How many hours a week do you cycle?

Rob85_
Rob85_ Posts: 29
edited March 2013 in Training, fitness and health
My first post.

New to road cycling and only got a road bike around six months ago. I've realised that while my training intensity is reasonably high I'm just not putting in enough hours or my cycling is too stop start (ie a week off here and there) to have a good lasting effect at the moment. I was doing around 3-5 hours, which ive ramped up in the last two weeks to around 8 hours and will probably try to do more when the fantastic British summer arrives....

This led me to wonder how many hours Bike Radar Forum cyclists are putting in per week?

Comments

  • dg74
    dg74 Posts: 656
    Not nearly enough in this weather. Zero hours atm, normally though about 18-20 hours per week (inc. 60-75 mins per day there & back to work).
  • danowat
    danowat Posts: 2,877
    On average, 15+, but it's very dependent on which race, or races, I am doing in a particular week, pure training is probably between 10-15.

    Consistancy of training is key, no point bashing in 20hrs then need a week off, if you can only get 5hrs a week, put those 5hrs to good use and be consistant
  • junglist_matty
    junglist_matty Posts: 1,731
    Very much depends on the weather.... I don't mind riding in the cold, I don't mind riding in warm wet, I hate riding in cold wet and cold wind.

    Therefore, during the winter months (Oct - March) I aim for 8 hours a week, sometimes a lot less (last 2 weeks have been 4 hours).

    In the spring/summer I aim for 15 hours.... I aim for about 10 hours around this time of year as it should be getting warmer; understandably thanks to the recent weather, i've lost a bit of motivation to get out there and ride!


    So, for a guaranteed figure, I selected 5-8hours per week.
  • SBezza
    SBezza Posts: 2,173
    On average between 10 and 15 hours a week, alot of weeks over that, some weeks alot less. As Danowat says it entirely depends on whether I am racing or not. That is just pure training as well, if I added in the commute when I did it, that would add another 5-6 hours on a week.

    Again as Danowat says consistently riding is better than hammering yourself too hard and then needing to take a couple of days off, I train 6 days of the week normally, but it is structured in a way so I get adequate recovery between sessions. If you can't afford one longer session a day, then perhaps split sessions up so you do 2 shorter sessions per day. Intensity is only one aspect of riding though, duration does have to be in there to a certain extent.
  • mentalalex
    mentalalex Posts: 266
    edited March 2013
    8 hours is a good amount if you doing it wisley! ie Each ride has a goal!

    when i was doing cross a year or so a go, i was racing Top National Levels and world cups/Belg' Superprestiges
    but training 8-10 hours a week but very intenses and very strctured.

    Off season/winter 12-18
    and in season so now despite the weather suggesting outherwise, is 8-14 really depends if i'm racing , and I'm full time which makes things very easy , but if i was racing road this number would be a fair bit higher, as your training needs to meet the demands of the races your doing, and all mine are Elite XC races so 1hour30-2 hours.
    I do science, sometimes.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,707
    Just riding isn't the same as training, so no. of hours won't necessarily tell you much. It's easy to chase miles and just wear yourself down trying.

    After commuting for several years I've found that doing a weekend ride over the winter as well has made a difference, though I struggle to put much intensity into either of them when it's cold. Hoping to work on that when the weather warms up a bit.

    I think those relatively new to the sport - without a few seasons and/or a good mileage bank in their legs - benefit more from what have been termed 'base miles' (lower intensity) than people who have been riding and racing a while. Getting out and riding is important but on its own it won't improve your crit/circuit speed or 10 mile TT times as you need to work on intensity too.

    As mentalalex has shown, those racing 'cross etc don't necessarily need hours, they need speed :)
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • Rob85_
    Rob85_ Posts: 29
    Thanks for all your answers. I agree intensity is more important but really interesting to see what sort of hours people are putting in. Obviously everyones situation is different, I think getting lots of miles in my legs at this stage can only be a good thing.

    Going to try this 820 Mile Strava thing for April, and be determined to go out whatever the weather (excluding settling snow & ice), should be a fun target. :)

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