How To Ride Faster With Less Effort
And the 3 tips that shaved 20 minutes off my Ironman bike time (with less norm. power)
I’m going to share 3 things in this write up:
the basic principles of bicycle aerodynamics (often neglected by beginners)
comparisons of my IM Texas and IM Florida w/ aero notes
3 tips that shaved 20 minutes off my IM bike time (with less normalized power)
Basic Principles of Bicycle Aerodynamics
My #1 Cycling Fact of 2022: when you’re going 20 mph, 70% of your power output goes toward overcoming air resistance.
At 30 mph, that number rises to 90%! Even at just 10 mph, it’s still 50%!!
So what does that really mean??
The most efficient way to increase speed is to improve body position, NOT to hammer away on the pedals. Especially in windy conditions.
Most beginners don’t get this. I certainly didn’t.
I (incorrectly) assumed I wasn’t advanced enough to benefit from aero bars. I’ve changed my mind.
Aero bars are the single most impactful upgrade to make on your bike.
If you have a TT bike, you’re all set.
If you have a roadie, I recommend getting Profile Design aero bars. I’ve tried cheaper options. These are the best.
Without getting overly technical, here are two visuals to help you understand aerodynamics:
When you are riding upright, you take on more air resistance and create more drag.
When riding in a group, the farther back you are, the less air resistance you face.
When you are drafting off other riders, you can face over 2x less air resistance. That means you can maintain the same speed with over 50% less power.
This is why draft legal and non-draft legal are different types of races.
Recommendation for beginners: put in the reps to get comfortable in aero. Don’t try to muscle your way to faster speeds on the bike.
Not comfortable in aero? You need more reps.
No matter your level of development, you need good body position to get the most out of your power output.
Comparing My Aero Execution at IM Texas & IM Florida
Not prioritizing aero position was my biggest mistake at Ironman Texas (April ‘22).
It was windy, I got rattled mentally and spent significant chunks of time out of aero.
The result? 5:49 total bike time.
I used the Summer and Fall to get more comfortable on my TT bike.
Going into Ironman Florida, I had a whole new approach to riding an Ironman bike course.
My coach, Eric Kenney, helped me develop a race plan that focused on 3 things:
prioritizing aero, especially into the wind
fueling & stretching when the wind was at my back
coasting on descents and giving my legs a quick relief
The result? 5:30 total bike time!
Nearly 20 minutes shaved off my IM Texas time with LESS normalized power.
Note: Normalized Power (NP) is a power averaging method used to compensate for changes in ride conditions for a more accurate depiction of power expenditure.
Different course, different day, etc. I know, I know. Still! Big improvement.
Coasting on descents was enormous. It helped keep my legs fresh and my effort consistent.
I averaged 188 NP exactly on the first half and second half of the ride.
Summary:
Aero position is a top priority in triathlon cycling. Don’t expect to go fast if you’re riding upright.
Aerobars are the #1 upgrade to make for a road bike.
Prioritize aero, especially into the wind.
Fuel & stretch when the wind is at your back.
Coast on descents to give your legs a quick break.
Do you know someone who would enjoy this? Please pass it along.
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