Intermediate Cyclist Guides: Time To Amp It Up!

#1 Grasp various riding techniques

It’s crucial to train yourself with some tricky yet handy cycling techniques in order to achieve cycling efficiency. With these techniques up your sleeve, your cycling performance will improve and save a lot of time in the course of your ride.

#1 Climbing

On or off-road, a steep and crooked path is inevitable. It’s best to practice riding on a steeper path that suits your riding style so that in the long run, you can climb without much exertion. Some tips for you: Shift to the right gear, work on your balance, maintain reasonable pedalling, and always anticipate steep sections.

#2 Descending

Yes, riding down the steep road is a chance for you to stop pedalling and let the gravity do the work. This is where you take a short break for your legs and back, do some stretches on sore muscles, then adjust your body afterward for lower wind resistance. As you are reaching downhill, start pedalling slowly to maintain the pace.

#3 Braking

Braking at the right moment will keep you from falling and retain your momentum. A sudden brake might cause loss of balance and a hard brake may wear down the brake pad. Therefore, stay vigilant of your route whether you are riding downhill, on a rocky path, running into some road hazards, or around moving vehicles. 

#4 Cornering

This skill requires major practice that involves balancing your body, the right time to brake, as well as your bike and body positions. Cornering can be extremely useful for an off-road rider where the route terrain is meandering and usually unpredictable. It is a quite challenging skill to master but you can check out the video explained by Global Mountain Bike Network for some insight.

#5 Pedalling (Cadence)

Cadence is where you optimise your pedalling per minute at a given speed. As you are investing in this type of fitness, aiming at 60-80 revolutions per minute (RPM) is a good goal. Upon achieving your target cadence and adapting to it, fast cycling will feel like an easy feat for you with minimal muscle fatigue.

You may also get a deeper understanding with the detailed instructions advised by Tricia Davis.

#2 Plan a stamina-building ride

With various cycling techniques that you have practised, it’s time to schedule an intensive weekly ride in order to enhance your strength on the bike, to achieve your optimum cardiovascular fitness, and build endurance. 

The plans should consist of a long-hour ride, intense sessions, and rigid disciplines. You can explore the 6-week program suggested by Selene Yeager and Leslie Bonci as a start.

#3 Follow through with your plan

If you find the 6-week plan too intense, you can try the 4-week plan by Simon Kidd. In every training or ride session, remember to always do a warmup and cooldown routine as well as focusing on your body recovery.

Also, cycling on your bike is not the only workout you should train. Swimming, running, working out at the gym, or even walking are some of the exercises you can pursue on your cross-training days. These off-bike exercises are needed in order to work on your different muscle groups while giving your cycling muscles a break.

And remember, there are quite a number of factors that will affect your riding speed. Just put more effort into finishing your plan. The effort is what counts!

#4 Upgrade your bike

Some riding activities require a more durable bike. So it is wise to have your bike upgraded or get a new one that suits your training schedule. Your starter bike might not be built for an extreme ride plan.

With discipline and perseverance in finishing the program, we believe you yearn to evolve into a pro cyclist that will say yes to every riding challenge, come what may!

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