Cav's sprinting tips

ianspeare

I recently read an article in which Cav was helping the writer to improve his sprinting. The 3 main tips he gave in a summary box were:

1. Spin as big a gear as possible
2. Get on the drops and lean forward, getting as low as possible
3. Throw the bike from side to side as much as you can

Now, I can understand no1- allows you to use your powerful quads and glutes, which we all know are well developed in sprinters. No2 is simply a matter of aerodynamics- getting as low as possible to reduce wind resistance.

It's no3 that I don't get. How does throwing the bike help sprinting? It obviously works for Cav but I don't understand the science/logic behind it?

napoleond

It's so you knock anyone off that's trying to overtake.

bahzob

NapoleonD wrote:

It's so you knock anyone off that's trying to overtake.

lol nice one.

I guess the more serious answer is that what you are doing is shifting your weight from pedal to pedal as this will help generate more power due to the effect of gravity. The rocking bike is just a consequence of this.

ianspeare

TBH, I thought both of these, as ridiculous as not letting people overtake sounds.

I suppose it allows you to use all of the muscles in your legs

iPete

but does he lift on the upstroke?

Ben6899

iPete wrote:

but does he lift on the upstroke?

He imagines he is 'scraping dirt off the sole of his shoe'...

iPete

Perhaps it isn't dirt stuck on his shoe? Would explain point 3!

bahzob

I guess folks above sit on their bikes like a sack of potatoes.

Shifting your weight around can help up power, albeit at a cost since it takes more total energy.

Sprinting is one example but far more common is standing up to tackle a steep hill.

Ben6899

bahzob wrote:

I guess folks above sit on their bikes like a sack of potatoes.

Not really, no.

markhewitt1978

Have you ever tried putting a sack of potatoes on a bike saddle?!

slowbike

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Have you ever tried putting a sack of potatoes on a bike saddle?!

Yes ... but I told it to get off when it refused to pedal ...

chris_bass

markhewitt1978 wrote:

Have you ever tried putting a sack of potatoes on a bike saddle?!

I once knew a man who sat on his own spuds when returning to the saddle after a steep climb, I don't think he recommended the experience.

Daz555

Why is it that on the road the sprinters stand on the pedals but on the track they sit down?

goonz

Because on the track they are already sitting as high as the guys standing during their sprints...

sloppyschleckonds

Any tips from Kittel?

goonz

Look mean, gurn hard and pedal harder

declan1

Daz555 wrote:

Why is it that on the road the sprinters stand on the pedals but on the track they sit down?

As above but also they are spinning at considerably higher cadences when sprinting so it would be really rather difficult to do that standing.