First ride of the year

[smoggie]

...Well not quite. I mean the first ride on the real bike on a real road.
I've been Zwifting since last September - usually 30-45 minute sessions that mimick HIIT, I've upped my FTP over the winter and was feeling good. With the weather looking a bit brighter there was almost a feeling of Spring in the air, so I pumped the tyres up, oiled the chain and got ready for the first real ride of the year. The first 10-15 miles felt good, unusually good...... and then suddenly I didn't feel so good anymore and ended up limping back home with legs like jelly, an aching neck and wheezing like an asthmatic - Ended up doing 25 miles but my average MPH was done to less than 15mph. Is it the same for everyone?

 

[Oldhippy]

Does it matter about the speed? Just enjoy an easy ride out on a bike without having to feel it has to be a race.

 

[smoggie]

Does it matter about the speed? Just enjoy an easy ride out on a bike without having to feel it has to be a race.

Of course - My post was more about my perceived fitness level v the reality, the point being, zwifting is good but it ain't nothing like the real thing

 

[Sittingduck]

Does it matter about the speed? Just enjoy an easy ride out on a bike without having to feel it has to be a race.

Yes to a lot of people it does matter and there’s nothing wrong with that. And who mentioned a race?

 

[Oldhippy]

Yes to a lot of people it does matter and there’s nothing wrong with that. And who mentioned a race?

My point was it doesn't have to be hell for leather every time one gets on the bike. Maybe it does for some.

 

[smoggie]

My point was it doesn't have to be hell for leather every time one gets on the bike. Maybe it does for some.

Haha - my days of "Hell for Leather" are long gone - I still like to compete with myself though and I definitely always strive to improve.

 

[Ridgeway]

cold is something to factor in, plus all the heavy winter clobber, ooh and maybe that Christmas pud😂

 

[smoggie]

and maybe that Christmas pud😂

I was thinking the same

 

[steveindenmark]

...Well not quite. I mean the first ride on the real bike on a real road.
I've been Zwifting since last September - usually 30-45 minute sessions that mimick HIIT, I've upped my FTP over the winter and was feeling good. With the weather looking a bit brighter there was almost a feeling of Spring in the air, so I pumped the tyres up, oiled the chain and got ready for the first real ride of the year. The first 10-15 miles felt good, unusually good...... and then suddenly I didn't feel so good anymore and ended up limping back home with legs like jelly, an aching neck and wheezing like an asthmatic - Ended up doing 25 miles but my average MPH was done to less than 15mph. Is it the same for everyone?

No. I never ride inside on a trainer. I have a 40km commute most days of the year. As it starts to warm up, the layers of clothes start coming off. My riding gets easier as the year goes on. Through the winter I have virtuelle ridden Lejog and the North Coast 500. I am now onto the Great Wall of Chinatown. Riding indoors does not prepare you for the cold, wet , wind and real life hills. I tried an indoor trainer but it bored me very quickly.

 

[Moodyman]

I know several people in the local gym who do spinning. And anyone that's done it, will tell you how good spinning is for raising one's fitness.

During the early stages of the pandemic, several of them got real bikes to compensate for closed gyms. I met a couple of these whilst out on a ride and they proceeded to tell me how hard riding a real bike was.