Training Technique?

[Roy Zipris]

While on a ride this Saturday morning along the Delaware River, I saw an odd (to me) sight: a
cyclist drafting a car. The car, a station wagon, had its blinkers on and its rear door up, and the
cyclist was a foot or two behind the car, just about under the door. Is this some kind of training
technique? If so, what's the benefit of training without working against the wind? Or is there some
more subtle technical exercise going on here?

I passed the fellow and his entourage again on my way back, and this time I had the presence of mind
to give him a little wave, which he returned. Not too many of us out around here these days, with
temps in the teens and single-digit wind chill. --Roy Zipris

 

[David Kerber]

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> While on a ride this Saturday morning along the Delaware River, I saw an odd (to me) sight: a
> cyclist drafting a car. The car, a station wagon, had its blinkers on and its rear door up, and
> the cyclist was a foot or two behind the car, just about under the door. Is this some kind of
> training technique? If so, what's the benefit of training without working against the wind? Or is
> there some more subtle technical exercise going on here?

I've read that Lance does some of this, primarily to get used to handling the bike at high speeds
and pedaling high cadences in high gears. Obviously he could pedal up to high speeds alone, but
couldn't keep it up as long as he could when drafting.

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

 

[Per ElmsäTer]

David Kerber wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
>> While on a ride this Saturday morning along the Delaware River, I saw an odd (to me) sight: a
>> cyclist drafting a car. The car, a station wagon, had its blinkers on and its rear door up, and
>> the cyclist was a foot or two behind the car, just about under the door. Is this some kind of
>> training technique? If so, what's the benefit of training without working against the wind? Or is
>> there some more subtle technical exercise going on here?
>
> I've read that Lance does some of this, primarily to get used to handling the bike at high speeds
> and pedaling high cadences in high gears. Obviously he could pedal up to high speeds alone, but
> couldn't keep it up as long as he could when drafting.

Cipollini has been known to do it for the sole purpose of picking up speeding tickets on the
freeway. That creates respect!

--
Perre

You have to be smarter than a robot to reply.

 

[Terry Morse]

Roy Zipris wrote:

> While on a ride this Saturday morning along the Delaware River, I saw an odd (to me) sight: a
> cyclist drafting a car. The car, a station wagon, had its blinkers on and its rear door up, and
> the cyclist was a foot or two behind the car, just about under the door. Is this some kind of
> training technique?

Yes, the training technique is called "motorpacing". Pros do it a fair amount, particularly in the
early season:

http://www.trisite.com/site/447770/page/74162

I saw the Saturn guys motorpacing on nearby Canada Road early last season, behind a motorcycle.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA http://www.terrymorse.com/bike/

 

[Rick Onanian]

On 2 Feb 2004 04:29:29 -0800, [email protected] (Roy Zipris) wrote:
>wagon, had its blinkers on and its rear door up, and the cyclist was a foot or two behind the
>car, just about under the door. Is this some kind of training technique? If so, what's the
>benefit of training without working against the wind? Or is there some more subtle technical
>exercise going on here?
>
>returned. Not too many of us out around here these days, with temps in the teens and single-digit
>wind chill. --Roy Zipris

I suspect that the car helped keep the cyclist from the cold...
--
Rick Onanian