Road cycling has seen incredible growth in popularity over the last 20 or 30 years. Famous events, such as the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia always caught the attention of sports fans but the success of the high-profile events at the Olympics over the last few decades has really grown the sport on a worldwide scale.
Millions of new cyclists have emerged, some aiming to emulate their heroes from the Summer Games. Others have simply been attracted by the chance to improve a healthy lifestyle and participate in one of the most environmentally friendly activities out there. Some will want to place their Vegas bets online on the big races and tours and, for many, road cycling has become a whole new life.
If you are one of the many people just starting out in road cycling, you will be eager to improve your speed, endurance, and overall ability on two wheels. Even if you just want to get better to enjoy being out on a bike, here are some of our top tips to improve your own road cycling experience.
Prepare for Your Ride Mentally
If you have fallen for the cycling bug there is a good chance that you will watch as many professional events as possible. Listening to the very best in the business in their interviews, you will have heard about how they prepare mentally. Pro sports athletes will always say that half the task is in the mind.
But this way of thinking can be very useful for amateur enthusiasts too. Your preparation doesn’t have to be for finishing first but with how you are going to prepare for your ride. Think about where you might stop along the way and how you will cope with the changes in elevation. This way of thinking will make the ride easier – and more enjoyable.
Think Carefully About Diet
One of the great almost accidental benefits of road cycling is that it will provide you with a healthier lifestyle and do wonders for your fitness. You can help with this by spending a little time thinking about what you are eating. Pro riders talk about “fueling” their races but a balanced diet can help improve any cyclist’s experience.
Rehydration is obviously very important, especially if your journeys are getting longer the more you get out on your bike. But eating a healthy and balanced meal a couple hours before you set out is key. Just like the pros, you will also be able to take food with you to give you the boost you need to finish your route in a personal best time.
Recovery is Important
Pros know that rest days are just as important as the training days – and this is just as true for amateur road cyclists. What constitutes a “rest” day will depend on what level of cycling you are enjoying. A professional will probably even get on the bike on his or her rest days – but that doesn’t have to be the case for everyone.
You will enjoy your road cycling trips so much more if you are fully rested and in peak condition on the day. As much as you may think that you want to hit the road as much as possible, having those days in the week to recuperate and concentrate on your everyday work life can actually make cycling at the weekend a million times better.
Increase Your Average Speed
If you feel no need to record personal best times on familiar routes, then you should just enjoy the experience as you want to. However, many cyclists find that improving as a rider includes becoming faster and more skilled on a bike.
If you do want to improve your times, you should remember that there is no need to rush out of the blocks. There is plenty of technology to help keep a record of how fast and far you are going, so concentrate on upping that average speed in small doses. Pedaling harder up and down hills will really help with this.
Comfort is Key
One of the attractions for many new road cyclists is to get a load of new gear to help them feel the part when they go out on the bike. This can be a very expensive and wasteful experience for many – and one that even sometimes puts people off. You don’t have to spend too much to enjoy road cycling, but you must be comfortable.
Getting the best bike for your budget is a good start and seeking out professional advice is advised here. Warming up properly for any trip out will also help with achieving the most comfortable ride possible, while sensible clothing is a must. Wear what you feel comfortable in – and what you come to learn to be comfortable after a few rides.
Group Activity
Usually, at this time of year, you will see a whole host of articles about how to keep up your New Year’s resolution of going to the gym. We don’t really go in for that here but one of the most common tips also works with road cycling. You will go out more frequently – and give yourself a better chance of improving – if you ride with friends.
Group cycling is a much more sociable way of enjoying your time off and will help push you to improve. You may even find that you don’t even realize how much faster or better you are getting because you are so busy chatting with friends. There are also plenty of clubs around if none of your immediate friend circle has discovered the joys of cycling yet.
Cycle More
As with anything that is worth doing, improving your road cycling will only really come from cycling more. This should not be a problem for anyone who has started their own journey. In fact, finding the time between other responsibilities is probably going to be the biggest hurdle when it comes to cycling more.
Take the chance whenever you can to get on your bike. Think about your work commute or journeys to the shops. If you can cycle instead, you will get more out of your day and improve your health at the same time. We all love road cycling and the best thing about this activity is that you can always do more of what you love.
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