To Spin or not to Spin and why I would pay money to ride a WattBike

Earlier this year, when the weather wasn't so great and I needed a change in my training, I purchased a block of ten sessions from the CycleStudio in Balgowlah.  I thoroughly enjoyed my training every time I went and had a great time meeting up with my mates and training hard this way.  If you are a seasoned cyclist, then you have probably done the odd spin class at a gym, just for something different or for when the weather turned "sub-optimal".  But this place is something entirely different.  Customised and optimised for cyclists, CycleStudio has a warmth and an ambience that makes you fall in lovely with cycling all over again.  And if you ride to and from the Studio, it's even better!

Here's 5 reasons why I reckon you should give it a go.

The Weather:
Let's face it, noone likes riding in the rain, it's dangerous, it wrecks your bike and you spend the next 3 days trying to clean the grit out of every nook and cranny, so enter the CycleStudio.  Nothing is quite as nice as getting in a quality training session while it;s chucking it down outside. Spending time in a nice clean spin room, with the music pumping, a stage of the TDF playing and the lights tinted red, makes for a perfect training environment.  #gameon

Get Coached:
Getting coached in cycling is the best thing you can do if you want to improve.  No matter where you are at, a good coach will always have some suggestions on how you can tweak your training and get another 1% out of those heart, lungs and legs.  At Cycle Studio there is of course the world famous James "Chops" Lamb, but the other instructors are just as good and they are trained specific to cycling, unlike ordinary gyms.

Power and Technique:
The amount of data available on a Watt Bike can be overwhelming for some, but put those numbers to work in context and you get a very clear picture of your strengths and weaknesses and what you need to work on, even how to plan your next big event.  Training with power is the best known way to accurately measure your performance and it isn't just for the pro's.  It doesn't matter whether you can ride away from Tony Martin or you are just a beginner, training with power (Watts) will give you the information you need to get better,faster, fitter.  And with the WattBike that power meter is always pinpoint accurate.  On top of that, the WattBike has this cool little graph that shows you your pedalling technique and teaches you to spin those pedals as efficiently as possible while you pedal.  The WattBike also comes with all the adjustments you'd want to get set up in your optimum position so you can play around with this a bit and see how your riding position impacts your performance and comfort in the saddle.

Numbers can be fun!!

Comaraderie:
There's nothing quite like the motivation produced when cyclists get into the competitive spirit and starting competing on a numbers basis.  The WattBike doesn't lie and there are no shortcuts.  No drafting and no hanging back at the start of a segment.  "Iron sharpens iron" was never so true when it comes to putting a bunch of cyclists into the same room.  Guaranteed, you will leave nothing in the tank and give every workout your best when there are bragging rights up for grabs. But you are not just competing against your mates.  You are competing against yourself, looking for that next best 20min average.  Another advantage is because you are stationary, you aren't left waiting at the top of a climb, or worse, you will never have that feeling of holding back the bunch.  You can go along with whoever you like, it doesn't matter what level cyclist they are, you all get to push to the max and you all finish at the same time.

Good mate Phil Welch building a bigger engine

Testing:
If you are using power to dictate your training levels, then you need to know what you are capable of when you are at your best.  A threshold test on power in a controlled environment is the only way to really tell whether or not you are making progress.  Whether the result is good or bad, you'll know exactly what you need to do next, maybe take it up a level or maybe back it off for a few days and get a bit more recovery.  Either way you will have confidence that you are making the most of every single training session.

So there you go, just one way you can change up your cycling. Are you looking to get into cycling but not sure where to start, maybe this is for you and noone is going to abuse you from a car window either, nice and safe.  Why not give it a try!

Keep Riding
Mighty Mike

Capital Punishment 100km MTB

Earlier this year when I locked in my entry for Capital Punishment, I got a little excited.  My focus for the last two years has been more towards the ultra-endurance end of the spectrum, so to be able to design my training and racing around this 4-5 hour discipline made for a welcome change.  Also as CapPun was going to be the first round of the Maverick Marathon series, it was pretty much a guarantee the race would be very well attended. by a strong field.

My excitement turned to a little anxiety when the start waves were published and I was relegated to Wave 2.  To be honest I probably didn't rate myself as a Wave 1 rider, but looking down the list all my regular sparring partners were in Wave 1, so I had to accept a race plan of chasing very hard all day.  Local legend Grantley Butterfield, promptly gave me a dose of HTFU and encouraged me to start in Wave 1 and so it was on a glorious mild Autumn morning that I fronted up like the badgeless guy with the clipboard, albeit it in the "wrong" wave but who was going to stop me?  That being said I did sit at the back of the wave so as not to raise too many eyebrows and hoped that the timing mats would take care of my sneaky self promotion.

Warming up in the dark is always fun and before long we were charging up the the fireroad.  I didn't have a great position so all I could do at this stage was ride at a comfortable pace and wait for the gaps to open up.  The other big change for me was the resurrection of the Ellsworth Enlightenment 29er carbon hardtail, fresh with a 1x10 setup.  This bike has been on the shelf for a couple of years due to a non-reliable drivetrain but with some input from Jordan and Camo at Ride in Workshop and a few parts at mate's rates from Mike Blewitt Marathon MTB, this bike was now race ready again.  And didn't it go hard.  I loved riding it again, so agile and light and compliant.  Don't get me wrong, I've had some great races on my alloy Giant Anthems, but there is nothing quite like riding a carbon hardtail on the sweetest single track around.

And we're off, with Brett Bellchambers preferring to give the field a headstart.  We rode most of the race together, errr that is he dropped me on the climbs and then I'd catch up on the flats again.

At around the 30km mark I'd had a great run with Brook Nelson, I'd never met him before but we were riding well together and helping each other through the single track. We caught a big group including Garry James and Paul Morgan.  I know that is disgraceful attempt at blog name dropping, but it was a great sign to me that I was travelling pretty well even if they did drop me on the very next pinch.  I just sat on Garry's wheel for a time, feeling content as an anonymous wheel at the back of the bunch rather than announcing my presence only to wave bye bye in the very near future.

Focussing on smooth and flow-ful riding, looking for the millimetre perfect line on some hand made single track 

The rest of the first section was a perfect mix of fireroad and dusty dry schlerophyll eucalypt forest.  I loved the course, last time I rode the race was in 2011 and endured the endless grassy airport fairways.  It was so good to ride this alternative route and made for some really enjoyable riding and with one little pinch over Majura, we crossed the mats for a welcome breather.  The feed station was a great place to have a chat, refuel and pick a bunch to roll out with.  Tristan White and Wayne Dickinson were there so I followed them out and meandered our way up to Black Mountain for the restart.  It's a strange phenomenon once you reach the restart.  Everyone stops, noone wanting to be the first over the mat for fear of being a marked man and giving up precious seconds at the finish, but you cant stand there all day, so just as I rolled out, Steve Henry and Rob Weiser came through, you beauty! A couple of mates I know who will work hard as a group.  The track around Black Mountain was nice and sketchy just to keep everyone on their toes and there were a number of punctures through this section. After the legs warmed up again I felt OK, but a few of the hills around the Arboretum soon started to take their toll and in the headwind to Stromlo I dropped a wheel.  At this stage, I was really starting to tire but with just 15km and one climb to go I put everything I had left into the pedals and finished with a shredding descent off Stromlo.

Great shot with Telstra Tower in the background, I'm really hurting on the front and only smiling for the camera

Well done to Matt Rizzuto and Minter Barnard, tearing the Master's field to pieces to take 1st and 2nd with a 15 min gap to Wayne Dickinson in 3rd and a further 5 minutes covering the next 5 places. For me, I beat my time from 2011 by 35 mins so I was very happy with my 6th place in Masters and 44th overall.  Thanks again to the Butterfields for putting me up Friday night.  You always make me feel at home!  You martians (Canberra locals) have it made; fancy having a 5 minute roll home to shower and recover after a 100km MTB race?
The final pleasure after a great ride with mates on the best trails was the vibe at the finish enjoying a beer and some good food in the sun.  That's why we race

Keep Riding
Mike