The Biking Thread
- Thread starter Mark Wein
- Start date
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
For you experienced guys (for example, @Tig ), a question. I now don't have my Thursday night group to really push me. In years past, I would do some rides at active rest type pace, some rides just as rides, and really push it on Thursday night, making that the focus of the week in terms of effort. Now, I don't have that outside motivation, and ride with guys that I mostly am stronger than. Any suggestions for reading, or a program/system to look out, for self coaching, self training? My theory in the past has been that all miles are good miles (I don't really have time to over train I don't think) but to make sure and get some miles in that are not just 80-95% all the time. I might want to be a bit more disciplined about mixing up pace for better training effect, but would like some help with a system for doing so. In the past, it was mostly on feel, or what I felt like doing that day, other than Thursdays, when it was flog the horse to keep up, and try to stay off the extreme rear of the dirt peloton.
Tig
Fucktangular
Since I avoid formal training and ride like my body tells me, I'm no help.
I usually ride hard on either a Saturday or Sunday with the warp speed racers and ride distance on Wednesday and/or Friday. Any other days are super easy rides just for enjoyment and recovery needs.
nuke_diver
Riding Solo
I'm no help either since I ride because it's good exercise AND it's fun. I ride solo exclusively (unless someone is riding near my pace and I follow them or let them follow me for a while). Since it's solo I can really only tell if I'm faster/slower when I get home and look at strava. Sounds like you might be much more of a competitive rider. I think if you have Strava Premium (I don't so not sure) you can get coaching from it based on your goals. Given your terrain I would think things like hill repeats would be good to get better/faster. For me that just sounds like work and I don't work and I'm too old to care if I'm the slowest or the fastest so long as I enjoy it
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Well, I am not THAT competitive. The group I used to chase was mostly above my ability level. I am used to being middle to back half of the pack, at least with those guys. I am more interested in keeping myself at a similar level of fitness, now that I can't use chasing them as the main event around which to build my week. I will use a combo of yours and Tig's advice, along with some stuff I have done over the years, keep it fun, go somewhat by feel, but make sure I vary my pace some, just to keep it fresh. Doing different types of cycling; commuting, touring/gravel, mountain biking, roadying around a little, just cruising around town or the neigborhood for fun, also helps in that regard. So really, just getting some longer easy saddle time, and some sprints, repeats etc. in on the right days should be good enough for this wally. Thanks for the thoughts!
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Uggh. Gotta hate post (EDIT) BONK riding to survive back home. Eating before big efforts, and eating during, is tricky. I need to eat enough, but not much volume in the last hour or hour and a half before a big effort, then I have a hard time with solids during a ride, and tend to rely on some sort of sport drink and water. Obviously, I am not an ultra athlete.
@Theodore . Fixed it now. It was supposed to be post bonk riding and not post bike riding, which doesn't make any sense.
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Tig
Fucktangular
I rarely eat before a morning ride. I usually just drink some juice or a little tea. While on the bike, I'll eat after an hour in and then as needed. If rolling, I'll eat a gel. If stopping for a break, I'll eat a tasty Lärabar.
I've never put much faith in those special pre-ride hydration drinks but tried some from a free sample before last week's Friday and Saturday rides. I lost 30% less weight from sweating on both rides compared to similar rides without it.
On the bike, I alternate drinking from one water bottle and one sports drink bottle. I freeze up to 2/3 the night before to keep the fluids cold longer. Your stomach absorbs cold liquids faster than warm.
Of course, my summer rides are extremely hot and humid. For instance, this week's 7 AM start times are at 77-78 F with a feels like temperature of 82-84 F. By 10 AM, the feels like will be 93-94 F!
I've never put much faith in those special pre-ride hydration drinks but tried some from a free sample before last week's Friday and Saturday rides. I lost 30% less weight from sweating on both rides compared to similar rides without it.
On the bike, I alternate drinking from one water bottle and one sports drink bottle. I freeze up to 2/3 the night before to keep the fluids cold longer. Your stomach absorbs cold liquids faster than warm.
Of course, my summer rides are extremely hot and humid. For instance, this week's 7 AM start times are at 77-78 F with a feels like temperature of 82-84 F. By 10 AM, the feels like will be 93-94 F!
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
When I am out long enough and/or hard enough for some sport drink, I do that. But my mountain bike doesn't even have a bottle cage (except near the bottom bracket) so mostly I drink water, and maybe have some cliff bites or those sharky things or some exercise candy with electrolytes in it. If I do do a sports drink, I like one with some nutrient. Usually a lemon/lime and not too much in the mix. I get some powdered supplements from a company called Reliv, and they make one that works for me. Not all do.
Tig
Fucktangular
Yeah, sports drinks are like saddles. What works for some is terrible for others. I remember Cytomax feeling like a rock in mu gut!
A couple that I ride with started up a sports nutrition drink business and their stuff works really well for me. It is usually without flavor so I mix in a little Gatorade for taste.
https://shop.vitenutrition.com/
A couple that I ride with started up a sports nutrition drink business and their stuff works really well for me. It is usually without flavor so I mix in a little Gatorade for taste.
https://shop.vitenutrition.com/
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
A speedy little 5 miles mountain biking over a half hour. Pushed hills today. Not a long workout, but a good little intensity session. We have graduation stuff this week. Have to fit it in when I can.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1619657023/segments/40556960670
https://www.strava.com/activities/1619657023/segments/40556960670
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nuke_diver
Riding Solo
I find the eating thing some what interesting. I probably don't eat enough but outside of one ride I recall I never have any energy issues. For a typical Sunday ride of 45ish miles I have a bowl of cheerios in the morning before walking the dog and when I get back I go riding. I'll sometimes bring a fruit and nut bar (about 130 cal) sometimes not and ride with 52 oz of water. Depending on how hot it is the water will be about 60% done before the last couple of miles and I finish it off before going home. On a real hot day I'm usually finishing it before the ride ends. My last long ride (63 miles) I did the cheerios thing as well as bring 3 of those bars. I did stop at about 35 miles for some additional water and a biobreak. My average speed was 16.4 mph which is pretty much average for me over most longer distances with that kind of elevation (about 3000
. I've talked with people who say they eat ~250 cal ever half an hour.
. I've talked with people who say they eat ~250 cal ever half an hour.
nuke_diver
Riding Solo
Damn that's some flat land in the 3rd picture!
Tig
Fucktangular
sunvalleylaw
Yep.
Ya bunch of flatlanders!
nuke_diver
Riding Solo
Not quite as mountainous here as where SVL is but plenty hilly and steep enough for my old knees
