Multi-Tri Training with Michele--Cycling basics for triathletes

It’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of cycling. I find that cycling is far too technical and dangerous for my liking. However, the bike portion of a triathlon is the longest portion, both in distance and time, so I’ve forced myself to become as comfortable and efficient on the bike as possible.

Trying to find any concrete information on cycling is like sticking your hand in a bowl of Jell-O—it’s gushy, slimy, and grabbing anything solid is near impossible. In order to eliminate the relentless chatter, advice, and chaos that go along with cycling, I’ve tried to simplify things. Below is some basic cycling skills, which are the foundation to being a successful and powerful cyclist.

Cadence

Maintaining a quality cadence is important; especially as a triathlete, since you have to bounce off the bike and run. For this reason, it isn’t a good idea to grind through a course in a really hard gear. Rather, you should train your body (and your brain) to be at around 70-90 rotations per minute. You can determine your cadence by counting how many times your right foot does a complete pedal circle within 10 seconds, then multiply by 6 for total rotations per minute. This is equivalent to 12-15 pedal rotations of your right foot in 10 seconds.

Shifting

Shifting can be a little intimidating because it involves so many pieces of equipment moving around while you are in motion. Still, you should put your shifting fear aside and get comfortable doing it because you need to do it often. In fact, most people don’t shift enough, which leads to premature wear on the bike’s drive train and worn out legs. In order to maintain a cadence that is between 70-90 revolutions per minute, you need to be constantly shifting to maintain this speed. On a rolling course, you should be shifting almost constantly to maintain that steady cadence.

How do you know what gear to select? First, don’t get confused by the many choices, and don’t worry about harming the bike by shifting it “wrong” — you can’t hurt it as long as you slightly ease the pedal pressure when shifting (you must pedal to shift). And understand that the correct gear is any gear that allows you to pedal comfortably at the moment. There’s no right or wrong gear and there’s no proper sequence to follow. You just shift when your body tells you it’s time for a change.