By Sarah Kaufmann — Every spring, when the weather breaks and roads and trails dry out, riders who spent the winter on their indoor trainers head outside for fresh air and sun on their skin. This is why most of us ride — the feeling of freedom and self-made propulsion that our bikes give us. […]

The post Common Springtime Training Mistakes: Moving from the Trainer to Outside appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Jamie Morningstar — As my eldest daughter entered high school, she expressed vague interest in a flyer for a mountain bike team she saw at school. Always one to capitalize on any interest my kids have that gets them outside, we dialed into the info meeting and learned about the big, giant world of […]

The post Me? A Mountain Bike Coach? appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — As temps drop and daylight shortens, clothing choice becomes critical to continue riding through the winter. Options abound for indoor riding and you can maintain your bike habit with outdoor rides as well. Cycling is challenging in cold temps because the changes in speed (and therefore wind) are dramatic, making it […]

The post How to Dress for Winter Cycling – And Enjoy It! appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Peter Abraham — Earlier this year, after recovering from various injuries, I signed up for the Lifetime Big Sugar Classic gravel race. It’s a hard race through the Ozarks, and I love visiting Bentonville, Arkansas. After all, it’s the bike capital of North America. Due to travel commitments and not always prioritizing my health, […]

The post I Used AI to Train for a Gravel Race. Here’s How it Went. appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

by Coach Lora Erickson, BlondeRunner.com — Indoor cycling is a great way to build endurance, power, and efficiency for triathlon cycling. Here are some key training tips to maximize your sessions: Structure Your Workouts Endurance Rides (60-120 mins) – Build aerobic base with steady Zone 2 efforts. Threshold & Tempo (30-60 mins) – Ride at […]

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By Pat Casey with Skye Moench — As a bike fitter and student of biomechanics and physiology, I’m fascinated by the human body’s ability to adapt, evolve, and overcome physical and physiological challenges of all kinds. The act of childbirth is one of the most awe-inspiring events that the human body is equipped to perform. […]

The post Reclaiming the Ride Postpartum: Bike Fit and Returning to Sport appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD — Listening to podcasts while exercising can be a convenient opportunity to educate yourself about all-things-nutrition. Nutrition podcasts can not only entertain you during yet-another long run, erg session, or workout at the gym, but also teach you how to fuel better so you can enjoy better results from […]

The post The Athlete’s Kitchen: Podcasts for Athletes appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — In these early season months, as we look to the training and racing ahead, everything seems possible. It’s easy to get excited by intense workouts, smashing group rides, and big, flashy efforts. But the key to sustainable, long-term progress is more mundane – and sometimes more challenging. It’s about being consistent […]

The post Consistency for the Win; Building Sustainable Cycling Fitness appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — What are the health risks of training in bad air? My agenda with looking into this research is in evaluating the health risks for a well-trained population including myself and my community. Before I get into the details, I need to state a few caveats up front. I’m not a researcher. […]

The post Air Quality and Outdoor Cycling & Training appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Peter Abraham — Early last year, my friend Steve Beckett, CMO at Zwift, gifted me their Hub trainer to try out. I had not used Zwift or any other virtual training platform at all. I of course had heard of Zwift, and I often saw the virtual workouts of my friends on Strava. But I had […]

The post Virtual Cycling: How Zwift Changed the Way I Train appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — Group rides on the road are unique and special because the dynamics of drafting means riders of varied fitness can ride together and everyone gets what they need. There are inherent risks with this type of ride, but a few simple tricks keep everyone safe and happy. Look up. Follow close […]

The post Tips for Group Road Rides appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

Limited spots available for the first-of-its-kind professional clinic, set to take place in September PARK CITY, Utah (July 15, 2024) — For those mountain bikers who love hitting the trail with their canine companion – or who’ve always wanted to do so but weren’t quite sure where to start, a unique new clinic offers the […]

The post “Paws & Pedals” Mountain Bike Clinic Offers Skills Training for Riders and Their Dogs appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — Commuting by bike to school or work can be a great way to add riding time, offset vehicle pollution, avoid stressful traffic, and bookend your day with exercise and time outside. But it typically involves the same route daily, which, by design, minimizes the opportunity for a periodized, structured training plan, […]

The post How to Incorporate Bicycle Commuting into Training appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Gene Hamilton — Do you want to master the art of cornering? If so, I’d like to share the ultimate on-trail drill to make you corner faster. This drill makes me so much faster that I often get PRs while doing it. I have found that focusing only on the front brake keeps you […]

The post The Ultimate MTB Cornering Drill appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Pat Casey — In case you hadn’t noticed, winter is upon us. For those of us in higher elevations, normal training roads are probably becoming questionable and wet. The days are getting shorter, and many of us are transitioning to indoor riding until that long-awaited desert training camp. Maybe you’re adding some strength work […]

The post Why Winter is a Great Time for a Bike Fit appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Jen Scott & Erica Tingey, Women in the Mountains — If you are a multi-sport, mountain athlete, you’ll likely want to have strategies to move between seasons with ease. Some people are able to move between skiing and mountain biking smoothly, but others may need some adaptive exercises to prepare for the upcoming season. […]

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By Anthony J. Nocella II and Christine Camille — Recently, a number of people have asked us, “How should I eat to fuel my body the day before and the day of a mountain and road bike race?” Here are our thoughts on what to eat before any endurance race. Suppose you have an endurance […]

The post Endurance Bike Racing: Pre-Race Fuel and Preparation Tips appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Sarah Kaufmann — As we approach fall, a common theme for many athletes over the summer is managing a mid-season slump. Most riders who train year-round or nearly year-round reach a point mid-season, when progress seems to stall, and physical and mental challenges feel overwhelming. Here are some of the reasons why a mid-season […]

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“I want to lose weight so other bikers don’t drop me on the hills.” “I plan to shed a few pounds before the marathon to be faster.” “Losing weight would really improve my Power to Weight ratio…” By Nancy Clark MS RD CSSD — Lugging around excess body fat can certainly hinder athletic performance. Just […]

The post The Athlete’s Kitchen: Power to Weight—Costs and Benefits appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.

By Paul Franciscus Johannes Merkes, Edith Cowan University and Chris Abbiss, Edith Cowan University — Many professional road cycling events are hundreds of kilometres long, but the final placings are often decided by what happens in the last few seconds of any race stage. Research shows that a rider can gain up to an extra […]

The post Your Riding Position Can Give You an Advantage in a Road Cycling Sprint appeared first on Cycling West - Cycling Utah.