period, they will resume their regular training schedule. If they do not rest their body after the short period of over training, they will only decrease their abilities.

Habits related to overtraining

Other training habits that can cause a decrease in abilities may include repetitive training with no flexibility or change, frequent competition, medical problems, poor nutrition, too little fluids, stress from work, school, family, relationships and life in general and adverse weather factors.

No matter what the reason is for over training, over training can have both good and bad results on the body. All athletes must take precautions to assure that they do not over train in a way that adversely impacts there body and/or their abilities.

Long-term planning and scheduling

If you have long-term schedule and plans in your training, it is called periodization. In this type of planning for the year and scheduling, each period of your scheduled training program will prepare you for the next, more advanced period on your schedule. This will perpetuate until you have peaked at the time of your most important competition of the season. Some trainers have used periodization for several years with the athletes they train. If you vary the volume, the intensity and recovery period in various scheduled periods of your schedule in a pre-meditated and systematic manner you can maximize your level of performance at the same time as you reduce the risks of over-training or injury.

A Yearly Cycling Training Plan

You need to first look at your competition schedule for the season or year. After you have researched your years competition schedule you can create a yearly training schedule and plan that is periodized for your competitions. When you are planning for the year, you will want to periodontist the season by determining the specific training periods. These periods may include your general preparation periods for the season and competitions, specialization for the specific competitions, competition in general, and your transition periods. Decide when the peak points are in your season for various levels of competition. During various levels of competition, you may want to peak mentally, emotionally, tactically and physically. These times will include your yearend championship season.

The Macrocycle

The macrocycle is what many cyclists have termed the annual training season. A macrocycle is a complete bike training plan or cycle. Your macrocycle begins when your training commences and peaks at the time of a major competition. The macrocycle then continues through the transitional and recovery periods.

If you have solid information about your strengths and goals and make a yearly training schedule accordingly, you will have the best opportunity to create a well-planned training schedule. Only a well-planned training schedule will allow you to work in specific training periods known as periods. You will want to divide your yearly training schedule into periods to get the best training possible and reach the best competition results. Training is typically split into three separate periods for cyclists.

These three periods are preparation, competition, and transition. Transition is often referred to as active rest. Within each period, you will want to control the volume, intensity, frequency, and skill work of your training. This will help to direct you to your peak performance level.

Question:
what are best techniques for fast cornering?

Hi Geoffrey,

Cornering is an art that not everyone can get a grip of, but the more you practice the better you should get.

If you are cornering on a descent then you need to brake as you come into the corner and take it wide so you can cut across the apex of the corner and then accelerate out of it. If you come in close to the corner you will end up coming out of the corner wide and ending up off the road on the outside of the corner. The same thing will happen if you go into the corner too fast, as you cut across you will come out of it too fast and end up on the other side of the road and probably into a hedge or worse.

Going up hill, you should take the shortest route possible, unless it’s very steep. You should be able to pedal round the corner so that you don’t lose any momentum and slow down, if you do you can loose a lot of distance on other riders.

On the flat you need to ride similarly to descending, slow before the bend, cut across the corner and then you can kick hard out of the bend and make a jump to speed up out of it. This makes it very hard for the riders behind you; this is one of the best ways to make an attack in a race to get away from the other riders.

Remember to stay to your side of the road if there is other traffic, on a closed road you are OK, but other wise be very careful. I hope this helps, Geoffrey?