(whoosh)
- Hello and welcome to Ask GCN Anything.
- Yes, and this week it's a winter special.
So, for all of us here in the Northern Hemisphere,
the weather is turning, so we're gonna answer
all those questions on winter riding.
- We are.
But don't forget to use the hashtag #ASKGCNTRAINING
and you'll then be in with a chance
of winning three months free subscription to Zwift.
- Perfect for this time of year.
- It is, indeed.
And for any other questions, use the hashtag #TORQUEBACK.
- Yes, so without further ado,
let's get right in on those questions.
- Yep and first up is Bryan McCullar,
"Why is there winter?"
Well, Bryan-- - Good question.
- We happen to know the answer to this,
and that is, the Earth's axis is slanted
at twenty three and a half degrees.
And because of this in winter,
the Northern Hemisphere is further away from the sun.
And in summer it's closer.
And vice versa for the Southern Hemisphere.
So there we go, now that we got that one out of the way.
- Yes. - Cycling.
- I reckon we should get right into those cycling questions.
We got a question from Ronnie Ericksson, who asks,
"There is no ride where I don't sweat,
no matter what clothes I have on, or how hard my effort is.
This is just the way I am.
So my issue is how do I transport
the sweat away from my body?"
Are there any tips on that Chris?
- There definitely are Ronnie, and I think the point I made
in the winter training video behind us, is that
when I said don't sweat, what I really meant
was try and keep your skin dry.
So you want to wear like a long, thermal base layer
that will help wick the sweat away from your skin,
which is where you're going to feel it's cold.
Yeah, you're less likely to smell as well.
- Well, yeah that's a plus.
- And also, don't over dress.
The first few minutes when you step outside,
you're likely to feel cold no matter what you're wearing.
So it's quite easy to overestimate how much you need.
So just pay attention to that as well.
- So if you do want more info on dressing for the winter,
then do check out this video behind us,
that Chris, Emma, and Ollie was in.
- Yeah, don't be fooled, it really was cold there.
- [Narrator] Winter cycling can be a pretty cold
and wet experience in almost any corner of the globe.
But that doesn't stop people getting out and enjoying it.
There must be ways you can make it more pleasurable.
- Yeah, and some of them are pretty easy too.
So here, we're going to give you our top seven tips
for how to make your winter cycling warm, comfortable,
and therefore, more fun.
- Can we go to the cafe now?
- Yeah, my hand are freezing.
(whoosh)
- So the winner of the three months free subscription
from Zwift, coming right your way is Steve Steranka.
"What's the best way to train indoor
for sprinting during the winter?
I have a Kickr Core, but out of the saddle
sprinting feels, well pretty awkward."
Now, you're-- - Yeah.
- You're a sprinter, and you do a fair bit
of training indoors, so give us some sessions.
- Seated sprints are your friend here, because indeed,
trying to stand up and sprint on a turbo trainer is
never gonna feel quite right. - No.
- And it's probably not the best for your bike either.
So you wanna sit down, which could in some circumstances,
out on the road be even faster.
A downhill sprint, or a real fast sprint
with a tail wind actually, and certainly on tired legs too.
The key durations that you wanna
look at doing are 10, 15, or 20 second sprints,
and then you wanna do six of those in one session,
and have around eight minute recoveries in between.
- Yeah and there's another session you could try.
Which is sprinting after a race or a really hard session,
because you're already at the maximum sustainable capacity.
So doing that will actually really help your sprint as well.
- Yeah that's much more race specific.
So if you do those, you'll really find that it helps.
90% of your sustainable power for four minutes forty-five,
I think it was, then a 15 minute all out sprint.
Let us know how you get on with those.
- Yeah, those sound pretty tough.
- Yeah, they do.
- Rather you than me.
But yeah, do let us know in the comment section below.
- Next up we have, Ondra Stehlik, the second.
"Torqueback, I think during the winter I will only have time
and sunlight on the weekends, two to three hours,
and maybe the weather will be too bad as well.
What sessions should I be focusing on?"
- Well that's a good question,
because I think we're in the same boat here.
We've come from all day training to, well,
training around work, which can be quite difficult.
So, I know exactly where you're coming from.
I would personally, on a Saturday, or at least one day,
do some really hard, structured efforts.
That is perfectly enough time, two to three hours,
to get a really hard session in.
And for the other day, do a more endurance style ride.
So you know, three hours, kind of zone two,
and that will help build your sustainable endurance
as you work up.
- Yep, and don't worry if you have to miss a week
because of bad weather, next week soon comes around.
- It's the same for everyone.
- We now have Michael Albany, who asks,
"Why is it that in winter, we are expected
to not have as much training or as much stamina?
I seem to get more personal bests in the winter
than I do in the summer, maybe it's
because I have better tailwinds.
I like to train all year round.
PS the climate here is very much like it is in the UK."
- Yeah, peak fitness is kind of relative to you personally.
The track riders will be peaking in the winter as well,
so you're not alone, and also the cross riders.
But then again, if you're pretty fatigued in the summer,
and then you're a lot fresher in the winter,
because you're not racing,
and you're not putting in those hard sessions,
you could also be getting your peak power sessions,
or peak power performances in the winter
because you are just that much fresher.
- Next up is a question from John Bayley,
who rides cyclocross, mountain bikes, and road.
I'm gonna shorten the question a little bit.
Through the winter, he tends to ride more off road,
but would like to know how the technique, and the shorter,
more anaerobic efforts translate to his road riding,
and how he can address this.
- I think quite a lot of us are in that same boat.
When it's the winter and it's muddy and it's murky,
it's far more fun just to kind of
head to the woods, isn't it?
- Yeah, less wind chill.
- Yeah, or get on the cyclocross bike and embrace the mud,
instead of kind of hiding away from it.
- Yeah.
- But I think what he's got to do is work on
those kind of more endurance instead of the distance.
So, when you're doing your session off-road,
kind of elongate that session.
So hold the power on that a little bit more.
- Yeah, in between the efforts.
- Yeah, don't worry about kind of the distance,
worry more about the length of it.
- Yep. - Really.
- Absolutely.
- So do your hard effort, but elongate it
throughout that session, and then that will hopefully
build your endurance, and your sustainable power,
instead of the peaks that you would normally train for.
- Yep, and that's a great way to build up your technique.
I think you've done--
(fast paced, rhythmic rock music)
- [Emma] Although, I've been persuaded to race,
you certainly don't have to, because riding off road
is great fun just for the sake of it.
My problem though is that ever since starting cycling
in my twenties, I've been very much a roadie.
My few attempts at mountain biking
have been frankly laughable--
- Alright, we have a question
from thirteen year old Gunnar YT.
"I wonder how far I should bike on a training ride,
or if I should do climbs, or long flat rides.
I also wonder how I can not be sweating in the winter.
I want to become a cyclist, and GCN is my best inspiration."
Well we are glad we're your inspiration,
and carry on doing what you're doing.
But I would start with around a one hour.
You don't need to do too much, you're still super young.
So don't get bogged down in the nitty gritty.
- No exactly, don't worry about how long
you're riding a bike, worry more perhaps about the types
of bike rides that you're doing.
So you want to try and do as many disciplines as you can.
And if your friend's got a mountain bike, you borrow that,
or a cyclocross bike, a bit of track riding,
and all of this will help you build into becoming
a more well rounded bike rider.
Because ultimately, professional bike riders
are really good at everything.
Even the worst pro bike riders downhill
are still pretty fast, and even the worst climbers,
they're still pretty quick, too.
- Yeah, but I would say, just enjoy riding your bike.
- Yeah.
- Like, enjoy the freedom, and enjoy what it gives you.
Don't be bogged down by the training specifics,
just go out and enjoy it, because whatever you enjoy,
whatever makes you happy will actually make you stronger,
and a better rider in the long run.
- Yep, focus on technique and enjoy it.
(whoosh)
- So the next question is from who, Chris?
- It's from Graham Barker.
"How about something for riders
who don't have power meters or heart rate monitors.
Because after all, we are not all millionaires."
- Well that is true, and well, we do know
that power meters and the like do get quite expensive.
- Yep.
- But, we do have the absolute perfect video for you that--
- We're in it.
- That is just out and we're in it.
It's all about training on feel, and yeah go check it out.
Because there's some great sessions in there
that will really help you and get better
without the gizmos and the power meters,
and the left, right, and center.
So do go and check that out, and yeah, do let us know
in the comment section if that is helpful,
and we'll hopefully do some more videos on training on feel.
- So even though you're not using tech to monitor
or even dictate your training, be warned,
it could still be having an influence over your rides.
And that comes via your riding buddies.
You never know if they're on Strava,
or maybe they're maybe just aiming to rip up the local KOM.
- So we have a question in from Emma C., who asks,
"I'm looking to do London to Brighton, off road next year."
Wow, that sounds pretty epic.
I'd love to do something like that.
"But I have disc degeneration disease in my neck,
and the cold weather is a struggle.
I have an exercise bike, but will it help?
Any tips on winter training,
and any tips would be a great help."
- Well Emma, that is a good question, and absolutely.
Your indoor exercise bike will be the perfect partner
for the winter, in keeping you warm, and keeping you fit,
and building your fitness for next year.
- Yeah, so just have a go, and just
try out some different sessions.
We actually got some sessions on the channel.
- Hard ones, too.
- Yeah, so do go and check that out.
And well, we wish you well with all that kind of training.
- Yeah and send us a picture
from next year's epic London to Brighton.
- Yeah that will be good.
- Right, ten seconds until our final,
high cadence, ten second drill.
(high intensity bass thumping music)
Three, two, one.
- Oh, we're on to the quick fire round now.
You have got Chris and I, and well,
we do treat the quick fire rounds as,
well, quick fire rounds, so well, here we go.
Paul Lubbers says, "Do you have some hacks to keep warm
and dry, such as the use of tin foil or sandwich bags
around your toes before putting on shoes to keep
the cold and wind and rain out."
- Yep, cling film and tin foil
over your shoes and your socks is really gonna help you.
And then petroleum jellies like Vaseline and baby oil--
- Yep it does work.
- Over any joints or any exposed skin is really gonna
build up a good wind block and keep all the elements out.
- Yeah so try that and let us know how you get on.
- Ian's up next with, "with winter fast approaching,
what's the best riding schedule, preferably outdoors,
to stay sharp without freezing to death,
or risking injury on snowy, icy days?"
- Right, straight out the block,
we're talking short, hard sessions.
So just get out and really get straight into a session.
Remember, you've always got to get a warm up in,
so maybe ten to fifteen minutes
of easy riding, and high cadence,
and then yeah just get into a hard session.
- Yep, don't fret about missing a day though,
just because it's wet and icy outside.
If you go out and you fall off and you break a bone,
that's six to eight weeks in your bed. So--
- Exactly. - Yeah.
One day missed, for six weeks, it's not worth it.
- Nope. - Max up next.
- Yep, with, "I find that when it starts
to get chilly, I drop in average speed
by 1.5 to two miles per hour.
What the heck is up with that? Is that normal?
Can I do something about that?"
- It is normal and there's not a lot you can do about it.
Don't forget the clothes you're wearing
are gonna be different, air density is gonna be thicker,
and you're more likely to be wearing
more clothing, which will mean you're heavier.
Many reasons, maybe you're less flexible
because it's cold outside and you can't
get in that aerotuck like normal.
- Yeah so don't fret about it.
Go out, enjoy it, and yeah don't fret about the speeds.
- Rowan Harley, "Indoors versus outdoors?
Pros and cons for each."
Well, I'll start with indoors.
- Yeah, go for it.
- Pros: controllable, repeatable,
it's reliable, and it's time efficient.
And the cons: it's a bit boring, it's repetitive,
power numbers might be lower, you can't stand up
for the explosive sprints,
and you're not training your technique
in the same way you would be outside.
- Yeah, and outside it's open air,
it's beautiful sunshine,
it's just being out in--
- You can go for longer--
- You can go for longer-- - More enjoyable.
- There's more to look at. The--
- More variety, good for technique.
- Yep, the cons: you can't control the weather,
so you could be riding in the rain or the snow or whatever.
- Could be more dangerous.
- Could be very much more dangerous with the cars,
and just being out in the open road, pot holes, yeah, so.
- Choice is yours. - Yep.
- I'd go outdoors if I could, but it's not always possible.
Ramon Villegas: "when doing high intensity training,
how do you keep the specific zone,
when you're on a rolling road?"
Well you just have to aim to get as close as you can,
- Yes, I, - because
- I wouldn't worry too much about
that if you kind of keep on the power during the downhills,
then keep on the power during the uphills,
you can try and get close to it, but yeah.
- Exactly, if you're close to it,
and your heart rate is still pounding away,
then you're gonna be very close
to the zone you want to train. - Exactly.
- Training zones don't simply start and stop,
it's a continual thing.
- Exactly, the next question from Jente Verherstraeten.
Is that good?
- Jente Verherstraeten. - Well that,
- Well, ver... - That's good.
- Hang on it's not. Jente Verherstraeton... straeton...
- We're still working on our pronunciation.
- Start again.
We then have Jente Verherstraeten.
- That was good, Chris!
- Getting there. - Very well.
"What should I do in winter, when I'm home
from work when it's dark, and I only have
the weekends for riding in daylight?"
Well, what would we do about that, Chris?
- Just make the most available of the time that you do have.
If you can do two or three short,
intense sessions throughout the week,
then yeah, that will really help boost your fitness.
- Yeah, so really just do as much as you can.
I know it's always difficult with work and daylight,
but when it's dark maybe jump on the indoor bike,
or jump on Zwift, and then make the most
of those weekend daylight rides.
- Yep, next up is Rezoan Alom.
"I live in a really rainy town, every time I go out,
my feet get wet, even though I wear overshoes."
So what's your cure for this?"
Mine would be to put that thick, silver,
foil insulating tape over your shoes.
So take your cleats off, cover the holes with those,
and then screw back through the insulation tape,
and then maybe pad out the inside of your shoe
with the same stuff as well.
- That's quite a good hack, actually, I might try that.
- I may have done that before myself.
- Yeah, we also have a question from Steven Reeves,
who asks, "Best advice for staying warm
while nursing some gnarly..."
- Road rash.
- Road rash, yeah.
- Well, my first advice would be to heal up properly
before you start heading outside.
But then simply covering it with one of those light,
anti-stick bandages, and wearing your normal clothes
over the top, and you should be fine.
- Yeah I would definitely let it heal
because it does get wet and it seeps,
and then it gets sticky, so make sure you've left it
out in the open air, maybe around home.
So we're saying, yeah don't wear too much.
Then when it's nice and dry, and well, crusty,
then you can put something over it, and get out on the bike.
- We then have Anton Antonos.
"How do you stay warm when it's
minus twenty five degrees outside?
Even my mind is freezing.
Here we have temperatures like this five months of the year.
Luckily, I have my own pet bear and vodka."
- Oh, vodkas and beers. - Bears.
- Bears? - Bears, not beers. Bears.
- Oh!
- That sounds like a dangerous combination.
Indoor training is gonna be your friend.
Yeah, or just loads of clothes.
Or maybe you could like, wear the bear somehow?
Snuggle up to the bear, drink loads of vodka,
I don't know?
- (laughing) We'll leave that up to you.
"Can you make cyclocross playlist?" from Crickby 417.
- Yeah we can.
- Can you make a cyclocross playlist?
- It's already up on the channel.
All you have to do is type in "cyclocross"
and all the videos, bang, appear there for you.
- Yeah, and there are some pretty cool videos,
so do go and check that one out,
and that is the end of our quick fire round.
How was that? That was pretty quick?
- Well we tried, haven't we?
- So if you do have any questions for us,
then leave them in the comments section below.
But next week is going to be a climbing theme.
- Uphill struggle.
- Yeah, so if you have a really burning desire
to get your question on GCN about climbing,
then make sure you get your question in,
and it, well hopefully will be answered here,
at GCN next week. - Yep, don't forget to use
the hashtag #ASKGCNTRAINING for your chance
to win three months free subscription to Zwift.
- Yeah, and for any other questions,
use the hashtag #TORQUEBACK.
And yeah, if you wanna look at a video
that Si and Neil did, from GMBN,
then do and go check and that one out, just down here.
- Ooooh, Gravel or mountain bikes.
- Which one is gonna win?
- Easy.
- Gravel. - No.