Any information on training

Not sure what your problem with Google is - simply putting "improve
cycling performance" into Google brings up lots of good hits.

Includes one of my favourites:
<http://www.cptips.com>
If you were just looking for recommendations

PhilO

Euan said:

I remember reading once that "just
going out and doing it won't help you improve", which is absolutely wrong

Yes, absolutely wrong. Just going out and doing it is pretty much the
only way to improve...

That said, if you aren't resting adequately between rides, aren't
varying your rides and don't work to improve your technique, you might
soon find you hit a plateau. There are probably lots of websites that
can help you with that kind of thing, but you might be better off
finding a local club to ride with, one with lots of experienced
cyclists who can give you the benefit of their experience.

Quoted message said:

since even my plodding 16mph average speed is faster than I used to be able
to go,

I wouldn't call 16mph plodding - it's pretty nippy by most people's
standards. If you can manage that by yourself, you'll probably find you
can average 18mph riding in a group, maybe even more. That's getting
towards decent club cyclist levels of performance.

but there must be certain ways that you can ride to improve your

Quoted message said:

speed and hill climbing ability.

Hill climbing ability is partly down to physique - if you're a chunky
6ft-plus rugby player, you'll always find it harder to lug your weight
up hills than a wiry 5ft8in ferret. But like everything else, you can
get better at hill climbing through practise - a lot of the art of
climbing is learning to live with the pain.

d.

davek said:

Hill climbing ability is partly down to physique - if you're a chunky
6ft-plus rugby player, you'll always find it harder to lug your weight
up hills than a wiry 5ft8in ferret. But like everything else, you can
get better at hill climbing through practise - a lot of the art of
climbing is learning to live with the pain.

I was really [censored] at hills. So I rode them lots and improved to being
merely [censored]. However, there were several lessons that can best be
learned by getting out and doing it:

1. Mental management - the 'why am I doing this?' factor. Trying to
sidetrack your brain onto ignoring the pain whilst remaining focussed
enough to stay on the road and at an appropriate speed.
2. Effort management - if it is longer than a quick sprint then you
will need to learn where your levels come so you can get to the top
without hitting the wall.
3. Technique. Keeping the pedals going so you get up in as efficient a
means as possible.

I'm still [censored] on hills but I can ride them and get up longish ones
without blowing up and dying..

...d

I lived on the edge of the Fens. Then I went and crossed three mountain
ranges on my bike. I, too, learnt several lessons:

1. Getting out of the saddle and honking up a slope is pretty good when
it's a short one. If you try that up a mountain on a bike fully loaded
with camping equipment you'll destroy your achilles tendons.
2. Tendonitis hurts.
3. And your knees.

However, now I can glide up most hills, with the bike perfectly steady,
bum on saddle, while passing the riders standing on the pedals.

iakobski said:

I lived on the edge of the Fens. Then I went and crossed three mountain
ranges on my bike. I, too, learnt several lessons:

1. Getting out of the saddle and honking up a slope is pretty good when
it's a short one. If you try that up a mountain on a bike fully loaded
with camping equipment you'll destroy your achilles tendons.
2. Tendonitis hurts.
3. And your knees.

However, now I can glide up most hills, with the bike perfectly steady,
bum on saddle, while passing the riders standing on the pedals.

I should point out for the record that I am not ideal climber material
at 90+ kilos and under 5'6". However, after wandering south to the York
Rally the local hills don't seem as bad any more.

...d

"Euan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I've had a good spell at googling, but I can't find any pages about

on-cycle

Quoted message said:

training to improve cycling performance. I remember reading once that

"just

Quoted message said:

going out and doing it won't help you improve", which is absolutely wrong
since even my plodding 16mph average speed is faster than I used to be

able

Quoted message said:

to go, but there must be certain ways that you can ride to improve your
speed and hill climbing ability. Does anyone know of any useful pages?

What you need is a coach, try
http://www.bcf.uk.com/coaching/locate_a_coach.html you should be able to
find someone in your area who will help you. Most coaches will probably
help you for no cost, I know I would if you live locally.

The advantages of using a coach are that you will be getting sound
information and advice from someone who has been trained by British Cycling,
and if you are local they may be able to help you find a club/training
partner/chain gang.

Just doing it will improve your performance to a level and if you are
averaging 16mph and have achieved this by doing lots of steady miles then
you are probably at that level already, this is a great base/starting point
for a training programme.

Dave Chadderton.

in message <[email hidden]>, David

Martin (') said:

3. Technique. Keeping the pedals going so you get up in as efficient a
means as possible.

What he said. Which comes down to pedalling circles and spin, spin, spin.
The best way I know to learn to spin is to take a mountain bike and some
steep slopes with a very loose surface - if you don't spin circles you
break traction and can't get up. Other people recommend a fixed wheel
bike with a relatively low gear ratio. If you cannot manage either these
then just consciously keeping your bike about two gears down from where
you would naturally have it will help.

A cycle computer which measures cadence will also help. Go out for a few
rides with it and find out what your average cadence currently is. Then
consciously try to raise the average by ten rpm. Once you've achieved
that, go for another ten. Do this by using lower gears - if you try to
use the same gears you usually do, it won't work.

Also consciously practice pedalling circles - driving the pedals
consistently all the way round, not just pushing on the down stroke. Be
a turbine, not a piston engine.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
,/| _.--''^``-...___.._.,;
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Simon Brooke said:

A cycle computer which measures cadence will also help. Go out for a few
rides with it and find out what your average cadence currently is. Then
consciously try to raise the average by ten rpm. Once you've achieved
that, go for another ten. Do this by using lower gears - if you try to
use the same gears you usually do, it won't work.

You might even find that you go uphill faster in an easier gear.
Strange but true (works for me on steep hills, except for the faster
bit which should read 'less slow'.

Must fix my funky light holder as the bent steel tube finally fatigued.
About to be repaired with solid rod on the bend.

...d

David Martin said:

You might even find that you go uphill faster in an easier gear.
Strange but true

Less strange the more of a masher you are. I used to, and often see
people, almost grind to a complete standstill before they'll contemplate
changing down (at which point your chances of throwing the chain are
*much* better, of course!).

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>, David

Martin (') said:

3. Technique. Keeping the pedals going so you get up in as efficient a
means as possible.

What he said. Which comes down to pedalling circles and spin, spin,
spin.

I had a bit of an ephiphany regarding this the other day.

I was a bit tired (30 miles, 85 degree heat, 20 stone) and I was more
conscious of my peddaling motion. What I realised was that I was pushing
down on the pedals, and consequently lifting myself off the saddle a
tiny amount. What I then did was to consciously sit myself hard on the
saddle, and not allow my [censored] to lift at all. Result: my peddaling
became instantly smoother, and a lot less effort. Bit of a pain in the
[censored], mind, but I guess that's just some refinement needed.

--
Keith Willoughby http://flat222.org/keith/
I have seen the enemy, and he is quite short.