How Do I Become A Professional Cyclist? | Ask GCN Anything About Cycling

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  • Опубликовано: 17 ноя 2024

Комментарии • 323

  • @Jamesk6127
    @Jamesk6127 3 года назад +58

    To that one person reading this who wants to become a pro cyclist, you can do it even if you think it is to late, you can, I believe in you even if no one else does, I do. Keep going, and have a wonderful day

    • @1nonlygordy428
      @1nonlygordy428 3 года назад +1

      Very Motivating,Thank You James

    • @jackdonohue6189
      @jackdonohue6189 2 года назад +2

      I guess I fall in that category… thanks for the motivation (it made me cry)!

    • @linusaranha6703
      @linusaranha6703 2 года назад +1

      Ayy thanks man... means alot

    • @dhpug3014
      @dhpug3014 2 года назад +1

      Ty 🚵‍♀️🚴‍♂️

  • @djguydan
    @djguydan 7 лет назад +38

    That's a proper rapid question round Matt. I tip my hat.

  • @deft08
    @deft08 7 лет назад +53

    I know we shouldn't have favourite presenters, but... :)

    • @speedygonzales7147
      @speedygonzales7147 7 лет назад

      deft08 if i could give two or three thumbs up, i'll do it

  • @Ralph-ob5qc
    @Ralph-ob5qc 7 лет назад +39

    #torqueback how does your guys (the legendary GCN presenters) ftp compare now to back in the day when you were professional??

  • @Toastybear1
    @Toastybear1 7 лет назад +1

    I love gcn.... I've just realised how long you've been there for me, every single evening when I get home from work, it's like a warm hug and cup of tea waiting for me on RUclips.
    Perhaps I will buy a t-shirt after all

  • @dannyhanny1191
    @dannyhanny1191 7 лет назад +2

    Halfway through, Matt - you're doing great! Fast, efficient, to the point, speaking clearly.

    • @gcn
      @gcn  7 лет назад

      You may want to thank the editors for that.

    • @dannyhanny1191
      @dannyhanny1191 7 лет назад

      LOL. Poor Matt - we all love to pick on him, but he really was on it for this episode, editing aside.

    • @dannyhanny1191
      @dannyhanny1191 7 лет назад

      :-) Yes, yes you did!

  • @seanbailey317
    @seanbailey317 7 лет назад +17

    How good would Matt Stephens have been if he could have clipped in? I mean he was a national champion without even clipping in...Maybe if he could clip in he would have Won the Tour de France?

  • @larsborgman3443
    @larsborgman3443 7 лет назад +23

    I'm 14 now and I am going to start riding at road races in a year. I just got a decathlon bike (they are great value pls make a review ) with a Sora groupset. I rode a Mountainbike for 6 years and then I started with cyclo cross riding when I was 10.

    • @Leo28039
      @Leo28039 7 лет назад +7

      Lars Borgman good luck bro

    • @hanstuiners8925
      @hanstuiners8925 7 лет назад +1

      Lars Borgman Which bike from decathlon have you bought?

  • @tarasstanko8098
    @tarasstanko8098 7 лет назад

    Chapeau to Matt. The rapid round was really rapid

  • @cycle_365
    @cycle_365 7 лет назад +2

    Chapeau Matt, Fantastic edition of 'Ask GC-Anything' - Love the fact you guys are addressing the speed of the quick fire round ;p

  • @chrisreno8614
    @chrisreno8614 7 лет назад +21

    #torqueback Can you do a "behind the scenes" or "bloopers" episode?

    • @senasplage
      @senasplage 7 лет назад +2

      I second that, it's been a while...

  • @TheImportedPotato
    @TheImportedPotato 7 лет назад +7

    Since you've moved onto team car tours, how long until the broom wagon tour?

  • @Mattijsopdebeeck
    @Mattijsopdebeeck 7 лет назад

    When riding with slower friends. Make it a recovery ride, ride extra before of after. I sometimes ride with slower friends and then a already did my commute.

  • @ClarkyXPH
    @ClarkyXPH 7 лет назад

    Well done Matt. Gotta be the most questions answered in the quick fire round. Stuck it up the rest of the team there.

  • @joshuaang3860
    @joshuaang3860 7 лет назад

    Came here mainly for the title question. Thanks for the answer! Start small

  • @Grudxx
    @Grudxx 7 лет назад +2

    Rapid fire round masterclass

  • @vernefits1953
    @vernefits1953 3 года назад +1

    I live in flat area and to compensate for the lack of hills I try to ride as hard as I can in windy days which are many

  • @TheEverymanReview
    @TheEverymanReview 7 лет назад +14

    #Torqueback with Froome winning the tour 4 times over on Osymetric rings why don't they get more love and acknowledgment?

    • @trashpackgaming6754
      @trashpackgaming6754 7 лет назад

      matthew geraghty Chris froome said himself they are meant for taller riders

  • @samurai-nightcore3411
    @samurai-nightcore3411 6 лет назад +1

    Thanks for the advice GCN!

  • @JMcLeodKC711
    @JMcLeodKC711 7 лет назад +13

    #tourqueback August 4th is only 7 days away. How aero are the three of you now?

  • @Greg41982
    @Greg41982 7 лет назад

    Thanks for that! I was sitting there the other day watching the first stage of La Course up to col d'Izoard, and I'm thinking the whole time, Lizzie Deignan looks just like the "Cycling Shorts" girl from the GCN videos! Go me! I must say, I so wish that more women's professional races would be televised. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, I got to see a lot of women's professional mountain bike races in person (while NORBA was still running things and before the UCI dicked it up :-) and I can tell you, of anyone I have seen ride professionally, Juli Furtado is still one of my absolute favorites.

  • @tdougs77
    @tdougs77 7 лет назад

    Pedaling issues - I would suggest riding the rollers. 30-45min once a twice or week, you'll sharp improve.

  • @eugenyyy3053
    @eugenyyy3053 7 лет назад +7

    #torqueback How to recover morally after a crash?
    Being a novice, my wife has recently crashed on a descent at 50kph. Luckliy she did not break anything, but the crash was quite nasty. Now she feels extremely anxious and panicking sometimes in some uncomfortable situations (riding too close to other riders, on narrow lanes, slow cornering or turning around, etc.), which makes her unstable on the bike and leads to falls from time to time.

    • @MatthewBeedham
      @MatthewBeedham 7 лет назад +3

      I once crashed at around 45-50mph going down a steep hill. Was concussed, and out cold for a minute or two. Thankfully I wasn't alone and somehow rode home, although I didn't remember it. Best thing I recommend is getting back out, perhaps walking around at the location of the crash, try and understand what went wrong, and turn it into a learning experience. Then get out ride it again, build up and get the confidence back.

    • @ShermanSitter
      @ShermanSitter 7 лет назад +6

      this is a great question! ...I've crashed a few times and each time I got more and more cautious. hence...I don't race, only commute. I don't know how the pros do it! With that said, some say i'm crazier to ride in Los Angeles traffic!

    • @splashstrike
      @splashstrike 7 лет назад +3

      I've crashed a few times, the best thing I found was to get back riding as soon as possible or you will get more and more scared of going out. Your wife is already back out so the next thing is to learn from your mistakes and why you crashed. Is it a handling issue, an equipment issue, work out what you can do so it doesn't happen again.
      Most importantly though it takes time to recover mentally, the more miles she riders without crashing the more confident she'll be.

  • @jlyonia
    @jlyonia 7 лет назад

    Can you do a video on bidons? A Day In The Life of a Bidon, maybe? I want to know how many are used per day?
    How many do teams bring to a grand tour? Where do they keep them? How do they keep them cold? Do the team cars get new bottles or just in the back in a huge cooler bin? What about the ones handed out on the side of the road? Cheers!

  • @endemiceden722
    @endemiceden722 7 лет назад

    Awesome rapid fire round!

  • @stormb777
    @stormb777 7 лет назад

    great job Matt with rapid fire. answered more questions but how about mine about compact vs standard frames?

  • @willpiccin-white6674
    @willpiccin-white6674 7 лет назад

    That rapid fire round was rapid!!!

  • @DamnTrue
    @DamnTrue 7 лет назад

    In GCN videos featuring Matt, on average, how many retakes are required due to his maniacal fits of laughter? #TORQUEBACK
    ....Matt is actually my favorite GCN presenter...just taking the "wee".

  • @jamesbyrnes4537
    @jamesbyrnes4537 7 лет назад

    Thanks for all the videos. The info is interesting and thorough. You cover the whole cycling experience, equipment, technique etc.
    Jim Byrnes

  • @rodgu2153
    @rodgu2153 7 лет назад +9

    At the moment all the races at my age are crits. I do a lot of distance and endurance 3-6hours with longer sweet spot/threshold intervals in them etc however this isn't good training for sprints in crits, I'm also no sprinter and considered as a light climber. My question is should I train for the short races at my age or carry on doing my distance rides with intervals which can benefit long term #torqueback

    • @Dr.Schlitz
      @Dr.Schlitz 7 лет назад

      Hire a coach.

    • @rodgu2153
      @rodgu2153 7 лет назад

      MRGRUMPY53 I get told that all the time but my point is that when you get older (I'm 15) you get 4-6 hour races and as a climber you get mountain stages which I pretty much replicate the effort needed. I'm asking train for now or train for later?

  • @jeffrebates6717
    @jeffrebates6717 4 года назад +1

    How often do I need to ride

  • @blatimir
    @blatimir 7 лет назад

    Thanks to whoever cleared up the "It's now time for cycling shorts." enigma! Was wondering that myself. :)

  • @JogieGlenMait16
    @JogieGlenMait16 7 лет назад

    Matt is playing humble boy on his breakaway sprint win.

  • @dylankylehuber-heidorn303
    @dylankylehuber-heidorn303 7 лет назад

    Matt going for a solo break to bring Ask GCN to the finish in record time

  • @monkobillo5806
    @monkobillo5806 7 лет назад

    Question: In pro races are the roads swept beforehand? I am always amazed at the pros riding in areas of the road (like cross hatches) where us normal riders would never go, due to debris and puncture risks.

  • @davidstarr2401
    @davidstarr2401 7 лет назад

    Riding with people slower than you: wear heavy & baggy clothes, unzipped. Cheaper than extra bikes, tyres etc - Aero is everything!

  • @JMise
    @JMise 7 лет назад

    Yeah, Matt is rather ambitious at 10:20 with the amount of stacking needed on the front wheel when training indoors for hills. Since the wheelbase of a road bike is about 100cm, using 10cm rise would give roughly 10% equivalent grade.

  • @CSchaef02
    @CSchaef02 4 года назад +1

    Any stories of people going pro while they’re in their early 30s? I already saw the one about the stock broker

  • @carlheinrichstroebel2602
    @carlheinrichstroebel2602 7 лет назад

    Matt is the king of rapid fire!

  • @richt1732
    @richt1732 7 лет назад +2

    #TorqueBack How fast or good do you have to be until you should start worrying about being aero?

  • @U20101954
    @U20101954 7 лет назад

    i ride with slower friends a lot. for a 120 km ride i'm in the front for ~100 km, riding an old steel frame bike which is ~26 lbs while my friends are riding expensive light weight race bikes which are something like 10 lbs lighter than mine, they still often crack after ~80 km, and i am not fit at all

  • @rmhorn
    @rmhorn 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback, why do splits in a group happen much more in crosswinds as opposed to tail/headwinds?

  • @farturinn
    @farturinn 7 лет назад

    One question: I have a Garmin power meter (left pedal), and recently I have been playing around with my saddle position, pushing it a bit more forward and downwards. Yesterday when reviewing my Garmin stats I noticed that I had been putting out a bit less power on average than I should. When measuring the saddle height I noticed that it was about 5mm too low.
    Does less than optimal saddle height lower power output, or am I just falling out of form. The other variable was that I was cycling in 10 degree Celsius warmer conditions.

  • @ipikture
    @ipikture 7 лет назад

    When riding with slower friends I tend to stay behind and ride on my computer bike and do a lot of single leg drills. The leg that's not working I put my foot up and rest it on the rear rack. Sometimes they get a little annoyed. Lol

  • @DanielPhua
    @DanielPhua 7 лет назад +4

    I'm looking to buy a set of new wheels. What should I look out for? The price range for them are so big and I can't tell the difference other than rim depth and weight differences. #TorqueBack

    • @alz_andre7642
      @alz_andre7642 7 лет назад +1

      Daniel Phua look at the bearings. Check if the wheels have sealed bearings, ceramic, angular bearings, etc. Also look for bladed spokes, and look up the hubs to compare the quality :)

  • @frankvillani9491
    @frankvillani9491 7 лет назад +7

    #TorqueBack What age should juniors start trying to gain sponsors and start racing pro?

    • @frankvillani9491
      @frankvillani9491 7 лет назад

      LewLewLewie thanks! I am 12 am I am in cat 4 and next season racing cat 3

    • @oliverlane97
      @oliverlane97 7 лет назад +2

      Frank Villani You don't do cat racing until you're 16

    • @ShermanSitter
      @ShermanSitter 7 лет назад +1

      when the sponsors start offering more than allowance, I say go for it! :)

    • @frankvillani9491
      @frankvillani9491 7 лет назад +1

      DFTA (Don't Feed The Animals) thanks!

    • @hassannada1866
      @hassannada1866 7 лет назад +1

      Frank Villani You're chatting shit mate

  • @bryandt8401
    @bryandt8401 4 года назад +1

    I barely turned 17 yesterday do you think I can still be professional?

  • @aDotFromTheFuture
    @aDotFromTheFuture 7 лет назад

    Matt crushing the rapid fire round! Well by GCN's standards anyways...

  • @philtran9583
    @philtran9583 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback In a tailwind, is it better to sit up and allow maximum assistance from the wind or remain in an aero position to reduce drag.

  • @Geeraffe
    @Geeraffe 7 лет назад

    @kevinGunaman - try shims or custom insoles for the knee alignment - if you have cash Edco make a pedal especially for wonky knees :)

  • @raphaelrpais
    @raphaelrpais 7 лет назад

    Please Si, bring back those Bono shades!

  • @chuckfinley3542
    @chuckfinley3542 7 лет назад +1

    How does one become a pro bike rider? It helps to be born as Eddy Merckx's love child.

  • @nanusvlgnandu1444
    @nanusvlgnandu1444 5 лет назад

    Disk brake is a good think

  • @carnsoaks1
    @carnsoaks1 7 лет назад

    @7 throw it in a lower gear, and pedal faster, your friends can grind alongside you

  • @mickedensor
    @mickedensor 7 лет назад

    Morning guy's, here's a question AND a challenge for you! I'm looking for some prescription cycling glasses, how's about you guys doing a review of what's available??

  • @schsam19
    @schsam19 7 лет назад

    Matt ist the best at GCN!!!!

  • @marcsato410
    @marcsato410 7 лет назад +2

    What do you do in the off-season (cycling wise)? #torqueback

  • @rossbrannigan5266
    @rossbrannigan5266 7 лет назад

    Has the green jersey been consigned to the puncheur? Are sprinters still the kings of speed across the whole of a Tour? Kittel was already losing ground to Matthews before he retired.

  • @sergeanthorvath
    @sergeanthorvath 7 лет назад

    #torqueback.What is the best position to be on your seat when climbing? I noticed that a lot of the pros seem to be forward on their seat when climbing, but my mates say to sit further back so you can "push" on the pedal earlier in the pedal rotation.

  • @iOllie
    @iOllie 7 лет назад

    GCN's favourite for the Vuelta? One each! #TorqueBack

  • @Xerathful
    @Xerathful 7 лет назад

    What's the expiration date for water bottles? When I change my bottles with new ones?

  • @jeffheck5559
    @jeffheck5559 7 лет назад

    Great rapid fire round, Matt. I am 59 and noticed I use my right leg more than my left. any thoughts or tips?

  • @rubincolwill945
    @rubincolwill945 7 лет назад

    On the last question try riding while holding your brakes I've never tried this much my self but watch a documentary on Chris froome and it said when he lived in Kenya thats what he did

  • @dynosores888
    @dynosores888 7 лет назад

    I have been debating using mountain bike shoes on my road bike. There is more movement on the pedal , but it still feels good.
    Have you ever done a time test to compare Road VS mountain Bike shoes on hills and flats ???

  • @shawnstrode3825
    @shawnstrode3825 7 лет назад +1

    When I was younger, I rode a bicycle for fun and transportation, being American Football player, cycling as a sport was out of the question (6 foot 225 lbs) My grandson is more a proper build. How would you recommend he start out (he's 6 years old)

    • @james1695
      @james1695 7 лет назад

      most pro cyclist are 6foot, the only problem would be your weight.

  • @achimedes4467
    @achimedes4467 7 лет назад

    A race position is always a compromise between aerodynamics and power output - What would an ideal power output position look like, if aerodynamics would be out of the equation, like in indoor races on zwift? #TorqueBack

  • @StuperSteerforth
    @StuperSteerforth 7 лет назад +3

    #torqueback - to get the best training out of my 10 mile commute to work would you recommend riding a single speed or geared bike?

    • @Dr.Schlitz
      @Dr.Schlitz 7 лет назад +4

      I wouldn't recommend riding a single speed bike for anything other than riding on the track.

  • @FlafiMrDawg89
    @FlafiMrDawg89 7 лет назад +3

    #tourqueback I'm 14 and in my city there aren't any teams of cycling. How do i get recognized by "bigger" teams?

  • @andrewhidalgo538
    @andrewhidalgo538 7 лет назад

    What are the best ways to train.

  • @squash_is_life7996
    @squash_is_life7996 7 лет назад

    #torqueback I have a 2005 Specialized Tarmac Comp. I bought it bran new and have taken decent care of. Would you invest in new ancillary gear if nothing is too far gone? Replaced chain, grip tape, etc, but nothing major. +/- 2,000km/year. fyi GCN is the best channel on RUclips!! Well done.

  • @OsellaSquadraCorse
    @OsellaSquadraCorse 7 лет назад

    Matt! According to Danny Nelissen it was the 1995 Tour of Wallonie where you got ill & swept up in the Broom Wagon..with him.
    He included that in telling the tale of his 1995 Junior Worlds win in Colombia - where next time he saw you, in what became the winning break.
    Any tales from the altitude training in Colorado earlier that year.. - did you take part in any of the impromptu races for example? #torqueback #WeDemandAnecdotes

  • @CyberLama95
    @CyberLama95 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback Hi GCN, how much does the type of bike (climbing/endurance/aero bike...) influence your sprint? How much acceleration and top speed difference is there if you use one type or another? Thanks in advance!

  • @EdgarSantana52
    @EdgarSantana52 7 лет назад

    Hi-ho, I am 185 cm and 14 stone. My current training goal is to be able to knock out 100 miles in under 5 hours; current best is 45 miles in 2:45:00 on a fixed gear (sans brakes). My question is this: would it be smarter to first attempt PB's for 'time in the saddle' in order to build up the sheer endurance for a century? or should I keep edging towards higher and higher mileage goals? #torqueback

  • @invadrjim
    @invadrjim 4 года назад

    If you're knee moves inward then either your seat isn't high enough or your feet are on the far side of the pedals. If im not mistaken that would engage more of the crotch muscle which would be less efficient? I'm guessing

  • @jackhenderson7155
    @jackhenderson7155 7 лет назад +1

    Great video

  • @michaelpawlak4785
    @michaelpawlak4785 7 лет назад

    How do you address tight hip flexors, both in training, and while on the bike?

  • @willczero7302
    @willczero7302 7 лет назад

    Is there different braking technique between aluminum braking surface vs carbon braking surface? If so what do you do different on carbon brake surface?

  • @cyclejockey4397
    @cyclejockey4397 7 лет назад

    Good show guys !

  • @damme
    @damme 7 лет назад

    Can you make your knees track straight (as opposed to buckling in) by strengthening your glutees? #TorqueBack

  • @cecilhenry9908
    @cecilhenry9908 7 лет назад

    GCN: When will you show the full completion of that awesome over the water backflip in your opening video??
    I need completion!!! Until then, its like the guy is still floating in space.. upside down.

    • @wPatrickSF
      @wPatrickSF 7 лет назад

      Cecil Henry That is the legendary Martyn Ashton in Road Bike Party 2. The entire video is here on GCN. (Also Road Bike Party and Road Bike Party San Diego.)

  • @koalatouring2754
    @koalatouring2754 7 лет назад

    can you make a review about Tannus tyres vs tubeless, the reason why is: I am a bike courier at Deliveroo holland and I got a lot of punctures in my tyre. sometimes i got the feeing someone is sabotaging me. tanks says that their tyres will never get punctured cause there simply is no inner tube, also no sealing, just some kind of solid tyre.
    I think a lot of people will find this tyre quite interesting.
    From Bill Rotterdam , The netherlands

  • @1xRacer
    @1xRacer 7 лет назад

    Going with slower friends - electric bicycles ! - for them, not for you

  • @rileyvonbevern4652
    @rileyvonbevern4652 7 лет назад

    I'm curious, which GCN presenter would win an Ironman triathlon and who would, hopefully not, drown or end up walking half the marathon until midnight!

  • @tony-pb7zc
    @tony-pb7zc 7 лет назад

    mind giving me one of those bottles at the back?

  • @brewingwithpapa
    @brewingwithpapa 7 лет назад

    Not wanting to cast aspersions on your age Matt, but what is a "catalogue"? Next you will be telling people to use something called a "phone book".

  • @Carmai7
    @Carmai7 7 лет назад

    Simple: find somebody that pays you to ride as hard as can for as long as you can!

  • @posihdun7264
    @posihdun7264 3 года назад

    Wind is like a 400m sprint. It hates you before it even knows you ...

  • @omgaud
    @omgaud 7 лет назад

    I'm having Tour de Hangover. I thoroughly enjoyed the Tour this year. You guys have one of the best channels on RUclips. GCN will tide me over the dark months and brighten Spring of 2018.

  • @tigerbmwm3
    @tigerbmwm3 7 лет назад

    thats alot of GCN bottles below the TV

  • @manuelalvarez7076
    @manuelalvarez7076 7 лет назад

    #torqueback for climbing you always say increase power or loose weight, but for us heavier/husky cyclists (over 90Kg) with good power for flats and downhill, what suggestions do you have other than to suck it up and hate gravity.

  • @ProfGoodlife
    @ProfGoodlife 7 лет назад +1

    The fact that this format is not called "Ask GCNything" bothers me more that it should.

  • @davidrichards6731
    @davidrichards6731 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback I noticed when you check out a bike and you do a free hub sound check it makes a ratcheting sound. I thought where there is noise, there is friction. Wouldn't a quiet hub be more efficient?

  • @JosephLycettCycling
    @JosephLycettCycling 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback . Hi guys, hope you're all well. I had a nasty crash a couple of years ago and now struggle to hold the wheel ahead of me because I'm nervous of crashing again. Do you have any tips to improve any advice would be welcome. Love your videos and keep up the good work.

  • @ilikelampshades6
    @ilikelampshades6 7 лет назад

    What do you think of Q rings? I tried them very briefly and found them much faster but then I got knee pain when climbing out of the saddle so went back to round rings. Love to know your thoughts on them

  • @jordan5430
    @jordan5430 7 лет назад

    #torqueback , This is a rather easy question. What are GCN's favorite ways of storing their bikes and any recommendations on the best ways to for followers to store theirs?

  • @piecebypiece8754
    @piecebypiece8754 7 лет назад

    I just completed a FTP test at 261 watts. What training would you suggest to raise my ftp to 300 watts and in what time frame would you think this is possible.

  • @rooadamson
    @rooadamson 7 лет назад

    broom wagon!

  • @joysenoner8827
    @joysenoner8827 7 лет назад +2

    #torqueback What do the pro riders do with their old bikes, is there any chanche to get your hands on one?

    • @KingpinRonin
      @KingpinRonin 7 лет назад +1

      Joy senoner I got my first carbon bike from a former racer. He donated it to a local bike charity. They sold it for thousands less than the list price! I'd say look for a bike charity in your city that does the same.

  • @marcsato410
    @marcsato410 7 лет назад +1

    #torqueback what difference does body type make between climbers, gc riders and sprinters

  • @ZahidA-R
    @ZahidA-R 7 лет назад

    #torqueback What would you say are the first and basic things you should learn about yourself when begginning to use a powermeter?