We started Ask a Cycling Coach with one goal in mind: to give cyclists — TrainerRoad users or not — the information they need to make the most of their training and achieve their goals. More than 150,000 listens later, we’re introducing a page dedicated to our podcast, along with a few new ways to ask…
The Best Cycling Recovery Techniques: 5 Cyclists Discuss Their Thoughts
“How do you like to recover after training hard or an event?,” is the lone question that caused an avalanche of deeply thoughtful and unique responses. Before I go any further, let me give you some back history. Prior to sitting down to write this post, I asked this question on Slack, a messaging platform…
How to Recognize Burnout and What to Do About It
Burnout is a common problem with serious cyclists, but recognizing burnout and differentiating it from common fatigue is necessary if your goal is to get faster. Here’s our guide to burnout — how to recognize it and what to do about it. What Is Burnout? Training hard makes you faster, but only when it’s structured appropriately. Every time…
How to Break Away and Make it Stick
Although not every race is won by a solo breakaway, multiple breakaways or breakaway attempts always form the outcome of a race. To make sure you’re at the pointy end of the race in the final kilometer, you need to have a specific type of fitness that allows you more than one shot at a…
Are Smart Trainers Bad for Training and Can They Cause Injuries?
Lately, we’ve been getting an influx in questions about whether smart trainers are bad for your training. Our straightforward answer is no — we’ve actually found the opposite to be true. For athletes who might have concerns about using a smart trainer, in today’s post we’re addressing five questions we’ve been asked recently. Question #1:…
516 Workouts in 519 Days — This is What Dedication Looks Like
Mitchell Quinn never misses a workout. Rather, he rarely — very rarely —misses a workout. Nearly 50 days into 2016 and the multi-disciplinary rider hasn’t gone a single day without getting on the trainer — that’s not even the most impressive part of his story. Since September of 2014, Mitchell has been riding consistently every…
When Is It Okay to Bail Out of a Workout?
Every interval of our training plans is intentionally placed and structured to make you faster. So what should you do if you can’t complete an interval? Here’s our simple guide to teach you how to know when it’s okay to bail out of an interval workout, plus tips for bailing out smartly. Interval workouts are meant…
Does Bike Geometry Affect Power Output? We Asked An Expert
We’re commonly asked, “Does bike geometry affect power output?” Or more specific questions like, “Does my saddle position affect my power output?” To get to the truth of the matter, we interviewed an expert. Overview Brian Gordon is a kinesiologist, certified Body Geometry Fit Specialist and Mountain Bike Product Developer for Specialized. Over the past…
Criterium Racing 101 with The Clif Bar Team
Last week we had the opportunity to join The Clif Bar Team for their annual training camp in Napa Valley, California. In between training sessions we sat down with some of the best criterium racers in the country to find out how to become a better crit racer. We covered how to train for criterium…
How to Build a Race Day Pacing Plan
Most bike races and triathlons are endurance events that require you to pace your effort. To make sure your next race is successful, create a pacing plan and follow it with precision. In every bike race your energy should be viewed as an hourglass. The harder you work, the faster the sand falls to the…