Cycling Training

[alp1950]

How many of you guys & girls have had any cycling training? (& I don't just mean basic road craft, but technique, fitness etc).

Maybe you think it's not necessary- after all almost everyone can ride a bike, so surely it's just a matter of getting on & pedaling as hard as you can?

Then again, there must be many areas where my knowledge & skills are deficient and would be improved by tuition & supervised practice eg cornering technique, cycling posture, pedaling technique, descending etc etc.

You can barely move in gyms without tripping over personal trainers, and if you ski, play tennis, golf or whatever there are any number of coaches out there to help you with your technique.

So where are the cycling coaches - if they exist? Do clubs offer this type of training, or is amateur cycling one of the few sports where you still have to work it out for yourself?

 

[sotonnewb]

Hi alp1950. I posted a similar question last week - if you put 'should i take lessons' into the search, you should find the thread, with lots of useful advice & views.

i finally am hoping to pick up my bike tonight, and will be straight off to the new forest before dinner for a trial, and providing entertainment for tesco's staff on sunday evening, in their car park. also just ordered cyclecraft, i will post my views, but i sure it will be money well spent.

 

[Scoosh]

Earlier this year Cycling + mag did a series of articles on training for a sportive, which was pretty comprehensive. If that is the kind of thing you might be aiming for, back copies are available ....


...... though we don't say too much about where on CC ....

 

[alp1950]

Thanks sotonnewb I read your thread- most of the responses seemed to be directed towards building confidence & basic roadcraft for a cycling novice.
Not quite what I meant- maybe what I'm talking about is "intermediate or advanced" cycling skills eg how to take that sharp corner without losing speed, when to countersteer, optimal aerodynamic position etc. You can get some of this from a book (just got Complete Book of Road Cycling Skills- looks good) but for rapid acquistion of new skills nothing beats 1:1 coaching.