Got any good tips for bicycle training?

July 10th, 2010

Just took my road bike out of storage and had it tuned up. I've been commuting and riding short distances on an old, heavy bike (while I was living overseas), but haven't ridden more than 5-8 miles at a time in almost 2 years. How do I get strong again? How much should I push myself when I go out for rides?

Just ride at a comfortable pace and a reasonably flat route. Aim for a destination about 5 mile (8 km) away. This should take about an hour.

If you can do this most days you will pick up in strength and speed within a few weeks . You can then double your distance. Keep repeating this process until you reach the distance you are happy with. Then work on your speed and endurance.

The most important things are that you enjoy yourself and do it regularly. Riding to a regular destination (work, school, relatives, etc) is probably the best way to stick at it.
I’m not sure if this helps any but I ride (up to 22 miles at a time once in a whle) less other times and there is one hill that just goes up and up for around half a mile so what I trained myself to do is start out at the bottom in lets say 6th gear or harder if you can and go for a ways just till you think you can’t take any more of that gear and then shift it down one then again when it feels like you won’t make it any further down shift again and again until you reach first gear! I do this on that half mile hill and by the time I am down to 2nd gear I have reached the top and am ready to shift back to a higher gear again. I also always peddle even if i could coast so that I burn more calories and I always stay seated I dont take the easy way and stand up. Mine is a 21 speed mtn so that makes it a little more difficult to pedal on the paved surfaces too so that helped me toughen up as well!