# Sprinting help



## tjcoogan (Mar 4, 2008)

Hi Coaches

It seems almost every time I do max effort sprints on the flats and in the hills, I get the rear wheel hopping of the road. I am assuming this is a subject of poor body position and bad technique. 

Is it just a matter of putting more body weight over the rear wheel and relaxing my grip on the handlebars? It is difficult to tell what I am actually doing during my sprints as I never seem to thinks too much about my technique until after I have finished my efforts and I then realised what has just happened. 

Your help and constructive advice s on how to improve my body mechanics during sprint will be greatly appreciated.


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## flyboy50 (Mar 13, 2007)

How long have you been riding for? One of the things that I have noticed (after 4 years of riding, 3 racing) is that pedaling out of the saddle takes a lot of practice, and the more you do it the better you get. I realize that you're talking about sprinting, but I think it helps if you're really comfortable dancing on the pedals/getting out of the saddle while climbing or something else. Your legs basically do the same thing. The smoother you get your pedal stroke out of the saddle, the better off you'll be. You could also try sprinting but not quite all out, and concentrate more on smoothly rocking the bike and keeping the pedal stroke smooth. It should be a pretty fluid motion.

You also mentioned that it was primarily your back wheel, so that tells me that you just need to keep your weight back a little bit more. Don't relax your grip on the handlebars, you need to hold them tightly.


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## slideeslide (Feb 1, 2007)

Where on the bars are your hands? Hoods or drops?


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## Johnnysmooth (Jun 10, 2004)

Disagree, do not have a tight grip on the bars - firm yes, but NOT tight. The only time I really tighten the grip is when I'm in the drops and do my standing jump at the beginning of my sprint. After that settle back in and drive it hard.

As for back wheel hopping around, that is just a matter of being too far forward over the bars. Move your a** back slightly (I like to feel nose of saddle barely brushing back of thighs when doing that standing jump). Remember, that jump should be no more than about 10 revolutions.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

Johnnysmooth said:


> As for back wheel hopping around, that is just a matter of being too far forward over the bars. Move your a** back slightly (I like to feel nose of saddle barely brushing back of thighs when doing that standing jump).


That's been my experience as well. As a junior, I somehow thought that initiating a sprint meant simultaneous lungeing forward over the bars. After a more experienced rider set me straight, no more rear wheel hopping. The saddle-brushing-the-thigh thing is an excellent aid.

You might also want to check on what you do with your knees. While driving the knees powerfully up and forward helps in getting up to speed, it also makes some riders pull up too hard on the back stroke. If you feel like you're doing that, ease off a little on the knee drive and put some of that force into the down stroke—in plain language, stomp more.

Last but not least, practice sprinting _technique_ every so often. Put sprint acceleration and speed on the back burner and concentrate strictly on body position and how you apply pedal forces during the crank circle.


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## kbiker3111 (Nov 7, 2006)

Spin Spin Spin. Practice sprinting above 120, 130 rpms (get a computer with cadance). If you can lift up your rear wheel at 150 rpms, I'll be impressed.


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## tjcoogan (Mar 4, 2008)

Thanks so much for the advice every one. 

I have been riding socially for years but racing for only a few months so I think I am trying to go too fast too quick (in my development that is). I try to start my flat sprints in the drops however if I'm in the hills I will only sprint using the hoods, I've never tried it in the drops. I do note that when climbing out of the saddle my knees are about 10mm from the bars on a good pitch. 

I will try to concentrate on smooth fluid technique maybe increase the cadence and think about the position my leg is in during the power delivery to limit the up stroke issue. I will try the seat brushing my thigh idea as a good start at trying to minimise my body lunging forward. I too would be impressed if I could just sprint at 130rpm and also see my cadence readout. Many thanks all.


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