Newbie How Much Is TO Much

tallrider

Hi Just bought myself a Mondraker hardtail,as my first proper bike.Trying to get fit as alot of my work mate ride Cannock Chase mainly,keep feeling sick and knackered.
Should i try riding a bit each day or every other day a bit longer.
I live in lincolnshire so not really any mountains but if find what i can on hills.
Any help would be great thanks.

waby1234

I'd always go for three good quality rides a week rather than every day. You do need recovery days in-between rides, especially when starting out.

Briggo

As Waby said make sure you're getting rest days they are so key, additionally just keep at it.

Also something I've learnt quite quickly is to make sure you fuel yourself, I remember the first time I went out MTBing and ate nothing before and never felt so sick and knackered after a ride.

Next time I went out I fueled up properly and was much better.

felix.london

I've been back at it for three months and try and ride everyday - to get my skillz up to scratch and to stay fit & healthy. Started out with 30min / 8km rides everyday (with the altitude felt more like 20+km to me) then up to 12km and now doing 16-25km easily everyday with the odd 35km thrown in for good measure (all rides going pretty much flat out)

If you're doing 100km rides then I'd say a rest day is in order but if it's just one or two hours exercise everyday (or less) you'll recover when you eat, sleep, sit at the computer or watch TV

waby1234

I agree that after getting used to longer daily rides then the rest days become less important but I would strongly recommend rest days when starting out... you risk ending up with an injury or strain of some kind and then you'll be unlikely to be riding at all!!

felix.london

waby1234 wrote:

I agree that after getting used to longer daily rides then the rest days become less important but I would strongly recommend rest days when starting out... you risk ending up with an injury or strain of some kind and then you'll be unlikely to be riding at all!!

Can't argue with that - don't over do it for sure. And make sure you have FUN!!

Mark909

TOO!!!!! spanner

70s_kid

Spanner is a TOOL, not a TOO!!!!!

tallrider

Had a rest day,out for ten miles today,after eating and drinking properly feel much more lively,Thanks for your help

butcher of bakersfield

Definitely ease yourself into it. It depends on age too. If you're a spritely teen, recovery time is 2nd to none. If you're a little over the hill like most of the rest of us.....the easing has to be a bit more deliberate.

Go a mile one day. 2 the next. 3...4.... Rest days. 6, 7... You'll soon find yourself pedalling everywhere.

Pudseyp

Thing is build it up, don't drink to much booze the night before and carb up before the ride it will pay dividends.

It is also not a race, speak to your mates before you ride, and ask them to hold up at certain places along the route...don't try and keep up, and when climbing it is all about cadence...this is keeping a sustainable pressure on the pedals.

Rest days aren't important unless your doing 50KM plus...its about fluids, carbs and pace....you will find each time you will improve.

Indigo Gorilla

Pudseyp wrote:

Thing is build it up, don't drink to much booze the night before and carb up before the ride it will pay dividends.

It is also not a race, speak to your mates before you ride, and ask them to hold up at certain places along the route...don't try and keep up, and when climbing it is all about cadence...this is keeping a sustainable pressure on the pedals.

Rest days aren't important unless your doing 50KM plus...its about fluids, carbs and pace....you will find each time you will improve.

To say that rest days are not important unless your cycling 50km or more is a bit silly to be honest.

I'm a cyclist as well as a runner, I cover multiple distances in each activity and I've had days where I've done shorter distances (same tempo) and felt worse the next day than I have after a long run/cycle.

Rest days are needed otherwise you won't be at your best and energy levels can be quite low.

The best thing to do is judge it by how you feel and as others have said already build it up. Most of all though, just get out there and enjoy it.

Atz

Also, consider what you eat after a ride. The right balance between carbs and protein is a big help. Personally I don't worry too much about food but I do end up drinking a shake (either specialist or some of the more widely available ones) when I get off the bike and then eat (if it's a big ride, loads of pasta).

You'll get used to the miles and as long as you look after yourself a bit you'll be fine. Mostly, unless you're riding hard for more than 2 hours, you only really need water.

dudleypipe

Also try doing similar routes, bit riding differently. Some days I ride to work stood up all the way, as it uses different muscles to pedalling when sat down. Handy to have all the muscles available if required :-)

Daz555

Running is a great way to get fit for cycling. I never "train" for cycling, I just go for rides but I notice in the football off-season that my cycling fitness drops off throughout the summer and then picks up again after pre-season training and the first few matches have been played.

Also short intensive rides can be as beneficial as long slogs in the saddle.

felix.london

Indigo Gorilla wrote:

Pudseyp wrote:

Thing is build it up, don't drink to much booze the night before and carb up before the ride it will pay dividends.

It is also not a race, speak to your mates before you ride, and ask them to hold up at certain places along the route...don't try and keep up, and when climbing it is all about cadence...this is keeping a sustainable pressure on the pedals.

Rest days aren't important unless your doing 50KM plus...its about fluids, carbs and pace....you will find each time you will improve.

To say that rest days are not important unless your cycling 50km or more is a bit silly to be honest.

I'm a cyclist as well as a runner, I cover multiple distances in each activity and I've had days where I've done shorter distances (same tempo) and felt worse the next day than I have after a long run/cycle.

Rest days are needed otherwise you won't be at your best and energy levels can be quite low.

The best thing to do is judge it by how you feel and as others have said already build it up. Most of all though, just get out there and enjoy it.

If you're racing or competing at all obviously you want to rest up and be at your best for the comp
But when you're training, getting fit or just having fun - there is nothing wrong with training/ riding/exercising everyday - you will improve quicker

I've had some of my best rides - bike & snowboard on the days where I'm feeling a bit tired, weather's not great and just not really been up for it bit you push yourself to get out there and have a blast!

dudleypipe

felix.london wrote:

I've had some of my best rides - bike & snowboard on the days where I'm feeling a bit tired, weather's not great and just not really been up for it bit you push yourself to get out there and have a blast!

Gotta agree there, there are times I've arranged to meet up with mates after work. I've been half asleep, hungry and its hammering it down with rain. Result - best rides I've had!

1mancity2

dudleypipe wrote:

felix.london wrote:

I've had some of my best rides - bike & snowboard on the days where I'm feeling a bit tired, weather's not great and just not really been up for it bit you push yourself to get out there and have a blast!

Gotta agree there, there are times I've arranged to meet up with mates after work. I've been half asleep, hungry and its hammering it down with rain. Result - best rides I've had!

Same as

Stu Coops

The best way is just to ride steady with your heart rate at a level where you can feel discomfort but not on the limt where your breathing out of your arse for the first couple of months and get the muscle groups used to working a different way along with the heart and lungs and remember the heart is a muscle too that needs to get stronger as if you don't it will just lead to injury with pulled muscles as so on, as you say your trying to get fit so no point in putting the body in to the red.

You can ride every day but steady as described and also you have to take your age, weight and physical condition in to account and don't try keeping up with your mates because as soon as you drop off the wheel you will get pissed off so go out with a mate or two who know where your at and will give it little digs to get your heart rate up but not to the point where you go lactic but this needs to be after the couple of months conditioning.

Also go out on your own and push yourself hard effort for 1 minute then steady for 3 minutes to clear the lactic then do it again and keep going for around 30 minutes it's called interval training then after that initial couple of months go back out with your mates and see the difference.

nosnevets_semaj

My mates had been going for years. They're animals. I could never keep up. I was known as Face of Pain, It was miserable. I started to then get out on the road. I have some serious hills where I live. I try and get out for 30 mins, twice a week. Its made a huge difference. Keep at it!

The Rookie

I cycle to work most days, 6.7 miles each way with some reasonable hills, I go at every ride like its a 10 mile sprint (just without the final sprint at the end so I don't get too sweaty) averaging 18mph on my hybrid, that gets me fit for the MTB.

Simon