Bike Set up

 

Riding distance isn’t easy. It’s tough to be giving effort in the saddle for a long time, and we often face these brutal days. Why make it harder for yourself by bringing the wrong tool for the job?

 I recommend if you are on a long day, take the bike that will suit it the most. A hundred-mile road Sportif will be no fun on a mountain bike, and the same goes for a mountain bike adventure that wouldn’t suit a road bike.

Try not to make it harder for yourself. This principle doesn’t just apply to your bike but also components.

If it’s a hilly day, make sure you have the gearing to suit, or if it’s a very flat day, maybe take some tri-bars. I had taken the wrong bike too many times before and suffered to get through it comfortably.

 

Bikefit

 

I’m sure you have heard this before a million times, but Bikefit is everything. When I first started long-distance riding, I never had a Bikefit, and I had years of so much pain.

When I eventually got it right, and I had never felt so good. It was the happiest I have ever felt riding my bike. The miles came so much easier, and the power I could produce was better.

 It was a complete gamechanger. If I could go back and tell myself one bit of advice at the start of my career, it would be to get a Bikefit as soon as possible.

I now actually Bikefit people myself, and it’s such a pleasure to help people feel better when riding much further.

Nutrition Strategy

 

This sounds much more complicated than it is. A nutrition strategy is simple. It’s about managing the amount of food and water you will need to consume while you are riding.   This will be different for everyone, and it will take some time to get it right, but the golden rule is to eat before you’re hungry and drink before you’re thirsty.  

Depending on how quickly you’re going and what the conditions of the riding and terrain are, you will be burning calories. Not just a few but a lot.   Personally, even at an endurance pace of 65% of my heart rate, I’m giving 500 Calories an hour to riding my bike. Alongside the standard calories you need for the body’s standard daily processes, that’s a lot to consume.  

On a ten-hour ride, my body will need a minimum of 7500 Calories on that day to maintain my body weight.   Eating 500 plus calories an hour is difficult for me as it is just so much food, and I tend to not be able to do that, but I do have a particular way of managing my eating to give me the best shot possible epic ride.  

I have a routine of every hour 200-300 Calories (Mainly Carbs) and generally on the hour of my elapsed riding time, so 1,2,3, and so on.   Then I drink my water every hour but at the midpoint between eating 1.5, 2.5, 3.5, and so on. This helps me get a lot of food and water in but doesn’t make me bloated.   As I say, this will be very different for everyone, but it is an essential part of long-distance riding you have to get right.  Nutrition tips for cycling long distance. 

 

Enjoy yourself and stay motivated

 

  I find this vital. Long-distance riding is hard, but you should be having a good time and a lot of fun doing it. I make up little challenges for my long training rides to keep me entertained. If I’m on my own,

I will make a little game such as traveling far for something straightforward.   I once rode from my home in the UK to Bruges in Belgium as I heard the Chocolate was good, then home again. The little challenge kept me busy, and I will never forget the story. It was an epic ride.  Planning a cycling adventure.

The next way to enjoy the ride and motivate yourself is to ride with friends. They will keep the spirits high, and it will be much easier than watching the miles tick over by yourself.   The only thing when riding with others is to make sure they are of a similar ability. Read Jacks cycling experience of the south downs.

The Final Words As I say, long-distance riding isn’t easy, but it is a lot of fun and extremely good for your health.   I’d highly recommend it to anyone as the sense of adventure and accomplishment is something special. I hope you enjoy the tips and have many happy. Read Johns moving story.