In the spring of 2004 I started training for my first long bike
ride, the pan-massachusetts challenge.
Here are some tips I have been learning about doing long bike
rides:
- The most important training stat is time in the saddle! Ideally
you should train three times a week, but in any case at least two
times every single week.
- Consider taking a regular "spin" class at your local gym. This is
interval training for biking, and can increase your range.
- Take a low dosage advil every couple of hours during the ride
days. :)
- Drink a bottle of water per hour riding, whether you need it or not. Most
of the people who are hurting on the second day of a ride are those
who are dehydrated.
- Don't take too long on breaks on the day of the long rides; this
will actually make it harder to get back in the saddle, and prolong
your long day unnecesarily.
- Alternate your hand positioning regularly. The one I use most
commonly is hands on the top bar, with all four fingers and thumb of
each hand over the front of the bar, hanging loosely (no grip). Having
your thumbs over the top of the bar keeps your elbows in near your
side (vs. putting your thumb on the bottom of the bar which makes your
elbows ride out) which helps aerodynamics.
- For downhills and curves and any potentially dangerous situation
(cars too close), ride with your hands down low (to lower your center
of gravity) and near the brake handles.
- Deterimine your ideal cadence; for many people this is 60-70
revolutions per minute.
- Get a professional fitting at a high quality bike shop. Probably a
big successful shop, but make sure to ask who is the best fit person on
staff, and schedule with him or her! This can make an enormous
difference.
- I did most of my training on a 25 year old bike, and developed
this pride about not buying a new bike. But I could not keep up with
my team mates in training, so in deference to them I went out and
dropped $1K on a new Specialized road bike, and oh my god it made a
very big difference!
What tips have I missed?
