Wishing to improve performance, unsure how to proceed.

[willhub]

Hi.

I'm wanting to improve my performance on the bike.

Main things are:

Ability to maintain a high average speed
Ability to do longer distances.

I've been having knee problems and they are currently ongoing, so my level of cycling has been drastically cut down over the past month of so, haven't really done much cycling. My longest ride in a while was last tuesday, I did 66miles, 33miles there and back from bike shop, then I had to go again after.

Before the knee problems occoured I was doing lots of miles, aiming to get back to the 300+ mile a week I was doing last summer, not I dont know if this is the way to go. I found that I was struggling to maintain that amount and that I actually lost endurace and was struggling at anything over 120miles compared to before, I also found my legs where taking longer to recover.

The thing that makes me think doing the long miles is not the best answer to improving either, is because yesterday I did a 37 mile loop, after quite a time off, not really doing much, and on that 37mile loop I did my PB, I averaged 19.6 at the end when I hit traffic but for the first quarter was doing around 21mph average and untill the last few miles when we hit traffic I sustained around 20-20.3mph, and I was not really pushing hard aswel, now I know averages is not everything and people moan at me when I talk about this, but I dont think it's my new bike or the weather than enabled me to get this fast, on similar days I used to only manage around 18.5-19mph on this same loop, sometimes only 17mph, and that was with the frequent riding.

So I dont know, could anyone help me plan some sort of training regime or something for on the bike for when I am able to cycle propor again when my knee is sorted. I do like long rides, hilly too, but maybe I should cut the mileage down to improve?

Any help would be aprechiated.

Thanks
Will.

 

[montage]

Reason for your good average today is that your body is possibly more relaxed/more fresh. Also there is the posibility you were overtraining when doing 300 miles a week?

With your knees - get a pro fitting, especially if doing the amount of mileage you are doing. You may have the saddle too low/high.

Interval training is also a blessing here .... just google cycling interval training and there is LODES of stuff relating to this. Make sure you have at least one rest day in the week to help prevent overdoing it.

When I get back into serious cycling (injured knees at the moment from saddle being too low) .... I plan to construct my training programme in 4 week chunks.... raising the intensity each week, then when I begin the next 4 week chunk, week 1 will be a lower intensity to week 4 of the first 4 week chunk (credit to you if you understand that dribble)

 

[willhub]

I think I understand it slightly.

I will have a look at this bike fit, but it's £50 and I cant afford it at the moment, people say if you cant afford it why can you afford the bike stuff? Well thats cause I need to think about this and keep money reserve for the bike stuff.

I really don't know what saddle height is correct, but all my bikes have the same height for my legs.

Some guy told me my bike is set up like an old man fit at the moment :

 

[StuAff]

I think I understand it slightly.

I will have a look at this bike fit, but it's £50 and I cant afford it at the moment, people say if you cant afford it why can you afford the bike stuff? Well thats cause I need to think about this and keep money reserve for the bike stuff.

I really don't know what saddle height is correct, but all my bikes have the same height for my legs.

Some guy told me my bike is set up like an old man fit at the moment :

That sounds wrong, very wrong. I've never had pro fitting myself, but I certainly would if I was buying a road bike and/or doing that kind of mileage. If it's 'an old man fit' than that sounds plain wrong. As for it being £50, how much would the time off work cost you if you do yourself serious damage? At least study a bike book or two, or reputable websites, for fitting advice. There's a good piece in C+ magazine this month.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

will

have a butchers on bikeradar for the recent stuff (including training plans) on how to prepare for your first sportive; lots of good suggestions there i think. ymmv.

http://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/training/archive

some of it has helped me ramp up from 0 miles a week to lots (for me) in fairly short order and I've just recovered from a pcl/lcl injury

Greg

 

[willhub]

I will have a look at that thanks.

I don't think my bike positioning is wrong though, as I am very comfortable on the bike. I'll look into bike fitting in the holidays. I need a job first.