3 Triathlon Cycling Drills for Better Bike Control

If you want some good entertainment, head over to the swim-bike transition exit of any triathlon. There you'll find triathletes swerving, fumbling, and falling all over the road as they attempt to simultaneously clip into their pedals, steer out of the transition area, and sometimes even eat—although why that bar can't wait just a few minutes to be eaten has always baffled me. Triathlon cycling requires a unique set of skills in addition to those required of traditional cyclists.

You can usually spot the triathletes in a group of cyclists on the road. They are the ones that swerve dangerously away from the shoulder, obliviously locked into their aerobars, a position that can be notoriously difficult to handle compared to the traditional road cycling handlebar position.

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Traditional cycling skills require that you know how to adapt to group cycling where there are frequent changes of pace, quick cornering, and acceleration and deceleration, all with your wheel dangerously close to the rider in front of you.

Triathlon cycling presents an entirely different set of bike-handling requirements, which include riding in an aero position without swerving, clipping into a bike in a crowded transition area, and handling mounts and dismounts while racing.

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You can improve these triathlon cycling skills by practicing a few drills. Here are three of my favorites:

Ride the Paint

This drill will help you learn how to ride in a straight line without swerving. As the name implies, it involves riding in the aero position while trying to keep your bike centered over, or right next to, the painted line on the shoulder of the road.

Please use caution when practicing this drill: Stick to roads that don't have a lot of traffic; don't do this drill when the roads are slick, as the paint line is usually the slickest; and, in general, try to stay slightly right of the paint where there is a little more grip for your tires.

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Golf Course Mounts and Dismounts

This is meant to mimic the mounts and dismounts you have to perform when going in and out of the transition area before and after the triathlon cycling leg. The short, plush grass of a golf course (or well-groomed park) offers you a gentle landing if you take a spill while practicing.

For mounts, push your bike while running, hop up, throw a leg over your bike, and then keep riding. For dismounts, slip both feet out of the shoes on the up-phase of the pedal stroke, swing one leg back over your saddle, place both feet on one pedal, and then lightly jump off your bike while transitioning into a run.

Single Leg and Grinding Drills

I typically include one cycling "skills and drills" workout per week in my training programs—both for me and the triathletes I coach. It typically involves warming up with several 10- to 20-second, high rpm (120+ rpm) cadence efforts.

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The main set involves the following:

Isolate either the right leg or the left leg for several minutes at a time. Try imagining "pins and needles" on the pedal of the non-focus leg so that you can stay light on your foot.

Next, do slow 50 to 60 rpm "grinds" with a focus on full force application during the entire pedal stroke.

If you want to become a better cyclist, incorporate these drills into your training routine and your triathlon cycling splits will show a difference. At the very least, you'll be more coordinated while riding out of transition.

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