Ride Faster Easier
Riding faster can be infectious. It is hard to articulate exactly what it is, but there’s something about flying along on two wheels, only powered by the human body. To keep getting faster though involves hard work. However, what if I said there were some ways to ride faster without said ‘hardness’. If that sounds good keep on reading.
Ride for Enjoyment
Don’t forget how much fun it can be riding. The wind, the burn in the legs, the stress release, it’s amazing where a bike can take you. Whether you enjoy long chats with mates, or just riding along in silence contemplating your own thoughts, being on a bike can provide so much enjoyment if you let it.
The pressure to perform can create an environment focused on improvement and doing specific training. Somewhere along the way, the simple pleasure of riding a bike can be lost. Always make time to just ride for enjoyment. It will encourage you to get out on 2 wheels more often, and consistency is always the key to growth.
Riding a bike around has got to be one of the best forms to explore the world. So just get out and ride for fun.
Look Where You Want To Go
Don’t look directly ahead of you, instead look through to where you want to go. This is super important when moving through corners. Looking where you want to go allows you to help set up for the correct line through the corner.
When you only look ahead of you, the problem is, it’s very hard to judge the entire corner. Thus, this results in over braking / slowing through a corner than is necessary. Practice looking where you want to go will allow you to optimise your racing lines and therefore carry more speed.
Breathe
Stay in control of your breathing. It is important to maintain deep breaths from the very beginning when it’s easy. Breathing and heart rate are related. By controlling your breathing it can better control the physical effort of riding.
It’s easier to control your breathing at the start of an effort, compared to doing so once you realise you are getting short on breath. Think about this next time you are starting out on a ride.
Practice Different Cadences
Practice in cycle training different cadences. Over time, you will develop a feel for your natural cadence. What feels most comfortable for you to spin at. It’s a personal thing as everyone’s body is different.
Various sources cite the gold standard for cycling cadences is often as between the ranges of 80-100 RPM. But there’s been triathlete’s who have performed very well at below 80 RPM. Again, my recommendation is to practice different cadences and determine what works best for you.
Hopefully, you have found the information above useful. Be sure to share any tips you believe helps you to ride faster easier in the comments section. I always love to learning something new.
You May Also Like
Cycling Prehab
December 21, 2020Understanding Cycling Power Zones
April 14, 2020Improve Breathing for Better Performance
August 27, 2020Newsletter
Stay in touch, including tips and training sessions to improve.
Thank you!
You have successfully joined our subscriber list.
- luke@lukejonestri.com
- Sydney, NSW, Australia
Copyright © Luke Jones