iheartbenben

Do you swerve when you sprint? A lot or a little?

Do you try to rip your handle bars off providing leverage to the pedals, more of a straight wheel and line? A lot of exertion or a little (from the biceps)?

I've seen people do it both ways, at different times. I've done both quite often, but I feel like the first technique feels inefficient but less tiring(?).

Discussion?

iheartbenben

Opinions on everything except actually riding a bike. Good job BF.

JaceK

I like to eat pancakes in the morning, and toast one side of my peanut butter sandwiches.

Spacemunky

I've asked this like 10 times and its always the same....people will tell you all about parts they dont use very well but have no input about technique/form.

Personally I like to lean very far forward like Cav and focus on the drown stroke only. I find that I only use my arms to counter the movement when I am starting from a low speed, but once its moving I think its all about throwing the bike to create a longer downward pedal stroke than normal. I know people talk about cadence too but I cant break 40mph yet on a flat (no lead out and no wind) so I havent got to the point where I overspin my 50X12.

Personally I focus on being aero like a hotrod.....if you're 20% lower you need MUCH less watts for the same speed...just my 2 cents

sbxx1985 

It's hard to take you seriously after your first couple threads. That's your bad.

sakonnetclip

Lightly toasted peanut butter and banana is excellent. If you're feeling crazy a little honey is even better.

As for sprinting, I'd think this is a highly personal question.What works well for one may not work for another.

Blackdays

If you're swerving, please don't sprint.

Work on being able to ride in a straight line while pedaling out of saddle. Work from there.

iheartbenben

Thanks for this. I got 'shrugs' from my group ride, I only know two by first name only, so they are about as into me as BF.com. It seems to be this way, and I cannot break 40mph on a flat with a tailwind for nearly two years now.

If I stumble across something interesting, I will PM you.

IMO, it seems to be bad form when you introduce wobble into the bars while sprinting. Lack of evidence still, I feel this is a lazy man's way.

zigmeister

First, what is your top sprint speed? This isn't a pissing contest, serious question.

iheartbenben

Honestly, when I remember to look down rather than pass out, I have NOT broken 35mph on a flat. 35.5 etc, but I give up. This is "stiff" sprinting, as it seems to be the only reasonable way to sprint at those speeds.

Today I didn't break 33.

JayhawKen

From what I have seen, very few people can.

iheartbenben

Yet, this helps nobody.

Minion1

Personally I keep as straight as possible. No - one wants you swerving in a sprint, it is (IMO) a sign of lack of core strength to keep the bike stable, or poor bike handling skills. If you find a good how to video on youtube on how to do standing starts, (for the track) that would be a pretty good place to start if you're after pointers - trackies sprint like they're pulling on a gumboot (push down with left foot, pull up on the bars with both hands, right foot etc) and will get you working on your core strength straight away. You can do standing starts on a road bike if you're careful, or from a very slow roll - but the direction your bike goes in will let you know straight away what you're doing.
That's my 2 cents anyway, you're after stability and enough upper body control to keep your bike stable. Maybe the road racer's forum, rather than the 41?

iheartbenben

@ Minion, I am currently of this general view point also. I've been experimenting with the two, and the 'wobble' seems like bad form in general. A wattage meter could probably more accurately confirm what we already know, so I still seek the 'why' in doing this at all.

I have trouble thinking majority of UCI racers have bad form though.

loreley

Just go as hard and as aero as you can...

Seriously though, speed itself is the least important part of sprinting per se. Position, Timing, and then Speed, in that order...

iheartbenben

Ummm, yeah, let's start talking about position again then. Wobble vs stiff. Go.

Timing is useless, I'm not a racer. Speed is what I want, and position/form seems to limit me, as my power curve can only grow at a certain rate with training, and I'm already focused on that as well.

loreley

Position = where you are relative to other racers

loreley

First of all, do not "swerve" ever. If you are asking about swaying, yes generally it helps to apply leverage on the pedals. There's no way though anyone here on BF is going to diagnose your sprinting technique unless you actually post a video of yourself doing so. Everyone is different, its not as if all sprinters have the exact form and technique anyways...

iheartbenben

Whatever Lorely, I'm only posting this to let you know I'm completely disregarding your posts. Swerve, wobble, wtf-ever, you know what I'm talking about.

You wanna talk about racing? Go to that forum.

If you have the ability and means/persons to film your self sprinting at these speeds, post them here. Do it 100x. When you wobble, I will point and say, "why do you do this"? You will have no answer.

loreley

If you really want help...

1. Get a friend to take a video of you
2. Post it.
3. Get constructive criticism.

loreley

I believe I just said "it helps to apply leverage on the pedals"

iheartbenben

*yawns*

iheartbenben

You will still track completely straight, but your front wheel will be obviously steering left in right in cadence with your pedal stroke.

At first I thought, surely this is clear. Then again, I should tell you where you head should be.

jsutkeepspining

i disagree big time. most decent cat 3 sprinters can break 40 at least once in their lives. i've broken 40 i think twice, but i suck at sprinting so who cares.

celticfrost

OP,

Why you gotta be Grovin'?