Sprinting question from a non-sprinter.

[themosquitoking]

I ride a Defy, it does exactly what i was looking for in that i can ride it for miles without being uncomfortable. Occasionally when i'm out a bit of fast riding and the odd sprint happen, and pride insists that i take part, and it's been fine for that too but last Friday i attended a kiddies cycle club type thing. I was with a friend whose son and mate go, the kids get charged but under the pretence that us adults know something we go free. The cycle club takes place at a local running track and basically we were just doing laps at a steady pace doing exercises but the odd sprint broke out now and then and it felt like everyone was giving as much as they could, me included, more possibly than i should have at certain points. Now after all that comes the question, hopefully you're still with me. When i was properly putting the power through the pedals my front wheel started bouncing about a bit, is this due to the bike geometry or my position on the bike or being in the wrong gear or do i just put out more watts than modern bikes can handle?

 

[MrWill]

It's just your technique.

 

[Ian H]

a) Check your tyres are up to pressure.
b) Out of the saddle your weight should be over the bars; you shouldn't be pulling up on them.

 

[raleighnut]

Too high a gear, you should be spinning a bit more.

 

[User6179]

Your pulling up on the handlebars as you push down on the pedals as you should do while sprinting , would be quite hard not to I would say.

 

[Ian H]

Your pulling up on the handlebars as you push down on the pedals as you should do while sprinting , would be quite hard not to I would say.

Not if you're in the right position on the bike. Your head should be forward of the bars, arms taking the weight of the upper body. Here's a video showing it.

 

[User6179]

Not if you're in the right position on the bike. Your head should be forward of the bars, arms taking the weight of the upper body. Here's a video showing it.

Go to about a minute on the video and watch the guy pulling up on the bars .

 

[MickeyBlueEyes]

do i just put out more watts than modern bikes can handle?

You must be an absolute beast of a sprinter if you do!

 

[themosquitoking]

You must be an absolute beast of a sprinter if you do!

Yeah i am, over 10 meters i'll take anyone.

 

[sreten]

Hi,

Its a question of getting the power through the pedals and not lifting the front.
Given I'm 55 on a 20" shopper i can lift the front wheel going uphill, with
a poor riding position, I'd say get more forward sprinting, i wouldn't say
modern bikes are incapable of handling your immense capabiltities.

rgds,sreten.