Gearing up for a triathlon? These cycling tips from bespoke triathlon coaching service ABCPure will have Chrissie Wellington quaking in her cleats.
Put your foot to the pedal and smash the triathlon bike leg. Easy.
♦ In training, practise the technical aspects you will experience on race day such as mounting and dismounting your bike as well as taking one hand off the handlebars to take a drink from your bottle.
♦ Visualise where you have racked your bike when approaching transition for T1 (end of swim) and T2 (end of bike).
♦ For mounting your bike out of T1, put it in an easy/low gear for a safe and speedy get away.
♦ We advise riding in a slightly easier gear holding a higher pedal turnover than pushing a harder gear with a slower pedal turnover. Your legs will thank you when you get on to the run.
♦ Drafting (tucking into the slipstream of the rider in front so you avoid the wind and exert much less effort) is illegal on the bike and may lead to time penalties and disqualification. Check the rules (as every race is different) for the distance you need to leave between you and the rider in front of you.
♦ The more compact/aerodynamic you can make yourself on the bike the faster you will be due to less wind resistance. Clip-on aero bars can be added to your road bike, although you may need assistance from qualified personnel to ensure you have the correct setup/position.
Aero bars vs, umm, Aero bars
♦ Make sure your bike is race ready, for example, inflate tires to the recommended pressure, ensure your brakes are working and the chain is oiled.
♦ Only wear no socks on the bike if you have practised this in your training and know your feet can cope, blisters can be very painful!
Transition. Err, where did I put my bike again?
Kit list for the bike
- Bike (kind of tricky without one)
- Helmet (a legal requirement for most races)
- Bike shoes or trainers
- Socks
- Race belt (for your number on both the bike and run)
- Sunglasses
- Cage on bike for bottle
- Inner tube(s), tyre leavers (in case you get a puncture, let’s hope not!)
- Pump / gas canisters
For ABCpure‘s tips to help you smash the swim leg, click here
ABCpure is a bespoke triathlon coaching service suitable for athletes of any age, at any level and competing over any distance. They provide a truly customised service with weekly programmes. Services include 1:1 coached sessions. The coaches train and race by the same pure philosophy, having competed in Kona, Hawaii 2012, they know what it takes.
