Ask Bicycling

Follow this formula to ramp up your skills – plus, learn how to shift for maximum speed and comfort.

Perhaps you started your skills training on the wrong foot. According to Erica Green, former SA Olympic cyclist and Level 2 coach, cyclists should master beginner skills before moving on to more advanced abilities. Through her experience as a coach, Green has realised that many basic skills are overlooked.

“Skills can exist on different levels — beginner, intermediate and advanced. It’s important to learn each level of ability in the correct order, instead of trying to fasttrack skill acquisition. You can’t ride down a

technical course, or tackle an advanced skills course, when you haven’t grasped the basics.”

To master cycling skills means to be in full control of your pedal stroke, take every single corner, and feel confident every time you swing your leg over the tube. Therefore, Green says, It’s important to practise skills after every session, doing a few hour- long sessions on basics such as cornering, braking and descending.

Green suggests focusing initial MTB skills sessions on your pedal stroke (which will result in better efficiency, better climbing, less fatigue, and fewer injuries), cornering, super- fast dismounting and remounting, braking, body positioning on the bike, and pacing.

For road riding, she says you should focus on group handling skills, balance, braking, pacing, cornering, and group etiquette.

Basic skills go a long way towards mastering more advanced skills. Riding in a group, or getting someone to film you over a particularly tough obstacle, can help you learn.

“Go for about six sessions of skills training as a start,” says Green. “This will be enough time to consolidate a couple of skills.”

As with physical training, it’s important not to overtrain on skills, as that could be detrimental to your development, “You’re overtraining if you’re not having fun. Remember, skills take time to master – the more you ride your bike, the better you will become.”