​​Free Cycling Training Assessment

Cyclists can spend an extraordinary amount of money chasing performance. Supplements promise better recovery. Wearables promise better training decisions. Ketones promise another fuel source. Ceramic components and aero equipment promise free watts.

But which purchases actually provide enough benefit to justify the cost?

CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford evaluates seven popular cycling purchases through the lens of performance per dollar. He digs into supplements, recovery wearables, ketones, cryotherapy, ceramic drivetrain components, altitude masks, and aero socks – looking at what the evidence supports, where marketing gets ahead of the science, and where athletes may be better off investing instead.

HOST

Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• Australian Institute of Sport: Group A | ASC
• BCAA’s for performance: https://examine.com/supplements/leucine/?show_conditions=true
• Cryotherapy for Recovery: Whole-body cryotherapy for preventing and treating muscle soreness after exercise | Cochrane
• Ketones for Performance:
  • Do ketone esters spare glycogen and improve performance?
  • Perspective: Ketone Supplementation in Sports—Does It Work? - PMC
  • https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12821275/
• Oversized Pulley Wheels: https://ceramicspeed.com/pages/10-ways-to-minimize-drivetrain-friction?utm_source=chatgpt.com

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment

Preparing for your first gravel race can quickly become more complicated than it needs to be. What bike do you need? How wide should your tires be? What pressure should you run? What happens if you flat? How much should you eat? And how fit do you actually need to be?

CTS Head Cycling Coach Adam Pulford strips gravel racing back to the essentials. He covers the bike and equipment you actually need, fueling strategy, flat repair, tire selection and pressure, navigation, training, and why spending time riding real gravel is one of the best ways to prepare.

HOST

Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• How to change a flat & fix a puncture:
  • Gravel Bike Outside: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sm5UrDKZsss
  • How to Plug a puncture tubeless: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kgs3Iq36mZg
  • Effortless tip: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/lsoCr_a8wwI
• Tire Pressure Calculators:
  • Silca: https://silca.cc/pages/pro-tire-pressure-calculator?srsltid=AU7gw4VeflE3QaGaC5X2NSoV3l-6xNcHEsFH740xLSPyKAUzEcDo2eEk
  • SRAM: https://axs.sram.com/guides/tire/pressure

Your wearable gives you a recovery score every morning, but how much should that number influence your training?

Adam Pulford breaks down the information coaches actually use when evaluating readiness, including subjective feel, life stress, recent training load, sleep, resting heart rate, and HRV. He also explains why he pays far less attention to proprietary readiness scores and detailed wearable sleep metrics, and why trends are often more useful than one morning’s score.

HOST

Adam Pulford has been a CTS Coach for nearly two decades and holds a B.S. in Exercise Physiology. He's participated in and coached hundreds of athletes for endurance events all around the world.

​​Free Cycling Training Assessment: https://trainright.com/cycling-training-assessment-welcome/

Interested in working with a coach? Schedule a free consult: https://trainright.com/coaching/cycling/

Self-coached athlete? Check out our TrainRight Membership: https://trainright.com/membership/

Find more free resources here: https://trainright.com/blog/

Resources:

• Miller, Sargent & Roach, 2022 — Validation of six wearable devices
• Dial et al., 2025 — Nocturnal RHR and HRV validation
• Schyvens et al., 2024 — Systematic review of wearable sleep accuracy
• Manresa-Rocamora et al., 2021 — HRV-guided training meta-analysis
• Steve House/Uphill Athlete — Practical coaching interpretation
• Jason Koop/CTS — Practical HRV recommendations
  • https://trainright.com/practical-heart-rate-variability-recommendations-for-ultrarunners/?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• Marco Altini — Wearable HRV measurement critique
  • https://marcoaltini.substack.com/p/trusting-the-right-tool-for-the-job?utm_source=chatgpt.com
• TrainingPeaks — WHOOP integration documentation
• TrainingPeaks — Oura integration documentation
• TCC HRV Interview with Jason Koop:
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-time-crunched-cyclist-podcast-by-cts/id1494799053?i=1000625446661
• Using Subjective Feedback to Drive Performance with Natàlia Balagué and Lluc Montull | Koopcast Episode 155
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/koopcast/id1489494447?i=1000587345880
• The Case For HRV with Marco Altini:
  • https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/koopcast/id1489494447?i=1000544394187