BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
I've sort of managed to stay slow recently. Two full commuting weeks for 450 miles now, and I'm just, only just keeping my head above drowning from overtraining.
How to ride slowly...
- Thread starter BentMikey
- Start date
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PBancroft
Senior Member
- Location
- Winchester
BentMikey said:
How about just stopping?
Find a spot where you get a particularly nice view, or will see some wildlife, and just stop to watch it.
Soon enough you'll start spotting more elsewhere along your route and naturally slowing down a little to make the most of it.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
That's a great idea, thanks!
Riding in Circles
Veteran
- Location
- EDINBURGH
Ride slowly? Don't be stupid.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Have you noticed any results so far? if yes what has worked?
I'm trying to up my milage (only by a few miles each way) but still riding at the same pace and it's killing me at the end of the week.
I'm trying to up my milage (only by a few miles each way) but still riding at the same pace and it's killing me at the end of the week.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Well, riding fixed today for the first time in a while has worked - I rode very slowly, and I'm also completely shattered. Bah humbug!
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
I'm going to try leaving earlier tomorrow and see if that makes a difference, hopefully less cyclists and less traffic on the road means i can keep a better constant speed.
hackbike 666
Guest
An easy way to ride slow is to ride a fixie without brakes...I saw some guy doing it at Aldgate last week.
I have been practicing tonight but had to abort when a bus almost wiped me out.
Im surprised but I guess it's not easy on your hilly route.
I have been practicing tonight but had to abort when a bus almost wiped me out.
BentMikey said:
Im surprised but I guess it's not easy on your hilly route.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
No chance of fixed for me.. teenage knee injury means no way!
hackbike 666
Guest
gaz said:
Why?
Sorry don't understand.
gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
hackbike 666 said:
I had tibial tubercle apophyseal traction injury which is a rupture of the growth plate at the tibial tuberosity. So basically if i put too much pressure on my left knee then my patellar tendon could inflame and it hurts like hell, the pain is so bad it's hard to walk yet alone ride a bike.
hackbike 666
Guest
gaz said:
ooops that's past my expertise...Sorry you can't ride fixie
...it really is another dimension of cycling.BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
Nah, it's not the fixed per se as much as that I don't have much upright bicycle fitness, and it's not as aerodynamic as the recumbent.
I wish I could find a way to ride within myself sometimes. Today being a prime example:
I set off from home with a good 10 minutes to spare based on a pedestrian paced ride (25 minutes) and vow to myself "I'll take it easy". Everything was going great - I know what speeds I can do on every stretch of road, so I know my "take it easy" approach was working well.
But then, about 100 yards ahead I see another cyclist. He's obviously another regular Joe commuter like myself. I will myself to keep to my plan, but gradually I find I'm catching him..... 50 yards..... 30 yards..... ah good, a junction.... damn he's going my way..... great - he's moving and I've been stopped by the traffic..... damn - next junction he's still going my way and now he's been stopped by traffic..... OK, just stay 20 feet behind and take it easy..... going well..... hills - please pedal down this big one..... good..... damn I'm catching him again..... now an uphill bit..... damn damn damn he's slowing me down..... OK back on the flat, take it easy..... another downhill bit..... pedal will you!..... ah crap, here we go..... legs have decided they're bored with this pace!!!
So yet again I wind up at the office all sweaty with no shower facilities
I set off from home with a good 10 minutes to spare based on a pedestrian paced ride (25 minutes) and vow to myself "I'll take it easy". Everything was going great - I know what speeds I can do on every stretch of road, so I know my "take it easy" approach was working well.
But then, about 100 yards ahead I see another cyclist. He's obviously another regular Joe commuter like myself. I will myself to keep to my plan, but gradually I find I'm catching him..... 50 yards..... 30 yards..... ah good, a junction.... damn he's going my way..... great - he's moving and I've been stopped by the traffic..... damn - next junction he's still going my way and now he's been stopped by traffic..... OK, just stay 20 feet behind and take it easy..... going well..... hills - please pedal down this big one..... good..... damn I'm catching him again..... now an uphill bit..... damn damn damn he's slowing me down..... OK back on the flat, take it easy..... another downhill bit..... pedal will you!..... ah crap, here we go..... legs have decided they're bored with this pace!!!
So yet again I wind up at the office all sweaty with no shower facilities
NigC - sounds like my ride in this morning 
The guy in front of me was a tad faster in a higher gear. We were both stopping at lights but he got a few junctions ahead of me. I lost him for a couple miles, but then caught up as we hit more lights in London.
Legs are still aching this morning, but only one more day to go, then they can recover
The guy in front of me was a tad faster in a higher gear. We were both stopping at lights but he got a few junctions ahead of me. I lost him for a couple miles, but then caught up as we hit more lights in London.
Legs are still aching this morning, but only one more day to go, then they can recover
