What's my discipline?

[CJMac]

I got my first road bike on the 20th of August this year and I had been riding a mountain bike for about a month before, maybe 3 times a week (but never surpassing 14 miles on a ride). Since I got my road bike I've progressed pretty quickly by knocking tons of time off Strava segments, averaging a much further distance on a standard ride and averaging a much faster speed than when I first started.

However, how do I know what my discipline is or should be on the bike? Recently I've taken a lot of sprinting KOMs but I am also high up on quite a lot of climbing segments and my climbing is getting a lot better in general.

So my question is, how do I go about figuring out what I'm best at on the bike?

Any replies are much appreciated ... This is my first thread!

 

[cyberknight]

Unless your going to be training for a specific event i would really just get out there and enjoy your rides .Look into joining a local cycling club and see what they have to offer in the way of different rides as my club has chain gangs, club runs, time trials etc and you can get a lot of information from other riders and see how you measure up against the guys who race if thats your thing.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I think cycling is more about enjoyment of the experience in toto. From what I garner, effort should be made to avoid worry ,and generate happiness by riding. I believe the objective is to improve all the aspects of your riding, so your descents are as good as your climbs, and your short distances as enjoyable as the longer rides.

 

[Hill Wimp]

Unless you are competing, or plan to, you are a good all rounder and progressing well

. As said above it is all about the ride and enjoying your time on the bike and where ever you are riding but if you find thats not enough for you consider joining a local club and get involved in all the different rides. Its all about what you prefer most.

When i got my first road bike earlier this year after years of riding hybrids it was all about going enjoying the ride and going faster but now its all about enjoying the ride, slowing it down a bit and going a lot further.

Give yourself time, you will find your own groove.

 

[Rob3rt]

I got my first road bike on the 20th of August this year and I had been riding a mountain bike for about a month before, maybe 3 times a week (but never surpassing 14 miles on a ride). Since I got my road bike I've progressed pretty quickly by knocking tons of time off Strava segments, averaging a much further distance on a standard ride and averaging a much faster speed than when I first started.

However, how do I know what my discipline is or should be on the bike? Recently I've taken a lot of sprinting KOMs but I am also high up on quite a lot of climbing segments and my climbing is getting a lot better in general.

So my question is, how do I go about figuring out what I'm best at on the bike?

Any replies are much appreciated ... This is my first thread!

Your discipline is.... cyclist.

Until you actually get into real competition, or power/fatigue profile yourself, you will not know (further since you are so untrained the result will be near meaningless anyway). At present you are a beginner. Stick to riding the bike and improving your general fitness. Pigeon-hole yourself into some discipline and the result is likely to be more embarrassing for yourself than anything else, declare yourself a sprinter then get out sprinted by a time triallist or stick-legger... shame!

 

[Boris Bajic]

I just ride bicycles and I agree with the above posts. I've done a few TTs and a few MTB enduros.

A pigeonhole just limits the fun and limits the breadth of experience you can enjoy.

Dear Cadel Evans was a top, tippety-top MTB rider before he was sucked into road racing by evil, juicing doctors and doped-up pro-peleton guys.

Dear Marky-Mark "The Manx Rocket" Cavendish was a track racer before he went 'road', as was dear, dear Bilbo Wiggins.

Lance Armstrong (winner of a stage in the 1994 TdF) was a top junior triathlete before his coaches noticed that he was significantly better on the bike than in the water or in running shoes. It turned out that his triathlon times were all about the bike, which may or may not be amusing.

There are many such instances of a flippety-flop from one discipline to another, even after medals and cups have been won.

A month or so into riding, do not feel the need to specialise.

 

[biggs682]

Just enjoy your riding....don't get hung up with categorizing yourself - try everything and have fun

could not agree more @Rockymountain

 

[Dave 123]

Just enjoy it, you're wearing Lycra....

Does it get any better?

 

[themosquitoking]

Definite GC contender, now get out on your bike and prove it.

 

[Cyclopathic]

Extreme downhill unicycling. It's a thing I'm starting.

 

[Gravity Aided]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciRUmL--SCU

 

[Cyclopathic]

View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ciRUmL--SCU

Yep, that's me.

 

[Gravity Aided]

You da Bomb!

 

[snorri]

So my question is, how do I go about figuring out what I'm best at on the bike?

Once you've managed to get a weeks shopping home on the 'bars without breaking the eggs, then you are one of us.

 

[CJMac]

Definite GC contender, now get out on your bike and prove it.

Was that a response to my original comment relating to having progressed with my climbing but still being quick in the sprints?

With regards to all the comments, I am definitely enjoying being a 'cyclist' at the moment and I enjoy every ride out, even if it's just a quick ten mile blast! I hope to carry on with my progress (on the turbo trainer mainly through the winter and getting out on the bike at the weekends on the better days) and see how I'm looking at the start of next season in comparison to now. That might give me more time to decide what I'm strongest at and focus a little more on that area of my riding but ensuring I don't let the standards of the other areas slide.

But yes, I'm practically living in lycra outside of my job at the moment and I'm loving it, which I grasp is what the main focus when starting out into the cycling world!