Everyone wants to challenge themselves and exceed their limits. It takes strong mind power and will to get out of the ordinary. Cycling can be challenging especially when you want to beat your threshold regarding mileage covered and the time used to cover it. The pro cyclist knows that peddling faster is not the only strategy required to cycle longer and faster. On the contrary, peddling faster without a plan exhausts you before you cover much.
You can have your Danish bike and cover a wide area within a short time. Most of the cyclists take a tour to survey their route and get well familiarized with the terrains; this is one of the strategies because you will be able to know your recovery zones. However, it is not always practical because sometimes you want to cycle while exploring for the first time. Here are strategies that will make you a pro rider at home and enable you to cycle faster and for longer:
Position Comfortably On Your Bike
When you are comfortable on your bike, it gives you an opportunity to cycle your bike for a longer period. Some bikes position you in angles that you are not comfortable with; you will not cycle for longer because the uncomfortable spots will build up the pressure. The pressure accumulation can cause injuries to the strained muscles. City bikes are comfortable, but the sitting posture that it supports makes it harder for you to cycle faster. Choose a bike that will allow you to have a proper sitting position.
Pick Your Rhythm
When you hit your rhythm to start enjoying cycling which will make you cycle for long and fast. Measure your cadence ability and ride it for a while to warm up your muscles before you start challenging our threshold. Most people find themselves tired because they fall out of their rhythm which tends to make cycling more of an exercise than a fun activity. Adjust your gear to fall within your rhythm as you ride through different terrains. When you hit slopes, you can use it for muscle recovery but don’t let your muscles rest for long because it will pose a new challenge when you want to work them up.
Reserve Your Strength
Most people start their course with high speed because they are still energetic and muscles are fresh; this is a good idea if you are riding on a short trip. When you want to ride for longer, start with a moderate pace that will warm up your muscles and still cover a good mileage. It is nice to reserve your strength for the first half of the route and finish with vigor. When you get fatigued before hitting your target, you are likely to give up or cycle at a very slow speed.
Another thing that will help you reserve your strength is reducing your body movement. As you cycle, try as hard as you can to keep your torso still and let your legs do the work for you. Too much body movement makes you vulnerable to fatigue.
Have a Motivation
When you have something that you are looking forward to, something to keep you going then you will have the strength to push one more mile even when you are tired. You may not be in a race that you will win something, but if you have the motivation, you will hit your target. It is good to reward yourself when you have accomplished a goal. The reward will keep you more motivated the next time you go cycling, and you will push harder.
You don’t need to be a world class athlete to cycle faster for longer; you just need to believe you can do it and work smart. Learning the techniques and strategies will make cycling easier than just engaging in it blindly or with the basic knowledge.