Your cycling mindset!

[Turbo Rider]

Oh, well in that case, spin at slightly more than your most comfortable speed and use the highest gear that you can cope with...gear down when you start to struggle and resist the urge to get out of the saddle...if you do need to stand up to freshen your legs, try gearing up a couple of gears first to increase resistance and then when you sit again, gear down one notch and spin again...the more you do it, over the longer period of time, the easier it gets to climb in higher gears...or something like that.

 

[vickster]

What gearing do you have on the bike? I'm sure you are better than me on hills, and that's with gears that should allegedly get up anything! I do hope to be rather lighter by August 2, but I've been saying that for a year

 

[Doobiesis]

What gearing do you have on the bike? I'm sure you are better than me on hills, and that's with gears that should allegedly get up anything! I do hope to be rather lighter by August 2, but I've been saying that for a year

I have a 2015 Specialized Dolce Sports with a 9 speed Sora gear set. My average speed is around 12.8mph and that's on a 30 mile ride.

 

[vickster]

Double or triple? Are you making use of all the gears? How much climbing in those 30 miles?

You'll be faster in 4 months and the warmer weather will help.

 

[fossyant]

2 or 3 chainrings up front ?

 

[Mummy3monkeys]

Just build it up slowly, increase your distance, mainly enjoy it. Set yourself realistic goals, then you will smash them, which will definitely help your mindset. I started last July, my aim being to cycle to work (16 miles each way) by spring- I did that October, my main goal was to cycle 60 miles for a sportive this August- which is now September and 100 miles. I have built up my distance gradually, got over the 30 mile mark, reached the 40, then 50. By doing that I have built up my stamina, which has built up my fitness and speed.

I absolutely love it, and if I can cycle anywhere rather than drive I will. I have found I have a determined, stubborn and rather competitive streak too.
Majority of my rides are solo, but when we can, me and the husband go out. He never pushes me, but I always find I go faster and further with him. My 50 mile was my first group ride, and that was even more of a push, with other people about, and so much fun.

I always use strava,mainly to clock my distance, but it makes me feel good if I can improve on certain stretches.
I have also found, that now I am fitter, I can go longer stretches of not actually stopping pedalling, which makes me faster.
But, we are all different, so just enjoy it, that is the most important bit!!

 

[Doobiesis]

Double. I do use all the gears. I do get up all my hills just not very quickly!

At the moment im trying to get my average cadence up to 70rpm - at the moment ots around 67 so nearly there.

 

[Doobiesis]

At the end of April I am doing a 50 mile ride for British Heart Foundation in Dorset and at the moment my longest ride has been 43 miles so should be ok with that ride. My London 100 is what I'm aiming for.

 

[vickster]

Have you got someone else riding with you? That'll help

 

[Doobiesis]

Only my other half but he doesn't go out much and won't do over 12 miles and he canes it round. Which we did today and I think that's what made me think I was too slow.

 

[vickster]

I meant for Ride 100. A bloke of equivalent fitness is always going to be quicker, especially if taller, don't worry about it

Have you considered joining a club? Not least it'll give you experience in a group...the one thing that concerns me with the 100, especially clipped on a bike with no cross levers!

 

[gbb]

Your mindset can be modified but it has to come from within, you have to want to.
I also often see people say..just enjoy cycling...but thats just the same as someone forcing you to go faster, its the same but with an opposite result regarding speed.
Personally I always raced along, always did as a kid, once I get on a bike, I give it as much as I can while still riding within myself. Its no good someone telling me to slow down and enjoy iy...I enjoy pushing myself.
I like to honk up hills (inclines), but you have to have the fitness first, pace yourself, using the right gears. Why do it ?...it'd be boring otherwise for me, I used it to increase overall speed, hammer up the hills, ease off once topped to recover, I could up my average speed quite effectively doing that.
But, it can spoil your enjoyment. I always averaged 15 or 16 mph over say 50 miles. I decided in my late 40s to up the pace I went all out over a summer and upped it to 18mph average..thats some going as a solo rider. But I started to bawlk at going out after several months, knowing I was going to punish myself All of a sudden, I just slowed down..and started enjoying myself again.
So you do it because you can, because you want to..but it doesnt mean you have to sustain it or even will want to.
Its just a phase, use the desire to if you want,

 

[cosmicbike]

I just enjoy the experience of being out in the fresh air. Quite happy for the club riders to whizz by, though I have on occasion hung on the back to see how I get on (not very well, usually..).
Strava pushes me to try to do 500km per month when I'm fit, and the 50km/month challenge on here sets my ride distances..

 

[HarryTheDog]

I cycle with my wife sometimes and am very mindful of the fact I'm a bloke. Therefore I got a free 100-150 watts or so of extra power I was born with, also
I probably have a lot more testosterone running my system making me naturally more aggressive and competitive. I therefore just ride at her pace. Comparing yourself against your husband is not comparing oranges with oranges so to speak. Woman can of course can be competitive but it is a state of mind. My daughter was a junior national TT champion. The first person she wanted to beat was me!. In the end she did. But she was young and put herself in competitive situations with other competitive people. In my area I sometimes see a group of 5 middle aged woman giving it absolute beans, You are better off finding some other women to cycle with as it is a more level playing field.

 

[fossyant]

Double. I do use all the gears. I do get up all my hills just not very quickly!

At the moment im trying to get my average cadence up to 70rpm - at the moment ots around 67 so nearly there.

Is that cadence when climbing, or average for a whole ride. You really want 80-100 average for a ride. Climbing, then cadence can be lower depending upon your gearing, but if climbing seated, you want to keep a good cadence - if you are out of the saddle it will drop anyway.

Climbing is a case of digging deep without taking yourself over the edge if it's a big climb. IT hurts, it always does, but you just get quicker.