Training
If you are looking for some easy improvements to your general fitness and speed, these tips may be worth trying. Of course, there is no such thing as a real short cut. If you want to get fitter, you will probably have to spend more time training. But, still there are some simple ways to get fitter on the bike.
Train at a Higher Intensity. If you have only seven hours a week for training for a cyclo sportive, don’t just go out and ride a bike for seven hours. At least three or four hours of this training should be at a higher intensity. If you just ride in your comfort zone, you will improve your aerobic capacity, but, by training at a higher intensity, you will gain more power which will make riding long distances easier. This is the advantage of power meter training – your training can become more focused and targetted.
Hydration and Proper Food. Many newcomers and (even experienced cyclists) can make mistakes in becoming dehydrated or lacking in energy. Make sure you are fully hydrated before a ride and eat enough during the ride to maintain reasonable energy supplies. Be careful of not drinking or eating just because you don’t feel like it. Once you reach a certain level of fitness, it is said, the only limit to the distance you can cycle is your food supplies.
Finding extra Time. We all live busy lives, finding time to train can be quite difficult. But, if you really try hard, there are probably ways to incorporate cycling into your daily life. Try commuting to work (or just part of the commute). Try doing your shopping on your bike or go out for a ride during your lunch hour. If we are inventive we can find more time to cycle in the week.
Short Rides are good. Don’t think a good training ride has to be two hours plus. Even a focused 30 minute ride can help maintain fitness. It is great to develop a regularity of training even if it is short.
One Long Ride every two weeks. If you are training for a long ride, then you may get away with doing a longer training ride just every fortnight.
Ride With Other People. Riding on our own we can easily slip into a comfort zone where there is little incentive to stretch ourselves and improve. A little bit of competition / company can be good for spurring us on. Find a local club or like minded cyclist. This will also help to beat the boredom of long rides.
Lose a Few Pounds. Cycling can be a great way to lose weight. If you lose a few pounds you will notice the difference.
Spin a Bigger Cadence. Many beginners get into the habit of churning a big gear. This seems the most powerful, but these kinds of muscles can tire easily. Learning to spin a lower gear and higher cadence develops the use of your aerobic muscle fibres which help to increase stamina and ability to ride long distance. After learning to spin low gears you can then work on increasing muscle strength as well.
Identify Your Aims. Sometimes our riding lacks a clear purpose and goal. We just go out when we it’s a nice day. If we have a clear goal to work towards, it definitely helps. If we know we have a 200km cycle sportive in two months time – it certainly focuses the mind!
Going Faster with same Fitness
Pump Up Your Tyres. On my time trial bike, I pump my tyres to 150-160psi, it’s not exactly comfortable on a bumpy road, but, it is faster. Many people ride on tyres too flat. Try pumping up your tyres from 70psi to 100psi, it will make a big difference.
Change Your Chain regularly. If you’ve spent £1,000 on a brand new bike, don’t neglect to change your chain at regular intervals, a worn chain soon loses its most efficient transmission mechanism.
Find a Better Position. If comfortable try a slightly more aerodynamic position. It will be worth more than saving kilos of weight from your bike.
see also: tips to increase efficiency of cycling
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