HELPING CYCLISTS CRUSH

 

The expert guidance you need to reach your potential on the bike.

 Now’s the time

Are you ready to get stronger? There comes a time when things just line up. Maybe it’s a big goal, you’re tired of where your fitness is, or life circumstances finally give you a chance to put more focus on riding. Whatever the case may be, you know you have to take advantage of the opportunity. You want to find someone who gets it and gets what you’re trying to do. Someone who has been down the path you’re about to take and can guide you along the way. Someone who can see your true potential and has taken others down this path before!

I’ve been an every day cyclist for over 20 years, and come from slow, out of shape, and humble beginnings. I’ve completely transfomed myself, and am on a mission to show you how you can do it too. I do this through 1×1 coaching and sharing my process on YouTube. I desire to transform your riding both now and for years to come!  I’d love to chat about what you want to do, so click the button below to set something up!

Testimonials

I finally called Erik in January of 2022.  I’d just spent the past 18 mo. riding my bike, trying to train myself into something that resembled the Cat. 1 cyclist I was 25 yrs ago; and I was failing miserably.  I’d drifted very far from the bike racer I once was; smoked for 20 years, ballooned up to 307 lbs, and was damn near diabetic.  I had worked my weight down some and stopped smoking, but that was about it, I couldn’t seem to get anywhere else, I was lost.  But I wanted more and knew I needed help to get it.  So, I hatched a very ambitious plan.  I told Erik that in three years, I wanted to be competitive at a National Level as a Masters Cyclist.  He didn’t flinch.  He explained that in three years, with some very consistent and focused work, it could be done.  So we set about on a long term plan, building my engine slowly and getting a handle on my nutrition.  Still harboring thoughts that I knew how to train, I challenged some things and completely disregarded others, and I paid for it.  I finally put all of my trust into the plan… and shit just went off from there.  We work on my nutrition together and I’ve sustainably lost 19lbs in 3mo, with more on the way.  My power on the bike has been growing by 10-12% every 2 months (!), and I started from the bottom.  Erik is a student of the game, using all the data available to ‘build’ you into something different.  I use the word ‘build’, cause that is what it feels like.  We are now 9 months into our 3 year plan and the gains are noticeable; during the workouts, on the group rides; the ‘engine’ is getting bigger.  And that is making this shit fun!
47 yrs old, 255 lbs, Cat 4 (Road, MTB, Cyclocross)
Wes Hamilton

I have been training with Erik for the past year after an accident and subsequent surgery. I trust him as my coach because of his long history of racing bikes at a high-level and his extensive knowledge of health, fitness, and wellness as a coach. His background as an engineer, proves invaluable with his ability to analyze and interpret the data produced by my workouts.

I am pleased with the different levels of coaching services offered by TRO Cycling. Erik produces programs that work around my schedule and allow me to complete 10-15 hours a week on the bike and still see gains in my fitness.

It’s so nice to have a coach in my local community. He understands the events I race in and the areas I worked out in. I absolutely recommend his coaching services to any cyclist seeking gains in their fitness.

Jeff Smith

Erik really understands how to incorporate a solid training plan with a busy work/life schedule. And the results speak for themselves – I saw a 34 watt increase in FTP over just a few months while working a demanding job. I really appreciated his explanations of why we were doing the things we were doing, and it’s also motivating to see him practicing what he preaches in his own training. His program made me so much stronger!

Jason Rose

As my teenage son’s interest in cycling moved from recreational to competitive, I knew he needed more professional coaching than what I or a local team could provide.  We met with Coach Erik and after hearing about his engineering background, racing experience and personalized, methodical approach to coaching, we signed up for one on one coaching.  Best decision ever.

My son experienced tremendous gains in strength, endurance, and confidence.  He has truly been a student-athlete, gaining insights and understanding about training, nutrition, and recovery that will last a lifetime.  Weekly training plans and meetings bring a much needed level of accountability and real-time feedback.  I would highly recommend Erik for any cyclist wanting to maximize performance in the most efficient manner possible.

Jon Walchle

I was looking for a coach to elevate my cycling skills and I came across Erik on Facebook and I’m so glad I took the chance! With Erik’s personalized coaching I was able to exceed goals in endurance, climbing, and intensity. My riding before was constant “go hard” which put unnecessary strain on my body. I wasn’t able to go on long rides without stopping for breaks. But now I am able to do long rides at a fast pace without feeling worn out. The funnest part is knowing that I’m able to do big rides/races where before I couldn’t keep up with all those. I look forward to the continued growth in riding and endurance!

Klaus Tafta

Erik has written training plans over the years for me for all types of events and seasons.  I can always count on him to put a lot of attention and focus into creating a plan, and the best part is his communication.  He’s great with discussing what your needs and goals are and explaining how that translates into your training plan.

Michael Ott

Erik’s coaching has been outstanding. He thoughtfully put together a training plan built around my goals. His coaching addresseed both my cycling strengths and weaknesses and pushed me appropriately. He took the time to listen to my feeback, provided his own feedback, continuously adjusted the plan, and pushed me towards my goals. Erik has a great understanding of cycling physiology and even made training enjoyable. I am very happy with the results I achieved through Erik’s coaching!

Jonathan Youell

The newest bike or better components will always be tempting, however, they will never give you strength, speed, and endurance like a good coaching program. I would recommend Erik to anyone looking for a custom-tailored program using proven techniques that maximize time commitments while preventing overtraining. Erik’s passion for cycling and personable approach makes me look forward to each conversation. He is understanding, encouraging and makes me excited to get back out there training with an appreciation for each ride. In just six months Erik and his program helped me achieve what I thought was impossible. This spring I was an untrained weekend warrior in my mid-30s, always reliving my glory days of racing. This fall I completed my first 100 mile gravel race, weighing less and having more power than in my 20s.

Pete Carlisle

Working with Erik has not only improved my performance—an almost 40 watt increase to my 20-minute power—but has made me enjoy cycling more. 

I’ve been working with Erik for six months after burning out on other training programs with fatigue and worse performance. Erik did a deep dive on my previous training and discussed my lifestyle, goals and concerns. He was quick to create a plan that made sense and took into account my current fitness and fatigue.

In addition to improvements in my sprint and 5- and 20-minute power, I am more motivated to cycle and feel better while doing it. I look forward to our weekly calls to discuss how training has been going, and he is always quick to answer random questions I send his way.

It’s still early, but given what I’ve experienced already, I am excited to continue working with Erik.

Mark Biales

I found coach Erik and have been working with him for 3 or 4 months. Over that period of time, I have had significant results, as we mainly focused on increasing threshold power, which my body seemed to respond to really well. Initially, my FTP was 150 and has been climbing to 183. At first it was tough and as I expressed my recovery and rest days. As a result he was able to adjust and accommodate my training, all while encouraging me to rest & recover on rest days. Another great thing about working with Erik is that when you share how much time you are able to allocate for training, he is able to build the right training plan around your work/life/goals. Partnering with Erik has been an incredible experience for overall improvement and for achieving the goals we have worked collaboratively to create for my cycling life. Big Thank You to Erik for the gains!

Darren Haynes

1×1 Coaching Packages

Weekly Chats

The most popular option, a traditional coaching program. With weekly check-ins, this gives you the best chance to reach your potential.
Learn More

Monthly Chats

For cyclists who want a custom training plan and consistent workout feedback. We’ll talk once per month to check in, and your plan will be aligned to your season goals.
Learn More

My Approach to 1×1 Coaching

1. Establish your roadmap

We’ll start by establishing a high-level roadmap for the next 6-9 months. In this roadmap (ATP), we’ll set general goals for your season and plan a strategy for how we’re going to achieve those goals. We’ll account for all family & work travel, plus account for the time it will take to reach peak fitness.

This is a working strategy document that you’ll be able to see and edit as you train. We’ll reference it every week to make sure we’re on track and to make any neccessary adjustments. If you want to learn, I share my entire thought process as we work through it.

 

2. Customize Each Training Block

Each month, I’ll post your custom plan (or block) to your TrainingPeaks account (I’ll show you how to sync it to your headunit so that you can easily follow along).

Your custom plan will be set to the perfect amount of work for your current fitness level. It’ll also incorporate the right amount of intensity for your goals (not too much, not too little). Additionally, it’ll take into account your strengths and weaknesses, the demands of your event(s), and schedule. There will be plenty of flexibility built in as well, depending on what works best for you.

 

3. Provide Insights 

I’ll review each of your rides and provide any insights I may see (within 24 hrs). I look at a lot of things! Periodically we’ll throw in a structured test to guage how you’re doing, and this allows us to figure out what works best for you.

My style definitely leans towards positive reinforcement.  If you’re looking for a drill-sergeant type coach, I am not your best pick. Your enjoyment of the process is paramount to me. When you’re having fun and feeling like you’re making progress, everything falls into place!

ABOUT

 

Hi, I’m Erik Knudsen, a professional cycling coach. Riding and training on the bike is my outlet. It’s where I like to think, take in views, enjoy peace & silence, breath fresh air, get away, challenge myself, go deep, take it easy, catch up with friends, and generally feel good. I’ve been married for 22 years and we have two boys (17 and 15). We’re in a transition between dogs, and we hope to add one to the family again soon. I also ski and climb!

I’ve been progressing in the sport for over 20 years, and continue to try to take things up a level every year. Part of that is helping others who are on their own paths. I enjoy trying to understand things from a client’s perspective, and then using the depth and breadth of my own experience and knowledge to give insight to help them on their own journeys.

My professional background is extensive in engineering and program management within the tech industry. I left the tech industry to coach, and I did that full time for 4 years. In 2023, a client from my “cycling training mastery” course offered me an incredible opportunity in the architecture field, with his new firm. The opportunity was too good to pass up, and it allows me to continue coaching independently. For this reason I’ve scaled down on the number of athletes I accept. But it also means I’m able to invest more mental attention on each individual athlete than a typical coach. It’s a truly rewarding experience on both sides. I’ll tell you when I’m full up front.

TrainingPeaks Level 2 Certified Coach • USA Cycling Level 3 Pro Coach • NICA Level 2 Coach • Safe Sport Certified • BS & MS Degrees (NCState, Michigan State) • 9 yrs Engineering • 8 yrs International Program Management • cat 2 road • cat 1 XC • 100+ mile gravel enthusiast

 

Individualized Training

“Training that recognizes the unique physiology of the individual athlete, allowing for specific, highly-focused diagnostic analysis, training prescription, and individualized performance analytics to improve training efficiency and effectiveness.”

-Tim Cusik, WKO Product Lead and Master Coach

 Your Coach

Choosing a coach can be a tough decision. You need someone who is technically savvy on effective training techniques, who understands all of the variables that go into optimal training and performance, who can make proper adjustments to your program, and who can ultimately get you faster. Above all your coach has to be someone you trust and respect, and someone who truly wants to see you reach your goals. I’d love to talk, answer any of your questions, and explore if there’s a match!