Originally Posted by
wkndwarrior
Wouldn't some sets of leg presses or squats done to failure help build muscles for higher power/wattage on the bike, hence making you faster?
They'd help you climb. As would calf raises. Squats / leg-presses may help with speed, but that would not be the key benefit.
BTW - leg presses are not an easy alternative to squats. Squats are an excellent exercise. Leg presses are just ... good. And they exercise slightly different muscles - e.g. they're particularly good at hammering the glutes.