're hopping on your bike to prepare for a triathlon or just to diversify your training, you can expect to become a better runner as a result.To reap all the benefits of cycling, however, you first need a bike. Will that old clunky machine in the back

's leading Ironman Triathlete: "For me the cycling section of a triathlon is so important. It can give me minutes on my opposition and when I am fit on the bike I am able to run even better off the bike." Time spent cycle training is worth its weight in gold

in your quads.The bike leg is the longest and most strategic part of any triathlon, so it’s crucial to make the most of it. Your bike training should always include a long ride at a slower pace and lower heart rate (just like running, they’re usually done

There's no need to suffer from adrenaline withdrawal when the  triathlon season draws to a close. There are loads of cycle sportives around at this time of year to tempt you to go long and stay strong on the bike. Sportives are the cycling version

The peloton of the Tour de France might be unfamiliar territory to most triathletes, but sooner or later you're likely to find yourself training or racing in a bunch. Group rides are a great way to put in some miles, learn new skills and meet other

outside pedal down (right turn, left foot down) with pressure on that foot. To initiate the turn, lean the bike – not your body – into the turn (right turn, lean bike right). The action is similar to downhill skiing: the lower body angles into the turn

If you steer clear of interval training on the bike, thinking it's complicated, you're not alone. But you can benefit from interval training that consists of simple efforts requiring nothing more than a watch.In an Australian study of 38 cyclists

to Train, at www.coachcarl.comREFINE YOUR MOTOR SKILLS...For the swim you practise pulls and kicks. For the run you do strides and form drills. But for the bike, practising specific skills is rare, and that's a mistake, says Cantrell, who suggests

and is a great way to fit training into your schedule.Many triathletes don't ride at lunchtime because they feel a ride needs to be long to be worthwhile, but that's not true. Others are discouraged by common, but easily sidestepped, challenges

Some climbs loom in the distance for what seems like miles, giving us plenty of time to think about how much pain they're going to cause. "People get very intimidated by hills," says Jim Rutberg, a Carmichael Training Systems pro-level coach who