Improving Cycling Performance

In cycling there are many ways to spend your money to improve performance. But what really matters?

Here is a researched based look at this topic.  Authors Jeukendrup and Martin wrote a review article originally published in the journal of Sports Medicine as a way to guide how we should spend our time and money in improving cycling performance.  The authors used a mathematical model to predict times savings over a 40 Km Time Trial.  The factors they examined are seen in the tables below. 

Internal factors	Time Savings over a 40K Time Trial
Training	1-7 minutes, 20-38% increase in VO2 max
Altitude training	23-34 seconds
Nutrition-carbohydrate electrolyte solutions	32-42 seconds
Nutrition- Caffeine	55-84 seconds

External factors:  Body and bicycle mass	Time Savings over a 20K 6% uphill grade
Bicycle mass:  7kg frame vs a 10kg frame	Novice	Trained	Elite
	3:38	1:52	1:15

External factors:  Body and bicycle mass	Time Savings over a 40K Time Trial
Body mass:  a decrease in 3Kg	Novice	Trained	Elite
	25 seconds	21 seconds	19 seconds

External factors:  Aerodynamics	Time Savings over a 40K Time Trial
Body position	Position	Novice	Trained	Elite
	Brake hoods	Starting point
	Drops	3:46	3:06	2:47
	Standard Aero	6:49	5:36	4:59
	Optimized Aero	9:21	7:42	6:54
Bicycle frame – Aerodynamic	1:17 to 1:44  Min:Sec
Aero Wheels	60-82 seconds
Wheel Choice:  weight vs Aerodynamics	See comments below

Discussion:  For the most part the data speaks for itself, but a few points can be made.

Degree of improvement:  A trend in the data appears which is the better trained cyclist or even the elite cyclist saves less time from the changes made as compared the novice cyclist.  In other words the novice has much more room for improvement and therefore he or she will make larger relative improvements.  The trained and elite cyclist of course still have the overall faster times, but relatively make less change. 

Aero wheels verse a lighter non-aero wheels:  Areo wheels provide less drag and are a faster choice for all riders on flat to 3% graded surfaces, but these also tend to be a heavier wheel.  At a 6% grade the novice and trained riders were faster with the non-aero wheels.  At a 12% grade the novice, trained and elite riders were faster with the lighter weight, non-aero wheels. 

Training:  Based on the above table, 1-7 minutes of improvement.  Need more be said? 

You may have the perfect bike fit, but what about your body on your bike?  Offering Physiofit Bike Sessions with video analysis.  Email Adam for details at . . .

adamlindsey@bmechanics.com

Bodymechanics physical therapy.  Madison’s only Bike PT^TM Certified therapist. 

Madison’s only Certified Functional Manual Therapist^TM 

Source: 

Jeukendrup AE, Martin J.  Improving cycling performance:  how should we spend our time and money.  Sports Medicine.  2001;31(7);559-69.