Training & Nutrition - Is there a proper way to breathe for cycling?

I know breathing in with your nose and exhaling with your mouth is considered normal while exercising right?

I tend to both intake and exhale through my mouth. My throat gets very dry while breathing like this, in addition with drinking sport drinks the sugars make my saliva very thick.

I should probably drink more water while riding, what do you guys suggest?

There is no way you could possibly inhale enough oxygen by breathing in through your nose. Stick to what is natural -- we learned to breathe over millions of years, so we can't be too far off from doing it properly.

Drink more water.

My throat gets very dry while breathing like this,
Same here, I always try to have some gum with me.I if I'm just doing
base miles or recovery I try to inhale through my nose.

breathe however you want when riding aerobically...

going anaerobic, like winding up in the last km and last 300 meters to win... when you are really torqued, the best way to breathe is inhale through mouth and exhale as much through the nose as possible (20%), the rest through the mouth 80%...this creates a bit of snot on your face but once you get over that, it really helps you process more total oxygen: the reason is it can increase your hyperventilation threshold

exhaling some through the nose keeps a larger percentage of carbon dioxide in the airway a bit longer than if you let it all out the mouth, lessening hyperventilation a teeny (but not insignificant) amount. once you fully hyperventilate you have no choice but to slow down. I've done this a few times and it works for me when I have to pull out all the stops and the tunnel vision starts for that last unholy sprint.

I think I will drink more water and see how it turns out.

To answer the OP's title:
Yes, there is. To acheive maximal oxygen uptake, you need to fill your lungs fully. To do this, breathe in sequentially, starting at the bottom. Expand your belly first, so that you look pregnant, then fill your chest in the "normal" manner. Your mouth will be open. In fact, you gain some advantage by opening it as widely as is comfortable, conciously dropping your tongue to the floor of your mouth and opening your airway. Since doing this causes you to be concious of your breathing, also reduce your respiratory rate to the minimum necessary to sustain the effort you are making. Breathing in this manner also can help reduce the hyperventilatory response to exercise at efforts exceeding the anaerobic threshold.

Is there a proper way to breathe for cycling?

Personally I prefer to breathe in and out. Seems to work while I'm on the bicycle and when I'm off the bicycle.


in addition with drinking sport drinks the sugars make my saliva very thick

You're using Gatorade aren't you? Try switching sports drinks to something a bit better.

I use Accelerade and HEED.

I gotta go with Machka on this one. In and out works pretty well.

Breathing and turning pedal cranks at the same time...
I still have trouble with the gum-walking and chewing. Do I initiate the chew on an upstroke, or do I step forward first? Most perplexing.

Seriously - Way back in 89, Yeah, 1989. I heard Dave Scott talk about inhale mouth, exhale nose while running. Found it was way too much detail to be concerned with when trying to go fast.
I believe the theory was based on the physiological premise that O2 we inhale does not reach working tissue for 20 seconds. Mouth inhalation provided greater amounts in, while exhale nose allows for retaining more, and greater O2 absorption.
I do know that the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th "no-breathers" that complete my swim training are easier than #1.


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