By Coach Fred Matheny I'll never forget the rider approaching me near Boulder, Colorado, some years ago. Roadies are common in that cycling-mad town but this guy stood out, even at a distance, for the smoothness and fluidity of his pedaling motion. He sat rock steady on the saddle and his legs flowed underneath him. I wasn't surprised when he came closer and I recognized Ron … [Read more...] about How to perfect your cycling pedal stroke
1Training & Health
Why Is My Cadence Higher on a Trainer?
Question: I'm a relatively new rider and have read that a higher cadence is better, so I'm trying to increase mine to 100 rpm. I have no trouble maintaining 95-100 with my bike on a trainer, but when I reach 95 on the road, it feels unnatural. Is there something about riding outside that makes me want to use a lower cadence than I should? -- Mark G. … [Read more...] about Why Is My Cadence Higher on a Trainer?
Does Commuting Count as an Easy Day?
Question: Ever since a bad bout with overtraining, I alternate hard and easy days. I also commute to work, 30 miles per day. Does my commute count as an easy day? Also, would it be okay to do a variety of training (endurance, sprints, power) each week, or should I separate my training into "blocks" and work on only one skill at a time? -- Bill P. … [Read more...] about Does Commuting Count as an Easy Day?
Overtraining vs Overreaching in Cycling and How to Know the Difference
By Coach Fred Matheny Overtraining and Overreaching are Different Overreaching is caused by several days of training beyond your power to recover by the next day's ride. This is easily reversible with a few days rest. Carefully planned overreaching is necessary for top riders to reach the elite level. Overtraining, on the other hand, develops after weeks or months of hard … [Read more...] about Overtraining vs Overreaching in Cycling and How to Know the Difference
Dictionary of Cycling Lingo
A List of Common Terminology to Decipher the Sometimes Arcane Patois of Road Cycling Ever wonder what cyclists are talking about when they start throwing around weird slang? We've created a bicycling dictionary for you, with definitions of the most common phrases and words related to cycling. Did we miss a word? Leave a comment and tell us, so that we can update the list, … [Read more...] about Dictionary of Cycling Lingo