This is my sprint at the race 2 replace. Any comments on my sprinting form? I'm wondering if I'm too far forward. During my sprint I get wheel skip (side to side), I think it is at the top/bottom of the pedal stroke. It doesnt' seem to affect my sprint but I'm not sure if that is normal.

I'm the last thing you'd call an expert, but you look a bit too far forward and too high off the bike. It seems to me that wheel skip is just energy going in the wrong direction. Get lower.

+1. Bike off ground=wasted power. Get lower and a little further back, IMHO.

Like Cromulent, though, I am no sprinting god, so all caveats apply.

If your wheels are skipping you're not sprinting right. I have the same problem, when i'm cranking hard I've been known to get both my front and rear wheels to skip on alternate pedal strokes I tend to "mash" at around 100rpm when sprinting, which I'm sure amplifies the skipping.

I've had the same problem, and I think it's "Anti-mashing." As a relative noob I think I still give more power pushing down on the pedals than pulling up, so when I sprint I add more power to the upstroke and things get unbalanced. Dropping the cadence in a sprint and focusing on forward/backward pushes instead of up/down pushes/pulls has helped a lot.

Does that make any sense? I hope so.

That could be, as I do exactly what you described. I'll try the forward/backward thing tonight

I try to have my face directly above the handlebars when I'm sprinting (flat land mind you).

I had the wheel skipping problem earlier this year and solved it buy moving back a bit and using a bigger gear.

Cypress has definitely crushed more souls than I have this season, so take his advice first.

You'd probably sprint at 48mph if you would lean back a bit.

Hop Schweiz!!!

Flat back!

Seriously, I've discovered an abundance of power if I (comparing it to your photo) lower my face almost to the bars, raise my behind and move it back a touch, and DON'T waggle the bike back and forth - hold it straight.

To look at it, you'd think I was about to either crash or take flight.

I can only get about 200m out of it, and it empties the tubes really fast, so I only use it to close a gap or sprint for the line.

But in general, it's like a golf swing. Sure, there are some that LOOK better than others, but what works for one doesn't always work for others.

I'll give that a try. Thanks.

move back a few inches, and do not let your legs get that straight like in pic #1, your about 4-6" too far forward

I remember Davis Phinney saying something WAY back about sprinting. You should brush the backs of your thighs on the nose of the seat when sprinting. Been doing that for the last 19 years.

Also: don't move yer body up and down, angle yer bike side to side when sprinting. Torso should stay relatively still while the bike, arms, and legs go wild underneath you. Don't watch Zabel...

HTH,

M

anybody have a picture of a pro sprinter to compare? I look pretty much like Mr. postal and would like a comparison to the "correct" form

Impressive legs, BTW

Can you say what your top speed is sprinting? Agree with what the others wrote about your form.
You look like a natural for sprinting with your body type.
Good Luck with your racing.
George

First of all, your leg muscles are WAY too defined. You should take a few months off the bike, let them atrophy a bit.

I've been trying to find a photo but all the sprint finish pro shots are from the finishline, head-on.

Tonight's ride was racepace with the local CAT 3's. On all my sprints/attacks I tried moving back and lowering my head. It seemed to correct the wheel skip problem. I doesn't quite feel natural yet but I'll work on it.

Thanks for the responses. And if anyone does find a side shot of a pro sprinting please post it.

all of the above...

get low. pushing all that air negates the sprint somewhat...a lot actually

ass on tip of saddle, then tip of saddle touching or brushing back thighs

back flat, nose to bar


you also have to look a whole lot meaner. get angry

I'm no expert (and a bad sprinter too) but from I saw at some races, agree with the others about you being too high and forward. Looks more like a 'climbing in the drops' stance than a sprinting one.

Your number isn't crumpled enough and it's slowing you way down.

Your helmet color clashes with your jersey.

Bob