Cycling Tips

Witt alumnus Mark Knapp participated for the first time in 2005, and he's eager to share the following tips about his speciality, cycling:

6 P's to Improve Cycling Time

  1. PACE yourself so that when you get to and over (finally!) Hominy Ridge (or any hill for that matter), you can still keep a steady pace throughout the rest of the ride. I made this mistake during my (only) training ride - hammered out and was gassed once I got over that hump - took a while to get my legs/lungs back!
  2. PEDALS. No longer just square blocks - clipless with special shoes/cleats are the daddy, but even just toe clips ("cages") can help you.
  3. POUNDS. Less weight (on you and the bike) helps battle gravity on the hills and rolling on the flats. Easiest way to lose 10 pounds in A DAY? Switch bikes. Mountain/hybrids are heavier than road/racing bikes - sometimes by 10 lbs! Of course, if you have to go out and buy a racing machine, you can lose weight too - in the wallet!
  4. POSITION. Your riding position can help reduce wind resistance* - more upright means more drag. Type of bike you ride dictates this. Why do you think those fancy racing bikes have those curved handle bars? So you can get low - and go! I didn't see many (any) aero bikes with disc wheels at the event, so I'll skip that technicality.
  5. PAVEMENT. OK, so I couldn't spell "tire" or "rolling" with a "p"! Rolling resistance is almost as important as wind resistance. Forget those cool looking knobbies on the mountain bike! It's all about SMOOTH and THIN. The trade-off for smooth and thin is the risk of a flat. Worth the risk in a short ride like this, since you'll roll easier, and thus be able to ride faster with the same pedal power. (Picture Inspector Clouseau saying it: "RAY-Sees-tanse." Tres bien.)
  6. PROXIMITY. Looking at the history annuls, knowing WHERE you are going helps. Wrong (or no) turn can cost you - time, rhythm, and the endless humiliation of having that posted on the website... forever!
Concerning that advice about cadence (90-100 cycles per minute).... I usually use a "6-count" and hope to have 9-10 strokes in those 6 seconds. A by-product of higher cadence is that your heart rate usually runs higher as well, so it does take some getting used to - and not just on the legs.

I would also recommend that people eat shortly AFTER the event to help muscle recovery. Eating the same stuff as you mentioned "during" is good. Another important element in recovery is to stay off your feet - sit/lay back, relax, say, in the Hollow for Witt Fest.