Australian_Mens_Fitness_2016_08_

Does my body
type affect
whatIcan
doonabike?

■The way that
you use your
physical make-
up will define
your prowess as
a cyclist.
If you’re an
ectomorph and
find it hard
toputonweight
— whether that’s
muscle or fat —
then you’re an
ideal climber,
where power-to-
weight ratios are
key and (thanks
to gravity) less
weight equals
more speed.
Endomorphs
mightwanttotake
advantageofthe
weight that they
canfindhardto
shiftbyturning
it into powerful
turnsofspeed,
either in sprinting
or short-distance
time trials.
Because the bike
gives total body
support, these
intense efforts
rarely result in
joint stresses and
muscle pain.

ESSENTIAL GEAR

Bianchi Infinito CV

shutterstock

Is there room

in my lycra for

muscle?

■Just because Tour

de France champ

ChrisFroomelooks

like he could do with

an intravenous drip

of protein shake

doesn’t mean you

have to. Being that

skinny while also

retaining optimal

muscle mass is a

task that his Team

Sky nutritionists

spendalotoftime

and money on, and

to replicate it would

be unadvisable for

most of us. But

because cycling

speed comes down

to power-to-weight

ratios, as long as

you can increase

both muscle and

power output with

positivecorrelation,

bulk isn’t bad. A

lot of training

for the pros is

gym-based, with

bench presses and

deadlifts forming

important sessions.

How do

Icheckmy

bike is ready

to ride?

■Do the “ABC

Quick” check

before you take

goforaspin:

(A)ir:

Sounds obvious

but many guys

forget: make sure

your tyres have

air and are inflated

to the correct PSI,

which can be

found on the side

of the tyre.

(B)rakes:

You don’t want to

comeacropper.Be

sure your brakes

areinA1nick.Try

both levers to see

that they’re able to

stop your front

and back wheels.

(C)hain:

Make sure it’s

dirt-free and

well lubricated.

There shouldn’t

be any kinks or

breaks either.

(Quick) Release:

This is very

important. Lots of

bikes have quick-

release levers

on their wheels

and seat post. If a

wheel lever isn’t

fully closed, you

might lose a wheel

whenyourollover

a pothole or gutter.

ShouldIshave

my legs??

■For the pros,

shaved legs are

more hygienic for

massage and when

treating crash-

inflicted abrasions.

For the less serious,

the only “gain”

is ribbing from

your mates.

PRO TIPS!

Ride faster and further

It’s all about the legs

Stability on the bike

is crucial. Try to keep

your upper body as still

as possible because

the more you wobble

about, the more energy

you’re losing. Focus on

gaining good balance and

directing your intensity

into pedal strokes.

Seat of comfort

Make sure you’re sitting

in the best position to

maintain good posture.

Bad positioning — like

sitting too far forward

on the seat or leaning

forward too far — can lead

to poor energy transfer

and ultimately injury.

Form a peloton

There’s a reason pros

ride in tightly packed

units. You’ll go much

further in a group —

thanks to energy savings

from drafting and good

banter — than you would

going it alone. Being in

close quarters with a

pack of 10–20 riders will

also help your technique.

Rhythm and cruise

Cadence is key. Riding

with a proper cadence

(80–100 cranks per

minute) will help your

muscles build endurance.

Shift to an easier gear up

hill — we recommend a

90-95 cadence; muscles

gas out quicker when

you’re pushing a slow

65 or 70.

Define your line

Pick the point you’re

aiming for and go for it.

On a technical descent,

look where you want to

go and relax your torso.

Your bike “instinctively”

follows the best line; if

you relax, stay focused

and trust your wheels —

they’ll do what’s needed.

Don’thitthetarmacuntil

you’ve fully prepped and

inspected your cycle.

90 MEN’S FITNESS AUGUST 2016

Getintogear.

Do the “ABC Quick”

check and you won’t

end up like this.

Bianchi is a famous old Italian brand, and the CV is an adaptation of the classic

Infinito, which was designed for the rider who mixes it up on Saturday’s

fast-tempo group ride and cranks out 100km the following day. “CV” stands for

“counterveil” and was developed by a US aerospace company to incorporate

vibration-cancelling properties into the carbon fibre layup process. That means

less road vibration — maximising your endurance and output. bianchi.com