A new study suggests that a caffeine placebo can provide a boost in cycling performance. In the study, researchers assembled a group of six well-trained male cyclists who each rode a 10km time trial after receiving what they believed was a 0mg (placebo), 4.5mg, or 9mg dose of caffeine. All doses were in fact a 0mg placebo. After riding two baseline time-trials, cyclists who thought they had taken a placebo dose, showed a 1.3% decrease in power output, while cyclists who believed they had been given a non-placebo dose showed a power increase of 1.3% at 4.5mg, and 3.1% at 9mg.

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Posted by David at 4:52 PM | Permalink

The question of whether it is better to stand or sit while riding is one of the oldest in cycling. To try and come up with an answer, PezCycling’s resident doctor, Stephen Chung, took a look at a French study in which eight elite-level cyclists were subject to a series of standing and seated riding tests done on a variety of gradients. Saving you a whole lot of details and technical jargon, Chung says the research concluded that standing, while more stressful, is as efficient as sitting when you consider the additional power a rider can generate when standing. Chung points out that a cyclist need to consider two points. First he says, riders should work on their form in an effort to minimize fatigue while standing; and second he says that heavier riders might realize greater efficiency while seated.

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Posted by David at 1:04 PM | Permalink