How to push on with my cycling.

[LosingFocus]

So I've been cycling again for about 5 months now and Im happy with where Ive got too bearing in mind my start fitness and the allocated free-time for cycling; but I feel I now is the time to push on and really get working.

But... what do I do?

I'm still at the early stages of cycling I would guess. I'm happy with my MTB stuff as I'm still exploring local woodland, tracks and lanes, but most of my road-bike trips out are around an hour in length, not been for more than 1.5 hours due to work, kids etc. My road av. speed is sitting at 16.4mph for July, over a distance of 18 miles; max speed is about 35mph downhill, 22mph flat. Im happy using gears properly now, learning when to spin it, when to grind it, how to climb, hand holding positions for increased speed.

What would be your next "thing" to do if you were in my position? Increase the distance? Increase the time? Increase the av. speed? (obviously some of these are linked).

I would love to try something like Time Trailing in the future, but looking at the local clubs times, I would really need to up my game before I tried it.

Is joining a local club a good idea? I think my local one is based not too far away.

 

[BSRU]

Join the local club, it will be very beneficial if you are looking to push on and are starting to think about competing.

I also have time constraints, so I alternate weeks, one week concentrate on distance, trying to go further than before and the following week reduce the distance and think about speed, trying to improve my average. During the distance weeks I have to plan ahead so that I can basically wake up, cup of tea, get changed and head out.

 

[LosingFocus]

Thanks BSRU. They, the club, meet on a Sunday so might pop over when I can find a spare one.

When you say 1 week distance, 1 week speed; is the distance within a constrained time? Surely that would be the same as working on speed - unless Im barking up the wrong 'un...

Alas early morning rides are out as I look after my boys before they are picked up by the inlaws (wife works in London, Im lucky enough to be a homebased IT dude.)

 

[BSRU]

Thanks BSRU. They, the club, meet on a Sunday so might pop over when I can find a spare one.

When you say 1 week distance, 1 week speed; is the distance within a constrained time? Surely that would be the same as working on speed - unless Im barking up the wrong 'un...

Alas early morning rides are out as I look after my boys before they are picked up by the inlaws (wife works in London, Im lucky enough to be a homebased IT dude.)

The distance is constrained by time but I am able to extend the time by leaving the house earlier, also as I work flexitime I can arrive at work little later if needed. I can extend the times for a week then I have to go back to normal to make up any lost flexitime. In the speed week as I am cycling a shorter distance I can give more effort not having to worry about running out of gas. Obviously as I go faster I go further so now my speed week distance is greater than my distance week distance was a couple of months ago, if that makes any sense.

Have you thought about training on a heavier bike sometimes, my normal commuter hybrid is twice the weight of my road bike, the hard work on the hybrid seems to help when I change to the road bike.

 

[LosingFocus]

The distance is constrained by time but I am able to extend the time by leaving the house earlier, also as I work flexitime I can arrive at work little later if needed. I can extend the times for a week then I have to go back to normal to make up any lost flexitime. In the speed week as I am cycling a shorter distance I can give more effort not having to worry about running out of gas. Obviously as I go faster I go further so now my speed week distance is greater than my distance week distance was a couple of months ago, if that makes any sense.

Have you thought about training on a heavier bike sometimes, my normal commuter hybrid is twice the weight of my road bike, the hard work on the hybrid seems to help when I change to the road bike.

I alternate between a ride on my roadie and one on the MTB (obviously the latter ride is more offroad based, but a good few miles of tarmac to get to the woods/park, and back)