Cycling
Video: Lucy Charles-Barclay's ultimate guide to becoming a better cyclist
Move your cycling game up a gear with the help of one of the world's top triathletes.
No one discipline in triathlon is more important than the other. But out of swimming, cycling and running, it’s on the bike where competitors really have to put in the long hours. In an Ironman-distance triathlon, the sport’s most extreme format, competitors swim 3.8km, run 42km… but bike a massive 180km.
Making sure your bike game is on point is crucial, and someone who can help you with that is Lucy Charles-Barclay. Lucy finished a stunning second on her IRONMAN debut in Hawaii in 2017, despite having only started road cycling in 2014, and has finished second at the event every year since. Here she shares her tips and tricks on all things road cycling.
In the videos below, Lucy shares her advice on:
- How to prepare for a ride
- The perfect technique on the bike
- The gym moves that can make you a more effective cyclist
- How to optimise your performance on the bike
- How to recover from a ride
Clip yourself in for the ultimate two-wheeled tutorial…
Preparing for a ride
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The bike requires skill, balance, strength and determination
- Know and trust your kit
- Find a comfortable position on the bike…
- … but make sure that position is aerodynamically efficient
- Get some cycling shorts with padding!
- Visualise your route and know where you’re going
The right technique on the bike
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You want your bike to be an extension of yourself
- Vary your training – spin classes, group rides and Zwift are all good options
- Don’t go too hard, too early in a race
- Setting the bike up perfectly will help you put your power down
Gym moves to improve your bike fitness
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Time spent in the gym is time shaved off your bike split
- If you’re training for a triathlon, spend dedicated time just on bike fitness
- Strength training helps you put power through the pedals
- Good exercises include: leg extensions, hamstring curls, squats and single leg exercises
- Use turbo trainers – devices that allow you to turn your road bike into a stationary bike – to improve your fitness, and add Zwift to the mix to make training more exciting
Optimising your performance on the bike
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There’s always a percentage to be gained
- Nutrition is key – and unique to you. Try something, see if it works, and stick to it if it does
- Aim for 60-90g of carbs per hour during a ride
- Use caffeine alongside that if necessary to keep you in your optimum performance window
- During a training ride, repeatedly tackle a small loop to optimise your cornering technique
Recovering from a ride
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It's really important to get that relaxation and recovery going straight away
- Begin your recovery straight after your ride is finished
- Stretch out your leg and back muscles
- Consume protein within the 30-minute ‘magic window’ post-ride
- If you have a bike computer, spend time analysing the data to see where gains could be made, and build any learnings into your next session
