6 Ways to Improve Your Cycling Performance

Traffic in big cities has become a nightmare over the last few decades. That has made cycling one of the favorite ways of commuting. With all its advantages, it’s easy to understand why. It’s convenient, time-saving and cost-efficient. However, commuting is not the only reason people continuously fall in love with a two-wheeler. Many people choose cycling as a way of exercise or a new fun activity. Some are passionate collectors, others are adrenaline lovers. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced athlete, there’s always room for progress. Although it may take years to reach a high level of performance, there are still some things you can do to speed up the process and enjoy immediate results. Here are some tips to help you achieve that goal.

1. Boost your workout routine.

Ok, so you’ve decided to improve your cycling workout performance. To do that, you need to get in shape. No matter how skilled rider you are, cycling is hard work. The greatest American cyclist of all times Greg LeMond said: “It never gets easier, you just go faster”. One of the key factors in making progress is consistency. Make it a habit to get on your bike at least three times a week with a day of rest in between. If you’re a beginner, it may be hard at first, but don’t let that discourage you. Soon, you’ll get more comfortable and start enjoying the ride. Set realistic goals and don’t push yourself too hard. We understand your impatience, but high expectations like climbing hills after only a month of your cycling experience may lead to disappointment and lack of self-confidence. Just be patient and take your two-wheeler for a ride regularly.

If you’re a commuter, we salute you. Committed bike commuters aren’t put off by the weather conditions. It’s the lack of variety that may bring them down. As much as cycling to work is beneficial for both building endurance and fat-burning, it should also be fun. One of the great ways to spice up your ride is to change your route to work. If you decide to take a longer ride, just make sure to leave home on time since you don’t want to be late for work.

2. Stay hydrated.

The human body is made from up to 60% of water. Having that said, it’s quite clear why it’s important to stay hydrated throughout the day. We lose most of it through sweat, so it’s essential to keep sipping on water during any kind of physical activity. Dehydration can lead to fatigue, dizziness, and it can greatly affect our cycling performance. To boost up your energy levels, take an energy bar and two glasses of water half an hour before the ride. Make sure you pack enough water and some sports drink to keep you fresh and your energy levels on point. Take a big gulp of water every 15 minutes. At first, you may have to set the timer on your watch or a phone, but with time, you’ll learn to recognize these intervals on your own.

3. Degrease and wash your bike regularly.

Keeping your bike clean and serviced is not only visually appealing. It’s a matter of safety, too. Environmental conditions that your bike is exposed to can affect it greatly. To prolong your bike’s longevity and performance, make sure you keep it clean. If you’re unsure about how to do it, there are many tutorials online that will guide you through the process. You’ll get clued up about how to degrease and wash your loving two-wheeler without damaging the chains and gears. All you need to do is a little bit of research and to find 30 minutes or less to successfully polish up your bike.

4. Get your bike serviced regularly.

In every sport, safety comes first. The same goes for cycling. Keeping your bike maintenance on a high level will not only prolong its longevity but it will also keep you safe. It’s advisable to take your bike in for a regular service once in every 500 or 1000 km. Also,you can finda great variety of bike partsonline since it’s important to have some essentials with you during the ride and at home. Keep your tires properly inflated to avoid punctures. You can use either hand pump or standing track pumps. Another important thing you need to pay attention to are the brake pads. They should never get worn out to the point of metal on metal contact. If you’re unsure about when is the right time to replace them, check the braking material. If it’s less than 1.5mm you need to get a new pair of braking pads.

5. Practice common repairs.

Even with the regular maintenance, unpredicted situations can occur such as a flat tire. This means that you should always be prepared for the worst and get familiar with some common repairs. When you’re down on the road or a hill, far away from a bike service, you’ll have to fix the problem yourself if you don’t want to stay in the woods until the help arrives. Find some good tutorials or ask for some professional help that will guide you through the process of changing a flat tire or fixing a chain. You can do it at home or in the bike service, and if it seems difficult or confusing at first, don’t worry. Practise makes it perfect. This way, you’ll gain some new skills, get to know more about your bike and also, gain self-confidence on the road.

6. Go up the hill.

We already mentioned that cycling is hard work. To improve your cycling performance, you must work on increasing your muscular endurance. Riding uphill is the perfect way to achieve that goal. Why? Because it reduces cadence and increases the average effective pedal force. There are two ways to do it. One way is to gradually increase the climbing distance on milder hills. On the other hand, you can choose steeper hills and practice high-intensity sprint intervals which should last between 60 and 90 seconds. Use a downhill ride as a recovery. Keep repeating the intervals until you reach the phase where you can do 12 per workout.

If you don’t have any hills in your area, or you simply aren’t a huge fan of hill rides, you can boost your bike power by riding into headwinds. The same as riding uphill and in bigger gears, going into headwinds will improve your muscular endurance. Use tailwinds as a recovery. True, you can’t plan this kind of workout since the weather can be quite unpredictable, but make sure you take advantage of a windy day when it occurs.

Conclusion

Power is the essence of cycling. The more bike power you gain, the faster you will cross a certain distance. Truth be told, making progress and increasing your cycling performance doesn’t mean that it will become easier. It means that you’ll become faster, stronger and more confident in your performance. Whether you’re a beginner, a bike commuter or a downhill adrenaline junkie, improving your ride is equally important for everyone. Hopefully, these few tips will help you achieve your goals. Remember to keep them realistic and to be consistent and the results will follow.