Improving Your Efficiency

1 What is cycling efficiency?

Cycling efficiency is a measure of a cyclist’s ability to convert physical work or energy cost into mechanical work or power output on the bicycle.

2 Which element of efficiency is, for most cyclists, easiest/ cheapest to improve, and how?

Riding on the flat, the single biggest resistive force comes from air resistance — at over 20mph, air resistance accounts for upwards of 70 per cent of all resistive forces. Optimising aerodynamics is critical. Reducing the resistive forces to cycling will reduce your energy cost for a given power output, making you more efficient. Therefore, optimising your bike set-up is probably one of the easiest ways of improving your cycling efficiency. Overhauling a poor set-up should gain you around 1.5 per cent, equating to more than a minute over a 40km TT. Also optimising your position could save a further two minutes. Make sure that your saddle height is correct (see below) and that you are riding in an aerodynamically optimal position with a bike-fit. Other simple things: wear close-fitting clothing to limit drag; improve your flexibility to ensure you can get into an optimal position on the bike; buy an aerodynamic helmet.

3 Is there an efficient cadence?