Staying on a bike is as easy as - well, as falling off a bike. But to get the most out of cycling, you need to do a bit more.
Cycling as a sport is quite complex, as anyone who's watched Tour de France knows. The first thing that worries most of us is: how do they manage to not crash into one another?
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Pack riding
Riding in the pack or the “bunch” can be fun and sociable, and it certainly conserves energy. However, there are some points to follow that will make your riding experience safer and more enjoyable for you and the other cyclists around you.
First, pay attention to your surroundings. While it is important to keep your attention on the wheel in front of you, it is also important to stay aware of what is happening two or even three bikes in front. Being able to anticipate the changes in the speed of the bunch will ultimately help keep everyone safe, including you. There could be changes in speed due to hills, narrow roads, and corners.
And don’t make any sudden moves! This is sure to cause chaos behind you.
Try to keep chit-chat in the bunch to a minimum. While you are having a great conversation with the guy next to you, you are unlikely to see that pothole approaching. You swerve at the last minute, albeit slightly, but that is all it takes - the guy behind you swerves and touches someone’s tyre, and comes tumbling down.
Hill climbing
For most of us, staying seated during climbing is the best option. While standing allows you to deliver more power per stroke, this is seldom sustainable for long periods (10-15 minutes or longer). Reserve standing for longer climbs, when getting out of the seat for a few strokes brings relief from the change of posture, and a stretch of your legs.
To get the most out of each pedal stroke, sit slightly back in the saddle. This will give you more leverage with each stroke. Also, aim for a cadence between 70 and 90. While Lance powered up the Alps at 90+ rpm, the rest of us 1) are not trained to ride like that, and (more importantly) 2) do not have his athletic ability.
Place your hands where they're comfortable - usually on top of the bars and in the middle - and relax your upper body. Your legs are going to get you to the top, not that white-knuckle grip you are putting on the handlebar tape. Try to stay loose and spend your energy in the pedals.
Keeping the pace
Ideally you find yourself in a pace line when you have ridden away from the other riders in the group. A small pack breaks away and works together until the finish. Alternatively, though, this might happen when you get dropped off the group and get picked up by other riders who have been dropped.
The key to the pace line is that everyone takes a turn. In a perfect world, each rider takes the same amount of time at the front. However, with different levels of fitness and ability this is not always going to happen. Therefore, when you find yourself in a small bunch and the riders want to form a line, it is best to take a turn at the front - even if your turn lasts only 30 seconds, compared to three minutes for some of the other riders. Every turn someone takes gives all the other riders a chance to catch a breather and recover a bit. This keeps everyone in the group happy and willing to keep pushing hard.
Riders often feel like they must prove something at the front of the bunch. This is the wrong approach. Rather know your limitations, and contribute to the group what you can. It will benefit everyone much more if you can pull for many short turns instead of one long turn and then get blown off the back, never to be seen or heard from again.
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