Up-Skill To Up Speed

New to cycling? Don’t just train fitness – make skills important, too.

- Mark Carroll

Many beginner cyclists learn to balance and use their brakes, and then think they’re ready to ride. There is a murky understanding of what skills are, and very little value is placed on them.

Yet cyclists will spend hours and hours developing fitness – trying to chase more speed through raw power. If they only knew that a single hour of skills practice would make them immediately faster (and safer). Skills are something you should develop, because safety, speed and energy efficiency can’t all be achieved unless you really know how to handle your bike.

Here’s a brief overview of some important skills to practise, and how to practise them:

Emergency Stop and Braking