Training

[Doki]

I want to go faster and further on my bike. I know the
obvious answer is to do a lot of riding. Has anyone got any
pointers on interval training or other ways to get more out
of my time on the bike?

[Peter Clinch]

Doki wrote:
> I want to go faster and further on my bike. I know the
> obvious answer is to do a lot of riding. Has anyone got
> any pointers on interval training or other ways to get
> more out of my time on the bike?

Find your local club and go out with other people wanting
the same thing. Being in a pack pushing one another not only
helps fitness and speed but makes your cycling better on a
meter to meter basis as well.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

[Zog The Undenia]

Doki wrote:

> I want to go faster and further on my bike. I know the
> obvious answer is to do a lot of riding. Has anyone got
> any pointers on interval training or other ways to get
> more out of my time on the bike?
>
>
Join the local club and do some evening "10"s. They won't
mind if you use an MTB, although slick tyres are recommended
for a half-decent time.

[Doki]

Peter Clinch wrote:
> Doki wrote:
>> I want to go faster and further on my bike. I know the
>> obvious answer is to do a lot of riding. Has anyone got
>> any pointers on interval training or other ways to get
>> more out of my time on the bike?
>
> Find your local club and go out with other people wanting
> the same thing. Being in a pack pushing one another not
> only helps fitness and speed but makes your cycling better
> on a meter to meter basis as well.

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up. Though if I did, I'd be
very pleased as I'd be on a mountain bike and they'd all
most likely be roadies :).

[Peter Clinch]

Doki wrote:

> I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up.

Would depend on the club in question. Some have lower
powered rides for lower powered people.

> Though if I did, I'd be very pleased as I'd be on a
> mountain bike and they'd all most likely be roadies :).

But bottom line is you don't know until you try, and you
might be okay if you put some fast tyres on. It's also
entirely possible someone on your friendly neighbourhood
chain gang will have a pretty reasonable winter hack
they'd be happy to lend you for a few rides (perhaps for a
small regular payment in pint form) until you get your own
(or decide it's not for you...). Get in touch with the
local clubs and see what they have to say for themselves
on the matter.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext.
33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital Fax 44 1382 640177
Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net p.j.clinch@dundee.ac.uk
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

[Simonb]

Doki wrote:

> I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up.

You'd be surprised! I only did my rirst group riding this
year, and it is amazing how much difference the group makes;
not just in terms of aerodynamics, but also the motivation.

> Though if I did, I'd be very pleased as I'd be on a
> mountain bike and they'd all most likely be roadies :).

This could be an issue -- get a road bike. ;-) Seriously
though, as long as there's no mad sprinting going on, you
should be fine. If a little weird-looking.

[Arthur Clune]

Doki <doki@spamtronspidar.com> wrote:

: I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up. Though if I did, I'd
: be very pleased as I'd be on a mountain bike and they'd
: all most likely be roadies :).

Ah. The usual advice about how to get fit for MTB'ing is
"buy a road bike". And with good reason. Not only is it
possible to exercise at a consistent effort level but (as
Pete says) you can ride with others, and this makes you much
faster quickly

The full works on the subject is "The Cyclists Training
Manual" by Joe Friel, available at a bookshop near you.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org (http://www.clune.org/) "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook

[Andrew Templema]

Doki <doki@spamtroNspidar.com> wrote:

> Peter Clinch wrote:
> > Doki wrote:
> >> I want to go faster and further on my bike. I know the
> >> obvious answer is to do a lot of riding. Has anyone got
> >> any pointers on interval training or other ways to get
> >> more out of my time on the bike?
> >
> > Find your local club and go out with other people
> > wanting the same thing. Being in a pack pushing one
> > another not only helps fitness and speed but makes your
> > cycling better on a meter to meter basis as well.
>
> I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up. Though if I did, I'd
> be very pleased as I'd be on a mountain bike and they'd
> all most likely be roadies :).

Until it was pinched in December, I used a MTB with guards
and slicks on club runs. Heavy; yes, but I'm the captain so
they'd have to wait for me
:-)
But they didn't need to...

Now I have a hybrid road bike with flat bars for winter-
training/work.

If you're in the Wirral area, come with us. We
acommodate all.

[Doki]

Arthur Clune wrote:
> Doki <doki@spamtronspidar.com> wrote:
>
>> I'm pretty sure I wouldn't keep up. Though if I did, I'd
>> be very pleased as I'd be on a mountain bike and they'd
>> all most likely be roadies :).
>
> Ah. The usual advice about how to get fit for MTB'ing is
> "buy a road bike". And with good reason.

Should happen some time this summer after I've spent money
on holidays and so on, and have some sort of commute I could
do on a bike.

> Not only is it possible to exercise at a consistent effort
> level but (as Pete says) you can ride with others, and
> this makes you much faster quickly

Not round here it's not. Perhaps I should move to Norfolk
or Lincolnshire and enjoy mile after mile of perfectly
level road...

> The full works on the subject is "The Cyclists Training
> Manual" by Joe Friel, available at a bookshop near you.

I'll look it up.

[Ian G Batten]

In article <c976uf$3lm$1@pump1.york.ac.uk>,
Arthur Clune <ajc22@york.ac.uk> wrote:
> Ah. The usual advice about how to get fit for MTB'ing is
> "buy a road bike". And with good reason. Not only is it
> possible to exercise at a consistent effort level

A mountain bike with slicks and, perhaps, suspension lockout
isn't _that_ far from a flat-barred road bike. It's
heavier, and it's lacking a bunch of long gear ratios, but
you get some very low gear ratios to make up for both of
those problems.

ian

Although that may or may not be a good thing. I weigh
about 16 stone, and if I lock the rear suspension on my
bike it appears that I can flex something, probably the
seat post, as I pedal. The effect is horrible, and indeed
both similar to and of larger magnitude to the worst
things the rear suspension can do when it is unlocked.
Tall people on mountain bikes of a ``compact frame''
layout, like the Marin, will tend to have a lot of seat
post exposed, so it's a candidate for flex. I'm tempted to
try a more rigid seatpost.

[Arthur Clune]

Doki <doki@spamtronspidar.com> wrote:

:> I said: Not only is it possible to exercise at a
:> consistent effort level but (as Pete says) you can ride
:> with others, and this makes you much faster quickly

: Not round here it's not. Perhaps I should move to Norfolk
: or Lincolnshire and enjoy mile after mile of perfectly
: level road...

You can do constant level training in the hills, but it
takes displine. It means going *very* slowly up to keep the
effort down and then pushing on more on the descents than
you would normally. And maybe adjusting routes slightly.

You could try a local road club ona hardtail with 1" slicks
and see how you go.

Arthur

--
Arthur Clune http://www.clune.org (http://www.clune.org/) "Technolibertarians make a
philosophy out of a personality defect"
- Paulina Borsook