CYCLING PERFORMANCE TIPS
CPTIPS brings together the science behind cycling performance, offering practical suggestions that will help you ride better. The first three sections move from an explanation of exercise and nutritional physiology to using that knowledge to design a personal training and fueling program. The last sections cover various practical questions covering a wide array of topics of interest to regular cyclists.
Understanding exercise physiology will help you design an effective cycling training program. This section explains how muscle cells produce energy, how the cardiovascular system supplies oxygen and fuel, and how the musculoskeletal system transfers power to the pedals.
Nutritional physiology explains how the body converts what we eat and drink into energy to power the muscles. Understanding digestion, absorption, and fuel storage will help you refine your personal nutrition plan. This section combines that science with practical advice about what to eat and drink before, during, and after a ride.
With the basics of exercise and nutritional physiology in place, you can build a training and fueling program to improve your cycling performance. This section applies those principles to setting goals, building endurance, using intervals, measuring effort, allowing recovery, and preparing to compete.
As important as nutrition and training are to success, riding technique is a key component of a successful and rewarding ride. Cadence, shifting, group riding, climbing and descending, wind, road surfaces, mountain biking, temperature, and altitude are the skills and conditions that will affect how you ride, whatever training program or bike you use.
Equally important is fine tuning your gear. Checking your bike's frame size? Considering a new road bike, recumbent, or wind trainer? Having problems with your brakes or tires, or want tips on how to wrap your handlebars? This section covers bike fit and comfort, components, electronics, clothing and protective gear, tools, and ebikes.
The body not cooperating with your training program? Your mood being impacted by your training? Aches, pains, or unusual symptoms developing? This section covers a few of the more common health problems as well as miscellaneous odds and ends related to the relationship between exercise and health.
You've been training and are ready to think about new roads and trails to explore. This section may give you some ideas as well as tools and lists to help you remember the right gear.
Reference material to support your own research, including a glossary (index) and Past Performance Quiz questions.
