Little and often - better than one big ride a week?

[Blue Hills]

A lot of sense in lots of more moderate length rides I think.

And after the blow-out big rides there is of course a terrible tendency to blow-out on reward food and beer/wine - thinking you've earned it. Even if you had, you've then blown it

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I just ride when I can (avg 2 out of 3 days) sometime nipping to the docs a mile, or anything from a quick 10-12 mile blast ( I sometimes do this after having done 30-40 miles earlier in the day), I struggle mentally being out longer than 2-3 hrs, but so long as I can ge to somewhere safe for a while ( group therapy, photo group, home or my mates), I can then carry one for another few hours.

 

[Crankarm]

60 miles a day 5-6 days a week should see your fitness improve.

 

[VamP]

60 miles a day 5-6 days a week should see your fitness improve.

Sure, 20+ hour weeks are essential to improve. I do wonder if you ever think about the things you say.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Sure, 20+ hour weeks are essential to improve. I do wonder if you ever think about the things you say.

I hardly ever do 20hrs a week. Three times this year.

 

[VamP]

I hardly ever do 20hrs a week. Three times this year.

Exactly. Hardly anyone has 20 hours a week available, even if they could use them effectively and still get the required recovery time in. I have averaged around 10 hours this year, and that was adequate to move my FTP from 260 to 300. Others have done even better on less time.

 

[Archie_tect]

I deffo feel more benefit/enjoy shorter rides, but for me I would class 2 or 3 hours as being short. That's not to say I don't go out for shorter rides than 2 or 3 hours but anything upto 3 hours is deffo short.

That depends on how much time you have available.

 

[Crankarm]

Sure, 20+ hour weeks are essential to improve. I do wonder if you ever think about the things you say.

Wot are you on about ?

 

[ColinJ]

Wot are you on about ?

Wot they are on about is that 60 miles a day, 5-6 days a week, would take 20+ hours a week, unless you can average more than 15-18 mph!

 

[Crankarm]

Wot they are on about is that 60 miles a day, 5-6 days a week, would take 20+ hours a week, unless you can average more than 15-18 mph!

Takes me about 1'30" to 1'40" to ride the distance to and from work if on my commuting bike. If on my road bike generally 1'15" to 1'20". Quickest I have done it was 1'12" back in the summer. I did have a bit of a following westerly wind for the second half of the ride. Worst was 2'20" cycling into a vicious cold NW gale all the way home. Not fun.

 

[DooDah]

Depends what your objectives are. Doesn't it always?

But if you are cycling once a week then you are continually detraining, regardless of how long your one ride is. To make progress, you need to maintain consistency in your approach, that means at least four rides per week. A lot also depends on the volume AND intensity of your sessions. 30 minutes sessions I think are just too short to be of any value.

Consistency however is the most important foundation stone to any training regime.

This is where I am going wrong. The trouble is with a young daughter and work commitments, it is impossible for me to be on the bike apart from a ride at the weekend. I guess I will just have to suffer that for the time being.

 

[Hip Priest]

I think VamP is right. To get the best results, do both. I'm at my fittest in the summer, when I commute 10 miles a day, do a 20-25 mile flat-out ride once or twice in the evenings, then a steady 100k on the weekend. I need to start getting on the turbo in the evenings 'cause my fitness is dwindling.