tired legs...

[kiwifruit]

That's good, but that's more beneficial to Cardiovascular than for legs. The stretches may help. When you get towards the end of the ride, get into a low gear, and let the legs move with less resistance.

Ok, thanks for the advice. Hope the stretches will help.

 

[kiwifruit]

Speeds will drop in winter months - nothing unusual about that. If you are one of these people that goes out and smashes themselves on each and every single ride, just reel in the effort a bit...

Yes, I do put efforts in my ride, but not every ride. I thought putting efforts will improve my cardio and my strength.

 

[vickster]

Yes, I do put efforts in my ride, but not every ride. I thought putting efforts will improve my cardio and my strength.

Potentially but also cause muscle fatigue. Mix it up

 

[cyberknight]

Its cold , dark and windy so not the best of conditions for smashing your personal bests , my commute average speed is down a good 1 mph over 10 miles .This time of year just get your miles in as and when to give you a good base for next year .

 

[Citius]

Yes, I do put efforts in my ride, but not every ride. I thought putting efforts will improve my cardio and my strength.

Regularity is key to improvement. Ride at a level which enables you to recover in time for the next ride. Cycling doesn't really have much effect on strength, as such...

 

[tallliman]

Despite doing many of the things mentioned above (and I still do!), I find that a nice warm bath and a night in recovery tights help me recover a bit quicker. Not sure if it's all in my head but I do feel it helps, even if it's a little.

 

[mjr]

It's when you get back you need to stretch

Yes! Do not stretch cold joints, especially if you have weak knees (as I do) else you can get in a world of pain very quickly. Just start off easy for a mile or so (and in my case, I usually continue easy for the rest of the ride ). Stretches at the end are good, as is a warm down.

It sounds like it could be fatigue but it could just as easy be colder limbs or even just treating wetter roads with due caution, especially on a road bike with its weaker brakes.

 

[screenman]

Ice bath is the cure, best to keep the wedding tackle out of the water though as that hurts.

 

[cyberknight]

Ice bath is the cure, best to keep the wedding tackle out of the water though as that hurts.

Thats been disputed as an overall treatment.
http://www.outsideonline.com/1971446/recovery-ice-bath-isnt-always-such-good-idea

 

[Citius]

ice bath, ffs...

 

[derrick]

We have had a lot of windy days over the last few months, This time of year for me it takes longer to warm up, and i tend not to push as hard as i would do in the summer, Just keep going
As for an ice bath that's a no, Ice cream that's something else

 

[Hip Priest]

I'm always a bit more achy in winter. Plus heavy winds will affect anyone's average speed.

 

[boydj]

Leave the speedo at home and have a few easy rides without worrying about time or pace. When you are chasing times on most runs you get tired mentally as well as physically and it catches up eventually if you don't fit in rest or easy days regularly.

 

[kiwifruit]

Leave the speedo at home and have a few easy rides without worrying about time or pace. When you are chasing times on most runs you get tired mentally as well as physically and it catches up eventually if you don't fit in rest or easy days regularly.

I think your right about leaving the speedo at home, as I do watch my speed and average.

 

[kiwifruit]

I'm always a bit more achy in winter. Plus heavy winds will affect anyone's average speed.

Yes I can understand being winter, temperture and winds, but average speed going down by 3mph it just seems quite a lot.