Technique

[eljimberino]

This thread/question is partly about technique and partly about peer pressure.

I've been riding for almost two years and am still working out the ins and outs of cycling.

Lately I've been focusing on technique, concentrating on a yoga maxim which is: it's not what you do, or how fast you do it, but how aware of yourself you are while you do it.

Today I went for ride with a couple of guys and on the first climb I chose to focus on technique (keeping my back straight, eyes forward, and stoke smooth) and they rode away. I could see them ahead, their heads dropping, swapping from sitting and spinning to standing and mashing. One guy blew up trying to keep up with the fitter guy and before the top of the climb I span past him quite comfortably. Every time I tried to go faster and found myself dropping out of technique I would pull back and attempt to regain technical awareness.

On the second major climb I focused on technique again and they rode away. I didn't see them again until the cafe where they asked: What happened to you? knowing I can keep up. 'I'm rebuilding', I said, 'trying to focus on technique until I can maintain it into the red zone.' That's a weak excuse one, of them said.

So my question is, should I focus on technique only when I'm riding alone? Should I break technique for speed to keep up?

Fitness comes and goes: technique you have to work on.

Opinions?

 

[balena]

do you think Jens Voigt thinks about keeping a 'perfect' posture when he's climbing?

there's a time and a place for technique training, on the flats, on your own, but you do what ever you can to stay on the wheel in front of you!

 

[brianf7]

are you getting up the hills more efficently what is happening to the heart rate while you are riding differently can you ride harder using that tech .

Efficency and comfort usualy pay dividends eventualy.

Only you will know if it works.

Personaly I get up the hills best way I can I hate them.

 

[Tapeworm]

Whilst I am familiar with the adage of "never sacrifice form for performance" I say phooey to that. If it gets you up the hills faster without blowing up then go for it. I don't like to use pros as examples but look at any mountain stage of the Tour for example, lots of different styles, many yield the same result.

 

[STODRR]

This thread/question is partly about technique and partly about peer pressure.

I've been riding for almost two years and am still working out the ins and outs of cycling.

Lately I've been focusing on technique, concentrating on a yoga maxim which is: it's not what you do, or how fast you do it, but how aware of yourself you are while you do it.

Today I went for ride with a couple of guys and on the first climb I chose to focus on technique (keeping my back straight, eyes forward, and stoke smooth) and they rode away. I could see them ahead, their heads dropping, swapping from sitting and spinning to standing and mashing. One guy blew up trying to keep up with the fitter guy and before the top of the climb I span past him quite comfortably. Every time I tried to go faster and found myself dropping out of technique I would pull back and attempt to regain technical awareness.

On the second major climb I focused on technique again and they rode away. I didn't see them again until the cafe where they asked: What happened to you? knowing I can keep up. 'I'm rebuilding', I said, 'trying to focus on technique until I can maintain it into the red zone.' That's a weak excuse one, of them said.

So my question is, should I focus on technique only when I'm riding alone? Should I break technique for speed to keep up?

Fitness comes and goes: technique you have to work on.

Opinions?

I say stick to your plan. If your plan was to work on technigue then do it. if you can take the ribbing from your buds but still accomplish your plan then ride with them on those days. if you can not, then do it on the solo days. The caviat to that, is make sure what you are working on is going to make you faster in the long run and kick their *** a different day.

 

[Elegant Degenerate]

I think that if you're training enough to the point where technique is going to make a difference, you probably have more than enough time to focus on these things by yourself.

Of course, then the issue is to implement them when they will count.

 

[eljimberino]

Thank you for your replies.

Rode again and said stuff it to technique. Funny things is even though I know I am climbing faster when working harder, not technically correct, it feels like I am climbing faster when I climb focusing on technique, more efficiently. I suppose this is because suffering is limited. Time flies when you're having fun.

Have to get out more, practice technique solo and go for it with the other dudes.