From the Introduction
by
Coach Fred Matheny....
My Complete Book
of Road Bike Training brings together and reshapes all of the key
information from 4 eBooks I’ve written for RBR Publishing Company. Included are
Road riding was my
first love and it remains my favorite type of cycling. I helped found RoadBikeRider.com to
provide roadies with a dedicated source of “how to” information for riding
better and getting more fun and fitness from the sport.
This is simply the
best collection of road riding and training in-formation that I could assemble.
The 4 parts, being an
amalgam of the eBooks, naturally touch on similar key topics. For example,
you’ll find a discussion of all-important lactate threshold training in several
places. In each part it’s treated differently, oriented to the time of year and
specific training goals. You’ll benefit from this perspective as you develop
your own training plan with the recommendations provided.
(By the way, you’ll see
a good deal of information about lactate threshold training credited to Lance
Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael, who says LT workouts were the key to
Lance’s astounding success.)
Thanks to this
structure, each part of my Complete Book of Road Bike Training provides all of the essential information
necessary, standing alone so you can enter at the best place for your needs.
You don’t have to start
at page 1, for instance, if it’s March and you’re on the doorstep of the new
season. In this case, start with Part 3: Spring Training. Virtually
everything you should know for the spring period is in that section. Then read
the rest of the eBook, particularly Part 1: Foundation Information, to
fill in the overall picture and get additional perspectives on key training
topics.
Please note:
The cost of the above 4
eBooks is $59.80 if purchased individually. By buying them in Fred
Matheny's Complete Book
of Road Bike Training you save $19.85.
$39.95
eBook
The
following passage is from Part 1: Foundation Information, chapter
9. Here Coach Fred Matheny begins his discussion of the essence of better
performance – better pedaling.
EXCERPT: Building
the Base
Most
cyclists realize the importance of a good endurance base. We know the litany:
steady miles (1) develop the ability to process huge amounts of oxygen, (2)
prepare the cardiovascular system for high-speed training, and (3) reduce body
fat so climbing is improved. Endurance is important for long one-day rides,
centuries, cross-state treks and tours.
In chapter 13, I discuss how to prepare specifically for these events. But
before you can ride long distances with style and comfort, you must learn to
pedal efficiently.
THE IMPORTANCE OF BETTER PEDALING
Here’s an eye-opening fact: When you ride steadily for an hour, you make about
5,400 pedal strokes. A century ride may mean 40,000 turns of the crank. Any flaw
in your pedaling style gets magnified by the sheer number of times you perform
the motion. Poor technique leads to premature fatigue and overuse injuries. It’s
obvious that honing your pedal stroke is the first step to building endurance
and well worth some effort.
EXAMPLE! A few years ago, I was riding in Boulder, Colorado,
a road bike mecca where it isn’t unusual to see hundreds of other
cyclists during a morning spin. Sporting the latest trade team
jerseys and shorts, they look, to the casual eye, like pros.
Then I noticed a lone rider coming at me. Something about him
screamed “Pro!” even though he wore a nondescript jersey. It wasn’t
the clothes, it was the pedal stroke that set him apart: rock-solid
shoulders, relaxed arms and a silky spin that seemed effortless even
though he was going uphill into a brisk wind off the mountains.
It was 7-time Tour de France rider and Giro d’Italia stage winner
Ron Kiefel, out for a leg-loosening spin. No way for this retired
pro to hide—the elegance and efficiency of his pedal stroke gave him
away. |
I know what
you’re thinking: Why should you care about looking elegant? Why devote any
effort to honing a silky spin when a choppier style probably gets you down the
road nearly as well?
-
A smooth
stroke is more efficient on long rides. Although the difference between
the pedal strokes of Ron Kiefel and those of an average rider may be
miniscule for each revolution, over thousands of repetitions it results in
significant energy savings. A small improvement in form pays off in less
fatigue and faster average speed.
-
A smooth
stroke reduces injuries. Pushing down hard on the pedal in a lurching,
square stroke increases the chance of damage to the tendons around your
ankles and knees. When you smooth out your stroke, you distribute the
workload among all the leg’s structures, lessening the chance of straining
any given part.
-
A smooth
stroke allows you to pedal faster. And fast pedaling, according to coach
Chris Carmichael is the key to developing power. At 100 rpm, the leg muscles
have to push down with much less force on each stroke compared with going
the same speed at 50 rpm. A faster pedal stroke lets you use suppleness and
agility rather than brute strength to power your bike.
(Next, Coach Fred details 5 proven methods for improving your pedal stroke.)
$39.95
eBook
