• ROAD CYCLISTS NEED good fitness and mental steel, but the technical side of the sport is all too easily neglected. From bike-handling and braking technique to pedalling efficiency and group-riding etiquette, cyclists need to master a range of essential skills to get the most out of their rides. Perfecting these skills will make you a stronger, faster and more efficient cyclist, but it will also keep you safer on the roads and boost your confidence. Apply these seven tips to become a savvier, sharper and more skilful rider.
What the experts say...
How to boost your on-bike performance
01Pedal power
• Cleats can be terrifying for new riders, but they actually enhance your safety by preventing your feet slipping off your pedals in wet conditions. Cleats also make it easier to 'push' and 'pull' your feet around the pedal rotation for enhanced efficiency. Shimano SPDSL, Speedplay and Look are popular road cleats, but make sure you buy the pedals to match. Just push your foot forward and down to clip in, and twist your heel out to release. "Beginners could practise clipping in and out while on the indoor turbo [or a grass park area if they don't have a turbo] before hitting the road," suggests cycling coach Jason Streather of PDQ Cycle Coaching (pdqcyclecoaching.co.uk). "And set your cleats to the loosest setting while learning," advises Streather.
02 Get in gear
Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Cycling Plus UK.
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Denne historien er fra March 2023-utgaven av Cycling Plus UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Air Apparent - Pollution hasn't gone away. It's still there in every lungful, even if we can't see it in the air or on the news. But there are reasons to breathe easier, thanks to pioneering projects using cycling 'citizen scientists'. Rob Ainsley took part in one...
The toxic effects of pollution have been known about for years. 'Just two things of which you must beware: Don't drink the water and don't breathe the air!' sang 1960s satirist Tom Lehrer.Over recent decades, though, pollution has dropped down our list of things to worry about, thanks to ominously capitalised concerns such as Climate Change, AI, Global Conflict, Species Collapse, etc. That doesn't, unfortunately, mean the problem has expired. Air quality often exceeds safe limits, with far-reaching and crippling effects on our health.
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