Riding slower = harder/more tiring ?

weeksy59

So, as you may have seen yesterday me and Stumpy did Skyline at Afan again, cutting our time taken by 40%.

Remarkably i was vastly better at the end of it, not nearly as tired and could have probably done it again if i had to (which is handy as in Sept i DO have to).

our overall speed was obviously considerably higher, with little/no breaks apart from me waiting for him on a few climbs.

Any thoughts on it being easier at your own normal pace ? than going slow and pacing a mate ? Other time we did Skyline i was running the same pace as one of the other boys as it's a social thing as much as anything.

It's giving me a fair few things to ponder for the Afan Monster in Sept.

Do i run my own pace and miss out riding with the lads ?
Do i run hard and see if i can get to the checkpoint for the 100km ?

.blitz

FWIW I find riding at someone else's pace - whether it's faster or slower - is torture, which is why I've ridden solo since 1996.

I can only ride at my own pace.

glauciaregina9

You've hit the nail on the head with this one - everyone has a natural pace at which they exercise best. I've noticed this over years of hiking, running and biking with mates.

I enjoy a ride more if I can go at my own pace, rest when I need to, etc...

Which is annoying because biking's a great social thing too...

The lucky ones will have riding mates who (on average) ride at a similar pace - I've recently started doing rides with a new guy at work; I'm quicker uphill, he's faster on the downhill's... over the course of a ride if we both go at our own pace we'll not be hanging around for each other very much...

fletch8928

I usually ride by myself, but now and then when in company I find I am either struggling to keep up or other times waiting.

Last proper ride out with mates was horrible. No flow as there was too much waiting, then the less experienced wanting to push on and "blowing up".What I did do though was just sit back and climbed with the slowest. The chat was all one way, he could hardly wheeze 2 words out.

I don't think riding slower is more tiring. Yes its harder if you need to be moving at x speed to keep it easy and get a good flow over techy bits. thats when you speed up, clear it and stop to watch how the others are coping.

capoz77

i went for a ride with the missus, was constantly waiting for her. Overall ride which i usually fly through became very tiring towards the end.

I like to go full thottle in 15 minute bursts, then slow the pace down for 5 mins, then rag it again.

Missus prefered to slow the pace down for entire ride :oops:

*waits for bedroom inuendo's* :roll:

lawman

if its a short 2 hourish ride on my own ill ride flat out. if its a whole days ridin in the peaks ill take it relatively easily on the climbs and blast the descents. i enjoy riding quick and at the end of the day thats the most important thing

crust

So the difference in time was nothing to do with not stopping for a couple of long lunchbreaks and me spending half an hour fixing a couple of punctures?

weeksy59

crust wrote:

So the difference in time was nothing to do with not stopping for a couple of long lunchbreaks and me spending half an hour fixing a couple of punctures?

I think 'some' of the difference was of course. But the climbing pace was a fair bit quicker than Ian was climbing at last time there. So overall the pace was a chunk faster.

I wasn't criticisng you for not being the quickest climber ever mate.. it's your riding style and how you do it, same as on some downhills you give me a kicking.. it's just how it is.