Triathlete on bike. Is is position comfortable or efficient? Photo: Kevin Saunders
KGS Bikes has always stood for three things: our BalancePoint(tm) fitting system that locates your particular balance points on a bicycle, the design and creation of custom bikes around you with the same level of expertise that the top professionals receive and technique consulting to give you tips the pro’s don’t want to share.
We are expanding the technique program in two ways. First, we are going to be conducting and participating in many clinics and talks that will help clarify the things you need to know to become a really good cyclist. We will de-mystify a lot of myths and help provide a pathway to success that will build competence and confidence. Second, the BikeTech Help Desk is being created to answer the questions you have as a triathlete that apply to the bike leg, to bike equipment, position and of course, technique.
Beginning with our Ezine that publishes every other Thursday, we will be changing the name of our Ask Kevin Q&A section to Triathlon BikeTech Help Desk. We will be sending out regular tweets on Twitter to ask you what questions you have about the bike and then will tweet short answers along with a blog post and/or inclusion in the Ezine.
Our goal is to get you thinking about the things that hold you back in cycling. Is it transitions? Cornering? Climbing? Desending? Gear selection? You name it, all questions are good ones as long as they relate to cycling in general and especially to triathletes.
Triathletes come into the sport from running or swimming, typically. In studying triathlon coaching programs, it seems apparent that the big focus is on swimming first, running second, and cycling a distant third. I am told the logic is, if you can’t swim, you drown. Running is easy for most and running coaches abound. Cycling on the other hand seems to be relegated to the “You learned how as a kid, you already know how to ride a bike” category.
Since the primary focus from our perspective is, Empowerment through Knowledge, we want to become your resource for cycling knowledge. Riding a bicycle for competition is much different than poking around a neighborhood when a child. The learning curve is significant but with a plan and with knowledge, you can shave huge amounts of time off the bike plus have a better run.
This is a work in progress so please help by asking questions. Here are a couple of things to get you thinking:
1) What topic in cycling as it relates to triathlon has the most conflicting info?
2) What scares you the most?
3) What do you find easy for others that is difficult for you?
We are here to help, for the long haul. No matter what the question, other folks have it as well and you are doing them a great service by speaking up.
Thanks so much for reading, commenting and asking questions!
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Kevin, as it relates to triathlon, rather than cycling Time Trials, I’d like to hear your views on aerobars, especially clip-on bars as they relate to use in Olympic or sprint distance events, when used on a traditional road bike set-up.
Triathlon is a very “fashion” concious sport, anything to get an advantage. Yet we know that real cyclists can go much faster on a traditional bike set-up compared to the average triathlete on their roadbike with aerobars. Myth busters, for most people, do they really make you go faster ??
Hi Mark, Wow. This is a fantastic question. It is going to generate a more detailed answer than this comment can do justice. The short answers are as follows, my opinion only!
1) Fashion conscious – Oh my. Fashion is everywere in triathlon. Problem is, what looks fast may not be fast in the overall picture.
2) The least aerodynamic part of the tri bike and rider is the rider!
3) Power trumps aero, to a point.
4) Clip ons, or riding with your forearms on the handlebar tops, pull your elbows inside the boundary layer. That is good for a couple of miles per hour.
5) Triathletes are real cyclists too, just many are misinformed!
I will put some serious thought into this topic as it is a biggie.
Thanks Mark!
Not a ‘sexy’ topic, but one of the things that often horrifies me about triathlete’s bikes is the standard of maintenance/ cleaning. Seems that many could do with a good basic guide on what sort of cleaning and maintenance to do on a regular basis and how to go about doing the simple things that keep everything ticking along smoothly.
Maybe a once per ride/ once per month/ once per quarter/ once per season sort of checklist of things to do and how to do them or what to check.
Gunky chains and sticky gear changes must count for some performance loss, I would think?
Hi Gordon, I do agree with you but let’s not limit it to tri bikes!
I do talk a lot about cleaning and will post a cleaning guide quite soon. Excellent idea.