Biking Tips to Tackle the Triathlon
The 24.8-mile (40-kilometer) bike segment of an Olympic-distance triathlon, sandwiched between the swimming and running portions, is the longest of the three disciplines—and the most critical to winning the overall race. It’s where you can make up or lose the most time. For performance-optimizing tips, National Geographic Adventure asked Susan Williams, 2004 Olympic bronze medalist in triathlon and the only American to medal in the sport to date. During her race in Athens, Williams suffered a crash near the end of the bike course and was passed by a handful of cyclists, but got back in the saddle quickly and chased down the competition for a spot on the podium. Here are Williams’s tips for mastering cycling for triathlon. 1. ADD AERO BARS Triathlon-specific time trial bikes are different from traditional road bikes in that they have tighter geometries: A triathlon bike has a more compact frame to get your body in an aerodynamic position to cut down on drag. But they...