Although he spoke of "marginal gains" with mythical reverie and described it as a "doctrine", having revolutionized some sports, it really a case of marketing rather than a new approach. For as long as competitive sport has existed, coaches and athletes have understood the need to optimize all the elements (technique and equipment) unique to that sport in order to achieve a winning performance.

I found this blog on the subject interesting and provocative. You read a lot about the advantage of a newly formulated energy bars, or what a new wheel set can do for you. What's often missing is the information you need to put a specific benefit into perspective when make a personal training or equipment choices.

Here are a few comments that stood out for me:

• Marginal gains may be appealing when you feel that they are all that is left yet most riders still can make major single improvements that can outweigh the sum of many marginal gains.

• Switching to fast tires gives you the biggest edge - a 5% speed gain when compared to most racing tires .

• Get into an aero tuck on downhills and reduce your air resistance by about 30%. Coasting more allows you to pedal harder the rest of the time. This is one of the secrets behind riding fast across rolling terrain, or prolonging your ability to go harder, longer on endurance rides.

• But combining small, but significant, gains does make a difference. And it's not just about weight. An example given is the fact that company's fully equipped randonneur bikes is as fast as carbon bikes even though the carbon bikes are often lighter.