Increased Distance- advice wantd
- Thread starter just4fun
- Start date
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summerdays
Cycling in the sun
- Location
- Bristol
Do you have to do it every day to start with? My commuting distance varies, and I find that I'm fine upto 15 miles a day... but once I'm upto hilly 20/25 every day then I do find that I start to get tired by the end of the week. But I guess if I stuck at that level I would probably get used to it.
Don't try to suddenly do the whole distance every day.
Start by trying two days per week, say Tuesday and Thursday. Leave plenty of time for your ride and take it easy. Allow a good hour for the journey. Once this becomes easy try three days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), then four days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday), then finally every day. For this distance you will be in the realms of needing to take in extra food so have something to eat shortly after you arrive at work, and shortly before you leave for home. Make sure you get a good nights sleep so your legs will recover properly overnight and you will feel refreshed the next morning. You could also try some stretching when you get home which may help with easing soreness.
You may be unlucky and find that you can never do the full journey every day, every week. If so, then just do what you can and don't stress about it.
You may want to consider changing the gearing on your current bike to a lower or wider spread of gears (maybe change the rear cassette) if you find yourself grinding your way up the hills.
One last thing, it WILL be hard work at first. Just persevere through the first few weeks and you will get stronger and fitter, and the journey will get easier.
Start by trying two days per week, say Tuesday and Thursday. Leave plenty of time for your ride and take it easy. Allow a good hour for the journey. Once this becomes easy try three days per week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday), then four days (Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday), then finally every day. For this distance you will be in the realms of needing to take in extra food so have something to eat shortly after you arrive at work, and shortly before you leave for home. Make sure you get a good nights sleep so your legs will recover properly overnight and you will feel refreshed the next morning. You could also try some stretching when you get home which may help with easing soreness.
You may be unlucky and find that you can never do the full journey every day, every week. If so, then just do what you can and don't stress about it.
You may want to consider changing the gearing on your current bike to a lower or wider spread of gears (maybe change the rear cassette) if you find yourself grinding your way up the hills.
One last thing, it WILL be hard work at first. Just persevere through the first few weeks and you will get stronger and fitter, and the journey will get easier.
515mm
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Carmarthenshire
+1 It doesn't get easier - you just get faster!
GrasB
Veteran
- Location
- Nr Cambridge
to prepare start going long hilly rides at the weekends & also don't expect to maintain your current average speed. You could put a loop in your current commute so you get used to say 10-15 miles one way every day.
I have started extending my seven miler to 11 or so and I didnt notice that much difference, most of the battle is getting ready and getting moving for the first mile or two, once warmed up the extra wasnt that noticeable and I find that I break a given journey down into sectons and the more you do it the shorter it seems and what was a big deal doesnt sound so bad.
I suppose it depends on many factors, your fitness, your bike and how hilly these hills are, just tackle it at a comfortable pace, stop if you need to and I will bet in a month you will be seeing improvements, sometimes the thinking about it is more daunting than the doing.
I suppose it depends on many factors, your fitness, your bike and how hilly these hills are, just tackle it at a comfortable pace, stop if you need to and I will bet in a month you will be seeing improvements, sometimes the thinking about it is more daunting than the doing.
Rohloff_Brompton_Rider
Formerly just_fixed
tbh i don't think you'll have any problems. your going from 20 mins to 60 mins. it's about as perfect a distance for commuting you can get. i would imagine you will be tired by then end of the week but recovered by monday. good excuse to buy a new bike.
MacB
Lover of things that come in 3's
- Location
- Farnborough, Hampshire
there's a lot to be said for extendng your existing commute and seeing how it goes. Maybe just on the way home so that you know you've got a shower and change waiting.
Toughing it out is fine, up to a point, but don't ignore any warning signals your body gives you. Even if all you do is allow more time and cycle more slowly.
Toughing it out is fine, up to a point, but don't ignore any warning signals your body gives you. Even if all you do is allow more time and cycle more slowly.
