Tactics and etiquette to help you own your next group ride, what cyclists should know about cross-training, and how to rebound from a disappointing result. All of this and more in Episode 132 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE • TrainerRoad Party at Cyclocross National Championships! • We're hiring software engineers! www.TrainerRoad.com/jobs • Why you ...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 23 min
Are wider tires really better, what intensity is best for fat burning and can you brick strength training and cycling workouts? Get the answers in this episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE • TrainerRoad Party at Cyclocross National Championships! • We're hiring software engineers! Apply here. • Why you should sync Strava and Garmin Connect to Trai...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 12 min
How to upgrade categories faster, getting rid of saddle discomfort, and how giving blood affects fitness. All of this and more in this episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE • TrainerRoad Party at Cyclocross National Championships! • We're hiring software engineers! Apply here: trainerroad.recruiterbox.com/ • Why you should sync Strava and Garmin Co...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 12 min
Is a higher cadence actually better, how is crank length affecting your power output, and cornering drills that make you faster. All of this and more in this episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! Topics Covered in this episode: • How Cyclists Can Avoid Losing Fitness While Traveling • Is a higher cadence actually better? • Cadence myths busted • How to adjust your training as a parent • How to balance life with training • Cornering drills to make you a better bike handler • Do rollers make...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 17 min
Ryan Cooper is the founder of Best Bike Split, Chief Scientist at Training Peaks, and an expert on all things aerodynamics and pacing. We met up with Ryan in Kona to discuss how to achieve perfect pacing, aerodynamic advantages in time trialing, and triathlon tactics. Topics covered in this episode: • How Ryan Cooper became an expert in TT pacing • Should you go hard or easy on climbs? • How to properly pace a time trial • What cyclists can learn from triathletes • Are bike changes in time trial...
Feb 07, 2018•53 min
The hosts of the Ask a Cycling Coach podcast worked with one of the best MTB skills coaches in the world, Lee McCormack of Lee Likes Bikes, to make you a faster mountain biker. Head over to blog.trainerroad.com to check out the video of this skills clinic. Topics covered in this episode: - How to avoid sketchy moments on the bike - How your knee position on a bike can change everything - How to stay stable in technical terrain - What is the proper body position for descending? - What is rowing a...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 26 min
Nate returns from India with new insight on how to get power data from a gym bike while traveling, Jonathan gives you a complete guide to Cyclocross National Championships, and Chad goes deep into strength training and staying hydrated during late night workouts. Topics covered in this episode: • Live podcast recording w/Matt Fitzgerald November 4 at Rapha San • Francisco, with group ride thereafter! • Which power meter pedals are most flexible? • How to keep your training on track while traveli...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 18 min
The podcast hosts are back from Kona and share everything you need to know before climbing Mauna Kea. As Nate gets ready for another long trip overseas, we share the best on-the-go training setups, tips for how to keep your training on track while traveling, and 5 strength training exercises for cyclists. Topics covered in this episode: • Live podcast recording w/Matt Fitzgerald November 4 at Rapha San Francisco, with group ride thereafter! • What we learned from riding Mauna Kea • How to pace a...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 3 min
Professional triathlete and IRONMAN commentator, Matt Lieto, and your podcast hosts recorded a special episode to chop up Grinduro, one of the most interesting races on the calendar that you need to know about, and their preparation for one of the toughest climbs on earth, Mauna Kea. Topics covered: • Triathlon and gravel racing • A triathlete’s take on The Downieville Classic • What makes Downieville unique • Why training with bigger tires can make you faster on race day • The thing you should ...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr
Andrew Talansky is one of the most successful American cyclists in history with a win at The Criterium du Dauphine, top ten Grand Tour finishes, domestic tour wins and national championship titles to his name. At 28 years old, some would say he has his whole road racing career ahead of him, but he's changing gears – the most successful American pro cyclist in recent times is moving sports to triathlon. We sat down with Andrew at the IRONMAN World Championships to discuss what a road cyclist need...
Feb 07, 2018•56 min
We sat down with Emmet Kelley, a triathlete from Ireland, to learn every detail about how he trained and qualified for IRONMAN World Championships in Kona. Topics covered in this episode: • How qualifying for Kona works • Which events should you pick to maximize your chances of qualifying • What type of swim, bike and run splits would you need to qualify for Kona • How to optimize your bike equipment • How to follow a training plan with a busy schedule • What made the biggest difference for Emme...
Feb 07, 2018•43 min
• TrainerRoad's Product Manager mixing it up with the pros! • TrainerRoad athlete Liz Lyles' IM Chattanooga win • IRONMAN World Championships TrainerRoad plans • The podcast hosts are going to climb Mauna Kea! • Levi's Gran Fondo recap • How to train for Levi's Gran Fondo • What to know about the Levi's Gran Fondo course • How to recon a remote course • How to pace a long day in the saddle • What is a "passhole"? • 10 best tips for Levi's Gran Fondo • How to train between back to back big weeken...
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 13 min
In this special episode we spoke with the God Father of triathlon innovation, Dan Empfield, at Interbike in Las Vegas, NV. Topics covered in this episode: • How triathlon wetsuits came to exist • What caused TT bikes to be designed as they are • The two most important bike fit measurements • How gravel racing could affect triathlon • How to know if a TT bike fits you before you buy it • How to avoid neck pain in aero position
Feb 07, 2018•48 min
• How to race with a bent derailleur hanger • The one thing you shouldn’t do right before a race • Why your disc brakes may be rubbing • How much aggression is okay in cx? • How to get a good start, even from the back of the pack • How to know when to make passes and when to wait • How to know if you should ride or run stairs? • How to not clip your pedals on stairs • How to remount smoothly in a turn • When bunny hopping barriers is a bad idea • Tips for making it through a sand section • How t...
Feb 07, 2018•52 min
Keegan Swenson (Cannondale 3Rox), #2 ranked pro XC racer in the USA, joins us for his take on cyclocross and a preview of Cross Vegas. Topics covered in this episode: • What makes pro athletes different from the rest of us • Keegan Swenson's power data • Pre-race warmups for cyclocross • Pre-race "leg openers" for the pros • Tire choice and bike setup for grass cyclocross courses • Pedal setup for cyclocross racing • How to pace Cross Vegas and other cyclocross races • How to know if you should ...
Feb 07, 2018•50 min
• Join us and author Matt Fitzgerald in person for a live podcast recording! Saturday, November 4, 2017, at Rapha Cycle Club in San Francisco, CA! • XC MTB suspension setup guide • What motivates you to race? • How to use your off-season wisely • How long does fitness last? • Should you use a full suspension MTB on the trainer? • Which pedals should you get? • How to win a crit for first-time riders
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 28 min
• How more carbohydrate actually improves performance • Updated mobile apps! • Depleted glycogen stores vs. skipping breakfast • What it takes to win Park City Point 2 Point (beat the best XC racers in the country) • Can CX training replace Base training? • Is cold training as important/beneficial as heat training? • Gear and strategies for cold weather riding • What is muscle "activation"? • Is smooth pacing in CX a bad idea?
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 13 min
- Join us and author Matt Fitzgerald in person for a live podcast recording! Saturday, November 4, 2017, @ Rapha Cycle Club in San Francisco, CA - Nate's new MTB - "Park City Point 2 Point" MTB race - New cyclocross plans! - How to fix shifting problems on a smart trainer - Is precision during rest intervals important? - Can you do too many or too few races in a season? - Cyclocross in the Crossfit games!?
Feb 07, 2018•1 hr 8 min
• Live podcast recording at Rapha Cycle Club in San Francisco Nov. 4! • Why Breck Epic is one of the hardest races in the world • Nate's new approach to nutrition • Should you have different FTPs for different circumstances? • How focus and motivation can improve your performance • Is visualization damaging or enabling? • How to know if your helmet is ruined • How bike fits work and how to pick the best one • Do sugar coated pills hurt fasted training?...
Feb 07, 2018•55 min
• How to transition to cyclocross season • The effects of humidity on heat training? • Could the Trek Domane be a gravel bike? • Should you maintain your smart trainer? • Can you skip base training if you are fat adapted? • Can you shortcut to peak fitness if a race schedule changes? • Tips for endurance mountain bike racing • Can you use ERG mode during an FTP test? • How to make yourself a sprinter • Are brick workouts really worth it?...
Aug 17, 2017•56 min
The dust has settled and Coach Chad, Jonathan and Nate share their final thoughts on Singletrack 6. Topics covered in this episode: - How to travel to a race on a budget - The effects of a concussion - How to recover from a concussion - Ideal bike setups for cross country racing - What is the best bike for technical XC racing - How to decide between a hardtail or full suspension MTB - What your pace has to do with cramping - How to ramp TSS for a stage race - Marginal gains for Hydration Packs -...
Aug 14, 2017•44 min
Stage 5 of Singletrack 6 took an unexpected turn. Tune into this super quick episode to see what we learned. Topics covered in this episode: – Maintaining focus even when the trail is easy – Why you should never feel ashamed of walking a technical section
Aug 02, 2017•13 min
The Queen Stage is in the books! Only two stages left of Singletrack 6, but does Jonathan have two stages left in him? Topics covered in this episode: • Using a power meter for mountain bike racing • How to deal with blisters on your hands from mountain biking • Why you are getting flat tires • Using the experience of smart trainer on the trail • The aggressive demands of an XC Stage race • How to know when to back off and let a group go • Trusting your strengths on race day • Stage 5 preview
Aug 01, 2017•34 min
Stage 3 was the highest stage yet and nearly 100% singletrack, and Coach Chad is back! Topics covered in this episode: • Big pre-race breakfast or constant snacking: which is best? • Pacing in a fast group • How to adjust your race strategy for a bad start position • Things to consider when receiving info about a course • How to manage fear in a race • Avoiding flat tires in rocky terrain • How to know when to back off and let a group go • Trusting your strengths on race day • Stage 4 preview
Jul 31, 2017•44 min
Stage 2 started hard and remained technical throughout with plenty of riders being caught out by rugged terrain and technical climbs. Topics covered in this episode: • How to manage a hard start in a race • Dealing with dusty conditions • Regrouping after a mid-race setback • How to carry momentum in technical terrain • How to pass and get passed on singletrack • A trick to help you gain time on climbs • How to provide good rider support • Chad's plan for cramp management • Stage 3 preview
Jul 30, 2017•32 min
Stage 1 is done & dusted, and it left its mark with some serious shake-ups moving forward. Topics covered in this episode: • How not to start a race • Is pushing hard for position early in a race really worth it? • Making steep climbs manageable • Things to remember in technical descents • How did Nate's tire choice end up? • How to tackle steep and loose descents • How to change your mental state mid-race • The host's nutrition strategies • Managing cramps, and how to avoid them • Stage 2 p...
Jul 28, 2017•53 min
• Upcoming daily podcasts! • How training for a technical MTB race is different • How to overcome fear on a mountain bike • Different ways to taper for a race • The best way to fly with your bicycle • How to plan transportation for your stage races • How to recon a foreign route from afar • What tires should you pick for Singletrack 6 or a technical MTB race • How to know if you should carry a hydration pack or not • What are tire plug kits? • Conditions you should monitor for a stage race • How...
Jul 27, 2017•1 hr 22 min
• Why maple syrup could be good mid-ride fuel • Pacing a mountain bike TT • How to manage performance on a hot day • Why even XC riders should go ride lifts at a bike park • How to fit training into a busy vacation • The UCI tire width rule that you need to know about • Are night lights keeping you from recovering? • Should you train during high ozone warnings? • Are goosebumps a bad sign when training? • The daily schedules of Nate, Chad and Jonathan • The pros and cons of racing in combined ca...
Jul 21, 2017•1 hr 7 min
Take a deep dive into heat training to learn how it can make you a faster cyclist in hot and cool conditions. - How much does heat affect cycling performance? - What temperature is ideal for heat training? - How to control the temperature of your training environment - Is it better to heat train in humid or dry environments? - How sweating cools your body and how to increase your sweat rate - Should you train at a lower intensity in the heat? - How heat training improves performance - Can heat t...
Jul 16, 2017•1 hr
• Why do you want to eat more during rest days or weeks? • Should recovery rides feel hard? • Why are you not good at long climbs? • Bike setup, pacing and technique to make you a faster climber • What is the best way to increase short power? • Is peak power what matters most in a sprint? • Omniums vs. stage races • Omnium strategy • How to fuel during a stage race • Does needing to get out of the saddle mean your workout is too hard? • When is it okay to sprint in the saddle? • How to learn as ...
Jul 10, 2017•57 min
