How many days on/off?

phreak

Since I've started commuting to work it isn't uncommon for me to ride every day of the week, and my legs are beginning to suffer a bit. Is there a general rule for how many days of riding before having a breather? Is one day off a week enough?

redddraggon

I used to ride to work everyday, and ride at the weekend.

phreak

You must be made of sterner stuff than me

chuckcork

I used in London to be cycling to work too, where I was only doing 100km a week, and was aching quite a bit more than I do now, riding to work every day still (but with a much longer trip and Sunday rides as well now its 230-360km a week.

One difference is I'm now taking some protein supplements from Holland & Barrett, Amino 1000, the difference after I started taking them was remarkable. I still feel it of course, mainly on the day I don't usually ride (Saturday) but nowhere near as bad as it was.

kafkathedog

Depends on the person and the length of the commute.

I would have at least one day off, or failing that leave earlier on a commuting day and ride slower in an easy gear.

richa

How far is your commute?

chuckcork

RichA wrote:

How far is your commute?

What kind of bike? Lightweight road bike with high pressure tyres, or heavy mountain bike that takes forever to get anywhere?

What kind of riding? 100% effort, or much less?

Both will have an impact, as well as how you are dressed, whether you have a recovery drink after (if the ride is long enough) and so on.

phreak

It's not a very long commute to be honest, only 7-8km each way but I try and go pretty fast.

chuckcork

phreak wrote:

It's not a very long commute to be honest, only 7-8km each way but I try and go pretty fast.

Thats about 15 minutes of riding? Not allowing for lights of course....

If you took it easy you'd probably get there in much the same time, suggest slowing down and doing what you body tells you, taking it easy when tired and spinning instead, and only doing the hard sprints in a 52/12 combination when feeling strong enough for it.

incog24

chuckcork wrote:

I
One difference is I'm now taking some protein supplements from Holland & Barrett, Amino 1000

Apparently about 10% of H&B products are contaminated with banned substances which has sort of put me off them...

doyler78

incog24 wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

I
One difference is I'm now taking some protein supplements from Holland & Barrett, Amino 1000

Apparently about 10% of H&B products are contaminated with banned substances which has sort of put me off them...

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

chuckcork

incog24 wrote:

chuckcork wrote:

I
One difference is I'm now taking some protein supplements from Holland & Barrett, Amino 1000

Apparently about 10% of H&B products are contaminated with banned substances which has sort of put me off them...

Somewhat ironically I type into Google "Holland Barrett Products Contaminated Amino" and this thread comes up with the first two hits on the search results,now first three I don't doubt after this posting!

TheGreatGatsby

5 days a week commuting - about 60 miles a day plus a 50-100miler on sunday. Saturday is restday from the bike.

Gats

incog24

chuckcork wrote:

Somewhat ironically I type into Google "Holland Barrett Products Contaminated Amino" and this thread comes up with the first two hits on the search results,now first three I don't doubt after this posting!

Yeah I can't find a decent source on the net either. I was told this by my weights coach at uni this year, and I've got every reason to believe him as he competes in the clean weightlifting competitions and so would have lots to lose by getting it wrong. He made it sound basically like you get what you pay for, H&B is cheaper and so quality control is worse.

incog24

Although maybe he was wrong...(I hope so seeing as I've got loads of stuff too!)

http://www.multipoweruk.com/InformationPage.aspx?PageID=2