Beginner cyclists tend to follow simple rules when it comes to training. Ride lots. Ride often. You’ll get much better. But beginner cycling training can be much more effective with some thought behind it.
In these archives you’ll find plenty of information about beginner cycling training, training plans, beginner fitness mistakes and how to get the most out of your riding time.
The base building phase is more than just long miles and zone 2 efforts in the cold (if you want to know why check out my podcast on why cyclists don't need traditional base training.) To properly set yourself up for success next year, you'll want to put together a complete functional cycling base of fitness that you can build upon and carry through the entire cycling season.
True functional cycling base fitness prepares your body for harder efforts later in the year. It is vital to a long, prosperous riding season. Here's an example: If you think of your fitness like a house with a weak foundation, you know it won't last for years upon years. Without that solid functional foundation, your performance fitness will crumble over the course of the season no matter how much you try to train.
Click through for my 5 secrets of building a functional cycling base, share them with your friends and teammates and get on your way to your strongest season ever. And since not everyone is comfortable with planning their own training, you can scroll down for a discount code that will make it even more affordable to follow one of my downloadable training plans.
We were all beginner cyclists at one time. There's nothing like the thrill of trying something new and seeing ourselves improve quickly. Beginners typically improve the fastest out of anyone when they start training, but they often make major training mistakes and not even know it. These training mistakes tend to limit the fitness gains beginners see and cause them to get discouraged or frustrated and even cause them to stop riding. That's a huge issue for anyone who's new to cycling.
I'll tell you something else, too. Beginners aren't the only ones who make these mistakes. Even long-time veterans to the sport can get caught out making these training mistakes that will hurt their fitness and skill progression.
In this podcast, I'll cover these big training mistakes and give you tips on how to correct them. So click through and find out if you're making these training mistakes:
So you're thinking about racing a bike, but you're concerned about the cost.
You're not the only one, apparently.
Recently, an article in the UK based Telegraph caused a little bit of a stir in the cycling world, claiming that the cost of racing was approximately £25,000. £25,000!! Adjusted to USD, that's around $39,000! That's a salary for a lot of people!
And that's completely insane.
There's no earthly reason racing a bike needs to cost that much. In fact, if you read other articles by the same author, you get a different impression: the author is racing at an elite level, attempting to recapture a lost opportunity of his youth. He's not starting off racing a Cat 5 criterium, or a weekend stage race where you're competing against other guys who are coming out to have a little fun and maybe sprint for a pair of tires. We're talking two different worlds here.
But the article did get me thinking about what IS the cost of racing a bike? And if you wanted to start racing a bike today, what would you need to lay out in terms of dollars and cents. That's what I'll explore in today's podcast, along with some helpful tips to get you ready to race for the first time.
Click through for a breakdown of what it takes to race on the elite level, and what you need to race on the local level:
Everyone loves a group ride, right? Group rides are chances to catch up with friends, get in a good workout, chase a few stronger riders or tear the legs off your riding buddies. But a group ride is as much a dance as it is a ride, and there are a number of things you SHOULD have learned along your journey as a cyclist. Whether you are a group riding sage or a newly minted rookie, you should observe the rules, the etiquette and the sanctity of the holiest of Sunday cycling practices (aside from watching the pros on Eurosport, of course…)
In today's episode of the Tailwind Coaching Podcast, I'll wax poetic on those things that you need to have learned in order to execute the perfect group ride, and I'll cover a couple of things in the cycling news sphere that caught my attention.
That said, today's podcast will include:
[dc]T[/dc]he holiday gift giving season is nearly upon us, and many of us are creating our own "wish lists" for loved ones to peruse. Others may be on the hunt for the perfect gift for "that crazy bike guy" in their life. In the spirit of the season, I'm listing some of my favorite gifts for beginners, some gifts for the hardcore racing crowd, and a few items that will suit anyone who appreciates the two wheel lifestyle. Without further ado, let's look at some gifts for:
Chamois Butt'rBeginners to the sport are often somewhat squeamish about the idea of wearing lycra shorts with a chamois in them in the first place. Introducing them to the process of smearing chamois lube (in this case Chamois Butt'r) on their rear end may sound like a huge step, but once they get a couple of lubed up rides in, they'll wonder how they ever did without. Not only does Chamois Butt'r help to prevent chafing during long days in the saddle (and thusly prevent saddle sores) the proprietary non-greasy blend is gentle on sensitive skin and easily washes off both skin and clothing. And if the recipient does tend to suffer from saddle sores, try the Eurostyle which adds a cooling element to cut down on the soreness of long days and weeks in the saddle. Forget the awkwardness of giving your cycling obsessed loved one some bit Butt'r, and dump a tube of lube in their stocking.
$16/8 oz. tube or $20/8 oz. Eurostyle tube.
