Training – pedalnorth

Time Scylon – a bike built for truth

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 14 Mar 2026 17:41:25 +0000

Training is time
for truth

Nadezhda Pavlova

The TIME Scylon

A High-Performance Carbon Road Bike Built for Truth

Nadezhda Pavlova, Editor in Chief

At heart I’m still an athlete. Whilst I tend to travel and ride mainly for leisure and experiences these days, I still train and I still enter selected events. The right kit is important to me, and that starts with the right bike. I still accept that there’s no hiding place when training – especially on the bike. It’s a battle both physically and mentally, and you need the support that the right bike brings to the game.

Riding the TIME Scylon makes you aware of that truth. This is a precision-engineered carbon road bike. Direct. Honest. Responsive. It doesn’t hide fatigue. It doesn’t soften laziness. When you are strong, it feels alive — sharp, fast, almost impatient. When you are not, it reminds you. It reflects exactly what you bring to it. There is something philosophical in that. The bike doesn’t judge. It simply responds to and amplifies your effort. On powerful days, climbs unfold with rhythm and control. The road feels smooth. The gradient becomes a challenge instead of a threat.

On harder days, when doubt creeps in, every acceleration feels louder. Every change in gradient feels personal. The difference isn’t the bike – it’s the rider. It’s about pressing pause and refocusing, and working in unison with mind, body and bike. It’s about putting in the hidden efforts and keeping your head down and spirits up.

Consistency Over Peak Power

Cycling culture celebrates peak power numbers and race results

However, nobody celebrates the 47th steady endurance ride of the season. Nobody applauds the disciplined recovery spin. Nobody tracks how many times you chose sleep over scrolling, water over wine, long-term growth over short-term comfort. What is where progress lives. Showing up when no one is watching. For me, my Scylon becomes part of that process — not just a machine, but my companion in disciplined training. The hum of high-speed carbon wheels. The stability on technical descents. The precision handling when fatigue sets in. It doesn’t promise comfort. It rewards commitment. It becomes so much a part of me that we talk and we share each moment.

More Than Watts – What Performance Really Means

In racing, the numbers matter. Performance metrics matter. Results are recorded and rankings are published. But elite cycling performance is built long before race day; built on those early morning rides, on those solo climbs, in sessions that felt average but were necessary, and in the decision to try again after a disappointing day. More than watts, cycling builds an identity, and it shows who you are when training is hard. who you are when you ride alone, who you are when improvement feels slow.

Fitness rises and falls across seasons and progress is often haphazard, not linear. Ultimately, life is not linear – but resilience to it is cumulative. Consistency compounds, and riding — again and again — is what ultimately creates strength. Not just in your legs, but also in the mind and in the rider – in me.

Spring has finally arrived and I can now start to relax the mental aspects of winter training and enjoy the riding again, with the sun beating down on me and the views opening up, as I choose the European passes to ride: the Dolomites, the Alps, and maybe the Pyrenees too. All the performance that has been hard won over winter will begin to pay dividends, and I’ll ride in harmony with my Scylon – that friend that stayed with me over the hard early morning rides of winter.

Italy is planned, as is Switzerland and France, riding with friends and making new ones as we cycle into new adventures together. I have events and races in mid-March and into April – and then the obligatory trip and events in Italy in summer – I’ll be bsy and the training will hopefully pay off. It’s harder for women athletes, as we always have to prove ourselves as such –we are constantly judged, misjudged and taken for granted, based on nothing more than ignorance and aesthetic. And so yes, I want to train hard and I want to constantly prove who I am – an athlete… Nadezhda Pavlova , so try to keep up!

I’m looking forward to the travelling and to the races; and I’m enjoying the regular rides into the hills close to home here in Barcelona. Yes, now is the time to create cycling memories, not watts. Training is over, and now is the time to ride!

Nadezhda is a global brand ambassador for Jelenew Women’s Cycle Clothing, and also for TIME Bicycles and for Bryton Electronics. As an internationally qualified triathlon coach and former world-level triathlete, she can also be contacted online training plans, to help you on your own training journey.

Winter training on the Elite Avanti Smart Trainer

Pedalnorth Website — Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:37:09 +0000

Elite Avanti Interactive Trainer

Teodora Sabina

Athlete review by

Winter training on the Elite Avanti Smart Trainer

An all-around athlete perspective

by Teodora Sabina

Working in the mountain sports industry, and being a mountain runner and ski instructor, fitness is key. That means even on the worst of days, I have to find some form of training, to maintain my necessary fitness levels. Cycling is great – yes – but in snowy Transylvania it’s not always possible. Thankfully, Elite sent me a solution – their latest Avanti interactive cycle trainer!

The Elite Avanti smart trainer is an advanced interactive indoor cycling trainer designed to help athletes maintain and improve their physical condition during the winter season, when outdoor riding is often limited by cold temperatures, poor weather, and reduced daylight. By bringing the realism of outdoor cycling indoors, Avanti allows consistent, effective, and motivating training sessions regardless of external conditions. For me, physical activity in winter is totally different, since the days spent on the slopes are numerous, so it takes up a lot of my free time that I normally have to train, in summer days, for example. So, after a day spent in the cold, the trainer is the ideal partner to maintain my shape and continue my aerobic training for the following period.

Accuracy & reliability

One of the key strengths of the Elite Avanti is its high level of accuracy and reliability. It features an integrated Optical Torque Sensor (OTS) power meter with an accuracy of ±1%, enabling precise measurement of power output. This accuracy is essential for structured training, as it allows riders to monitor effort, follow training plans based on power zones, and track performance improvements over time. Such precision makes winter workouts purposeful and comparable to outdoor riding data, ensuring continuity in training progression.

The trainer’s direct-drive design contributes significantly to a realistic riding feel. Avanti is capable of simulating gradients of up to approximately 18%, which recreates the sensation of climbing and variable terrain. This realistic resistance helps maintain cycling-specific muscle strength and cardiovascular endurance throughout the winter months, preventing fitness loss and making the transition back to outdoor riding smoother when the season changes. I can hardly feel the difference between climbing on the trainer and real, outdoor steep climbing in Transylvania!
Another important advantage of the Elite Avanti is its quiet and smooth operation.

Thanks to its balanced flywheel and optimized resistance system, the trainer produces minimal noise, making it ideal for home use, even in apartments or shared living spaces. This allows riders to train early in the morning or late in the evening without disturbance, adding flexibility and convenience to winter training routines. So no more worries about disturbing while you are training.

Connectivity is key

Connectivity is a major highlight of the Avanti trainer. It supports ANT+, Bluetooth FTMS, and Wi-Fi connections, making it fully compatible with popular indoor cycling platforms such as Zwift, Trainer Road, Rouvy, and Elite’s My E-Training app. Through these platforms, riders can access structured workouts, virtual routes, group rides, and races, which significantly increase motivation and engagement during long winter periods. The interactive nature of these applications transforms indoor training from a repetitive task into an immersive and enjoyable experience.

Ease of use is another factor that makes the Elite Avanti particularly suitable for winter training. The trainer offers automatic calibration, reducing setup time and eliminating the need for frequent manual adjustments. Its sturdy construction ensures stability during intense efforts, while practical details such as foldable feet and an integrated carrying handle make storage and transport simple when space is limited. In terms of compatibility, the Elite Avanti works with a wide range of bicycles, including road, gravel, and mountain bikes, and supports various axle standards and cassette options. This flexibility allows riders to train on their own bike throughout the winter, maintaining proper riding position and muscle memory – small things, but essential for optimal preparation.

Indoor cycling with an outdoor feeling

Overall, the Elite Avanti smart trainer is an effective and reliable solution for maintaining physical condition during the winter months, for a person with an active lifestyle, as well as a high-performance athlete. By combining precise power measurement, realistic resistance, quiet operation, smart connectivity, and ease of use, it enables consistent, data-driven, and engaging training sessions indoors. As a result, cyclists and athletes in general can preserve their fitness, build strength and endurance, and remain motivated all winter long, ready to return to outdoor training at full potential when conditions improve.

Living in the mountains of Transylvania, it’s not easy to replicate the terrain accurately with an interactive trainer. However, thanks to the Avanti, it is now possible to train on routes from the Carpathian Mountains without leaving the warmth of my apartment. Now, that’s got to be good for winter training! Coffee and a well calibrated and reliably realistic cycling trainer!

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Cycling Inspiration for 2026 – with Kristi Kuldkepp

Pedalnorth Website — Mon, 19 Jan 2026 11:49:10 +0000

Kristi Kuldkepp

Cycling into 2026

Kristi Kuldkepp – riding into 2026

Cycling inspiration for the season ahead

While many cyclists take a break over winter, for me the cyclocross season is something too good to miss and something that I love. Yes, it has highs and lows, but it also has challenges to overcome and keeps me focused.

My Cyclocross Season: Highs and Lows

Cyclocross has a funny way of humbling you one weekend and making you feel unstoppable the next. One lap you’re floating over the grass, nailing every remount, feeling like a hero.

The next, you’re knee-deep in mud, heart rate redlined, questioning why you ever thought racing bikes in winter was a good idea. It’s an emotional rollercoaster – simply surviving the cyclocross season, and yet I love it’ Ultimately, this is what the cyclocross season is – a mental and a physical challenge.

The Highs: Why We Keep Coming Back

For me, there’s nothing quite like the first race of the season. Fresh legs, clean kit, and that buzz on the start line and nerves kick in. When things click, cyclocross feels electric. Then it’s all of those things that merge together and make cyclocross such an electric experience:

• Finding your flow: Hitting a perfect line through off-camber corners or gliding through a technical section you’ve practiced all week is deeply satisfying.

• Small wins: Maybe it’s your fastest start ever, your first clean barrier remount, or finally beating that rival who always edges you out. In cyclocross, progress shows up in tiny, meaningful moments.

• The community: Mud-splattered smiles, shared jokes in the pits, and friends cheering even when you’re dead last. Cyclocross crowds and camaraderie are unmatched.

• That post-race glow: Legs destroyed, face frozen, but grinning anyway. You survived. Again.

Yes, cyclocross becomes a rich tapestry of all of these – and the mud, of course!

The Lows: Mud, Mistakes, and Mental Battles

Of course, it’s not all podium dreams and perfect lines. Bad days happen for all of us on the cyclocross start line, and this season has been no different. Missed pedals, dropped chains, blown starts, or that one crash you can’t stop replaying in your head. Cyclocross is unforgiving. My own season has embraced all of these issues and more: weather wars with freezing rain, axle-deep mud, or courses that turn into peanut butter by lap two. Sometimes the conditions win—and that’s okay. I’ll take those for the balance with the wins!

Then of course, there are the fitness reality checks; yes, this most unrelenting of cycle sports exposes everything: power, technique, recovery… all of it, and cakes it in mud for all to see. Some races are just pure survival mode. The mental fatigue of racing hard every weekend while juggling work, life, and training can wear you down faster than expected. Add to this the travelling involved across Europe for the best races – it can be a challenge in itself. You have to be tough, and cyclocross helps you to achieve that – once you decide to stay the course.

What the Season Teaches You

Cyclocross has a way of sharpening more than just bike handling skills. You learn resilience—how to keep pushing when things fall apart. You gain perspective—a bad race doesn’t define your season. And, you build confidence—because if you can race an hour at full gas in the cold and mud, you can handle a lot. As the cyclocross season ends and the road season opens up, you feel ready for the new challenges that await you; you feel fitter and those all-important bike handling skills and peripheral vision are honed for when it gets tights within the peloton.

Rolling Into the Off-Season

When the final race is done and the bike is finally clean (or at least cleaner), there’s a mix of relief and nostalgia. You’ll swear you need a break—but deep down, you’re already thinking about next year: what worked? What didn’t? What do you want to improve?

Those highs and lows are the reason cyclocross sticks with us. It’s chaotic, painful, joyful, and addictive all at once—and somehow, every season leaves us wanting more. I guess it’s like a drug, like that movie we always go back to even though it scares us, because it also excites us.

Why cyclo-cross can help cyclists during winter and in readiness for spring

High-Quality Fitness Without Endless Miles

Winter can be tough for long, steady rides. Cyclocross replaces hours of base riding with short, intense efforts that build aerobic capacity and top-end power fast. Those repeated accelerations, surges out of corners, and full-gas efforts mimic race situations—perfect prep for spring road, gravel, or XC races. You hit the season with strong VO₂ max, punchy power, and race-ready legs.

Bike Handling Skills Level Up
Yes, mud, grass, off-cambers, barriers—cyclocross forces you to be smooth and precise. You learn how to corner confidently on slippery surfaces, how to choose better lines under pressure, and how to brake less and carry more speed. Moving onto the roads in spring, you have improved handling on wet roads, fast descents, tight crit corners, and technical gravel sections.

Mental Toughness Gets Built in the Dark Months
Racing hard in cold, rain, and mud builds serious mental resilience. Cyclocross teaches you how to stay focused when you’re uncomfortable, tired, and things aren’t going perfectly. The spring payoff is easy – when races get hard or when the weather turns bad, you don’t panic. You’ve been here before.

Consistent Motivation Through Winter
Structured training is great, but winter motivation can fade fast. Cyclocross gives you clear goals and race days, keeping training purposeful and fun when daylight is limited.

Spring payoff: You arrive at spring motivated instead of burnt out from months of solo trainer sessions.

Strength Without the Gym (Mostly)
Running with the bike, riding low cadence in mud, and repeated explosive efforts develop functional strength—especially core, upper body, and stabilizing muscles.

Spring payoff: Better control on the bike and improved ability to handle surges, climbs, and rough terrain.

Smooth Transition to Spring Racing
Cyclocross naturally bridges the gap between off-season and race season. You stay race-sharp while still leaving room to shift focus to endurance and specificity later. The spring payoff here is simple – there’s no frantic fitness scramble in March—you’re already ahead.

The Big Picture

Cyclocross isn’t just winter survival—it’s winter advantage. It keeps cycling fun, builds real-world fitness, sharpens skills, and toughens your mindset. When spring arrives, cyclists who’ve raced cross don’t feel like they’re starting over—they feel ready. I feel ready! I love the cut and thrust, the pain the excitement, the anticipation, the challenges – mental and physical. Taking all of this together and weaving it into the bigger picture – cyclocross is a sensible choice for cyclists.

My cycling season goals for 2026

Because the road racing calendar in Estonia is relatively short, the focus for me is on quality racing, consistency and development. I want to make each race count in terms of experience and performance. I plan to include several gravel bike races this season to accumulate more race kilometers and stay competitive throughout the year – on all surfaces. I had a good season and surprised myself by winning a European AG title too – that felt good and has given me a lift for 2026!

Cyclo-cross is about intensity, skills and resilience.

The 2026 season is not just about results though, but about building a stronger foundation as a rider. By combining road, gravel and cyclo-cross racing, I aim to gain more experience, more race kilometers, and more confidence for the years ahead. I love riding bikes and I love challenging myself – I love racing. The feeling can be indescribable and I want that to continue to be a part of who I am.

Choosing a triathlon bike

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 17 Jan 2026 11:52:48 +0000

CHOOSING A TRIATHLON BIKE

Nadezhda Pavlova, Editor in Chief

WHAT KIND OF BIKE DO YOU NEED IN TRIATHLON.

There is a lot to think about in triathlon for beginners, three sports to master, the fitness levels needed to finish a race, the mental pressure and so on. However, equipment is also important, and while the right swimwear and running shoes are crucial, the biggest investment for most new to triathlon is the bike. With that in mind, knowing how to choose your triathlon bike can not only save you from an expensive mistake, but help make the triathlon more enjoyable in that first race.

TYPES OF BIKE

The first question that is faced when choosing a triathlon bike is the kind of bike to use. Walk into any cycle shop and there is a huge choice of road bikes at almost every budget, they are easy to find, and look almost the same as the dedicated triathlon bikes, so it is not surprising that beginners wonder if road bikes are a good choice.
However, while they often look quite similar, a road bike is subtly different from a triathlon/time trial bike in several ways. Those differences are crucial to your triathlon performance, but it is important to understand why.

A road bike has a shorter top tube and different frame angles, placing you in a more upright position on the bike while slightly compromising power delivery too, to achieve a more comfortable position for long distance riding. The triathlon/time trial bike forces the rider to stretch out further, lowering the body for a more streamlined position and maximizing the power extracted from the full leg extension during the pedaling motion.

Which type should you get? The answer here depends on what you want to do. If you plan on doing one or several triathlon races per year, then a triathlon bike makes sense. If you maybe want to train for a triathlon for beginners as a way to get fit, with no plans for more, then perhaps a road bike is the best option, as it is more suited to a regular fitness regime. The road bike will not get the maximum performance from your body in a triathlon race, but it will do the job when you need it to for sporadic race entries.

What you shouldn’t do is compromise. Splitting your budget to buy both types of bike usually ends up with two mediocre bikes. Get one good bike, whichever is most suitable, a good road bike will always perform better than a mediocre triathlon bike.
Assuming that you are aiming to compete in several triathlons in the future, the triathlon/time trial bike is the best option, but now what? With so many to choose from, you are no nearer to knowing how to choose your triathlon bike.

CHOOSING YOUR TRIATHLON BIKE

With a choice of materials, manufacturers, cost, size and shape, it can be daunting for triathlon beginners to know where to start. While your budget will be the biggest influence on the level of bike you end up with, the first thing to look for within your budget is the fit of the bike.

In general, you want a bike that feels comfortable, some bikes may put you in a more stretched position that improves aerodynamics and pedaling, but if it is too much of a stretch and feels uncomfortable, it can compromise your race overall, so always choose the one that feels right.

For the rest of the bike, there is so much choice, different frame materials from aluminum to carbon, choice of wheels, gear sets and so on. This is where knowing how to choose your triathlon bike matters, as it can save you a lot of money in the long run.

The key is to get the best frame you can afford with your initial bike purchase. An aluminum framed bike with the very best accessories can cost as much as a carbon framed bike with more modest wheelset, gears and so on. However, while it may be tempting to go for the bike with the latest and greatest components, the best buy would be the superior carbon framed option.

This is because you can replace everything on the bike over time, but the core frame will stay the same. Buying the best frame will give you a loner life for the purchase. You can add in new components when you feel necessary, while maintaining the advantages of that carbon frame throughout.

SADDLES

A word on saddles, a relatively cheap component, they are also one of the biggest contributors to comfort during triathlon for beginners. If the saddle fitted to your new bike feels uncomfortable, swap it. Its just a couple of bolts, and with a wide choice of male and female specific options easily available, there is no excuse for continuing on with a badly fitting saddle today.

CONCLUSION

There are two crucial things to think of when learning how to choose your triathlon bike, quality and fit. Find a bike that fits comfortably, and then get the best quality version of that frame you can afford. While it is nice to have the very best components attached to the frame, these can be changed over time, so always choose frame quality over componentry, for long lasting performance and enjoyment from your new triathlon bike.

CONTACT NADEZHDA - TRIATHLON COACH

Click here for online triathlon training programmes with Nadezhda

Elite Arion Rollers

Pedalnorth Website — Sat, 04 Oct 2025 20:43:27 +0000

Elite ARION Rollers

Pre-race warm-ups and winter core work

I’m still quite new to the race world of cycling. I entered my very first race six years ago – just out of curiosity. I was deeply passionate about cycling and wanted to see what a competition actually felt like. Fast forward six years, and I’m now racing at elite level and proudly hold the title of National Vice-Champion in the Romanian XCM Marathon. I was also lucky enough to be chosen to race for the national road team, in the recent Tour of Romania – a real honour and surprise for me.

It has been, and still is, a long and challenging journey. Looking back at where I started and seeing how far I’ve come, I can only feel grateful and proud. However, there’s no rest and I have to be on tip top form when the racing begins – and, that means having the right equipment to help me. At home, I have a superb indoor setup from Elite. However, on race day, I need something more flexible.

Pre-race warm up kit

I still remember how, in the early days, I used to watch the top riders warming up before the start. They weren’t just pedaling casually – they had these devices where they mounted their bikes and spun endlessly, almost like little… hamsters. I was amazed at how they managed to stay balanced and how ready they were to launch into the race as soon as the start signal was given.
And now, after six years, thanks to my position as a writer and editor at Pedalnorth.com, and our relationship with world-leading brand, Elite; I can finally warm up like the pros pre-race, with the Elite ARION roller – making my pre-race routine more efficient and effective.

So, what is a roller?

Parabolic rollers guide your wheel towards the middle for balance and good control. Magnetic resistance and a simple adjustment on the side of the rollers provide 3 levels of hill-type work. Parabolic rollers, 85mm in the middle, 100mm at the sides aid balance, by helping you to ride central and to improve your pedal action as you get better and staying central. The roller surface is made from smooth, anti-static plastic that reduces noise and tire wear, too.

It may look like a simple device, but it’s absolutely crucial when it comes to performance, safety, and reliability. There’s more to than meets the eye; and the design has been developed more than you’d think. It takes some battering from all of those warm-up routines.

Yes, the Elite ARION roller is lightweight yet sturdy, offering excellent stability and a natural ride feel. Along with the Misuro B+ sensor, it transforms into a complete indoor training partner whenever the weather keeps you from going outside. Slotting easily into the side of the roller unit, the Misuro B+ reads data based on the type of home trainer being used. I can pair it up with the ‘My E-Training Software, and it turns your Elite ARION roller session into an advanced digital instrument that displays and manages fundamental training data. This has been useful in ensuring that I don’t over-cook things pre-race.

Light and portable for flexibility

One really great aspect of the Elite Arion rollers is the practicality and ease of transport. Being light and easy to carry, it is quickly foldable with a single movement, reducing storage space by up to 50% when not in use, and tucks neatly into the car alongside race kit and bikes.

Riding mainly mountain bike, but also training on the road, I like that the ARION is compatible with both road and MTB wheels. The ARION’s front roller can be adjusted in 10 different positions, ensuring perfect alignment with your bike’s frame – voila!

Riding with balance

Thankfully, I have a strong core from racing; however, the rollers will help you to improve your core, whilst helping with your cycling balance. It can be intimidating at first though – ‘will I fall’ is the obvious question! Thankfully though, it’s easy to pick up the technique, and you can practice at home by putting the Elite AXION in a doorway and testing it out. This way, with your elbows out, you can use the close proximity of the door frame for reassurance.

Once you’ve gained confidence, you’ll be riding the rollers freely like a pro.

Whether at home or trackside, Elite ARION is the perfect partner for warm-ups – preparing your body to perform at its very best when the race begins. It’s also a great short training session in itself, with the music playing, just to pedal away freely at home. Riding the AXION is a great way to develop your pedal technique and efficiency. The smoother your technique, the more in the centre of the roller you stay!

As we head into winter here in Romania, and the snow starts to fill the mountain roads, I’ll be retreating indoors more and more; and whilst the fixed bike set-up will be taking the strain, my Elite ARION Mag rollers will be helping out too, ensuring that I work my core and balance on the bike too! Riding the rollers is something that all cyclists can benefit from – from Elite racers to those beginning and who simply want to improve balance and core strength on the bike.

The ARION Mag rollers from Elite are ideal for everyone, and will last you for a long time, helping you to be the better cyclist to tackle those personal cycling challenges. Now, isn’t that what we all are aiming for!

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How to increase your FTP on the bike

Pedalnorth Website — Tue, 21 Jan 2025 18:00:05 +0000

Increasing Your Cycling FTP

by Nadezhda Pavlova, Deputy Executive Editor

NADEZHDA PAVLOVA
Increasing Your Cycling FTP

Cycling performance depends on increasing the Functional Threshold Power, also known as FTP. If you are wondering what is FTP and how to increase it, read on to learn more.

What is FTP?

Functional Threshold Power (FTP) is a widely used cycling metric that could help you to improve your training and coaching. In simple terms, FTP is the average watts numbers that a rider can maintain over the course of an hour. Also, FTP can be used to measure the fitness of the rider.

FTP is measured in watts per kilo, where the power produced is divided by the weight of the rider. FTP is helpful because it’s a count which you can monitor. Thus, it helps you track your progress when you practice regularly.

When combined with mass and, preferably, heart rate results, FTP is frequently used as the most useful indicator of health. If you are preparing for a race, you can monitor your progress by measuring FTP every 4 weeks. A bike with a smart trainer or power meter will help you measure your FTP.

Most coaches use FTP to program cyclist’s workouts to help achieve specific interval sets. By doing regular FTP tests, you are likely to analyze whether your workouts are working for you or not. This way, you can make changes to get better results.

What is the Average Cyclist’s FTP

FTP for average casual cyclists will be 2.5-3.0 Watts/Kg. People who compete on a regular basis can have a power to weight ratio of 3.0-3.75. When you get past 3.75-4.25, you’re talking about local elite racers. Domestic pro is something above 4.25, and it gets higher from that.

How to Increase Your FTP number?

Generally, 3 to 7 points per week is considered is a good ramp rate increase. Below are samples workout that will assist you in preparing the next block of threshold training:

Intervals of 3 X 10 Minute FTP

Begin with a ten-minute warm-up in your fitness zone, followed by some one-minute fast-paced efforts (above 110rpm). This will allow you to strengthen your muscles more quickly and get ready for the major aspect of the workout. Perform 3-10 minute intervals at 91-95 percent of your FTP and try to keep a consistent performance, recovering for 5 minutes with a fast spin between each phase.

If you’re riding outdoors, go all out for the last 400 m to really push your maximal oxygen uptake system. Finish your cycle with 30 minutes in your fitness area, maintaining a high cadence. If you are preparing to take the hills on Saturday do this exercise on Wednesday or Thursday and take Friday off. Other variations of the FTP workout could be 2×20 min intervals, 3X15 min intervals with 8 min recovery.

Conclusion

FTP is vital to calibrate your workout and training intensity. Use FTP tests to improve your speed and determine whether your training plan is effective. If it is, you should see a steady increase in your FTP. However, if your FTP is stagnant or declines in two consecutive tests, then you need to adjust your training or consult with your coach.

Nadezhda

Road Cycling In Ticino, Switzerland

Pedalnorth Website — Tue, 17 Dec 2024 17:35:22 +0000

ROAD CYCLING IN TICINO
Time for some classic Alps cycling

VISIT MARYWILKE.COM

Here’s two absolutely amazing routes from Mary Wilke, taking in this beautiful area of the Alps, close to the border between Italy and Switzerland,and with epic views of lakes and mountains. If you’re looking for a great weekend riding in the Alps, then this excursion could be the ideal mini vacation for epic bikes rides.

Checking out the weather forecast for the weekend – Rain, wind and temperatures around 10 degrees from Friday until Sunday, really no sign of spring. But it must be possible, to find some spring somewhere in Europe! He who seeks, will find it, sun and lovely spring temperatures on the south side of the alps! So me and Christian don’t need long time to think about, what to do: We‘ve booked a hotel room and on Friday afternoon, we started our trip to Ticino in Switzerland.

Our trip leads us to the wonderful Lago Maggiore, where I’d already spent some unforgettable days on my bike. A real sunny-weather hotspot with many beautiful climbs in a mediterrean landscape between palms and blooming flora.

After crossing the 18 km long St. Gotthard road tunnel the weather really changed from a grey sky and rain on the north side to blue sky and sunshine on the south side – Jackpot! Just a few more kilometers direction south and we reached our destination Locarno as our starting point for the planned trips.

With good mood and full of anticipation we prepared our bikes, filled your jerseys with some bars and after putting on helmets and shoes, we started our trip – Short-Short while it was getting already warmer and warmer. After a few kilometers the climb up to Malesco started, the peaceful road slightly ascended along the Centovalli with its torrent Melezza. The sun provided us with vitamine D and we can’t get enough of the beauty of the snowcovered summits around us. We’ve crossed the impressive Ponte della Vellascia, the Madonna del Sangue church in Re until we reached the top of Piano di Sali after crossing Malesco.

We enjoyed a great descent through wild nature on small roads along the mountain – Not much space for oncoming traffic so the descending inceased attention. But after all we’ve enjoyed the long and winding ride down to Cannobio. Unfortunately it was not possible to continued our trip as planned because of a hard traffic accident on the road along the lake, which is the only route to Cannero, where our next climb up to Piancavallo should begun.

So we changed our plan, listened to our tummies and decided to take a break by the lake to enjoy some delicious Italian ham and cheese with one or two good coffees and thought about alternatives to continue our cycling day – One climb is definitely not enough! And suddenly I remembered the old Ponte dei Salti in the Valle Verzasca above Locarno, which would be always worth a visit with its great and impressive dam!

No sooner said than done, we continued to exploit the last sunny hours of this great day. And while the sun began to set, we finally reached Lavertezzo and the ancient stone-bridge with its typical two arches under which the crystal clear mountain water flowed through. Also, on Sunday the sun offered us a sunny spring day – We’d planned the ascent up to Alpe di Neggia,thereafter the ascent to Arosio and crossing the Monte Ceneri to get back home to Locarno afterwards.

On our way up to Alpe di Neggia we had to master 12 kilometers with an average gradient of 9,5 %. Again and again we got a breathtaking view down to the lake while passing blooming Magnolia trees and palms. Definitely, spring has already arrived here in the south! With every serpentine, the vegetation changed into a deciduous and coniferous forest, until we even had some snow around us on 1100 m above sea level.

After the descent, there was not much time to relax. Already after some kilometers along the lake, we started the climb in Colmegno up direction Arosio, nearly 28 kilometers, more or less steep road and with every kilometer my legs got heavier and heavier. Christian himself was in best condition while doing one interval after the other, meanwhile I was happy, that I kept on breathing To prevent a imminent bonk, we decided to take a sandwich-break in the midday sun to handle the last meters in altitude.

After a damn steep descent over 23 serpentines down to Greavesano, I was definitely done and tried to fuel-up with good old chocolate bars and coke to survive to last elevation up to Monte Ceneri. But the long, straight and slightly ascending road with strong headwind on it seemed never to end. Fortunately I had someone with me who was still apperently full of energy, so I tried to hide from the wind as good as possible and finally, we arrived on top of that last ascent of this trip.

For sure, such a wonderful weekend needs a fitting way to be rounded off. So we didn’t get stressed by the travelers returning home through the south portal of the St. Gotthard road tunnel and the arising traffic jam and decided to enjoy some Latte Macchiatos to review two amazing days on our bikes. The warm evening sun was still shining onto our faces, the lake in front of us was glistening and the summits of the mountains were illuminated by the last golden light of the day.

Viva la vita

Mary Wilke

VISIT MARY’S OWN WEBSITE

Click Here

TIME FOR THE DETAILS

Profiles

Route Information

Route 1: Lucarno & Colmegna Circuit

Stats 122 km 2687 metres

Route 2: Lucarno & Osolla Valley

Stats 123 km 1639 metres

Refreshments & Where to Stay

Lucarno has ample choices for accommodation, as do the nearby lakeside villages. In terms of refreshments, take supplies along with you; there will also be lots of places along each route to refresh you. Al Porto Café Lago Locarno is a good place for coffee and eating after the ride, with views across the lake.

Character

These are both epic mountains days, with lots of climbing and descending. Make sure that your bike is prepped and that you have right kit with you, including tools and tubes. Fitness is key to rides like this in the Alps, and so prepare properly and you’ll be able to enjoy the fantastic scenery more.

Click below for GPX file & accommodation

Download GPX Route 1

Download GPX Route 2

VISIT MARY’S OWN WEBSITE

Click Here

Yoga for Cyclists – the Cat-Cow Pose with Diane Vilarem

Pedalnorth Website — Sun, 15 Dec 2024 17:06:33 +0000

Yoga for cyclists – with Diane Vilarem

The Cat-Cow Pose and Back Flexibility

Yoga for Cyclists

The Cat-Cow Pose

Diane Vilarem

Riding all day and being bent over the handlebars can cause back pain in cyclists. The Cat-Cow Pose, or Chakravakasana, is a yoga pose that will help to improve your general posture and balance, whilst also helping to stretch out those back muscles. It’s the ideal exercise for people with back pain. However, do be careful to ensure that if you have specific injuries, you shouldn’t do this pose.

The Cat-Cow Pose is very simply, an ideal exercise to help to improve the movement in your spine by stretching out the muscles gently, and by doing this, it is helping to mobilise your joints. You can do it between and before cycling, as well as during a warm down after a ride. It will help you and your muscles and help with mobilizing the joints of the body that we use as cyclists – Voila!

Who should not do cat cow pose?

You should avoid doing the Cat-Cow Pose if you have an injury to the wrist, arm, shoulder or knee. Any bad movement with these injuries might inflame the injury or cause you more issues. Rest the injury first, and then, as part of the recovery, then start the Cat-Cow Pose. Also, be aware if you have neck pain, and try to keep the neck in a neutral position. In terms of intense back pain, please, avoid this posture or only practice it under the tutorage or supervision of a certified yoga teacher. You must always be sensible with your body and learn its rhythms.

Breath slowly and relax

In terms of the actual body movements when doing Yoga; they should be slow and graceful and in time with breathing exercises. Yoga is a melodic and meditative form of exercise, that will also help with relaxation. It is a time for you to refocus your mind and body. Now – the Chakravakasana. Let’s do this – Viola!

The Cat-Cow pose involves a movement sequence between a rounded back and an arched back position – which is why it’s really good for cyclists, who will have their back leaning and twisting all ride long. Start on your hands and knees with a neutral spine.

Carrying out the Cat-Cow Pose

Make sure that you have a quiet room and a clear area, and a good mat that is soft for you. Relax and make sure that you are in the mindset as well as physically ready. Yoga is also about relaxing you and meditating in exercise, with mind and body in unison.

1. Inhale while curving your lower back, lifting your head, and tilting your pelvis up.
2. Exhale while arching your spine, bringing your head and pelvis down.
3. Repeat several times.

Here are some tips for performing the cat-cow pose

• Keep your hands shoulder-width apart and your knees directly below your hips.
• Look straight ahead and relax your shoulders away from your ears.
• Spread your fingers wide apart to help balance your body.
• You can practice five to ten repetitions at a time.
• You can aim to complete the pose one to two times per day.

You can also practice a seated version of the cat-cow pose on a chair or on the floor.

Remember, adding this to your general exercise regime, and carrying out some other riding stretches will help you to maintain a healthier position on the bike and also improve your posture of the bike. Your rides will feel better, as you will be far more comfortable on the bike. Next time, we will look at leg stretching exercises and poses.

Now though, it’s time to ride – voila!

More Yoga with Diane

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Yoga for Cyclists – The Bow Pose with Diane Vilarem

Pedalnorth Website — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 16:03:32 +0000

Yoga for Cyclists with Diane Vilarem

The Bow Pose

Yoga and Exercises for Hip Flexors

Preparing for the Bow Pose

Diane Vilarem – Lifestyle Editor

Looking at how Yoga and cycling compliment each other, we previously looked at the upper body and shoulders, in relation to that obvious contact point – the handlebars. In this blog I would like to concentrate on the next point of contact and how it also relates to other areas of the body.

Our hip flexors are key for cyclists, as the motion of cycling can cause us significant hip pain. One reason for this is the simple action of sitting on the saddle all rode long – like sitting at a chair at home, in terms of the hips. The motion of cycling and the action carried out, does not allow our hips to open fully, or to extend. In effect, because of this, over time our muscles tighten – the more we cycle, the tighter these muscles get, creating pain in the glutes.

On top of this, we must consider the piriformis muscle, which helps our leg to move outward. Due to the action of cycling, this muscle again may not get stretched as much as it needs to be worked. If this happens, it will cause you pain and tightness and a shooting pain down the leg such as Sciatica. Add to this, hip bursitis, which can be triggered if you cycle several times a week, due to the repetitive nature of the movements.

Yes, this second contact point, the saddle and how our pedal action affects our body, means that Yoga can once again help us as cyclists to keep the body movements and muscles in good condition and strong, meaning that we will feel less pain in these areas and our hip flexors when riding. Let’s take a look at a specific Yoga pose then, that will help you in these areas.

The Archer inspired Bow Pose

This is a really good pose for creating a feeling of strength in the body. It is also a good exercise for you, if you spend lots of time sitting at work. It gently stretches your back muscles, and works those important areas of the hips too. It’s not an easy pose, so work into it slowly as your Yoga flexibility develops. However, once you have the necessary Yoga base, the Bow Pose is excellent. You can also use Yoga straps around your ankles when doing this pose, to help to bring your legs closer together. Remember though, don’t rush into this pose without having some developed flexibility, as it also requires some control to slowly release the pose after you have stretched the back muscles and hips.

Main benefit of the Bow Pose

There are 5 main benefits for cyclists to doing the Bow Pose. these benefits are:

It stretches out your body and your hip flexors
It can build muscles in your back
It opens up your chest and shoulders
It improves your overall posture, and
It promotes deep and restorative breathing techniques.

Tight hips are the most common cause for hip issues with cyclists. There are some very useful exercises that you can carrot out, which will help to start to relieve the problems and start to give you more flexibility. That increased flexibility will be helpful to you with the Bow Pose; and so, these exercise would be a good place to begin, and to master before moving to Bow Pose.

Let’s take a look:

Lie on your back and bend your knees, bringing the bottoms of your feet together. Then, let your knees fall out to the side of your body, until you feel the stretch.
Move gently into a lunge position, and place the knee of your rear leg down on the floor. Now, lean forward as you keep the front knee bent at a 90-degree angle, and you begin to feel a stretch in the front of the hip.
Finally, using a foam roller on the front of the hip, stretch out and open up that muscle.

Doing these simple exercises, along with basic Yoga Practice and Poses, will prepare your body well to carry out the Bow Pose – which will help your hip flexors for cycling in the longer term.

How to do the Bow Pose

First of all, as I mentioned earlier, please consider using Yoga straps initially, to help you with this Pose, which is an intermediate pose. Also, carry out the exercises above to prepare your body for this pose, too. Now that you are ready, here are the 6 stages of the Bow Pose.

Find a quiet place and lay your mat down. Then, lie on the mat facedown. Come down on the mat, onto your belly, extending the legs behind you.
Then, bring your forehead down towards the mat, keeping your hands by your hips.
Next, bend your knees and start to slowly and gently reach back with your hands. Take a hold of your ankles on the outside. At this point, you can use Yoga straps.
Now, holding this position, start to gently squeeze your inner thighs together.
Holding this position and controlling your breathing, press your shins back, to lift your shoulders upwards.
Finally, allow your arms to slowly straighten out, and use the power from your legs to press back more, then move forward. Hold this position, relaxing your breathing.

Remember, that the Bow Pose is something to build up to, using the exercises I have suggest, as well as taking time to develop easier Yoga poses first, to develop the necessary flexibility. Once you are ready and you master the Bow, you will feel the benefit in your cycling and be able to ride with less pain in the hips and the lower back.

If you are concerned, consult your doctor or physiotherapist first, or better still, join a local Yoga class to help you to develop your core strength and flexibility. Now, it’s time again to go cycling – voila!

Cycling and Yoga – The Benefits for Biomectrics

Pedalnorth Website — Mon, 25 Nov 2024 14:28:50 +0000

Yoga & Cycling Biometrics

Understanding Cycling Biometrics & Yoga

The Cobra/ Sphinx Pose for cyclists

Diane Vilarem

With cycling, and especially E-bikes and gravel bikes increasing in participation all the time, our bodies need to be ready for the extra work that we plan to put them through. Many cyclists, new and old, now have a specialist bike fit for the cycling, to try and ensure that their bike is unique to them, and that it helps them with their biomechanics. However, this is only one aspect of cycling fitness; and, there are many other ways that cyclists can maximise their performance and comfort on the bike. Yoga is an activity that works many different muscle groups, helps you with flexibility and core strength, is low impact with high results – voila! This of course makes Yoga the ideal accompaniment for cycling.

Yoga will help you in 3 main ways when cycling:

– Core strength: whether it is now or as we age, having a strong core is vital. Most cyclists have (some) back muscles but (definitively) weak abdominals.

– Breathing: yoga enhances cardiovascular and respiratory systems for higher endurance. Translation: Yoga helps your internal system function better.

– Flexibility and posture: improve position on the bike to be able to ride with a straighter back, leading to less neck pain, a better general mobility for better performance and reduced risk of injury.

The interconnection of our bodies

When we ride our bikes – which we do a lot here in France – we use three main contact points, and a professional bike fit will deal with each of these. It will also educate you that these parts of the body are all inter-connected. If you get one contact point badly aligned to your own unique, natural movements, then you will feel pain or discomfort in other areas of the body: the back, the shoulders, and even the butt, can all be affected by not having your bike contact points properly aligned. What Yoga can do, is to add that extra layer of comfort and performance, by strengthening these areas and increasing your natural flexibility, so that when you move your body to pedal, you do so efficiently.

I want you to think about the cycling posture itself. To make the bike move forward, you need to move the leg in a full rotation on the cranks. This is also a constant and repetitive motion, and this cycling posture can create an imbalance for the cyclist. Your knees, your hips, your glutes, and your quads are all in motion – and your core also needs to be strong, to help to control these varied cycling movements. Ankles, hamstrings and hip flexors all come into play, and it can cause pain and discomfort while riding and also afterwards. Yoga however, can and will help you and your body to cope with these movements while cycling, supporting the upper body on the handlebars.

Yoga to help with the handlebar contact point

I wrote previously about a few Yoga exercises to help you with your cycling strength and flexibility. Now, I’d like to take things on a stage, with lots more Yoga exercises for you to learn over the next few months. AS with all exercises, the key thing is to start slowly and to progress at your own pace. Do not push things to hard, but listen to your body, relax your mind and enjoy the exercise. This first Pose will help you with the handlebar stresses on the body, and increase your upper body flexibility.

Baby Cobra/Sphinx

As I mentioned already, cyclists will spend a lot of time with their bodies hunched over the handlebars – one of those 3 points of contact. The ‘Baby Cobra’ pose will help you with this, and create a more flexible frame.

As cycling can shorten the abdominal muscles and work against the spine, this exercise and Yoga pose will help to lengthen the abdominal muscles and strengthen the spine, along with the muscles in your shoulders. Once you’ve mastered it, it will help to reduce that common lower back pain that cyclists often suffer from.

Let’s start the Cobra pose then.

Here’s how you do it in a few simple steps

Start by lying face down on the mat and in a quiet area, where you will be uninterrupted.

Bring your hand up and have them below the shoulders.

Press down with your feet into the matt as you slowly lift your chest away from the floor. Try not to use your hands on the floor, as we are trying to strengthen your back muscles.

Keeping your elbows neatly drawn into the side of your body, now draw your shoulders away from your head whilst you keep your neckline long.

If necessary, rest and try instead to come down to your forearms, so that you keep your elbows below your shoulders. Then, press your elbows down into the mat, and then move then downwards towards your hips in a slow sliding movement.

Hold these poses above for 5 to 10 seconds, relaxing in between poses. You will begin to feel the movements in your body and how this will benefit you with your cycling – especially the all-important upper body posture and the handlebar contact.

Next time, we will look at a Yoga pose to help with the hip flexors and back, dealing with that second contact point – the saddle. For now, though, build the Baby Cobra/ Sphinx Pose into your normal Yoga and cycling stretch regime, and you will soon feel the benefits on the bike – voila! Time now to get out cycling!

Why not follow me at my Instagram profile and keep up to date with my Yoga and Cycling lifestyle – simply click here!

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