1. Maintain proper tire pressure.
This is so
easy yet it's so important, it's worth repeating. And it's not an issue
where more is necessarily better. Ask Cam to set you straight on what
works best for you. And your tires will last longer too.
But you already knew or suspected that.
Again, Cam's a wealth of knowledge on this topic. This one is on the
expensive end of the list so it warrants some careful consideration of your
options.
If you are on a
road bike and a triathlon is in your future, chances are you've already
considered this one.
Besides keeping it clean and properly lubed, you want to make sure it
is shifting crisply and that everything is correctly adjusted.
Spontaneous or sluggish shifting or a dropped chain can be a distraction that
can throw you off your game on race day.
Yes, it
can make you faster and it's far less expensive that an new wheelset. One
industry reference suggests that a properly lubed, fresh new chain can save you
about 10 watts.
Check your bar tape and clean up
any loose ends on the front of your bike to reduce the chance of any excess "dirty air". Anything flapping around in the wind is costing you both
time and watts and it's an easy thing to fix. You don't necessarily need
to replace anything but make sure any loose ends are taped up and your bar end
plugs are in place to make sure nothing unravels on you.
Can you
get more aero (and thus, faster)? Getting your body lower in front will
help you cheat the wind. Lowering your front end or adding aerobars are
topics you might consider discussing over a bike fit assessment.
And, no, we're not
suggesting going on a crash diet yourself ('cause you're just fine the way you
are) but consider all the accessories you've added to your bike. Do you need
them all on race day? Pare down what you can. If you can refuel
along a race course, whether it is a Fondo ride or a triathlon, you don't have
to carry 3 or 4 full drink bottles on your bike.
If you've got a
bike computer and you've been gathering and using all that data in your
training, make sure you use it to your advantage on race day: ride smart
and efficient for your best results.
Is it the best
option for your race conditions? You might want a different gear
range on your cassette for a flatter race like Ironman Florida, Ironman Arizona or Stony Plain Alberta's Great White North than you might
want for a hillier race like the Ironman Canada, Ironman Lake Placid, Ironman France or Edmonton's WTS race in Hawrelak Park..
This is so easy yet it's so important, it's worth repeating. And it's not an issue where more is necessarily better. Ask Cam to set you straight on what works best for you. And your tires will last longer too.
But you already knew or suspected that. Again, Cam's a wealth of knowledge on this topic. This one is on the expensive end of the list so it warrants some careful consideration of your options.
If you are on a road bike and a triathlon is in your future, chances are you've already considered this one.
Besides keeping it clean and properly lubed, you want to make sure it is shifting crisply and that everything is correctly adjusted. Spontaneous or sluggish shifting or a dropped chain can be a distraction that can throw you off your game on race day.
Yes, it can make you faster and it's far less expensive that an new wheelset. One industry reference suggests that a properly lubed, fresh new chain can save you about 10 watts.
Check your bar tape and clean up any loose ends on the front of your bike to reduce the chance of any excess "dirty air". Anything flapping around in the wind is costing you both time and watts and it's an easy thing to fix. You don't necessarily need to replace anything but make sure any loose ends are taped up and your bar end plugs are in place to make sure nothing unravels on you.
Can you get more aero (and thus, faster)? Getting your body lower in front will help you cheat the wind. Lowering your front end or adding aerobars are topics you might consider discussing over a bike fit assessment.
And, no, we're not suggesting going on a crash diet yourself ('cause you're just fine the way you are) but consider all the accessories you've added to your bike. Do you need them all on race day? Pare down what you can. If you can refuel along a race course, whether it is a Fondo ride or a triathlon, you don't have to carry 3 or 4 full drink bottles on your bike.
If you've got a bike computer and you've been gathering and using all that data in your training, make sure you use it to your advantage on race day: ride smart and efficient for your best results.
Is it the best option for your race conditions? You might want a different gear range on your cassette for a flatter race like Ironman Florida, Ironman Arizona or Stony Plain Alberta's Great White North than you might want for a hillier race like the Ironman Canada, Ironman Lake Placid, Ironman France or Edmonton's WTS race in Hawrelak Park..
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