The Free Cycling Speed That NOBODY Is Talking About | GCN Show Ep. 590

This might be the most boring-sounding cycling topic we've ever covered, but it's really NOT, and ...it's super important! That's right - today, we're talking about efficiency and what you can do to make yourself more efficient!

Plus, Dan & Si cover all the latest cycling news from this past week, discuss the very welcome recovery of many pro-cyclists from their recent injuries, the state of the bike industry, discuss your comments on last week's videos, and much more!

Welcome! 0:00
The latest in cycling news 1:00
Is 'efficiency' cycling's most boring topic? 2:46
What can you do to make yourself more efficient? 5:45
Cycling Shorts 12:34
Grease remover: Shampoo? 12:57
Pros recovering well from their injuries 13:37
Gravel routes in the 100-mile wilderness in Maine 14:31
State of the bike industry 15:23
New time trial bike from Giant 16:23
Cycling duvet covers?? 17:14
Check out our new T-shirts, bottles, and Limited Edition jerseys! 18:11
Hack/Bodge of the week 20:47
Comments of the week 28:06
Coming up this week 34:03

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Efficiency ...boring, or food for thought? 😴

Let us know in the comments! 💬

Watch more on GCN...

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Afternoon Swing - Five Dime Fellas
Del giorno - Daniel Fridell

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📸 Photos - © Velo Collection (TDW) / Getty Images & © Sirotti Images

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[gcn]

Do you worry about your cycling efficiency? ♻

[jimporter]

When you are as out of shape as I am, you start thinking about efficiency just walking to your bike.

[jean-francoisbourdon]

It's only my 3rd year as a cyclist (I'm 44) and I just learned to pace myself during longer rides using my heart rate monitor. Staying under a given BPM number helps me to stay disciplined and not to go all-out in the first climbs. This way, I can make it to the end of the ride with a smile on my face instead of struggling for the last 15-20 kilometers. Also, as rides will go by, I'll get to know myself better based on real data, so I'll know when and how to push more or hold back.

[ioanpasc]

Maybe one aspect of cycling efficiency is off the bike, namely, diet. A good, healthy diet will help you recover quicker and improve overall performance.

[MrSnel]

So, in my case an accident can lead to loads of more efficiency: a crushed vertebrea left me unable to cycle on my racing bike. Missed it sorely, until I remembered there are recumbent bikes that you can lie down on. And a fast version of such, with an aero tail, makes me cycle at average speeds above 30 kph consistently, just 3 Month of being bedridden for 2 Month.
I am now preparing for an hour time trial in June, want to hit 40 km 😊

[montrose]

Waxed chain + TPU tubes + GP 5000 + aero tuck = Go fast!

[npdhcup]

Certainly it seems like volume and consistency over months and years is a sure fire thing - ride your bike, ride your bike, ride your bike.

[npdhcup]

Yes, efficiency! I love taking the small hills like Dan did - well done Dan. Not pedalling downhill only makes sense. Your effort is wasted until you get to the point above which gravity itself gets you going. Much better to take the free recovery time. More Mark Beaumont, please. And yes, I am an engineer who cycles. Ollie never bores me either.

[chrisridesbicycles]

Talking about second laps: Ask Cillian about how cruel it was to be back in Oudenaarde at the feed station but still having to head out again with the Koppenberg, the Taaienberg, the Kwaramont and the Paterberg still to come and all in the rain.

[grantbeerling]

Anxiety equals inefficiency. Which was indirectly covered; 'calm'.

[huntos]

I’m all about efficiency. I ride with lots of fast local riders, and many of them are a fair bit stronger than me in terms of pure w/kg etc. On paper I should get dropped on a hard chain gang by these guys, but I don’t, I’m almost always one of the few remaining at the end - and yes I do do my fair share of pulls on the front!
I really think my biggest strength is being efficient - whether that’s with kit choice, body position, drafting, positioning, cornering, carrying momentum in the right place etc. Rather than trying to outpace people I try to use less energy than they are to travel at the same speed. It doesn’t go unnoticed by other riders either

[mpyka]

Caption contest: "I'm Alpecin's teapot short and stout, here is my handle, here is my spout. Like all soigneurs hear me shout: this bottle's sticky, hold your hand out!" Go ahead and find a technicality in that, pedants.

[PhyllisBoone-snoi]

I have a lot of fun riding the steep rolling hills here in Michigan, USA. I always pedal downhill running through the gears until my speed overcomes the gears. It takes 1/2 to 2/3 of the way up the next climb, during which I'm running my gears down. Up the gearing starts to go at the summit, then repeat! Lots of fun, efficient, and comments about my climbing!

[prentissberry]

Caption Comp:
I'm a little teapot,
Short and stout,
Here is my handle
Here is my spout

[dannybuckley]

Caption Contest: "watch out for this new yoga instructor. He can be a bit of a loose 'Canyon' in front of a camera"

[guysmith]

The physics are fairly simple. Absent drafting, the work you do to cover a fixed distance on the flat is proportional to the square of the speed. If you only have so many calories in the tank you will run out of gas before the end if you go too fast. However, on a steep climb at a speed where aerodynamic drag is negligible, the work required to climb 1000 metres is the same however fast you ride it. It will take the same amount of calories to ride in 30 minutes as it would in 60 minutes. Hence you will not drain your tank by riding faster up a hill. Of course if you go up too fast you will kill your legs, and have a soaring heartrate, but the number of calories burned to the top is pretty much the same. What this means is that over a long ride the most efficient place to burn your matches is on climbs, not on the flat.

[gangstreG]

Thank you for adjusting the highlights at the start. Dan's lead-in and the sound fx between snippets makes it much clearer.

[matt_acton-varian]

Riding efficiency is a smart tool and I have used it to great effect in 10 mile TTs this year. Knowing when to put the power down and where to conserve energy has allowed me to break the 25 minute barrier for the first time. For someone extremely time crunched and only started riding 6 years ago and racing in the last 3, riding smart is a must!

[SpecialeyesRider]

Best part of the show... no more microphones!

[wspmjw]

An aero tuck and free wheeling down a hill are much more efficient than pedaling. Assuming not racing, but for the most efficiency, yes?