Top tips on improving road riding

[steveindenmark]

Look at the GNC channel on Youtube. They have lots of tips on everything to do with racing and roadbikes.

 

[PaulSB]

The year I spent commuting was the fittest and strongest I’d been in perhaps two decades. I was doing 25-35 miles round trip depending on which site I had to visit.

Since retiring I’ve had time to put in more training. For me this is riding short, local hilly routes as hard as possible. I also get out on group rides for 120-180 miles a week.

I’ve been on a couple of basic courses on riding technique and had a bike fit.

Today, at 63, I’m riding better than I did at 33. I think it’s a combination of the above. The key for me is short, hard training. I’ve a route which is 32 miles and 2500 feet. In February last year my time was 2 hours 17 minutes. Current PB on the route is 2:03 and my 2018 target is below two hours - how achievable this is I’m unsure.

 

[Big Dave laaa]

Most gains I ever made was when riding with someone quicker than me on a regular basis. His easy rides were my OMG rides but slowly I improved and got much quicker. Join a club if you don't mind that kind of thing.

 

[ozboz]

Technique. Research it, work on it.

While I was fit and could achieve 17mph over 50 miles, I just 'rode hard without really looking at what I was doing, although I did increase my cadence in the last couple years of peak riding for me.
Higher cadence helped me achieve the same mileage, but much more comfortably.

Ankling, using your calf muscles more rests your thighs and while I played with it I never got top side of it but could definitely feel the respite it gave my thighs.

I'm sure there are other techniques...

Ankling ? Never heard of this , but I am sure it will be of benefit to me , calves and perneals defo need extra attention , I'll google it , but how would I go about this ?

 

[confusedcyclist]

If you want to get better riding the hills, simply ride the hills!

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Possibly consider training on a unicycle.

When you get back onto your road bicycle I guarantee your resources would have doubled.

 

[nickyboy]

The key for me is short, hard training. I’ve a route which is 32 miles and 2500 feet. In February last year my time was 2 hours 17 minutes. Current PB on the route is 2:03 and my 2018 target is below two hours - how achievable this is I’m unsure.

This

I was doing, in the main, longer 4 hour rides a couple of time per week. Then I changed to a mixture including 1 hour and 2 hour rides. Same total time. I found my fitness improved markedly. Presumably it's down to the fact that I can ride 2 x 2 hours much harder than I can 1 x 4 hours

Of course, if you really want to "improve" then intervals are the best way (which are really an extreme example of the above). But they aren't for everyone

 

[ozboz]

I remember reading about "ankling" in Richard's Bicycle book in the 70s.

Basically it refers to making use of your ankle at the bottom of the pedal stroke, pushing the toe down at the lowest point and then pulling upwards. (I think. If I'm wrong ... sue me).

As it's been around for a while it's probably old hat and now has new name super scientific name. Like talofibular extensivity or something like that. Note also that it's a subject that people sometimes argue about: "That's a really stupid idea, it's been totally discredited" ... "No it hasn't" ... "Yes it has".

I have no idea whether it has or not.

I'm doing a 15 m in about an hour or so , when I get through town I'll make a conscious effort to do this
Cheers , ,

 

[confusedcyclist]

It helps if the goals are defined when determining the plan, but bang for buck, agreed HIIT training is most time effective for all-round fitness.

 

[Globalti]

The year I spent commuting was the fittest and strongest I’d been in perhaps two decades. I was doing 25-35 miles round trip depending on which site I had to visit.

Since retiring I’ve had time to put in more training. For me this is riding short, local hilly routes as hard as possible. I also get out on group rides for 120-180 miles a week.

I’ve been on a couple of basic courses on riding technique and had a bike fit.

Today, at 63, I’m riding better than I did at 33. I think it’s a combination of the above. The key for me is short, hard training. I’ve a route which is 32 miles and 2500 feet. In February last year my time was 2 hours 17 minutes. Current PB on the route is 2:03 and my 2018 target is below two hours - how achievable this is I’m unsure.

This is the best post on this thread. I'm almost 62 and I've realised that if you ride too far, too often at this age you end up in a state of permanent fatigue. One long ride a week or a fortnight is fine but other rides need to be strenuous but not so long as to tire you out. I suppose some people call those training rides.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Last year, I started spending more time riding out of the saddle, i.e. standing up on the pedals, and was pleasantly surprised at how quickly my fitness improved.

 

[ozboz]

I'm doing a 15 m in about an hour or so , when I get through town I'll make a conscious effort to do this
Cheers , ,

I've quoted my own post here,
When I stated Im doing 15m in half an hour , it may have been misleading,
I should have said I am going on a 15 m ride , in about half an hour !
If I could ride 15 in 30 I'd be a very happy chappie !
Anyway I tried the ankling , at first It felt a bit odd , so I concentrated on the left leg , where the the problems are, found it ok but will need to do a full week on it to see how it goes , I could feel it working the lower leg quite well