Chris Charmichael / 12 Cycling Tips

1. While riding through intersections with possible cross-traffic, it is helpful for the lead rider to verbally signal the other riders in the group that the road is clear. Simply calling out the word, Clear is usually sufficient. If there is a reason that the group needs to stop or slow down, it is even more important for the lead rider to notify the rest of the group.Keep the verbal commands short and concise. There is no time for lengthy sentences when a truck is approaching.
2. When you reach the summit of a long or steep climb, the natural tendency is to coast down the other side. Your legs will feel better, however, if you continue pedaling instead of coasting. You do not have to apply any real driving force to the pedals, just lightly spin your legs as you descend. This increases the circulation to your legs and helps you feel fresher when you have to apply propulsive power again.
3. If your group rides include pacelines, here is a tip from the pro ranks. Instead of constantly looking over your shoulder to see if it is your turn to get back into the pull line, remember the jersey of the rider in front of you, or the rider in front of him or her, in line. After your pull, drift back toward the back of the line and watch for the jersey s you recognize. If the paceline is running smoothly you should be able to ease over into the pull line as the rider you have been watching for passes you. The reason that you want to avoid looking over your shoulder frequently is that each time you take your eyes off the road you risk running into something or crashing.
4. Remember to point out debris when riding in a paceline or in a group. If you have been with the program a while I am sure you already know to look ahead of the rider in front of you, but the person behind you might be staring right at your wheel. A quick wave of the hand or a few descriptive words warns the riders behind you of upcoming obstacles.
5. As the weather begins to get a bit cooler, remember to dress appropriately. If the temperature is under 65 degrees, wear knee warmers. Carry arm warmers and a light jacket with you, especially if you are training in the afternoon to early evening. The temperature can fall very quickly and unpredictably at this time of year.
6. Wet leaves can be one of the slickest things on the road. To make matters even worse, the leaves you see may be dry, but laying on top of wet ones. That hidden layer of wet leaves can cause you to lose traction and slide. Just like when riding over ice patches or through sand, keep the bike upright instead of leaned over while riding through leaves.
7. If your road racing season is over, hide your bicycle. Reacquaint yourself with you husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend, dog, or couch. I challenge each and every one of you to ignore your bicycle for the next two weeks. The first few days might be kind of rough, but you can make it. After about three days without riding a strange feeling might come over you, relief. You want this time off; you need this time off. About eight days into the rest period you will realize I am right about this. For the seriously overtrained addict, cable-lock your bike to an immovable object and mail the keys to a friend in Alaska. By the time your friend sends them back, it might be time to get back on your bike.
8. When a group starts riding downhill, the leaders of the group need to keep pedaling. If everyone coasts, the riders in the back will begin to accordian into the riders ahead of them. The riders at the front of the group need to keep pedaling against the increasing wind resistance in order to maintain their speed. For the riders behind, back off the wheel in front of you a little bit on descents. As you back away from the wheel, you will feel the wind resistance increase. After a little practice you will learn to find that spot where there is enough wind resistance to keep you from accelerating into the rider ahead of you but not so much resistance that you have to stop coasting.
9. This is a good time to prepare your bike for the fall and winter. If you replaced your tires, bar tape, and brake pads early in the season, it may be time to replace them again. Since you are not riding this week anyway, now would be a good time to give your local mechanic some time to go over the whole bike. While your bike is in the trusted hands of your local shop, explore your hometown. While you were riding every weekend, new shops, movie theaters, and museum exhibits came to town. Stroll around downtown and catch the Saturday Matinee.
10. It is important that a cyclist is a well-balanced athlete. Crosstraining activities like running, hiking, rollerblading, rollerskiing, rock climbing, soccer, racquet ball, etc are some activities you might want to try in the next two weeks. There is some riding scheduled in the next two weeks, but the rest of the days are left open for crosstraining activities. If you spend a few weeks crosstraining, the transition into the gym and back into a structured cycling program will be much easier.
11. Keep your arms bent as you ride, especially when riding in groups. When your arms are stiff and your elbows are locked, you have less control over your bike. If someone bumps into you when your arms are bent, you can absorb the shock and avoid losing control. Leaving your arms bent also helps reduce fatigue by dissipating road shock before it reaches your shoulder and neck.
12. Devise a race strategy before every event. Your strategy will change from race to race, depending on the course, the competition, your fitness, and the relative importance of the race. Do not enter a race with a wait-and-see attitude. Such an attitude leads to passive riding and a lack of focus. Decide how you want the race to go. Do you want to initiate a breakaway? If so, where? Do you want the race to come down to a field sprint or a small group sprint? Who do you want to be in a breakaway with? You will have to modify your strategy as the race progresses, but don t abandon the plan completely.