Cycling Technique - Triathlon

When cycling it is so important to focus on technique and the biomechanics of cycling to be able to optimise performance.

You should hold a cadence between 70 - 90 revolutions per minute (triathlon training).

The upper-body should remain relaxed with your head as motionless as possible ensuring you do not grip the handlebars too hard. No white knuckles and just wiggle your fingers throughout the cycle to remind yourself to not grip the bar hard. You can also shrug the shoulders to encourage a relaxed upper-body.

There are 3 main positions you can adopt in and out of the saddle, each uses different muscles allowing them to recover during cycling.

The 1st position is how you would normally sit while cycling.

The 2nd position, you simply drop your ass off the back of the saddle, while remaining seated, and take your chest down and lower to the crossbar. Position 2 predominantly uses the glutes, which is the biggest muscle group in the body and also the most powerful.

The 3rd position is adopting a standing stance and taking the ass off the seat. The upper body leans over the front of the handle bars and you drive the knee forward as if trying to pull your foot out of your shoe, while driving down on the opposite pedal. In this position you may need to grip the handle bars harder to help drive the feet and the cadence will decrease significantly. You will be spending the majority of your time cycling in position 1 and will adopt 2 and 3 on hills or when you are fatigued.

Cadence is the key to optimum performance!!!

To begin, the faster cadence will seem harder, but just lower the gear to allow 70 - 90 RPM to be maintained. Try to stay at an easy pace where you can hold a conversation with yourself, without having to gasp for air.

Ideally the duration would be for 90 minutes but you can build your endurance up gradually. 30 min then 60 min then 90 min.

All focus should be on technique and never comparing yourself to others (easier said than done I know).

Try to assess your current ability and praise how you improve against yourself.

Happy cycling and stay safe on the roads.