Follow our simple guide and hey presto – you ’ ll be a better rider .
MAGICAL GAINS
During the Olympic Games there was much talk of ‘ marginal gains ’. This meticulous approach to performance has become pro cycling ’ s secret weapon . While it ’ s safe to say that professional athletes are finely tuned and hunting for that final edge , it ’ s probably fair to assume that we mere mortals have a lot of things to try before we can say we ’ ve covered all bases .
Lazy when it comes to pumping up your tyres ? Skipped breakfast this morning ? Forget marginal gains , these are magical gains , and they can be achieved with little effort . Here are 22 ways you can make a small change to reap massive benefits .
LEARN TO CORNER Skilful cornering will
1 significantly increase your average speed . What ’ s more , this is an area where you ’ re most likely to lose or gain energy when you ’ re riding with a group . If you can stay close to the wheel in front through the turns , you ’ ll save a huge amount of energy and gain pace for no effort . Practice makes perfect , so find a tricky corner and work on your skills . Keep your eyes up ahead through to the exit , look where you want to go rather than at the floor , and imagine you ’ re trying to map as smooth a line as possible through the turn .
HOLD THE LIFE DECISIONS UNTIL YOU ’ VE RIDDEN YOUR BIKE
2 Cycling clears your mind and is a great way to order your thoughts . If something ’ s bothering you or you need to make a big life decision , put it on hold while you go for a spin . The chances are things will be clearer when you return .
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GO TO BED AN HOUR EARLIER Going to bed late means we are likely to miss out on hours of deep sleep . By lying in , we may gain light sleep in the daylight hours but none of the quality shut-eye we ’ d get if we hit the sack at 10pm . Go to bed an hour earlier and you ’ re more likely to want to hit that ride to work motivated and refreshed .
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REFUEL ON RIDES OVER 1.5 HOURS Your body requires roughly 1g of carbohydrate per kg of body weight each hour . For short rides , you ’ ll be fine so long as you don ’ t set off hungry . For longer rides , take a gel or snack to eat after the first hour . Your carbohydrate stores will start to run low after 1.5hrs , so top them up with a ‘ little and often ’ approach to feel fresher and stronger , and avoid the dreaded ‘ bonk ’.
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DO FIVE MINUTES OF CORE EACH DAY AT WORK Squat while you ’ re at the kettle , lift your knees up and take your
feet off the floor at your desk for as long as you can while keeping a strong core , and throw in a few press-ups . If you have an accommodating work environment , try sitting on a Swiss ball instead of a chair and holding a good posture . Make the effort to do just five minutes that make your stomach muscles ache each day and you will see big rewards on the bike . Having a strong core will help your stability , balance , comfort and climbing .
PHONE A FRIEND If you ’ ve planned to meet a friend for a ride , you ’ re less likely to make excuses and bail out . Schedule a weekly meeting point and time to make sure you stick to a plan .
WORDS REBECCA CHARLTON ILLUSTRATIONS ANDY ARTHUR
22 | ROAD BIKE