Documenti di Didattica
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Gear
GUIDE
TRI BIKES, AEROBARS,
AERO HELMETS & MORE
TECHNIQUE
& TRAINING
SKILL, SPEED AND
STRENGTH SESSIONS
FOR ALL ABILITIES
ii PERFORMANCE SERIES
DIY BIKE
MECHANIC
EXPERT BIKE
FIT ADVICE
GO-FASTER
NUTRITION
7.99
MEET THE
EXPERTS
The worlds finest athletes
and coaches assembled just
for you. Their quest? To
refine your technique
MAT BRETT Mat is the former editor
of 220 Triathlon magazine and now a
regular writer for the worlds leading
multisport magazine
ROBERT BANINO is the former deputy
editor of 220 Triathlon magazine and
now one of the most respected bike
writers in the country
JACK SEXTY is staff writer for
220 Triathlon magazine, highly-acclaimed
age-grouper and is aiming to conquer
Ironman Lanzarote in 2016
NIK COOK has competed for
Great Britain at the duathlon world
championships and is a regular
contributor to 220 Triathlon
PETE BONFIELD is a former national
champion at road racing and coached
the womens triathlon team in cycling at
the 2004 Athens Olympics
GUY KESTEVEN has been testing
bikes for magazines for nearly 20 years.
In that time, hes also become a master
of the bike workshop
ANDY BULLOCK is entering his 11th year
as a professional triathlon coach. He
has masters in exercise physiology and
exercise psychology, and is a former
220 Triathlon coach of the year
EDS LETTER
220
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WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 5
CONTENTS
32 AEROBAR GUIDE
Whether youre looking for all-in-ones or
clip-ons, this is the place to be
BIKE GEAR
16 ANATOMY OF A BIKE
Know your dropouts from your drops
18 AFFORDABLE ROAD BIKE
What to look for when spending under 600
20 MID-RANGE TRI BIKE
Essential features for sub-2,000
46 PRE-SEASON BIKE
Mudguards and WD40 at the ready
BIKE WORKSHOP
30 BIKE ESSENTIALS
Bike shoes, bib shorts, performance
eyewear all needed for the total triathlete
PAGE
SUBSCRIPTIONS
From the publishers of
220 Triathlon magazine
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ISSUES FOR 5.00
14
TECHNIQUE
& TRAINING
64 BOOST PEDAL POWER
Activate more muscles for faster pedalling
66 GEAR CONTROL
Which gear combinations to use and when
70 CLIMBING MASTERCLASS
When to sit or stand and at what cadence
73 CORNERING & DESCENDING
How to stay balanced, safe and fast
76 GROUP RIDING
Why racing with mates equals more speed
80 THE LONG RIDE
Gear, nutrition and pacing tips for those
Sunday-morning rides
82 RACE-PACE RIDING
Sessions that up intensity and power
90 TRANSFORM TRANSITIONS
The perfect layout for a swift T1 and T2 plus
step-by-step technique advice
94 BRICK SESSIONS
Once youve mastered the transition
technique, its time to up the intensity
96 OFF-ROAD MASTERCLASS
Xterra legend Conrad Stoltz shows you
how to handle a mountain bike
BIKE NUTRITION
100 FUELLING YOUR
PEAK PERFORMANCE
Why training dictates whether you choose
carbohydrates, protein or fats
105 DIETS OF THE PROS
Rachel Joyce, Jodie Swallow and more
106 FUELLING ON WHEELS
How to feed proficiently on the fly
84 TT FOR TRI
Midweek racing for multisport gains
86 POWER UP
How to maximise a power meter
PRODUCTION
Production director Sarah Powell
Production manager Sin Rodgers
Production co-ordinator
Derrick Andrews
Ad co-ordinator Paul Thornton
Reprographics Tony Hunt, Chris Sutch,
Rob Fletcher
IMMEDIATE MEDIA CO
Publisher Alison Worthington
Publishing director Andy Healy
Managing director Andy Marshall
CEO Tom Bureau
Deputy chairman Peter Phippen
Chairman Stephen Alexander
CONTACT US
WEBSITE
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM
PHONE
Editorial 0117 927 9009
Subscription & back issues
0844 826 7820
(Overseas please call +44 1795
414815)
EMAIL
Subscription & back issues
220triathlon@servicehelpline.co.uk
POST
Editorial 220 Triathlon, Immediate Media,
Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN
Immediate Media Company Bristol Limited 2016
Not for resale. All rights reserved. Unauthorised reproduction in
whole or part is prohibited without written permission. Every effort
has been made to secure permission for copyright material. In the
event of any material being used inadvertently, or where it proved
impossible to trace the copyright owner, acknowledgement will be
made in a future issue.
Views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher.
Printed in the UK by William Gibbons Ltd
COVER IMAGE
REMY WHITING
MAY 2015 I WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 7
MUST-DO
BIKE LEGS
Beyond high speeds and the adrenaline rush, you cant
beat triathlon for enjoying the best of Mother Nature.
Here are seven of the most stunning race bikes
CHALLENGE WANAKA
WANAKA, NEW ZEALAND, 20 FEBRUARY 2016
3.8KM SWIM | 180KM BIKE | 42.2KM RUN
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 9
CHALLENGE ROTH
ROTH, GERMANY, 17 JULY 2016
3.8KM SWIM | 180KM BIKE | 42.2KM RUN
Roth is regarded as the fastest longcourse event in the world, the mens and
womens records coming in at 7:41:33
(Andreas Raelert) and 8:18:13 (Chrissie
Wellington), respectively. The bike is
relatively flat aside from the notorious
Solar Berg Hill. Thankfully, huge crowds
that resemble the Tour de Frances Dutch
Corner ease the pain.
IMAGE LENNART PREISS
IRONMAN UK70.3
WIMBLEBALL LAKE, SOMERSET, 26 JUNE 2016
1.9KM SWIM | 90KM BIKE | 21.1KM RUN
CELTMAN
WESTER ROSS, SCOTLAND, 25 JUNE 2016
3.8KM SWIM | 202KM BIKE | 42KM RUN
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 11
THE SLATEMAN
TRIATHLON
LAKE PADARN, SNOWDONIA, 21-22 MAY 2016
VARIOUS DISTANCES
THE LONDON
TRIATHLON
EXCEL, LONDON, 6-7 AUGUST 2016
VARIOUS DISTANCES
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 13
BIKE
GEAR
From bikes that suit all budgets and abilities to transforming
your road workhorse into an aerodynamic thoroughbred, this is
your first port of call before whipping out your credit card
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 15
BIKE GEAR
ANATOMY
OF A BIKE
The bike leg of triathlon provides more jargon than the rest of the sport
combined. So if youre struggling to recognise your downtubes from your
head tubes, your tops from your drops and derailleurs from your shifters,
this is the place where it will all become clear
or most triathletes, the road bike is their day-to-day machine. Whether its for training,
commuting or just riding for fun, a road bike is far more versatile than a triathlon bike.
Part of the beauty of a road bike is that theyre extremely simple machines and, with a
bit of practice, you can easily maintain it on your own. Heres a clear overview to the key parts
that youll find on a road bike, and what they do...
SEAT POST
STEM
HOODS/SHIFTERS
If youre on the hoods, youll be riding
with your hands resting on the rubber
covers on the shifters. Traditionally, on
UK bikes, the right brake is the front
and the left is the rear; the right
shifter controls the rear derailleur and
the left controls the front.
BRAKES
Almost always, on
road bikes, side-pull
caliper-style.
DROPS
REAR DERAILLEUR
Moves the chain up and down
the cassette.
TOPS
When youre riding with your
hands on either side of the
stem, its called riding on
the tops a very popular
position for climbing.
FRONT
DERAILLEUR
Moves the chain between
the two front rings.
TYRES
For road bikes, usually in 23/25mm varieties. Essentially, goes round the
rim and inflated to provide a comfortable ride. Come in clincher, road
tubeless and tubular styles, depending on what sort of wheels you have.
WHEELS
Tend to be more durable and bulletproof than
deep-rimmed aero wheels, so will usually feature a
minimum of 20 spokes and minimal rim depth.
ANATOMY OF A BIKE
f you want to ride fast, you need to get out of the winds way. Thats why the triathlon
bike is the race-day weapon of choice. Its packed with features designed to help you
cut through the air as efficiently as possible and make the most of the effort youre
putting into riding. Despite being a similar shape, they can differ quite drastically from
road bikes as you can see with the tri bike below...
EXTENSIONS
BULLHORNS
Usually have small brake levers mounted
on the end. (With electronic youll also
find shifter switches.) Can be used when
riding along or, more commonly, when out
of the saddle to gain leverage.
ARM RESTS
Pads to rest your lower arms/elbows on
when youre on the extensions.
SPOKES
Joins the hub to the rim. They pull the rim
inwards at high tension, which makes the
wheel extremely strong. If one loosens or
breaks, it can imbalance the whole wheel.
RIM
AERO WHEELS
INTEGRATED BRAKE
FORKS
CASSETTE
These days usually 10 or 11
cogs mounted on the freehub
of the rear wheel, but can be
as few as eight or nine on
older bikes. Shifting between
sprockets changes the effort
needed to move the bike.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 17
AFFORDABLE
ROAD BIKE
MANGO POINT R
If youre just starting your triathlon journey, theres no need to spend more than
600. And right on cue, Mangos Point R is aimed at triathletes and cyclists
seeking affordable speed. We see how it fared on the roads
WORDS JACK SEXTY IMAGES THESECRETSTUDIO.NET
AFFORDABLE
ROAD BIKE
1 The Shimano Tiagra groupset is great value for money at this price point 2 The Point R has a sleek, minimal design, with the only prominent branding visible on the
head tube and seat tube; the bike also has full internal cable routing 3 The chainset and bottom bracket are supplied by FSA to complement the Tiagra drivetrain
TECH
VERDICT
86%
MANGO POINT R
HEAD TURNER
In understated matte white, the bike looks
sleek and clean, and branding is only clearly
visible on the head tube.
The bike handles well for the most part, but
feels a little vulnerable on steep descents and
bumpy roads. On the flat tarmac, however, the
Point R really comes into its own, and few bikes
at this price point feel so fast and racey.
It definitely isnt the lightest at 9.8kg, but this
is offset by decent handling and sturdiness. The
Point R also climbs surprisingly well given the
extra weight.
WHEELS
Front/rear CW-RD2.0
Tyres Kenda KT128 25C
COMPONENTS
Stem CW Team-S
Bars CW Team-S Compact
Headset FSA Top Cap
Saddle MB Upgrade
Seatpost CW Team-S Forged Alloy
Brakes Tektro R315 Alloy Dual Pivot
DIMENSIONS
1 Head angle 72.5
2 Seat angle 73.5
3 Top tube 55cm
4 Seat tube 53cm
5 Standover 75.5cm
6 Chainstay 42cm
7 Bottom bracket 25cm
8 Wheelbase 100.5cm
9 Head tube 16cm
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 19
MID-RANGE
TRI BIKE
FUJI NORCOM
STRAIGHT 2.5
A triathlon bikes a true sign of intent that youre morphing into a
multisport thoroughbred. But, with two grand burning in your pocket, is the
impressive-looking Fuji as memorable on the road?
WORDS ROB BANINO IMAGES JONNY GAWLER
MID-RANGE
TRI BIKE
1 The head tube is designed for extreme low-profile riding, though our reviewer is less than impressed with the bar-end shifters 2 Oval 327 Aero alloy clinchers
will guarantee a fast ride 3 The Oval Concepts R500T saddle sits atop a highly adjustable seatpost, providing effective seat tube angles from 74 to 81
VERDICT
89%
TECH
WHEELS
DIMENSIONS
1 Head angle 72.5
Front Oval 327 Aero alloy clincher
2 Seat angle 78
Rear Oval 327 Aero alloy clincher
Tyres Vittoria Zaffiro Pro Slick 700 x 23c 3 Effective top tube 56.7cm
4 Seat tube 57cm
COMPONENTS
5 Standover 84.3cm
Stem Oval Concepts 760 Aero
6 Chainstay 39.5cm
Bars Oval Concepts 750 base bar and
7 Bottom bracket 27cm
S-bend extensions
8 Wheelbase 103.9cm
Headset FSA 1 1/8in
9 Head tube 16.4cm
Saddle Oval Concepts R500T
Seatpost Oval Concepts Aero Carbon
Brakes TRP Aero TTV
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 21
TOP-END
TRI BIKE
The BMC TM01 is suitable
for time trials and multisport
thanks to its ample adjustability
BMC
TIMEMACHINE
The TM01 is one of the most lauded bikes in professional sport, but how
does it stand up to the demands of British age-groupers? Lets find out
WORDS JAMES WITTS IMAGES PAUL WHITFIELD
POSITION TO PERFORM
And thats where BMCs Position to Perform
system comes in, or p2p for short, which
involves a manoeuvrable seatpost and stem. The
TOP-END
TRI BIKE
1 The TM01 comes with a full Ultegra groupset and Di2 shifting 2 BMC has added truncated edges to the tubes, which they purport can maintain the aerodynamics of 3:1
tubing but at a lighter weight 3 The integrated fork and steering lock make sharp turns a near impossibility, but if you want pure speed then the TM01 is hard to beat
AERODYNAMIC TUBING
Of course, those training wheels keep the price
down, but cant mask the unique-looking and
angular frame that utilises BMCs SubA
technology. Because the TM01 is UCI-legal, it
adheres to the international cycling governing
bodys 3:1 tubing rule that states its length cant
be more than three times deeper than its width.
(Unlike brands such as Ceepo who do what they
like with tubing because they dont create bikes
to adhere to UCI regulations.)
However, BMC has added a truncated edge to
the tubes that purports to maintain the
aerodynamics of 3:1 tubing but at a lighter
weight. BMC has also claimed this leads to a
stiffer product and so wastes less energy. Add to
this the Tripwire technology a shallower ridge
etched into the down tube designed to create
turbulence and cut air resistance, and you have a
frame that, while hard to prove without
wind-tunnel assistance, certainly feels fast.
That speeds maintained by the superb
Ultegra electronic groupset, which shifts
impeccably every time (and well never tire of
the reassuring whirring sound of shifting the
front chainrings). In addition to the single
buttons on the left and right extensions great
for seamless gear changes while in the aero
position there are buttons on the bullhorns too,
which come in handy when cresting a hill or
exiting a corner. That said, the integrated fork
and steering lock makes tight turns a near
impossibility. Its not an issue at high speed on
the straight but nearly left us red faced many a
time around acute country lanes. Thankfully,
braking proved reliable in the form of BMCs
integrated brakes.
Once we dismounted the TM01, it was time for
running and despite some pretty swift rides,
our legs felt fresh enough to get up to speed
TECH
VERDICT
82%
WHEELS
Front Shimano WH-RS31
Rear Shimano WH-RS31
Tyres Continental Grand Sport Race
(700 x 23c)
COMPONENTS
Stem Integrated design with p2p
Bars Profile Svet Zero
Saddle Fizi:k Arione Tri-2
Seatpost Aero post, with p2p and Sub-A
Brakes BMC integrated
DIMENSIONS
1 Head angle 71.5
2 Seat angle 77
3 Top tube 53.7cm
4 Seat tube 54cm
5 Standover 77.9cm
6 Chainstay 40cm
7 Bottom bracket 27cm
8 Wheelbase 100.4cm
9 Head tube 12.3cm
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 23
BIKE GEAR
2
3
1
4
ACHIEVE YOUR
PERFECT
BIKE FIT
A few simple steps can
help you transform your
road bike into something
a bit more suitable for
triathlon. Mat Brett guides
you to your perfect aero
bike position
IMAGES JONNYGAWLER
HEIGHT
1 SADDLE
Set your saddle so that theres
too aero then youre producing tensions in the body that are
going to inhibit the run.
The art is to get that compromise right, and if you want to do it
properly, you should go to a bike-fit specialist like Cyclefit. Mind
you, you can always have a go at home
Broadly speaking, a small frontal area is a good thing. To
reduce drag you want to minimise the size of your silhouette
when looked at head-on (yes, its actually far trickier than that,
but this is a decent starting point).
Youll create the smallest frontal area when your upper body is
parallel to the ground. Rather than the great slab of your torso
hitting the air and slowing you down, its just the tops of your
shoulders. If youre flexible, you might be able to ease yourself
into that position and sustain it over a 10-mile time trial, but for
the bike leg of a triathlon and still feel good enough to run fast
afterwards? Very unlikely.
For triathlon youre going to need to alter your ride position
by raising up the front end of your bike the exact amount will
depend on your flexibility and the distance youre racing. Yes,
this will increase drag but, ultimately, its for the greater good.
The idea is that you take a hit on aerodynamics but your overall
race time will be faster.
3 FOREARMS
Keep them parallel to the ground
ANGLE
2 SHOULDER
Start with a 90-100 angle
ANGLE
4 ELBOW
Start with your elbow at about
ANGLE
5 HIP
This will vary massively between
individuals and according to the
distance of the race; go too acute in
search of better aerodynamics and
your performance will suffer.
POSITION
6 HEAD
Minimise the amount your head
and helmet sit above the level of your
torso to reduce your frontal area.
BIKE GEAR
BIKE SIZE
Dont buy the size of bike you think you need and
then struggle to make yourself fit it. Work out your
correct fit either in the shop or on an existing
bike and then buy the bike that allows you to
achieve that fit most easily.
AEROBAR SET-UP
Follow this five-step plan for a streamlined front end
SADDLE HEIGHT
The first variable to get right is your saddle height.
There are different ways to do this, and everyone
swears blind that theirs is the best. Heres one
simple method that works for us
Sit on your bike with your weight central on the
saddle and your arms on the bars in your race
position. Position one leg at the bottom of the
pedal stroke. Keeping your hips level and
maintaining your weight distribution on the saddle,
straighten your knee. If your saddle is the right
height, the sole of your shoe should tilt downwards
with the heel 1-3cm lower than the toe. Repeat this
on the other side and set the saddle height thats
the best compromise between the two.
Check your saddle height by getting someone to
take a side-on picture of you on your bike with one
leg in the 6 oclock position. The angle in your knee
(between your upper leg and lower leg) should be
25-35. Its 25 in our picture (with the foot flatter
than it actually would be while pedalling; on
previous page). In other words, you wouldnt want
your leg any straighter than this. This might not
sound particularly scientific but its an easy method
that works well for most.
BAR HEIGHT
Once you have your saddle height sorted (or at
least have a start point) all the other variables are
closely related. You might have to go back and
forth between them a number of times to get
things right. There are various ways to alter the
height of your aerobars and, therefore, the angle
of your upper body
You can flip your stem over or swap to a new
one, remove headset spacers or, sometimes
(depending on the model), adjust the height of
COCKPIT
You can alter the distance between your saddle
and your aerobars by changing the stem or moving
the saddle forward on its rails. You can also swap
seatposts or, on some designs, alter the position of
the clamp on top of the seatpost. This is when you
need to look at the angles between your torso and
your upper arm, and at the bend in your elbow.
If you look at 90 angles for both of these, you
wont be too far adrift, says Cavell. 90 is good
because youre channelling as much of your weight
as possible through your upper arm bones, so your
muscles dont have to work hard. That means you
dont have to fuel them, which means youre
metabolically more efficient.
ANGLE OF AEROBARS
Position your aerobar extensions so that your
forearms sit parallel to the ground. You want the
fleshy part of your forearm on the armrest and the
shifter within easy reach of your thumb and
forefinger. Ideally, your wrists should be straight
to avoid strain, although many aerobars make
this impossible. That said, you can always tilt the
aerobars upwards slightly. This set-up is also
AEROBAR WIDTH
Setting your aerobar extensions close together
makes sense aerodynamically and is something
again that has been proven by research but if
youre a large rider and you squeeze your chest
in order to get your arms on the armrests, you
can constrict your lungs.
Go narrow, by all means, but not to the point
that it affects your breathing. You shouldnt have
much trouble in setting the extensions so that
your arms sit within your existing silhouette.
If going narrow feels uncomfortable, there is
an alternative. When youre nestled on the
aerobars, you should shrug your shoulders at
regular intervals. Not only does this narrowing
improving aerodynamics, but it also relieves
tension in your shoulders. This is particularly
important in triathlon when you still have a run
leg to come as a tight torso will restrict arm
movement and subsequent leg movement
HELMET POSITION
For increased aerodynamics you want your head
and helmet to sit low so that they dont increase
the size of your frontal area, but thats difficult to
achieve if your torso is pointing slightly upwards.
You might need to adjust your head position
although, admittedly, thats hard to sustain for a
longer bike leg if it doesnt come naturally. Again,
its a matter of compromise between aero
efficiency and comfort.
Try to get the rear of your helmet to sit on top
of your upper back so the transition is as smooth
as possible; some people will find this much
easier than others.
CHECKING
YOUR POSITION
Heres a simple method to
check the aerodynamic
efficiency of your new
bike set-up
Q Do it three times in
BIKE GEAR
AEROBARS
Adding clip-on aerobars to your
existing drop handlebars will allow
you to lower your torso and create
less drag, with your weight resting
on your forearms so you can
comfortably maintain that position.
Aerobars are usually extremely
easy to fit. You simply bolt them to
the central section of your handlebar
but bear in mind that some
handlebars, carbon ones in
particular, arent designed to have
anything clamped to them and you
run the risk of them failing if you fit
tri-bars. Check with the
manufacturer if youre in any doubt.
Before you buy tri-bars, check
that the clamping diameter matches
the diameter of your handlebar.
Manufacturers often make the
HELMETS
All bicycle helmets should be safety-tested to
their limit before going on sale, so all you
need to decide is how well they fit. If youre
not going for an aerodynamic number, then
ventilation is key to a cooler bonce. Here are
five of the best on the market
ENDURA AIRSHELL
BBB ICARUS
94.99 www.endurasport.com
For sub-100 this is a fine lid, featuring 24 vents to
channel air over your head and a solid retention system
for a cosy fit. Comes in at an impressive 230g.
119.95 www.windwave.co.uk
The Icarus features 30 vents for plenty of cooling,
alongside impressive padding for added comfort. Its also
pretty light at 278g.
1 AEROBARS
Add a set of clip-on aerobars so
that you can comfortably lower the
angle of your torso.
2 SEATPOST
Move the saddle forward by
swapping the standard seatpost for
one with less layback.
3 STEM
Swap to a shorter stem to
4 WHEELS
Deep-section wheels
slip through the air efficiently
to improve your bike split.
5 BODY
POSITION
Your body position is likely to
be more upright than on a
tri-specific bike, even after
changing the set-up.this might
be harder to achieve
6 SHOULDER
ANGLE
Aim for an angle of about 90
between your torso and your
shoulder, but this might be
harder to achieve
ANGLE
7 ELBOW
The ideal position is a
90 angle, although you might
struggle to achieve that on a
road bike.
SADDLE
7
1
REACH
BAR HEIGHT
As on a tri bike (see previous
spread), you need to balance
aero efficiency with comfort
when adjusting the height of
the front end.
Bear in mind that its harder
to get your torso flat, or near
flat, on a road bike than it is on
a tri bike, unless you move the
saddle forward to steepen the seat
angle. Youll be bending
over more sharply to achieve
any given upper body position.
If you have headset spacers
underneath your stem, its easy
to move them above the stem
to lower the bars. You could swap to
a stem with less rise, too.
Remember: a road bikes head
tube is usually longer than the head
tube on a tri bike of a similar size, so
you might not be able to set the
front end as low.
And there you have it. All thats
left is to try out your new set-up and
position. Inevitably itll feel slightly
strange to begin with but thats all it
should feel strange. If discomforts
high, change it. Its worth getting it
right as its free savings. Q 220
BELL JAVELIN
KASK PROTONE
MET DRONE WB
149.99 www.zyro.co.uk
An added visor provides an extra aerodynamic hit while
three solid ducts provide fine ventilation. Registers
447g on the scales.
195.00 www.velobrands.co.uk
A dial-operated retention system ensures a good fit,
while a leather chinstrap adds a touch of comfort and
class. Comes in at just 228g.
249.99 www.met-helmets.com
Mets Wide Body design neatly deflects air around your
shoulders to improve aerodynamics. Pure aero helmets
require extra material, explaining the 432g weight.
BIKE GEAR
BIKE ESSENTIALS
As well as your trusty steed, this gear cornucopia will help you tackle your
triathlon bike training and prepare for a fast race...
BONTRAGER
VELOCIS
www.trekbikes.com
BIKE HELMET
BIKE SHOES
Prices start from 50.00
They may take a bit of time to get used to, but
clipless cycling shoes, instead of wearing
running shoes with toe-clip pedals, will give you
more power and fluidity on the bike leg, and
youll be able to exit your cleats quicker in T2.
Look for cycling shoes with a stiff sole and have
a bike expert set your cleats.
BIB
SHORTS
Prices start from 18.00
DHB BLOK
www.wiggle.co.uk
POC OCTAL
www.pocsports.com
BIKE ESSENTIALS
TURBO TRAINER
BIKE GLASSES
Protecting your eyes from insects, grit and what nature throws
at you is vital when riding your bike outdoors. Fit is the main
component to look out for when purchasing a pair. Ask
yourself, are they comfortable on the bridge of my nose and
around the ears? Visibility is, of course, the next important
factor to consider. Most pairs nowadays should come with
interchangeable lenses for varying light conditions.
CYCLEOPS
SUPERMAGNETO
www.paligap.cc
LAZER
SOLID STATE
www.madison.co.uk
BIKE TOOLS
Prices start from 2.00
A puncture repair kit and spare inner
tubes are vital for rescuing your ride when
the inevitable happens and you puncture.
A good micropump or gas canisters also
needed, with a saddlebag or Bento box
ideal for storage. Its worth investing in a
good set of Allen keys, too, for tinkering
with things like saddle height.
SKS
AIRCHAMP
www.sks-germany.com
WATER
BOTTLE
Prices start from 2.00
Staying hydrated on the bike is essential, whatever
distance youre racing. Whether its cheap and
cheerful or a more innovative drinking system,
fill it with water or an energy drink and keep
your fluid levels up.
BIKE GEAR
AEROBARS GUIDE
On the one hand, aerobars can cut drag and shave precious seconds off your race time.
On the other, they can hinder your speed and compromise power if used incorrectly.
Nik Cook gives the lowdown on achieving the perfect set-up
IMAGES THESECRETSTUDIO.NET
TRI PIONEERS
Triathletes pioneered the use
of aerobars for racing and, if
used optimally, theyll do
more than any other piece of
equipment for shaving time
off your bike split. Scott bikes
long held the patent for the
design, but today Zipp, Vision,
Easton, Profile Design, 3T,
Deda and more are all major
aerobar players.
BIKE GEAR
KEY FEATURES
Aerobars come with a range of components that enable adjustability, and can vary greatly
according to drafting and non-drafting races. Lets analyse an integrated pair
PADS
For a non-drafting set-up, pads should support your
arms at or near your elbows and your shoulders should
be close to perpendicular above them. Look for width,
rotational adjustment and the ability to be removed
for washing. On draft-legal bars, there often arent
pads or theyll be more minimal. You wont be on the
aerobars for extended periods; you wont be so far
forward; and any pads will only give your forearms
a modicum of support.
EXTENSIONS
For non-drafting races, these come in a number
of shapes, from straight to ski-curves, allowing
a variety of hand positions. Choose based on
personal fitness, adjustability and comfort, not
what looks fastest or what the professionals are
using. For draft-legal races, the extensions
cannot extend more than 15cm in front of the
wheel axle or the brake levers foremost line.
They must also be bridged.
RISERS
BASEBAR
Aside from aero profiling, for non-drafting TT
set-ups theyre largely unchanged from Toni
Maiers original cowhorns. On flat courses, you
should hardly touch your basebars for the entire
ride. Its different when you throw in hills or tight
bends, so ensure theyre set up well for both
comfort and handling. Draft-legal racers have to
use traditional drop handlebars.
SHIFTERS
For non-drafting races, shifters are positioned at
the end of the extensions, allowing easy shifting
while in your aero tuck. Recent innovations include
return-to-centre shifters (see right), but the advent
of electronic shifting has been the most significant.
These allow racers to have shifters both on their
extensions and basebar, and offers a real edge on
hilly and technical courses.
AEROBARS GUIDE
A DESIRED FIT
When the Zipp engineers were designing their
Vuka bars, adjustability was their core
consideration. Nathan Schickel, Zipp product
manager, says: From the inception of Zipp
aerobars in 2006, the focus has been on
adjustability to allow the rider to find their most
comfortable aerodynamic position. Our designers
know that not having a position you can stay in for
your entire race is a wasted opportunity to go fast.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 35
BER BIKER
RACHEL JOYCE
MULTIPLE IRONMAN CHAMPION
RACE WHEELS
RACE WHEELS
They look amazing and are one of the most exciting tri purchases youll
ever make. But what are the real benefits of riding that second
discipline with race wheels? Nik Cook finds out
COMPLEX PROCESS
A race wheel is a highly complex component and is
developed using a lengthy process of testing,
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 37
BIKE GEAR
HOOP HALLMARKS
The key properties of every aero rim
and what theyll do for your bike split
RIM PROFILE
All aero rims are not made equally, with narrow
V-sections now aerodynamically usurped by wide
and toroidal shapes. V-section rims are far cheaper
to make and, when punching directly into a
headwind 0 of yaw return decent numbers.
Increase the angle of yaw, however, and handling
can become a real issue. The bulge of a toroidal
profile allows rims to perform and handle far
better in real world 5-20 of yaw.
RIM MATERIAL
Top-end wheels will be all carbon, delivering
the Holy Grail of low weight in combination with
deep-section aerodynamics. Cheaper wheels
combine an aluminium rim with carbon-fibre
fairings bonded to them. Aerodynamically
these can rival their costlier carbon cousins,
but theyll always be significantly heavier.
HUB
Lets face it, hubs are nowhere near as sexy as
rims, but without doubt the quality of a hub can
make or break the performance of a wheel.
Theres been a lot of fuss about ceramic bearings,
based on the fact that ceramic can be made
rounder, and therefore more smooth-rolling than
steel, and that its harder and more durable.
The jurys still out on the exact gains to be
made but, whether you opt for steel or ceramic,
quality is everything.
BRAKING SURFACE
Any early adopter of carbon race wheels will
remember the horror of cork pads on a wet day
and, although carbon braking surfaces and pads
have improved massively, theyre still not as
reliable as alloy braking tracks. Theres also the
potential for overheating and blow-outs. Again,
this has improved but, if youre riding anywhere
with long descents, it does need to be considered.
SPOKES
Turbulence equals drag and rapidly rotating
spokes create a hell of a lot of turbulence. Bladed
TYRES
The tubs versus clinchers debate rumbles on yet,
like for like, a tub wheelset will always be lighter.
Whatever set-up you run, your choice of rubber
will significantly affect how your wheels perform.
The tyre profile should complement the rim
aerodynamically, and there are a number of
marginal gains that you can make to minimise
rolling resistance. Using glue rather than tape
for tubs, running latex tubes in clinchers and
optimising your tyre pressure can all make
those wheels roll even more sweetly.
JARGON
BUSTER
CLINCHERS
Clincher wheels consist of an inner
tube and a tyre. Theyre easier to
change than tubs, but lose out in
the weight stakes.
TUBS
A tubular tyre is glued directly to
a rim thats specifically for tubular
tyres, negating the need for an
inner tube and thus saving weight.
TOROIDAL
An eliptical rim shape thats widest
at the middle and narrower at the
spoke bed and brake track, cocreated by the late Steve Hed and
said to offer better aerodynamics
and crosswind stability.
YAW ANGLE
The angle of yaw is simply the
amount of crosswind on your
bike, measured in degrees.
RACE WHEELS
A smooth-rolling hub
whether on ceramic or
steel bearings is key
to squeezing max travel
from watts expended
Easton 57
Roval 69
Xentis 74
Shimano 169
Bontrager 179
Mavic 224
Enve 239
HED 266
Reynolds 206
Zipp 1,839
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 39
BIKE GEAR
FUTURE FOCUS
Will race wheels get any faster? Will we soon all be riding tubeless?
And are disc brakes inevitable for road bikes? Lets find out
SPIN
DMX960
PROFILE DESIGN
TWENTYFOUR 58
REYNOLDS
STRIKE SLG
EASTON
AERO 55 TUBULAR
ZIPP
808 FIRECREST CLINCHER
1,249.00
www.ridefullgas.com
A solid set of proper race wheels
for a competitive price.
1,449.98
www.madison.co.uk
Spin up to speed easily, quality
braking and a great price tag.
1,349.99
www.upgradebikes.co.uk
Stable handling, fast on the fly
and excellent braking to boot.
1,999.98
www.silverfish-uk.com
Aero, light and quick to spin up
to speed.
2,259.00
www.fisheroutdoor.co.uk
Top-class deep-section racers
that are amazingly stable.
25
YEARS OF
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BIKE GEAR
AERO HELMETS
AERO
HELMETS
IMAGES THESECRETSTUDIO.NET
Their looks turn heads and will make yours more aerodynamic.
Nik Cook explains how aero lids can help you reach T2 faster
JARGON
BUSTER
FAIRING
An external structure
added to streamline
the airflow.
WIND TUNNEL
An enclosed passage
through which a
controlled current of
air is blown to test the
effectiveness of an
objects aerodynamics.
DRAG
The turbulent air
that an object
creates, resulting in
a slowing effect.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 43
BIKE GEAR
THE FUTURE
Looking back to the Giro Aerohead (which still performs
admirably in the wind tunnel and is legal to race in), the
changes over the 25 years since it appeared have hardly
been dramatic. Every now and then some experimental
designs materialise that buck the traditional shape. Most
recently the Darth Vader-like POC Tempor caused a bit of a
stir, but youd have to be pretty self-confident to wear one,
AERO HELMETS
AERO HELMET
ESSENTIALS
Wind-tunnel data isnt the
only thing to consider when it
comes to picking an aero lid
SHELL
Designed to slide along the road if you crash and slip through
the air as you ride, the shell is what gives a helmet its
aerodynamic profile. The shape will generally be a teardrop,
but theres considerable variation when it comes to tail length.
Most manufactures opt for a smooth surface but some use golf
ball-like dimples, claiming they create even more zip.
TAIL
One of the key determining factors as to how well a helmet will
perform for any given rider is the shape and length of its tail.
Long tails can be very aerodynamic provided they stay flat
against your back but, if you drop your head or dont ride with
a flat back, any gains can easily turn into losses. A stubbier tail
or tail-free helmet could be a better choice.
FOAM
The expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam is what absorbs the
impact energy of a crash and is designed to be sacrificial. This
is why you should diligently check your helmet after a crash or
if you drop it, even if theres no visible damage to the shell.
VENTS
On an aero helmet, vents are always going to be a compromise
between cooling and aerodynamics. By sucking in air they
generate turbulence, and therefore drag, but without any
ventilation youre likely to overheat.
VISOR
Logic says that a visor smooths out the frontal profile of your
helmet and face and should therefore decrease drag. However,
independent wind-tunnel testing on some designs has found
theyre faster with the visor removed. Youve also got to factor
in potential overheating and fogging issues but, on the other
hand, they look cool.
CRADLE AND STRAPS
Like a conventional helmet, the cradle secures the helmet to
your head and is usually adjusted using a ratchet, dial or a
similar mechanism. Straps tend to be fairly standard, too, but
if youre in the pursuit of marginal gains, trim the ends down
once theyve been correctly adjusted.
SPIUK AIZEA
KASK BAMBINO
LAZER TARDIZ
169.95 www.silverfish-uk.com
Spiuks Aizea has a neat trick up
its sleeve its tail can be
tailored to the angle of your
spine thanks to interchangeable
rear inserts. It also comes with a
cover so you can choose to run
it with the vents open or closed,
and flexible earflaps ensure
speedy and pain-free transitions.
299.99 www.velobrands.co.uk
One of the first bobtail aero
helmets, the Bambino is a great
option if you drop your head or
are racing on courses plagued
by crosswinds. Although almost
300, it comes with a
magnetically-attached visor and
has surprisingly good ventilation
from its six narrow vents.
219.99 www.evanscycles.com
At 402g for the large size (with
visor), the P-09 is impressively
light. Its tail hasnt been totally
cut off, but it has been truncated
and the large front vent provides
cooling thats second to none.
The stabilising cradle system is
excellent and can be easily
adjusted with one hand.
149.99 www.lazersport.co.uk
Theres no visor accompanying
the Tardiz, but it does have six
cooling vents, three of which are
sited at the front, so it performs
fantastically in the heat. It has a
slightly truncated tail, but youll
still need a fairly flat back and a
solid ride position to get the
maximum benefit from this lid.
149.99 www.zyro.co.uk
As worn by Leanda Cave when
she won 2012s Ironman Hawaii,
the Air Attack may not be the
prettiest helmet but its looks are
less outlandish than a full-on
aero lid. Its light (weighing in at
just 289g) and far cooler on
long, hot rides than a full-on
aero lid, too.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 45
BIKE GEAR
PRE-SEASON BIKE
Disc wheels, profiled tubes and aerobars are all
very well when youre racing in the summer,
but youll need something more practical for
the winter winds and wet roads
PRE-SEASON BIKE
BIKE
WORKSHOP
Learning the tricks of the bike maintenance trade will not only
make your cycling more enjoyable, itll save you money, too.
Its time to become a grease monkey
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 49
BIKE WORKSHOP
DIY BIKE
MECHANIC
Fixing and fettling your bike neednt
be frustrating. With the right kit
anyone can be a workshop wizard...
BASICS TOOLBOX
You dont need more tools than a F1
garage to fettle your bike. A few
good-quality tools are enough to
sort out nearly all bike problems
and, for most of us, the big jobs are
generally best left to your local bike
shop. In other words, with a bit of
sense and a basic toolkit you can get
your bike running sweeter, swifter
and cheaper in no time at all.
A basic 3-6mm hexagonal head
Allen key set will let you adjust
FIFTY-QUID FETTLE
Top-quality Allen key set 20
Chain tool 20
Chain lube 5
Degreaser 5
TOOL UP FOR A TON
Top-quality Allen key set 20
Chain tool 20
Chain lube 5
Degreaser 5
Cable cutters 20
Track pump 20
Phillips screwdriver 5
TOOL TIME
For a basic tool kit, youll want good equipment that wont distort, bend and bugger expensive bike parts in the
process. Go for kit from reputable tool manufacturers rather than worthless rubbish from the pound shop or market.
ALLEN KEYS
Buy metric keys made
from quality steel in
sizes from 2-10mm.
Longer keys give more
leverage, while
ball-ended keys can be
used at an angle to
reach awkward bolts.
SCREWDRIVER
You only need a small
Phillips screwdriver
(3mm across is ideal)
but it needs to be top
quality and used
carefully to stop it
mangling your
screw heads.
CHAIN TOOLS
Cheap chain tools break
easily; buy a quality tool
to save you money long
term. Get spare pins if
youve got a Shimano
chain. Campag chains
require a specific tool.
CABLE CUTTERS
Again, cheap cutters or
rusty old tin snips just
chew your cable into a
frayed mess instead of
cutting it cleanly. A few
more quid here means
savings overall.
SPANNERS
For the times when you
have to use a spanner,
make sure you always
use the correct size.
Never use an adjustable
one, which will burr the
edges off your nuts.
LUBRICANT
WD40 or motor oil
wont cut it here. Get a
good light/dry lube for
summer and a heavier
wet lube for winter to
prolong your
drivetrains life
by months.
BIKE WORKSHOP
WORKSTANDS/BIKE STANDS
By lifting your bike up off the
ground, you can spin the wheels
and cranks easily to make gear
and brake adjustments. Even if
you use a floor-mounted,
wheel-holding stand, its a lot
more secure to work with than
just leaning your bike on a wall.
CHAIN-CLEANING BATH
These ingenious devices clip onto your chain and
feed it through various brushes and a
sump full of cleaner. A few turns of the
pedals later and, hey
presto, your
chain comes
out
sparkling
without having
to remove it
from your bike.
AN OVERVIEW
OF YOUR BIKE
Heres an introduction to the key
parts of your bike and tools youll
need to work on them...
REAR WHEEL
The rear wheel is responsible for
transferring all your pedal power
onto the road. Multiple sprockets
on the cassette provide a wide
range of different gear ratios to
keep your rhythm smooth
whatever hill youre climbing or
level of fitness youve got.
TOOLS REQUIRED Cassette
remover, old toothbrush/fancy set
of bike brushes, chain cleaner/
degreaser, grease, track pump,
tyre levers.
REAR MECH
The rear mech moves in and out underneath the
cassette (the collection of sprockets) as you use the
shifter to release or rewind very accurate amounts of
cable. The two small jockey wheels in the cage then
guide the chain exactly onto each gear.
TOOLS REQUIRED 3/4/5mm Allen keys, small Phillips
and flat-head screwdriver.
CHAIN
The plates and pins that make up the
alternating chain links look simple, but
theres masses of design and
development gone into making the chain
shift as quietly and quickly as it does.
TOOLS REQUIRED Chain splitter, chain
cleaner/degreaser, quality lube.
PACKET OF BISCUITS
When you find that little bit of tweaking has turned
into something more serious, nothing will get you
better service at your local shop than a packet of
Jaffa cakes. Dont expect miracles if you havent
booked your bike in beforehand, though. Q 220
COCKPIT
The bars, stem, shifters and headset of your bike are
understandably vital to your control and comfort.
Tiny clamp bolts and exotic materials often mean
lots of care is required when adjusting them.
TOOLS REQUIRED 4/5mm Allen keys,
sharp knife.
CABLES
The nerves of your bike. Cables carry your
control inputs to the gears and brakes, so
they need to be smooth, sensitive and
consistent in performance.
TOOLS REQUIRED Cable cutters, light lube.
BRAKES
Probably the things you least want to
go wrong. Brakes use two opposing
arms to sandwich the pads onto the
rim for stopping power. Careful
adjustment is vital to keep them
straight and not dragging, as well as
tuning bite points and personal
braking preferences.
TOOLS REQUIRED 2/6mm Allen
keys, sharp knife.
FRONT WHEEL
Your front wheel does all of your
steering, most of your braking and
its the first thing to meet the wind,
too. Thankfully, this mix of rubber,
air, rods or blades, and alloy or
carbon rims, is a lot easier to
understand than it looks.
TOOLS REQUIRED Tyre levers,
track pump, inner tubes, puncture
repair kit, spoke key.
FRONT MECH
CHAINSET
The arms (cranks) and rings that turn
the chain round and drive you forward
are what makes your bike a bike not a
scooter. Different designs need
different tools, though, so know
exactly what your bike needs before
you get the wrong tools.
TOOLS REQUIRED 5/8/10mm Allen
keys, external or internal BB tool,
Shimano Hollowtech cap installation
tool (optional).
GENERAL CARE
Cleaning and generally caring for your bike can
be done with old cast-offs and cold water but,
for the best results, specialist cleaners and kits
are well worth investing in.
TOOLS REQUIRED Rags/old T-shirts, latex
gloves, bucket and sponge/brush, bike cleaner
(such as Finish Line or Muc-Off), hand cleaner.
BIKE WORKSHOP
Gear set-up can spell
the difference between
race success and failure
GEARS
Misaligned gears will make your life
a misery. We show you how to keep
them shifting swiftly and smoothly
THE DERAILLEUR
1 Mounting bolt The recessed Allen bolt that attaches the rear
derailleur to the frames (usually replaceable) gear hanger.
2 Cage Twin plates that hold jockey wheels to keep chain tight.
3 Jockey wheels Two wheels that guide the chain to keep
it in tension. The top wheel has slight lateral play to
1
help it find the correct indexing alignment position.
4 Barrel adjuster Threaded adjuster at outer
cable-insertion point. Use for in stand fine
tuning of cable tension/gear indexing.
5 Anchor bolt Clamp bolt
for the gear cable.
4
6 Parallelogram
Spring-loaded
6
mechanism that sweeps
the mech across the
cassette, to allow you to
change gear.
5
Limit screws (unseen) Screws
that limit the extremes of the
parallelograms movement to
2
stop the mech overshifting.
Position varies with different
manufacturers.
GEARS
Perfect shifts require perfectly tensioned cables. Too loose and your chain wont budge;
too tight and itll budge too far
SETTING UP THE
FRONT MECH
BIKE WORKSHOP
Do you treasure your
derriere? Follow our set-up
advice to keep it comfy
SADDLES &
SEATPOSTS
The right saddle set-up equals comfort,
speed and efficiency. Nows the time to
make your bottom your top priority
1
2
4
5
SADDLE HEIGHT
Your ideal saddle height is relative to your leg length. To set it up, sit on the bike as though youre riding it
FORE/AFT ADJUSTMENT
Aim for a position that puts your knee directly above the pedal when its horizontal and pointing forward
SADDLE TILT
Once your saddles in the right place in relation to your bike, you need to get it in the right position in relation to you
BIKE WORKSHOP
Dual-pivot calliper brakes
are easy to maintain its
making them thats hard!
BRAKES
Powerful braking is a few bolt turns
away. We roll up our sleeves to show
you how to master your anchors...
THE BRAKE
1 Barrel adjuster This includes the cable stop
on the upper arm. It can be screwed in and
out to adjust the gap between the pads and
the rim and, therefore, lever movement
before contact.
2 Centring adjusters These small bolts
tension the spring so that both arms sit
centrally and operate equally.
3 Cable anchor bolt (behind) The bolt that
clamps the inner cable onto the
3
lower brake arm.
4 QR cam Quick-release
cam thats flipped up to
open the callipers, for quick
4
wheel removal without
undoing the cable.
5 Pad bolt The bolt that holds
the pad in. Cup and cone washers
are sometimes used for
angle adjustment.
6 Brake shoe The metal
holders for the pair of rubber
brake pads.
7 Pad locking bolt Small bolt that
holds the brake pad in place within the shoe.
6
7
BRAKES
Not only do
they keep
you out of
hedges and
hospitals,
good brakes
can also
make you
faster
BIKE WORKSHOP
RACE READY
You can lose more time from a broken bike than
anything else. Here, mechanic Glen Coltman
makes sure youre ready to keep on rolling...
02
PEDALS OUT
AT THE SAME TIME
03 SORT
If youre buying tri shoes or cycling shoes for the
first time, chances are youll be in the market for
pedals, too. Buy both from the same dealer and
they may be able to find you some time to fit
and set up the cleats.
04KEEP IT CLEAN
05CHECK IT OUT
06BE TIME-CONSCIOUS
YOUR
TREAD CAREFULLY
07EXAMINE
Pay attention to your tyres. Look out for cuts and
small objects buried in the tread. Choose
good-quality race tyres for race day. Folding
tyres are lighter (and lighter means faster), but
are more expensive. Remember that going too
light will increase the chances of puncturing.
Choose a good pair of folders with some puncture
protection (like Continentals GP4000) and keep
them for race day. When they become too worn to
race on, use them for training. Fit good-quality,
un-repaired tubes and keep the patched ones for
training tyres.
FOR
LAST-MINUTE DAMAGE
09 CHECK
RACE READY
PUNCTURE PATCH-UP
Getting a puncture during a race is every triathletes nightmare.
Follow these tips to fix that failure in double-quick time
Remember one
thing: that going
too light with your
tyres will result
in punctures
BER BIKERS
BROWNLEE BROTHERS
TECHNIQUE &
TRAINING
Wasting energy on ascents and leaching speed down the other side?
Turning into a one-speed pony? Unsure of how to best negotiate the labyrinth
that is transition? Well, youve come to the right place
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 63
In order to extract the most from your pedalling, you need to pedal as smoothly as possible in circles. The pedal cycle can be broken into
four sections, as below. Alternatively, you can remember to always apply force 90 to the crank arm (as indicated by the orange arrows)
1
Pushing down: 1 oclock to 5 oclock. The easy bit, usually done instinctively.
Pulling back: 5 oclock to 7 oclock. Imagine you are scraping mud off your sole.
Over the top: 11 oclock to 1 oclock. Simply imagine that youre placing
your foot onto a step.
SLOW PEDALLING
SPIN-UPS
KNEE LIFTING
PART FOCUS
GEAR CONTROL
Mastering pacing is key to not only a fast bike, but a strong run, too.
Pete Bonfields got all the techniques youll need to improve your ride
PACE YOURSELF
To perform consistently well throughout a race,
you need to manage your effort and that may
mean holding yourself back as well as pushing
yourself to work harder. For instance, when
approaching a hill most riders will be tempted to
GEAR CONTROL
JARGON
BUSTER
Gear table and speeds for 53/39 chainrings and 12- to 23-sprocket cluster
53-tooth
Chainring
39-tooth
Chainring
13
14
15
16
17
19
21
23
Metric gears
9.43
8.7
8.08
7.54
7.07
6.66
5.95
5.39
4.92
Speed at 90rpm
(mph)
31.8
29.4
27.3
25.4
23.9
22.5
20.1
18.2
16.6
Speed at 90rpm
(km/h)
50.9
47.0
43.6
40.7
38.2
36.0
32.1
29.1
26.6
Metric gear
7.0
6.5
5.9
5.5
5.2
4.9
4.4
4.0
3.6
Speed at 90rpm
(mph)
23.6
21.8
19.9
18.7
17.6
16.6
14.9
13.4
12.2
Speed at 90rpm
(km/h)
37.8
34.8
31.9
29.9
28.1
26.5
23.8
21.4
19.5
LEVEL CADENCE
Just as your cardiovascular system has an
optimum racing rate, so does your pedal cadence.
You should have spent time over the last few
months developing a pedal cadence of between
80 and 100rpm your natural and most efficient
pedal cadence is likely to be somewhere in this
range. Find out what yours is and ensure that you
maintain it during a race.
Dont make the mistake of riding higher (or
harder) gears and reducing your revolutions per
minute (rpm) to a rate thats lower than the one at
which you have trained your legs to work
efficiently. If you do youll go slower, your leg
muscles will fatigue quicker and itll be harder
to run off the bike.
Your cadence rate will also affect how quickly
your heart beats pedal slowly and your heart
rate will probably drop, but youll inevitable
consume too much muscle power. Pedal too
quickly and your heart rate will increase
signifcantly, but youll be wasting energy and not
optimising your speed.
GOAL Maintain the cadence rate you have trained
for. Dont ride harder gears at a slower cadence.
Change your gears during a race to maintain
an even cadence.
MAINTAIN MOMENTUM
Momentum (your mass multiplied by your speed)
should be maintained and built at every
opportunity. For example, you need to maintain
ANAEROBIC
Moderately hard to
maximal exercise that
uses predominantly
carbohydrate with
oxygen, causing lactate
to be produced in your
muscles, and at approx
80% HRmax or more.
RPM
Revolutions per minute.
Rear sprocket
12
LACTATE THRESHOLD
The level of exercise
intensity at which lactate
acid starts to accumulate
in the blood stream and
you go anaerobic.
USING GEARS
Using your gears properly will affect each of the
three critical areas that weve described above.
And where better to start than working through
how your gears work
The gear you choose will influence the distance
you travel for each pedal revolution. A high (or
hard) gear will cause your back wheel to rotate
further per pedal revolution than a lower gear
would. Therefore, at the same rate of pedalling
you will go faster in a higher gear than you
would in a lower one.
Most triathlon bikes have a 53-tooth outer
chainring and a 39-tooth inner chainring, although
compact chainsets are increasingly being sold with
a 48-tooth outer and 36-tooth inner rings.
The progression in the number of teeth on
the sprocket cluster on your rear wheel will
often be 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 19, 21, 23,
although other combinations are also often
TYPICAL ROAD
Maintain
cadence
Keep
momentum
on the next
incline
Change up one
more gear
Change up one or
two more gears on
the downhill as your
speed increases
Your choice of gear in this situation can gain or lose you seconds. The key is to maintain the
speed youve gained from travelling downhill for as long as possible dont change down gear too
early. Once youre approaching the top of the climb, change into progressively higher gears as the
road levels out dont wait until youve crested the hill before you change up or youll lose time.
Change up again
and rebuild your
momentum
Keep pedalling!
Pick a high gear to
maintain momentum
Maintain gear;
keep pedalling
WIND
DIRECTION
CORNER
Change down to
maintain cadence
into the headwind
RIDING IN
3 THE WIND
Change up one
more gear
Change up
a gear as
the head
wind swings
away to
your side
Change up as
speed increases
Practise using your gears and managing your pace efficiently during
training so that when you race you dont have to think too hard to use them
correctly. Itll soon become second nature Q 220
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It may come easy to the men in polka-dot but, for mortals, getting
uphill can be one long drag. Mark McKay shows you how its done
CLIMBING MASTERCLASS
SITTING OR STANDING?
on theup
sheerness
of the climb
On steeper climbs, standing
for
little bursts drives momentum and
On shallow gradients, maintain a good
cadence rhythm, in the range of 80-100rpm,
and stay seated in the saddle
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 71
GET A GRIP
CORNERING
& DESCENDING
Getting down hills fast and safe isnt simply a matter of freewheeling
with your fingers crossed. Master the skills and youll glide down in style
with gravity on your side. Mark McKay shows you how
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 73
CORNERING
Preparing well in advance is the best way to
tackle corners in a race or training session,
which means thinking about your approach
several hundred metres beforehand.
Your aim should be to straighten the corner
as much as possible in order to lose the least
amount of speed through it. This is called
taking the racing line, which is achieved by
making use of all the available road width
(keep to your side of the road unless both
lanes are closed).
Lets assume that youre cycling along and
approach a 90 left turn. Ideally youd prepare
approximately 200m out, while at full speed,
by looking over your shoulder to check that
another rider or vehicle isnt about to pass you
from behind. Consider also whether youll come
across any riders ahead as you take the corner,
because you may need to adjust your speed
more to avoid them.
By about 80m out you should gradually move
as far to the right of the road as possible. Begin
to feather the brakes about 40m out and change
down a gear to make pedalling easier as you exit
the corner. Youre looking to take the racing line
POSITION 1
POSITION 2
POSITION 3
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 75
GROUP RIDING
Were pack animals by nature, so its no wonder group rides are great for
getting fitter and faster while having a laugh. Guy Kesteven explains
JARGON
BUSTER
AERO TUCK
Getting down onto
your tri-bars, lowprofile style.
PULL
Your turn taking the
pace at the front
of the group.
INTERVAL TRAINING
Repeated on/off efforts
for faster results than a
single sustained slog.
CHAIN GANG
High-intensity group
rides where riders
rotate at the front to
keep pace high.
THROUGH AND OFF
Rotating from the front
to back rider.
he advantages to be gained
from group riding are vast: from
speed and distance to the social
and safety sides. However good
your aerodynamic tuck is, youll go a
whole lot faster and a lot more easily even
in a small group. Why? Because wind
resistance is the biggest factor youre
fighting on a bike, and sheltering behind
riders in front means they take the brunt
of the breeze so you can slash the power
needed for any given speed.
But leaving your fellow riders out
fighting the wind while you take it easy is
the quickest way to lose friends. Thats
why rotating the lead, with each rider
putting in a pull, keeps groups together
and the average speed much higher. Doing
this in small packs can work as very
effective interval training, and the faster
GROUP HUG
However committed you are to your
training, youll never push as hard on your
own as you will digging deep to be first up
a climb or past the village sign. If you
know there are mates waiting, youre also
much more likely to head out into bad
weather than you would if you were on
your own. Also, a bit of banter can make a
long climb, a relentless headwind or just
lousy weather something to laugh about,
not loathe.
Riding with experienced riders also
means a wealth of shared knowledge on
everything from training, equipment,
events, local routes or just where the best
GROUP RIDING
SIGN LANGUAGE
Just like any elite commando squad, road groups
have their own signals to stay safe
RAISED HAND Group stopping for a junction, a mechanical issue, a
nature break or an ambush in the pass ahead.
ARM POINTING DOWN AT ROAD (often accompanied by a shout)
Beware, the pothole, manhole cover, puddle, roadkill
ARM OUT SIDEWAYS Group preparing to turn left or right.
ARM SWUNG ACROSS THE BACK Car, skip, slow moving rider,
coffin dodger or other obstacle at the roadside that needs
swinging out around.
ELBOW FLAPPING UP AND DOWN LIKE A WING Not a Birdie song
flashback it means the rider in front wants you to come past and
put in a pull on the front.
FINGER ON SIDE OF NOSE Take evasive action, I am about to fire a
vast amount of snot over my shoulder from the open nostril without
looking back.
BOTH ARMS PUMPING ABOVE HEAD IN TRIUMPH Its been a while
since I won a proper race, so Im taking the sprint for the village sign
more seriously than I probably should.
CHANGEOVER TACTICS
There are three main ways to safely switch between pacemakers when riding in a group
SINGLE CHANGE
DOUBLE CHANGE
GIVE IT A GO
PACK CHAT
A few shouted signals that you should
be aware of when riding in a group
CAR UP
Watch out, theres a car coming towards us.
CAR BACK
Watch out, theres a car coming up behind us.
KNOCK A GEAR OFF
Drop the pace slightly, were losing someone.
CLEAR
The junction were going through is clear of traffic.
SINGLE DOWN
Its getting busy, form into single file.
PULL IN
Theres space in front of me to single down into.
TUCK IN
Sit on my wheel (draft) while I pull.
ON YOUR LEFT/RIGHT
Im coming through on your left/right hand side.
BER BIKER
SEBASTIAN KIENLE
The German long-course athlete is known for
obliterating the opposition on the 180km bike leg, his
average speed of 41.42km/hr giving him a bike split of
4:20:46 and laying the foundations for his 2014
Ironman World Championship triumph. Incredibly that
was over 10mins quicker than the next fastest athlete.
Hed clearly kept something in reserve, however,
running 2:54:36 to secure a famous victory.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 79
IMAGE GETTY
JARGON
BUSTER
NEUROMUSCULAR SYSTEM
The nervous and muscular
systems combine to provide
coordinated movement.
GLYCOGEN
The form of glucose the body
uses to store energy in the liver
and muscles.
HIT THE WALL
Sensation of sudden fatigue when
glycogen stores become depleted.
THE PHYSIOLOGY
Any form of specific endurance training
undertaken for a prolonged period of time exerts
LONG RIDE
ESSENTIALS
THE PSYCHOLOGY
Triathlons are long. Even a sprint-distance event
takes most more than an hour to complete and
means racing as hard as you can for over 30mins
on the bike. Training rides that are longer than
race distance are an important psychological
crutch for many of us; it means that theres no
niggling doubt about whether you can go the
distance come race day.
Even many Ironman athletes will ride over
five or six hours relatively regularly mostly for
the physiological adaptations that this provokes,
but also because its great to know that they have
the willpower to keep turning the pedals for that
long without stopping.
As the long ride is often a talking point among
training partners (How far did you go at the
weekend?), theres also an ego boost to be
gained by putting in some monster mileage!
THE PRACTICALITY
For most of us who arent professional athletes,
training for an endurance sport inevitably leads
to some level of compromise. Often we cant put
in the kind of training hours wed like to
every day of the week. This inevitably means less
overall volume of training than would be
considered ideal. So when the weekend comes
round and theres a little more time available,
fitting in a long ride seems both logical and
feasible. For a number of clubs, the long Sunday
ride is as much a social event as a training
session, a scenario thats likely to encourage long
rides on a frequent basis.
You may not think you have time for the long
bike but, with a bit of planning, its possible for all.
Happy riding. Q 220
SPRINT
For sprint-distance athletes, riding for between
90-120mins will be more than adequate. While
many will compete after much shorter training
rides than this, the physiological benefits (fat
burning and economy of movement) are hard to
achieve without riding for this long on a
reasonably regular basis.
OLYMPIC
Regular 2-3hr rides are common for more
competitive Olympic-distance racers. These can be
up to three times the length spent in the saddle
during races, but are lower in intensity, so the
overall stress on the body is similar. They must be
coupled with some high- intensity interval training,
though. If you only ride long and slow, youll
struggle to blast out a fast 40km TT.
CHAMOIS CREAM
Paste it onto the pad of your cycle shorts to reduce chafing
and keep your bum happy on a long ride. They often contain
anti-bacterial agents to prolong the life of your pricey shorts.
LONG
Athletes competing in half and full Ironman events
often spend upwards of 4hrs out on the bike
putting the miles in. Theres much debate around
the value of long, slow miles against shorter,
harder sessions. In reality, a combination of
sessions just below, at and just above long-distance
race pace is probably ideal.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 81
RACE-PACE
RIDING
GAUGE INTENSITY
While all of these workouts can be done indoors
on a turbo trainer, getting some road time in
and polishing your handling skills is another
essential bridge to racing especially if youve
spent most of the winter riding indoors. Also,
your body will need significant time to adapt to
your aerodynamic position and youll need to
reacquaint yourself to the different handling
characteristics of your race bike.
Even if you dont have a devoted race bike and
just use clip-on aerobars, attach them to make
BIKE ZONES
Here weve adopted Joe Friels five heart rate
zone measurements for the bike, measured by
your lactate threshold heart rate (LTHR). To do
this, warm up properly before cycling at your
hardest pace for 20mins while using a heart rate
monitor. Your average heart rate for this period is
your lactate threshold heart rate.
ZONE 1 Less than 81% of LTHR
ZONE 2 81% to 89% of LTHR
ZONE 3 90% to 93% of LTHR
ZONE 4 94% to 99% of LTHR
ZONE 5 100% to 106%+ of LTHR
RACE-PACE RIDING
THE SESSIONS
Nik prescribes three sessions to gradually
increase your training efforts to race intensity
SESSION 1
SESSION 2
JARGON
BUSTER
HIGH-INTENSITY INTERVAL
TRAINING (HIIT)
Repeated efforts somewhere
between 85 and 92% of
maximum heart rate.
FUNCTIONAL THRESHOLD
POWER (FTP)
Measured in watts, this is the
maximum power you can
maintain through an hours
effort without fatiguing. A quick
way to do this is to double your
bodyweight in pounds.
NEUROMUSCULAR ABILITY
The ability of the nervous
system to recruit the
correct muscles to provide
coordinated movement.
ANAEROBIC
When your body produces
energy without utilising
oxygen, stimulated
by exercise that is at
high intensity.
DURATION 1:20hr
SESSION 3
After 3-4 weeks working on the Threshold
Pyramid Intervals twice a week, switch one of
them for this session. Its a much tougher
workout, both physically and mentally, and will
help steel you for racing. VO2/Z5 efforts are
above race pace for sprint and Olympic racing
but youd definitely hit this intensity on climbs.
This session boosts your FTP and the final minute
will also tap into your anaerobic capacity and
neuromuscular ability. Find a slightly steeper
5min climb but aim to hold your race position.
WARM-UP Take 20mins to ride to your chosen
section of road and include the following
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 83
TT FOR TRI
Racing time trials will not only freshen up your training, but youll
also arrive at the start of your triathlon season race-ready and with
added speed in your armoury. Nik Cook highlights the TT benefits
TIMETRIAL KIT
Three recommended
purchases for your venture
into time trialling
TT/TRI BIKE
You can race on any bike, but a
dedicated TT/tri bike is the ideal. On
all but the most sporting courses, a
deep-section front and disc rear will
be the fastest wheel set-up.
TURBO TRAINER
At many events you cant warm up
on the course and you need to
ensure youre at the start for your
allotted time. A turbo trainer by
your car is the best option.
POWER METER
Usually mounted on the crank arm,
pedal or wheel hub, its the best way
to pace a TT and, as conditions vary
week to week, the only objective
way to assess your progress.
TT FOR TRI
compliant. If you decide to enter a national event,
youll have to ensure that your set-up is UCI legal
(see www.uci.ch/videos/uci-time-trial-bikemeasurement-rules).
10 TIPS TO
TT SUCCESS
Feel the need for speed? Niks shares his tips
to tee you up for your first TT...
WARM-UP
Both 10 and 25-mile TTs are intense
efforts, so thoroughly warm up
NUTRITION
Avoid eating for 2-3hrs before. Sip on a
bottle during your warm-up and maybe
use a caffeinated gel for a boost as you start. For
10 or 25-milers you shouldnt need additional
calories or fluids, unless its especially hot.
10
POSITIONING
If youre using TTs as training for tri, you
should ride in your regular race
position. However, if youre chasing a PB, try
making a few tweaks. For these short distances
comfort isnt really an issue and no one is going
to ask you to run after your bike leg, so consider
lowering and narrowing your bars and focus on
rotating your shoulders in as you ride.
CLOTHING
Dont turn up in a sleeveless tri-suit
you probably wont be allowed to race.
A dedicated skin suit is fastest, as long as its
tight- fitting. Arm and leg warmers are essential
for early-season events.
combined with a
crank-mounted
power meter
UCI COMPLIANCE
For club and open events, which are
held under the auspices of the CTT, your
bike and equipment doesnt have to be UCI
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 85
JARGON
BUSTER
PPO
Peak power output,
defined as max
average 1min power
output in a test.
WATTS PER KILO
An athletes average
race or peak power
data compared to their
weight (for example,
3.5w/kg Kona bike).
HIIT
High-intensity interval
training, which is done
at somewhere between
85 and 92% of max
heart rate.
POWER UP
POWER UP
Why are so many athletes and manufacturers
investing in power measurement systems?
Because, says Joe Beer, if used correctly,
power can be a game changer
ower measurement is becoming
synonymous with cycling. Its now not
uncommon to hear individuals milling
around talking wattages and watts per
kilogramme for training and racing. Power
measurement systems are also getting smarter
and smarter. This is because the power you put
into riding a bike is what you get back on the
road, and it speaks volumes about training or
racing prowess.
But while there are plenty of technological
advances that mean were losing fewer and
fewer watts to drag, its important to remember
that what really matters is the engine youre
driving the bike with you. If you have your
power measured in a maximal test itll show what
you are and arent capable of. And the numbers
can be sobering
FATIGUE AWARENESS
Training with power catches fatigue early.
By assessing actual work done rather than
inaccurate metrics like average speed or feel, you
have your own early-warning system that looks
out for fatigue or illness. Power takes all the
extraneous information that can cloud your
judgement and looks at simple work done against
heart rate and perceived exertion. It doesnt
ignore your feelings, but rather heightens your
sensitivity of yourself as an athlete.
TESTING, TESTING
A power meter gives you the ability to test
power-to-heart rate anywhere, anytime. Once,
power was only available in the lab, but now its
accessible to almost anyone. Over 60% of my
clients use power in some format, many on their
PITFALLS OF POWER
Nobody should ride with wattage all the time. You
also have other sports that youre training for,
generating fatigue from other muscles not just
your legs that needs to be taken into account. If
youre doing a base ride to increase stamina, then
zone one (60-80% of max) is the goal. Its all too
easy to try and see how hard you can go while
staying in the correct zone, but leave power at
home on those days, and get it out for intervals,
hill strength or race pacing.
Similarly, using power doesnt mean youll
suddenly become hugely powerful and discover
the legs of a Rachel Joyce or Frederick Van Lierde.
Across a whole range of athletes, from those with
a peak power output (PPO) of 200w to those with
450w, once trained I rarely see power increase
significantly in 30-40-year-old athletes.
MARGINAL GAINS
You can now purchase systems that measure the
left/right balance of your pedal stroke, like the
Rotor Power Cranks or Garmin Vectors. This left/
right efficiency is at the cutting-edge of
understanding what we can and cant do to a
riders efficiency and power. Research suggests
that becoming more efficient is difficult, though
long-term analysis of pros reveals a 1-2%
improvement is possible when riding more than
20,000km per year. Its an ever-evolving area, but
its early adopters and those with a clear left/
right imbalance are ahead of the curve.
Training with
power is about
doing precise work
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 87
Interval
training should
increase in
work from
week one
to four
2 MEASURE FITNESS
WARM-UP Very low effort warm-up <80-100w for
approximately 5mins.
MAIN Start the test at 100w for 3mins to establish a
stable HR. Then increase 25w every 3mins. Go to
around 85% of maximum then cool down.
5 RACE SIMULATION
RESULTS Compare to previous data to see if youre
absorbing, tired or lacking training.
For the
serious, timecrunched trier,
power systems
are a worthy
investment
3 MEASURE YOUR FORM
WARM-UP This should be steady. For example,
15mins in mid-zone one.
MAIN Ride 20min indoor or road time-trial at around
88-92% HR (or 80% PPO). Record average wattage,
HR, cadence and distance. Alternatively use local 10- or
25-mile road time-trials (see www.ctt.org.uk).
RESULTS Provides a race scenario in which to
assess what power output you can sustain and
how good your pacing is.
TRANSFORM YOUR
TRANSITIONS
Efficiently moving from swim to bike and bike to run could make or break
your race. Rick Kiddle is here to turn you into a transition legend
LEARN TO RELAX
On paper each transition is a simple task but,
under the pressure of racing, time and energy is
commonly lost. Hesitation, confusion, plain old
lack of focus it all happens when seeking that
new personal best. But it wont if you treat the
changeovers as a competition within a
competition. Here are the three golden rules you
must stick to for smooth, swift transitions
1 Simplicity Keep transitions simple by not trying
to do too many things; keep the number of actions
you intend to carry out to a minimum. The more
you try and do, the more time it takes and the
more things can go wrong.
2 Planning Plan the following: what youll take
into transitions; the layout of your transition area
around your bike; how youll make it from the
swim to your bike; the particulars of your bike to
run. Basically, just plan!
BE PREPARED
To reduce your movements in transitions, ensure
youre well prepared. Packing the right kit and
guaranteeing its all in working order is part of the
multisport challenge. The key is to only take to
transition what youll need to for the race.
Anything else you can leave in your car or at the
race HQ and collect it after the race before you
wash and change.
Pack your bag the day before the race so you
dont forget anything it also gives you the time to
RACE DAY
Arrive with plenty of time on race day to allow you
to survey the transition area and run through T1
(swim to bike) and T2 (bike to run), so you know
exactly where to go from entrance to exit.
First-timers beware: its easy to find your steed
when youre calmly setting things up. But throw in
race-day nerves and a field of rushing athletes,
SWIM TO BIKE
Its time to cycle sockless after storming out of T1
Many athletes dont take the time to practise the
finer points of transitions while mimicking race
conditions. In other words, its uncommon for
them to be out of breath and under the same
pressure as theyd be on the big day.
The greatest benefits will be had from
integrating transition practice into your normal
training sessions, when your hearts racing and
the bloods pumping. Thats why wetsuit removal
is best practised after a quality open-water
session. But, for now, itll suffice to focus on the
theory before you go and put it into effect.
NO MORE DIZZINESS
The last few minutes of the swim are vital to
orientate yourself and prepare for the bike. Firstly,
you must prevent that disoriented feeling that
many athletes suffer from at one time or another.
The feeling occurs because your bodys been
horizontal in the water for so long. This causes the
majority of your blood to flow into your upper
body, head and shoulders. (This often presents the
sight of athletes stumbling over while fighting with
their wetsuit, as their blood drains into their legs.)
Eradicating this comical, and slightly unsettling,
scenario is easy. Simply kick more aggressively
with 200m to go, so more blood is evenly
distributed around your entire body. Dont worry if
you feel a little out of breath its worth it.
WETSUIT REMOVAL
The second speed pointer concerns peeling that
layer of neoprene off your skin. In the final 10 or
so metres of the swim, let water flow into your
wetsuit by holding the neck open. Swim as far as
you can in this unusual position, before bringing
your legs underneath you to stand up. The water
will rush through the suit and loosen the skin-tight
seal youll have formed. If done correctly, your suit
will almost fall off.
Continue to walk/jog while you locate the
Velcro behind your neck with one hand. At the
same time, your other arm should be behind your
back grabbing the zips pull cord.
Dont let go of the Velcro as you bring the pull
cord right down to the bottom in one continuous
movement. Then, pull the wetsuit off your right
shoulder with your left hand as far as it will go
with one pull down, before removing your left
shoulder with your right hand. You can pull each
arm out in one movement, with one arm at a time,
but remember not to roll the material over on
itself more than once and always work downwards
from the top.
Dont lower the suit further than your hips until
you reach your bike. If its a long run, this is the
time to pass your competitors. Go on seize the
advantage of reaching the bike first. In the 04
World Championships in Madeira, I left the water
in 17th and exited T1 in seventh!
CLIPPING IN
You often hear athletes complaining that
slipping feet into shoes already clipped into
EQUIPMENT LAYOUT
Once youve unpacked your gear in
transition, you need to fine tune things
BIKE Always test ride your bike before leaving it
in transition, just to make sure that everythings
working. Ideally youll have ridden the course
beforehand because this ensures youll be in the
correct gear to leave T1 at a good cadence. Also,
hang your steed by its saddle and point the front
wheel in the direction youre leaving.
NUTRITION Depending on race distance, carry
at least one water bottle on your bike. Because
nutrition is such an individual thing, use your
training to try out the product you intend to use.
HELMET Place the helmet with the straps out facing
you, exactly how you would put it on. Remember:
always have the helmet strapped before getting on
the bike, as not doing this can lead to immediate
disqualification.
PUMP Youll need CO2 inflators or two pumps: a
track or floor pump with a pressure gauge and one
to take with you on the bike. Inflate your tyres to the
prescribed pressure.
BIKE SHOES These should be on or off the bike
whichever method you prefer.
TOWELS One for standing on while getting ready
and one for post-race.
RACE NUMBERS/RACE BELT Check the race rules
to see if they stipulate race numbers on belts or
pinning to clothing. If you pin the number on, make
sure it wont get caught up inside your wetsuit and
restrict your swimming. On the bike, you must have
your race numbers on your handlebars and helmet.
RUNNING SHOES Your race shoes should have no
seams or rough sections inside so they dont rub if
worn without socks. However, you should seriously
consider using socks for longer races. Your shoes
should have elastic laces.
HAT Useful protection if racing in the heat.
LUBE Should be used mostly for protection during
the swim around any parts that may rub.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 91
WETSUIT REMOVAL
Once youre out of the water, slip your wetsuit off your
shoulders to make running easier.
Stand on the loose suit with your heel and use your
free leg to step out of the suit.
Pull your shoe on using the heel strap then close the
shoe securely before starting on the other.
BIKE MOUNTING
SHOE ENTRY
BIKE TO RUN
A swift T2 will give you the confidence for a fast run to the finish
When youre approaching the end of the bike
leg, shift into a lower gear and pedal faster
(higher cadence).
A high cadence of 90-110 revolutions per
minute will aid recovery for the run section by
allowing you to spin your legs more efficiently,
recycling lactic acid and preventing blood pooling
in your lower body. Having recceed, and
preferably ridden, the bike course youll know
when youre near the end, which will help you
determine when is the best time to undo and
remove your shoes.
The more confident or highly practised among
you can try a racing dismount (see below). Roll up
to the dismount line with your feet out of your
shoes as you balance with both legs on one side of
the bike ready to start running the moment you
step off. Just be careful to get your speed right
before stepping off and pay special attention to
other competitors, their wheels and their pedals.
If youre just starting out, simply disengage your
pedals as you roll up, stop the bike, step off and
run into the bike-to-run transition. Once youre off
RACE BAG AT
THE READY
Weve shown you the ideal transition
layout, but heres the full list of things
youll need when packing your tri bag
Triathlon bag
Race shoes both running and cycling
Roll your bike to your slot and rack your bike quickly
by hanging it on the brake levers.
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BRICK
SESSIONS
BIKE-TO-RUN BRICKS
While T1 bricks are especially important for
novices (see p93 for a visual run-through), the
transition two (T2) brick is a cornerstone of
training for triathletes at all levels. Not only do
these help you become more proficient in
changing from biking to running, they also
augment your fitness-building regime.
Every triathlete has rubber legs in starting
the run after riding. This sensation is the result
of having not used your running muscles for a
POWER UP
JARGON
BUSTER
BRICK
A combined swim-bike,
bike-run or swim-bikerun workout.
TRANSITION
The act of changing
from one triathlon
discipline to another
and the place where
this is done.
T1
The first transition,
from swim to bike.
T2
The second transition,
from bike to run.
TURBO TRAINER
A device on to which
a bike is mounted,
turning it into a
stationary trainer.
CYCLING CADENCE
How many pedal
revolutions a
foot completes
in one minute.
If its windy or
pouring down, go
to a gym and use
an indoor bike
and treadmill
Research has shown that youll settle into a
fast running rhythm more quickly this way.
Also, as you start the run, forget about your
legs. Focus instead on finding a comfortable
breathing pattern.
BIKE-TO-RUN SESSIONS
The following are examples of T2 workouts by race distance
RACE DISTANCE
Sprint
Warm up by riding for 10mins with increasing intensity. Then ride for 5mins
at goal power or heart rate. Quickly transition to a 3min run at goal effort,
pace or heart rate. Walk for 3mins to recover. Repeat this 5min bike, 3min
run, 3min walk pattern three more times. The emphasis is on a fast and
smooth transition.
Olympic
Bike for 1hr. The first 30mins are a warm-up; the last 30mins are at goal
power or heart rate. Quickly transition to a 20min run at goal pace or heart
rate. Walk for 5-10mins to cool down.
70.3/middle
Ironman
WHEN TO BRICK
If youre new to the wonderful world of triathlon,
bricks are your single most important workout.
They may be done at any time during the season
but are most effective in the last eight to 12
weeks before your top-priority races. Long
or race-intensity bricks are key workouts and
so should be followed by at least one day of
rest and recovery.
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OFF-ROAD
MASTERCLASS
With four Xterra world championship titles and more legendary tales than you can poke a
muddy seatpost at, South Africas Conrad Stoltz is the icon of Xterra racing. Here are the
Cavemans ultimate bike tips for mastering cross triathlon
OFF-ROAD MASTERCLASS
SUPERIOR SPEED
The best riders are the ones who
look like theyre not even trying to
go fast. With mountain biking, its
all about carrying speed. Old
school momentum.
Rookies enter turns fast, pros exit
fast. By carrying speed through
rough terrain and turns, youll not
only gain huge chunks of time, itll
also save you much of the energy
sapping acceleration needed once
you hit an open pedally section.
But even the best riders have
to accelerate, sometimes a lot
depending on how the course flows.
For Xterra, which is basically a TT
event (as opposed to the death
sprint nature of MTB race mass
starts), youd like to ride with a
constant effort, so when you do have
to accelerate, try to roll it on
smoothly, probably seated, as
opposed to charging out the gate
like a rodeo bull...
CONQUER CORNERING
Mastering cornering is probably the
hardest skill there is. Here are the
essentials
Look well ahead on the trail as
you approach any technical section:
then assume the attack position.
Stand with the cranks level, arms
and knees bent significantly, torso
bent low, head up facing the trail.
Finish braking before the corner.
As you hit the turn, in one swift
movement, lean the bike (let the
handlebar turn as much as it needs
to, you stay on top of the BB) and
turn your body to face the exit of the
turn. Your eyes should be on the trail
beyond the exit. Remember, its all
about exit speed. Q 220
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BER BIKER
DANIELA RYF
IRONMAN HAWAII 2015 CHAMPION
BIKE
NUTRITION
Fail to fuel properly and all those training hours will come to nothing.
However, take a peek inside this larder of information and youll know what
carbs to take and when, and how to make delicious energy bars
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 99
BIKE NUTRITION
FUELLING YOUR
PEAK PERFORMANCE
IMAGES JONNY GAWLER, NIGEL FARROW, RICH CRUSE
The ideal triathletes nutrition strategy will help you to train longer, reduce
illness and raise energy levels. Oh, and race faster, too. James Witts reports
herever you look theres a
nutrition product claiming to
boost your performance. And as
triathletes, well, were perceived
as the most marketing-friendly sports people
around. They train lots, are short of time, and
need plenty of calories to rebuild and grow their
fatigued muscles. They MUST buy our product!
But the secret to performance nutrition isnt
found in a bottle or a tub. Its been said a million
times but, for peak performance, you must tick
off the fuelling fundamentals. I advocate a varied
diet of nutrient-rich food, says Dr James Carter,
RATIO OF CALORIES
Theres much debate about the optimal
composition of an endurance athletes diet, but
ultimately theres no one-size-fits-all approach.
However, to satisfy the three key requirements of
fuelling a session, replenishing stores postexercise and maintaining a strong immune
system, there are certain guidelines that the
majority of us should adhere to.
JARGON
BUSTER
VITAMIN A
Strengthens immunity
and helps vision in
dim light. Liver is a
particularly rich source
of vitamin A.
VITAMIN C
Helps to protect cells
and heal wounds.
Also necessary for
the maintenance of
healthy connective
tissue.
VITAMIN D
Regulates the amount
of calcium and
phosphate in the body,
so good for teeth and
bone health. Found in
oily fish and eggs.
ANTIOXIDANTS
Sweep up the free
radicals that are a
by-product of exercise
and cause cell damage,
which can weaken
our ability to fight
infection. Although the
body produces some
antioxidants itself, you
can increase these
through diet.
PROS OF PALEO
The carb cycling diet alternates high- and
low-carb days, though you can mix up that
sequence to suit. During the high days youre
looking at 500g complex carbs, says Kate Percy,
author of Go-Faster Food. On low days, just 50g.
The idea is that during low days, insulin levels
are reduced, which accelerates the release of
fatty acids and the body burns more fat. During
BIKE NUTRITION
RECIPE FOR
SUCCESS?
We analysed the ingredients list of
SiSs Go + Nitrate gel to discover
whats really fuelling you
WATER
Gives the gel a certain viscosity
that helps consumption.
MALTODEXTRIN
(FROM MAIZE)
(5.5%)
Where that
carbohydrate hit
comes from. Derives
from, in this case,
treated maize starch.
Though not a sugar,
it still has a high
glycaemic rating
so enters the
bloodstream rapidly.
SWEETENERS (ACESULFAME K,
SUCRALOSE)
Acesulfame is 200 times sweeter than sucrose (table
sugar) but has a bitter aftertaste. However, its used
in conjunction with sucralose as they mask each
others aftertaste.
FLAVOURING
Alters the flavour of the product. The information
sheet doesnt say whether the flavouring comes from
natural or synthetic sources.
FOLIC ACID
Is one of the B vitamins and has several important
features, including working together with vitamin
B12 to form healthy red blood cells.
Dr James Carter,
right, head of Gatorade
Sports Science Institute
TIME IT RIGHT
Whichever nutrition strategy you follow, two key
areas are timing of foods and calorie fluctuation
NUTRITION EVOLUTION
The field of sports nutrition has exploded over the last 50 years
1965
Gatorade formulate the
worlds first energy drink
following a request from
Florida Gaters head coach
Ray Graves to create a drink
that replenishes electrolytes
and rehydrates.
EARLY 1980S
Dave Scott regularly
consumes 20 figs on the bike
section. Seemingly there are
no fibrous repercussions as
he wins six Hawaii titles
between 1980 and 1987.
MID-1980S
Professor Tim Noakes
co-develops the first energy
gel, Leppin Squeezy. Would
(occasionally) be used by
athletes of the stature of
Simon Lessing.
1995
Paula Newby-Fraser
abandons her fuelling plan at
run mile 20 in Kona. Around
300 yards from the line she
collapses from overheating.
A referee pours iced water on
her (pictured below).
2008
Research by Dr Asker
Jeukendrup shows a blend of
glucose and fructose has a
significant impact on
endurance, being absorbed
quicker from the digestive
tract than glucose alone.
Paula Newby-Fraser
discovers the perils of
abandoning her fuelling plan
REAL-LIFE NUTRITION
Playing around with macronutrient composition is
fine in the labs but what about real life? We spoke
to three top age-groupers Alice Hector, Amy
Kilpin and Eric Downey to ascertain the
emphasis they place on nutrition. One sentiment
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 103
BIKE NUTRITION
PLANT-BASED
PERFORMANCE
From Scott Jurek to the 366
marathons couple, vegan athletes
are posting a riposte to the protein
problem with success on the trails
When Janette Murray-Wakelin, 64, and Alan Murray,
68, completed their 366th marathon in 366 days on
1 January 2014, as much coverage was given to their
vegan raw food diet as to their actual endurance
challenge. But endurance athletes have long been
advocates of the meat- and dairy-free diet, with
Ironman Brendan Brazier and Scott Jurek arguably
the worlds greatest-ever ultra marathon athlete
famous preachers of the plant-based diet.
In his best-selling book Eat & Run, Jurek extols the
virtues of ditching the meat-heavy midwestern diet of
his youth for an intake of bulgur wheat, sushi rice balls
and spelt flour. On the protein question frequently
tossed at vegan athletes, Jurek believes that the
average western meat eater consumes far too much
protein, and sources like quinoa and tofu contain
complete vegetable proteins anyway. His seven
consecutive Western States 100 victories came after
making the switch to veganism, which is proof alone
that the diet can fuel endurance sport. Quite whats
behind his race-day wolf howls and kung fu kicks is
another question
SPECIAL ISSUES
Despite what you might think, fuelling and
recovery needs between men and women, and
young and old, arent significantly different.
Women need slightly fewer calories than men
DIETS OF
THE PROS
Learn the feeding secrets of the worlds best to fuel your own
PB. James Witts noses in the larders of eight elites
JODIE SWALLOW
Being an athlete for my
whole life, combined with
suffering from an eating
disorder in the past, makes
it difficult to interpret what
a normal diet entails. I
veer towards protein over
carbohydrate and eat large
quantities of vegetables
they form the basis of most meals.
FAVOURITE MEAL
Roasted vegetables broccoli, leeks, beetroot,
onions seasoned with garlic cloves, salt and
pepper with chicken or steak.
PETE JACOBS
I eat protein, some fat and
carbs at every meal. I dont
eat anything too processed,
and stick to rice and veggies
for my carbs. Kidney beans
are a regular addition to my
meals, and I snack on fruit
and nuts everyday.
Ultimately, consistency and
unprocessed are the key dietary requirements.
FAVOURITE MEAL
Three eggs with salad
followed by fruit is my
breakfast almost everyday.
JESS HARRISON
I usually have more carbs
at lunch and then protein in
the evening. Its a habit I
picked up from a
dissociation diet. Its not
real dissociation, but I do
digest better if I separate
out food groups. There
arent any foods that I ban;
if I fancy a beer or whatever then its all good.
FAVOURITE MEAL
Thai green curry with coconut milk, as taught to
me on a training camp once by [Ironman Hawaii
2012 champion] Leanda Cave!
FAVOURITE MEAL
Two days before every race I always eat a dish
of white rice with some ketchup. No
vegetables,no meat, simply rice.
Its a pure carbohydrate hit
and even I can cook that!
TOM LOWE
My diet includes a lot of
FAVOURITE MEAL
Any barbecued meat! Add to that some quality
bread drenched in olive oil, corn on the cob,
chargrilled veg and salad. Perfect!
RACHEL JOYCE
JODIE STIMPSON
Breakfast is usually a
bowl of fruit with some
seeds and nuts with
natural yoghurt. Lunch
is just a nice sandwich
chicken or tuna with
salad and some fruit.
Dinners mostly a big salad
with a side of some sort of
veg with chicken, salmon, prawns or steak.
FAVOURITE MEAL
It might not be a meal
but I simply cant go
without bread.
TOM BISHOP
Milk is my essential
requirement the fat kind.
I eat a lot of porridge and
cereal as well as glasses of
it. Milks important because
I put my body under a great
deal of stress. So being high
in protein, calcium and
essential vitamins, milk
helps maintain and repair body tissues.
FAVOURITE MEAL
Wholemeal, seeded toast with butter and
cinnamon sprinkled over it. I top it off with
ingredients like jam and bananas.
FAVOURITE MEAL
Chicken and gnocchi is a good one. Coat the
chicken breast with pesto and grill. Cook the
gnocchi, drain and then crisp up on a griddle
with a little olive oil. Slice the chicken and add
with the crispy gnocchi to a salad. Mix with a
little more pesto.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 105
BIKE NUTRITION
FUELLING ON
TWO WHEELS
JARGON
BUSTER
CARBOHYDRATE
A key form of energy
for the body. Can be
easily converted
into glucose.
Correct fuelling on the bike leg can make or break your triathlon.
Former Team Sky head nutritionist Nigel Mitchell shows you how
utrition is an area that, if neglected,
can ruin what couldve been many
months of dedicated race prep. At
Cannondale-Garmin we take nutrition
very seriously, and as fellow endurance athletes
you should too. Here are a few tips Ive picked up
from working with some of the worlds best
athletes on two wheels
PROTEIN Building
blocks for body tissue.
Can also be used as a
source of energy.
10
METHOD
In a rice cooker, cover the risotto rice with
water (500ml per 250g). This is more water
than Id normally use, but I want to make it
sticky. For flavouring add the cinnamon or
vanilla, and the sugar, and leave to cook.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 107
BIKE NUTRITION
HOMEMADE
BIKE FUEL
Need a change from energy gels and bars while out on the road?
Try these exclusive recipes from acclaimed athlete cookbook
Feed Zone Portables that taste as good as they perform
efore there were energy gels, there
was real food. In the days before the
rise of the sports nutrition industry,
runners powered their attempts to
break the 4min-mile or run a marathon with real
food made from scratch.
The first modern running boom in the 70s
changed all that. Suddenly the streets were filled
with time-crunched urban professionals who
didnt know the first thing about sports nutrition
they just wanted to run to get in shape and
break out of the daily rat race. By the early 80s, a
whole range of bars, gels and pre-packaged
nutrition products was providing them with a
convenient way of refuelling on the move and
helping them bust through the wall.
While pre-packaged sports nutrition has its
place, more recently professional athletes have
been testing out a new approach or rather an
old one. Real food is back, and its nourishing
better performance for many athletes, both
amateur and pro.
Dr Allen Lim is a sports physiologist whos
worked with elite cyclists for the last 10 years.
Ive worked with very few athletes who could eat
pre-packaged foods all day when training or
competing. They would often complain that they
just couldnt stomach the bars, blocks and gels
given to them, says Lim. For professional cyclists,
who need to eat up to 10,000 calories a day
during races, this poses a big problem.
Lim discovered that many of these athletes had
started packing real-food snacks to take with
them on long days of training little sandwiches,
fresh pastries, even leftover pizza. They turned to
real food because through their own trial and
error, they learned it made them feel better.
Their experiences and feedback inspired me
to take the extra time to start cooking for athletes
from scratch, says Lim. Its not limited to pro
cyclists either the benefits can be applied to the
REPUBLISHED WITH PERMISSION OF VELOPRESS FROM FEED ZONE PORTABLES. TRY MORE RECIPES AT WWW.FEEDZONECOOKBOOK.COM. IMAGES COURTESY VELOPRESS
KEEPING IT REAL
To find out why many of his athletes preferred
real food to pre-packaged sports bars, Lim
bought every bar, snack, block and sports
nutrition product he could find and analysed their
ingredients. What he found was surprising.
Real food and sports nutrition products are
pretty similar, except in one important way: the
packaged products are very dry, while real food
contains a lot of water.
Suddenly, the bloating and cramping that
plagued pro cyclists made sense. For many, these
dry and highly concentrated sports nutrition
products overloaded the gut, sucking water out of
the bloodstream to dilute the foods before
absorbing the calories.
Thinking they were fuelling up, these pro
cyclists were dehydrating themselves and taking
longer to refuel than if theyd instead eaten real
food. Lim explains: Imagine were making a cake
and, after adding all of the dry ingredients into a
bowl, we use only 10% of the water that the
recipe requires before baking. What we would
have at the end of the process would resemble a
brick, not a cake that we would want to serve for
dessert or be excited to eat during a long
endurance event.
The problem isnt limited to dry foods; gels
might be liquid, but the gut absorbs them the
same way it handles any highly concentrated
food. In short, real-food recipes, with their higher
water content and natural ingredients, have been
helping professional athletes find higher
performance levels.
BOUGHT VS
HOMEMADE
How do homecooked portable snacks measure
up against a shop-bought bar? We compared
an average of 11 leading sports bars with an
average of the nine rice cake recipes featured
in the Feed Zone Portables book.
SPORTS BAR
RICE CAKE
54.5g
138.1g
Total calories
223
199
Carbohydrates
Fat (% kcal)
Protein
Fibre
Salt
HO (% mass)
32.5g
8g (32%)
6.5g
3.5g
108mg
3.9g (7%)
37g
3.2g (13%)
5.1g
1.3g
101mg
91.1g (66%)
Weight
TURN OVER TO
FIND EIGHT MORE
RECIPES TO TRY
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 109
BIKE NUTRITION
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 111
BIKE NUTRITION
CHOCOLATE CAKES
INGREDIENTS (12 CAKES)
4 eggs and 1 egg yolk 180ml almond milk
2tbsps melted butter or coconut oil 1tbsp
brown sugar 2tbsps unsweetened cocoa
powder 1tsp vanilla extract tsp ground
cinnamon Half a loaf of cubed gluten-free
bread 90g chocolate chips, melted
COOKING
Cooking time 35mins
METHOD
Heat oven to 180C. Lightly coat a muffin tin
or a square baking pan with non-stick cooking
spray. Place the eggs and egg yolk in a small
food processor and pulse a few times. Warm
the almond milk in the microwave on high for
1min. Add the milk, melted butter, brown
sugar, cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon into the food
processor and pulse until fully mixed. Add
bread cubes and leave to soak for a few minutes.
For a smooth batter, pulse the cake batter once
more to break down the bread. Fold in the
chocolate chips. Pour the batter into the pan.
If using a muffin tin, fill each one three
quarters full. Bake in a muffin tin for
12-15mins, or until a toothpick inserted into
the centre comes out clean.
WWW.220TRIATHLON.COM I 113
COLUMNIST
THE WEEKEND WARRIOR
MARTYN BRUNT
220s age-group columnist ponders the meaning of need and new as he shops for bike seven
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