Different Terms in Cycle Fitness

Time Triallist

The Basic Levels of Cycling Fitness:

• Aerobic capacity. The ability to ride for long periods of time at low levels of intensity. This is increased by cycling at a relatively low intensity, 60% of Heart rate. It is often known as the ‘base level of fitness’. A base level of fitness is needed before moving on to increasing the areas which determine greater speed. For a tourist this aerobic capacity is the most important. But, it is still important for whatever kind of riding you do.
• Aerobic Power. The ability to perform high end endurance work lasting between 3 and 8 minutes
• Intensity Threshold: The highest level of power that you can maintain for a sustained period without experiencing rapid fatigue. This is the level you are aiming in a 10 mile or 25 mile time trial. Riding at your threshold you need to be able to remove lactic acid at the same rate that it is created. See: Threshold training
• Muscular endurance. The strength of muscles to withstand hard efforts up hills or in sprints.
• Pain Tolerance. The ability to continue to work at a high rate whilst experiencing pain. This is related to lactic acid tolerance. When riding at threshold or just above, lactic acid will build up. The ability to withstand lactic acid is a key factor in determing the intensity with which you can ride. See: Interval Training Tips

Muscle Types used in Cycling

• Slow Oxidative. Uses a mixture of fat and carbohydrate as fuel. These are used in sustained riding and makes use of aerobic capacity, aerobic power and intensity threshold.
• Fast Oxidative glycolytic. Uses carbohdryate for a faster more intense effort. Still resistant to fatigue.
• Fast Glycolytic. Relies on carbohydrate and high energy phosphate. Used in high power activities such as sprinting. It leads to rapid fatigue onset and tests explosive power and pain tolerance.

In simpler terms these are often referred to as fast twitch or slow twitch. A sprinter will have a genetic predisposition to have more fast twitch muscles. A long distance time trilaist will have more slow oxidative and fast oxidative.

Related

• Tips for improving cycle fitness
• Training for cyclo sportive
• Principles of cycle training – stress and recovery
• Cycle Training tips