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Bike Training.

Having decided a few months ago that i wanted to enter a few tri.



I have been training fairly hard, but how do you go about getting faster on your bike.



Is it a case of just riding mile after mile.



Or set specific distances to ride and just go for it, trying to increase your times as you go.



I train mostly on my own, so only have myself to push me.





Comments

  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Hills & intervals my friend..ain't no way around it & chuck in the odd time trial, for the speedy/endurancy bit.
  • Jelly legsJelly legs Posts: 278
    I always make sure there are hills in my rides.



    Intervals, i'm not quite sure what this would mean on the bike.



    Is it same as on a run, find a stretch ride it hard and the return to start to get breath and then do it again.



    Ideal distance is ??? roughly







    Cheers britspan
  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    I find intervals much easier to do on the trainer, as you you can pedal consistantly without interuptions by traffic etc.

    Basic ones I do are 1 min hard, 1 min easy, or a variation of time/distance.

    This normally takes the form of hard - just above your 'race pace', easy just below. With time you should be able to increase your speeds and with it this should bring up your race pace. This is really important in training your neuromuscular system.



    Other ones I do is 2 mins per gear at the same cadence, say 90rpm, then at the end of each 2 mins change it up a gear, but try and maintain the same cadence, as soon as I couldn't maintain 90rpm I stopped. So the aim each time I did it was to maintain 90 rpm at progressively harder gears, I found this really good for gradually increasing my average speed.

    Plus I find its handy when your training alone to have challenges like that, I find it spurs me on alot more!

  • BoycieBoycie Posts: 189
    Intervals on the bike are just the same. A typical one I do on a straight stretch of an A road near home. I warm up by cycling there, then do intervals between 2 roundabouts; hard out one way, recovery on the way back. This is a fairly short route so I go quite hard.

    As for distance it depends on your level of fitness, distance of race you are training for. A medium interval may be considered to be 1-2 minutes, along interval 5-12, but this is very dependent on the individual.



    David.
  • I'm the same...when it comes to the bike training I am on my own, so don't know how well or badly I'm doing. So, firstly, instead of just riding mile after mile, I have bought a few training DVD's to use with the turbo. A couple of Spinervals series from TriUK as well as a Rick Kiddle DVd from Wiggle.

    Furthermore, I have just joined a cycle club locally who do 10-mile time trials on the same undulating route every Tuesday night, so each week you can see whether you are improving both in terms of your own time as well as against other riders. They are a very friendly bunch too, and full of useful advice. I would definitely try to find a local cycling club who do time trials...it is a sure-fire way of improving (I hope!)
  • gaterz1981gaterz1981 Posts: 233
    One thing i would recommend is not pushing too hard too soon. You see alot of posts about training...followed by a post about bad knees or injury.



    I was told when i started cycle training that it takes at least 2 years sometimes more to build the legs to cope properly. My legs are double the size to when i first started, my body weight due to muscle went from 9 1/2 stone to 11- 11 1/2 stone.



    But highly recommend a the time trial to see what you are capable of, then vary your training sessions. Recovery rides are just as important as the hard rides. I just plod about commuting in the week (putting miles in the bank) then once a week i just go for it. Normally as the weekend arrives so i can rest the legs.



    But the easiest way to get some good miles in is with a good cycle club, solo riding is hard work.
  • Jelly legsJelly legs Posts: 278
    Thanks for all the info it helps.



    I did a time trial the other night, was bloody hard work, but



    25 mile in 1 hour.27mins, there were about ten people doing it i statred middle of the pack and everyone past me.



    But for me its not a problem, because it just motivates me to work harder to not let people pass me.



    The guy that won did it in 58 minutes and he was flying, but had all the kit.



    It was the furthest i have riden to date and boy did i know it, not in my legs but in my cheek's, they were sore as hell, so longer rides are now going to become part of my routine.

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