How do i improve my cycling

[defy-one]

I have been cycling consistently since May of this year and building my fitness,loosing weight, increasing speed and distance.
I have a few questions i'm hoping the longer distance riders can help with .....
1. Around 2 hours of riding i start to slouch on the bike. Hunched shoulders etc. Somebody suggested working on my core muscles - yes/no?
2. I don't seem able to go much above 30-32 miles in a single ride,even with a cake/coffee stop. Linked with question 1.
3. When travelling at a steady 19 mph (on a nice flat ride) i get a slight burn in the lower 3rd of my thighs. Is this right? Should i be getting that after 800 miles?

My aim is to up the mileage to 40 - 50 - 60 miles,but struggling with the next stage. Any advice would be appreciated

 

[RAYMOND]

I'm not sure if this will help you but i get tired after 20 miles or so but then find after a 5 minute break say for a gel and a sandwich i
get fresh legs.So maybe after 15 miles or so why not get off the bike,walk around a bit or sit on a bench.
Stretch your legs,make sure you drink plenty of water.
Maybe drop your mph, my average is 15 mph but then i'm a short arse.
Why not give it a rest for a week? Let your body/legs recover some,then you should be raring to get on the bike again.

 

[Sittingduck]

How many 30-ish-milers have you done? If you're doing 19mph 'steady' then I would suggest perhaps slowing the pace slightly and building distance, gradually first then worry about upping speed again after the winter of slower base miles? Just an idea though and I fully expect the usual suspects to be along shortly to give proper advice...

Maybe try tweaking very slightly the setup of saddle and or bars to see if you can solve the comfort issue.

The burn is above the knee, in your quads, right?

 

[oldroadman]

Try a proper bike fitting, your position is possibly not correct. Despite what people say, don't drop the average speed, all you will do is train your body to go slower! You say you have 800 miles covered, which is not a lot yet, but still good. Keep working away and riding, sort out the position, maybe don't bother with gels yet, a banana can be as good. Keep hydrated - a few sips after 20-30 minutes and keep sipping away after that, a 500ml bottle should do about 2 hours at your pace. Water is OK, a very light concentration of energy drink may be better.
Are you using clipless pedals, clips and straps, or plain pedals. Clipless helps a lot.
Keep the cadence around 90/100 rpm, snaller gears spin easier and will help endurance.
Ride relaxed, the weigt balence between feet, hands, and bum is important.

A lot of this could be solved by the bike fit - best of all find a local club (check British Cycling website) where you will find advice and a good deal of leg-pulling, but some like-minded people. Welcome to being a bike rider!

It never gets easier - but you do get faster. But you do get more comfortable and able to recover better.

 

[Robson3022]

don't drop the average speed, all you will do is train your body to go slower!

This is a great point. If you want to go faster for longer that's what you have to do.

 

[Hip Priest]

I found that throwing in a shorter midweek evening ride (20 miles) in the summer, at a quicker pace than normal, helped improve my speed on my longer rides (50 miles +). If you can get out a few times a week, try mixing it up like that.

I don't know if strengthening your core is the answer to your comfort issues. My advice would be to change hand position frequently (drops, hoods, tops) and have a good stretch a few times during the ride.

 

[defy-one]

Just to add my average speed is 16mph on a 30 mile ride. Not 19mph. I wish
I get a slight burn in the thighs ... Is this the norm?

 

[oldroadman]

Just to add my average speed is 16mph on a 30 mile ride. Not 19mph. I wish
I get a slight burn in the thighs ... Is this the norm?

Lactic acid build up, it will get better eventually. Try eating a banana (the potassium is said to help reduce the build up). Might not work but you'll feel better for having done something. And bananas are quite nice when they are a bit soft from being in your jersey pocket for an hour.

Spending a lot of time here today, I don't bother going out when it's raining and chilly, and today is hammering down and not warm!

 

[Hip Priest]

Just to add my average speed is 16mph on a 30 mile ride. Not 19mph. I wish
I get a slight burn in the thighs ... Is this the norm?

I'm not the best person to ask. Everything hurts when I ride!

 

[Phil_bucks]

Just to add my average speed is 16mph on a 30 mile ride. Not 19mph. I wish
I get a slight burn in the thighs ... Is this the norm?

no, that's getting off and throwing up half way up a hill isnt it?

 

[mark st1]

Ive allways found the more you look at your speedo or how many miles you have done it gets harder. I think of a route and just do that regardless of how far how fast i can go etc. If i plan a route out i want to finish it regardless of distance. However if i sit on the bike and just peddle and try to clock up the miles it just gets boring and tedious. As you know Defy i spent an awful lot of time in the drops which started to hurt my lower back. So i try now to mix up all 3 positions to give certain bones a rest . i get the leg burn aswell down the outsides of my thighs it seems to help me standing up for half a mile or so but that is usually also when my body is telling me "stop for a drink and a smoke fatty im getting tired"

I have found things are starting to get easier aches pains etc but it still hurts and im hoping it just takes time and tweaking to get a pain free quick long ride.

Of course the obvious answer would be stop shopping and cycle more but we will leave that one for another day

 

[defy-one]

^^^^^^ bstd!!!! Roflmao . Good one.

 

[defy-one]

Lactic acid build up, it will get better eventually. Try eating a banana (the potassium is said to help reduce the build up). Might not work but you'll feel better for having done something. And bananas are quite nice when they are a bit soft from being in your jersey pocket for an hour.

That makes sense and is what i'm experiencing. will give that a go and try small changes to my riding position.
Now that my beer belly has gone (unlike Marks or Phils) , i think i can flip the stem back to race mode and use the drops.

 

[Mr Haematocrit]

D1 if you have a spare hour or two after Saturdays ride we can head over to the Circuit and work on your fit, posture etc

 

[Phil_bucks]

That makes sense and is what i'm experiencing. will give that a go and try small changes to my riding position.
Now that my beer belly has gone (unlike Marks or Phils) , i think i can flip the stem back to race mode and use the drops.

i've been nurturing that beer baby for 20+ years, I dont want to give it up without a fight you know