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Bike or Body?
Since the early 1990's, a phenomenon has developed in which
people have become more concerned about their equipment than
developing their bodies and minds. This has largely been
caused by misinformation by the cycling media over hyping the latest
racing equipment to sell magazines. With this short essay, I
want to try to get people thinking right about training in relation
to equipment.
In the US, the
average racing speed of a cat 4 racer on any bike will be about 18
to 20 mph. On the exact same bike, the average cat 3 rider will race
at about 24 to 28 mph and the average US pro will race the same bike at about 30
to 35 mph with the average Euro pro racing the same bike at from 33 to over 35
mph. In some cases, the average amateur bike racer in the US
has better equipment than the pro's who can ride circles around the
amateurs.
Understanding that EVERY pro was at one time a cat 4 who raced at
from 18 to 20 mph and would now race at 35 mph on the same bike,
that is an increase in speed of at least 75% from fitness and
development alone. I dare any one on this planet to increase the
speed of ANY cat 4 by 75% by giving him a better piece of racing
equipment!!!
It should only be common sense that the human is more important than
the bike and improving the human will do more good than improving
the bike. Yet it absolutely amazes me that there are so many people
who can’t see the obvious and will spend THOUSANDS of US dollars to
gain a tiny fraction on performance but won’t spend $30 to purchase
a book or hundreds of dollars for coaching that will improve the performance of their body
and mind by much more.
The truth is that the bike is only about 5% of the race and the
human is about 95% of the race. Therefore, it is only common
sense that you will get more return on your dollar by spending
hundreds to improve the 95% than spending thousands to improve the
5%.
Any pro riding a cheap touring bike can ride away from any cat 4
on any bike. Invest in your body and mind and the benefits
will be greater and last longer.
I have never seen a champion made in a bike shop; they are always
made on the road, one pedal stroke at a time.
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