Top tips for improving road riding

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Comments

  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    If the only metric you’re interested in is average speed, to judge any improvement, you only have to be more careful with your route planning. Keep it as flat as you can, only ride on quiet roads, and on days when it’s not windy, and you’ll more than likely see your average speeds increase. Are you really improving anything regarding fitness / stamina etc? Probably not by much. Find a meaningful metric or two which are indicative of real improvement, and work on getting those numbers up. A lot of people find that adding things like track / Velodrome sessions help improve overall cycling ability / performance, if for no other reason than a track bike is fixed gear, and has no supplementary brakes ( just friction, and your legs) so you develop ‘souplesse’ or you risk getting splinters.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    If the only metric you’re interested in is average speed, to judge any improvement, you only have to be more careful with your route planning. Keep it as flat as you can, only ride on quiet roads, and on days when it’s not windy, and you’ll more than likely see your average speeds increase. Are you really improving anything regarding fitness / stamina etc? Probably not by much. Find a meaningful metric or two which are indicative of real improvement, and work on getting those numbers up. A lot of people find that adding things like track / Velodrome sessions help improve overall cycling ability / performance, if for no other reason than a track bike is fixed gear, and has no supplementary brakes ( just friction, and your legs) so you develop ‘souplesse’ or you risk getting splinters.
    So if I want to improve my average speed I need to go to the Velodrome.
    Are you on crack? If not you need to be.
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    Glad to see MM back with his words of 'wisdom'
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,744
    If you want one tip it's ride with better riders, at least one group ride per week that is challenging you.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • Mikey23
    Mikey23 Posts: 5,306
    I have the usual stuff on screen one of my garmin. When i ride i switch to screen 2 on which i have time of day, average watts per kilo and 3 second power output. The only metrics for me which have any relevance. When i have finished and uploaded is the first time i see my average speed. Could be 17, could be 12 or anywhere in between. I enjoy my cycling and do not want the distraction, frustration and pressure of chasing average speed...
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    smith931 wrote:
    When in road,i always find padded shorts stop my backside hurting so much. However, padded saddles won’t help you on longer rides. I don’t know if would trust me or not but This the only way to be comfortable in the saddle, choose a right saddle and get to used with it.
    A recovery drink is very essential and helpful after a long hard ride to repair the body itself while dehydration is a major concern, stay hydrated.
    A recovery drink is not essential. Correct nutrition is when you finish a ride, a tuna sandwich would cover it.
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    cld531c wrote:
    Glad to see MM back with his words of 'wisdom'


    Well at least you realise they are words of wisdom, all you need to do now is follow them.
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    smith931 wrote:
    When in road,i always find padded shorts stop my backside hurting so much. However, padded saddles won’t help you on longer rides. I don’t know if would trust me or not but This the only way to be comfortable in the saddle, choose a right saddle and get to used with it.
    A recovery drink is very essential and helpful after a long hard ride to repair the body itself while dehydration is a major concern, stay hydrated.
    Whether Saddle padding / lack thereof is of assistance or not, is dependent on ( amongst other things ) rider weight, shape / size. If you have lots of ‘natural padding’ a padded saddle will cause more issues than it solves, if you are more of a bony arsed type, a padded saddle will help with comfort on a distance type ride, until you develop buns of steel, wherein the squishy padded type saddles don’t bring much to the party, and you’d be better off with the stability support of a firmer saddle. The shape, design ( does it have a pressure relief channel / slot or not for example )relative sizes of the bits of the saddle, size and profile of the bits in contact with your sit bones, are more important in deciding the comfort of the saddle, for all but the ‘softest’ road riders.
  • MiddleRinger
    MiddleRinger Posts: 678
    cld531c wrote:
    Glad to see MM back with his words of 'wisdom'

    He does have a bit of a point though. Focusing on improving average speed too much will have you choosing to leave that little hill out of your ride, planning rides to wind conditions, avoiding any serious climbing and potentially taking more risks at junctions so you don't need to slow down, etc.

    It's a good metric, but not the be all and end all. Best not to get too tied up with it.
    ~ ~ How fast is fast enough? ~ ~ ~ ~ Tempo Cyclist - Tasmania ~ ~
  • cld531c
    cld531c Posts: 517
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    cld531c wrote:
    Glad to see MM back with his words of 'wisdom'


    Well at least you realise they are words of wisdom, all you need to do now is follow them.


    I will try - should I follow at 40rpm or 35?
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    smith931 wrote:
    A recovery drink is very essential and helpful after a long hard ride to repair the body itself while dehydration is a major concern, stay hydrated.
    Dehydration is only a concern on longer rides in warm weather; if you simply drink when you're thirsty you'll be fine.

    A recovery drink is a convenience product that for amateur riders won't do anything for you that sensible food choices won't... though it will empty your wallet faster. Sports nutrition is mostly marketing b*ll*cks.

    To the OP: Do long rides. Do hard rides. Do intervals. Not all 3 at once, it's the varied mix of duration and intensity that is most important. Avoid the temptation to make training complicated.
    Perhaps set target times for a stretch of road or a regular training loop to see if you're improving rather than for a whole ride.
    Eat healthily.
    Get good quality sleep (I can't emphasise this one enough).
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • milemuncher1
    milemuncher1 Posts: 1,472
    Simon E wrote:
    smith931 wrote:
    A recovery drink is very essential and helpful after a long hard ride to repair the body itself while dehydration is a major concern, stay hydrated.
    Dehydration is only a concern on longer rides in warm weather; if you simply drink when you're thirsty you'll be fine.

    A recovery drink is a convenience product that for amateur riders won't do anything for you that sensible food choices won't... though it will empty your wallet faster. Sports nutrition is mostly marketing b*ll*cks.

    To the OP: Do long rides. Do hard rides. Do intervals. Not all 3 at once, it's the varied mix of duration and intensity that is most important. Avoid the temptation to make training complicated.
    Perhaps set target times for a stretch of road or a regular training loop to see if you're improving rather than for a whole ride.
    Eat healthily.
    Get good quality sleep (I can't emphasise this one enough).

    You’re partially right, in that the heavily marketed drink products are mostly marketing guff, and overkill for the majority of ‘leisure’ type riders, and you’re spot on about getting sufficient rest, it’s an often overlooked part of training, and is very important. The only bit of what you said that I would disagree with, is the bit about only drinking when you’re thirsty, by then it’s too late, and you’ll be ‘playing catch up’ which is not a good move. Drinking little and often, so you don’t get to the point where you feel thirsty, and have to drink, or risk getting into difficulties, is a better tactic.
  • webboo
    webboo Posts: 6,087
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    Simon E wrote:
    smith931 wrote:
    A recovery drink is very essential and helpful after a long hard ride to repair the body itself while dehydration is a major concern, stay hydrated.
    Dehydration is only a concern on longer rides in warm weather; if you simply drink when you're thirsty you'll be fine.

    A recovery drink is a convenience product that for amateur riders won't do anything for you that sensible food choices won't... though it will empty your wallet faster. Sports nutrition is mostly marketing b*ll*cks.

    To the OP: Do long rides. Do hard rides. Do intervals. Not all 3 at once, it's the varied mix of duration and intensity that is most important. Avoid the temptation to make training complicated.
    Perhaps set target times for a stretch of road or a regular training loop to see if you're improving rather than for a whole ride.
    Eat healthily.
    Get good quality sleep (I can't emphasise this one enough).

    You’re partially right, in that the heavily marketed drink products are mostly marketing guff, and overkill for the majority of ‘leisure’ type riders, and you’re spot on about getting sufficient rest, it’s an often overlooked part of training, and is very important. The only bit of what you said that I would disagree with, is the bit about only drinking when you’re thirsty, by then it’s too late, and you’ll be ‘playing catch up’ which is not a good move. Drinking little and often, so you don’t get to the point where you feel thirsty, and have to drink, or risk getting into difficulties, is a better tactic.
    So if drinking only when your thirsty is playing catch up and not a good move,how the hell did we managed to survive as a species. As far as I am aware when human beings evolved there wasn’t lots of information on inter web in those days.
    Maybe you read the research done on the South African special forces in regard to drinking when your thirsty.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    Milemuncher1 wrote:
    You’re partially right, in that the heavily marketed drink products are mostly marketing guff, and overkill for the majority of ‘leisure’ type riders, and you’re spot on about getting sufficient rest, it’s an often overlooked part of training, and is very important. The only bit of what you said that I would disagree with, is the bit about only drinking when you’re thirsty, by then it’s too late, and you’ll be ‘playing catch up’ which is not a good move. Drinking little and often, so you don’t get to the point where you feel thirsty, and have to drink, or risk getting into difficulties, is a better tactic.
    So I am "partially right"? That makes it sound like you have the definitive answers. I don't think there are any.

    Sports nutrition companies are very quick to highlight research that appears to suit them and ignore conflicting information. Little & often is a sensible recommendation but a recreational rider in the UK isn't going to suffer if they only drink when thirsty when out riding for a couple of hours. Even when racing in warm conditions some research has shown athletes can still perform very well when moderately dehydrated. What you call 'playing catch-up' is what I call rehydrating, a perfectly adequate strategy IMHO - especially if it includes beer! :D

    These articles might be worth a look for anyone who is interested in the topic:
    https://www.runnersworld.com/sweat-scie ... nuing-saga
    https://www.runnersworld.com/hydration- ... ases-speed
    https://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/he ... e24697084/
    https://www.bmj.com/bmj/section-pdf/187 ... e.full.pdf
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.

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