10 Tips for Long Distance Cycling
Another most awaited bike ride is coming up… But wait — are you prepared for what may happen? The route will go over the usual short distances you’ve grown used to, and for the newbies or professionals (who laid back from regular cycling), getting back on track might be a bit challenging.
So here are some reminders to help you efficiently prepare for the ride:
- CARBO LOADING
Increasing your carbohydrate intake approximately 24 hours before your long ride will help your body produce glycogen — which means your body will have more fuel for your ride. More fuel, longer ride.
2. START OFF SLOWLY
Pacing yourself is essential — going too fast will burn too many carbohydrates (instead of fat) as fuel. Go steady at first then assess what you’re feeling — whether you’re capable of upping your pace and more importantly, sustaining it.
3. DON’T GO OVER YOUR LIMIT
It’s important to keep your fuel reserves in order to endure the entire ride, if you go over your limit, you may not make it to the end. Do note that, apart from enjoying the view and the exhilarating experience, the main goal of cycling long distances is being able to endure it, and ultimately, reach your destination.
4. FUEL FROM THE START
Fueling your body before the ride is crucial — if you wait until you’re actually hungry/thirsty it’s probably already too late. Note that when one feels hunger/thirst it’s a sign that your body has already been dealing with very negative effects.
5. MENTAL STRENGTH AND FOCUS
Once you start the ride, staying motivated for on hours on end is hard, so it’s a good idea to focus on why you’re doing it, focus on the positives and block the negatives. Avoid thinking about the discomfort you feel in your legs, try to redirect it to an image of you reaching your goal. Tell yourself that you’re feeling good and that you’ll reach the end.
6. INTERMEDIATE GOAL SETTING
Setting short goals to keep yourself motivated during a long ride, like reaching a feed point (if it’s a hosted event), a town on the route or, for most cyclists, it’s reaching the top of each climb. Keep yourself focused on these goals to get momentary satisfaction of getting closer to the end.
7. DRAFTING
In a group, when you get tired from cycling you have the chance to lay back a little by drafting behind the cyclist in front of you. This will require less effort to glide through the road because of air resistance taken by the rider in front, but it may be tricky for newbies. Learn more how to draft here.
8. PACK YOUR SPARES
You can never know when you’ll need to fix up your bike, so be sure to bring a spare chain-link, spare inner tubes or puncture repair kit, lightweight pump and a multi-tool for on-the-go emergencies.
9. DRESS CORRECTLY
It’s a definite must to wear a helmet, optional to wear gloves and cleats (if you’re on a road bike). Standard attire for rides would include a dri-fit jersey and shorts. If you don’t have cycling clothes that’s fine, choose clothing that’s breathable and fit, that way it won’t slow you down on the road.
10. AERODYNAMICS
We don’t need to be rocket scientists to know how aerodynamics works, a simple adjustment to your riding form and you could speed up more. Learn more here.
Tips above are referenced from this video.
