Tips to Cycle Faster

Most new cyclists have huge gains in fitness during the first few months of riding regularly. After this initial introductory period, improvements become much more minimal and may be harder to recognize. Instead of being satisfied with your performance, there are easy ways to identify individual deficiencies that will help continue your progression and ultimately help you to become a faster cyclist.

Here are 10 tips to include in your training plan that will help you get faster, stronger and break free from your everyday training rut.

Improve Your Fitness

The first and easiest way to become a faster cyclist is to improve your fitness. This can be done simply by getting on your bike more often. Just ride! Start by finding a way to commute to work, attend a group exercise class, or squeeze in another ride on the weekend.

Buy New Wheels

A nice set of carbon wheels are typically lighter, more aerodynamic and create less drag than the heavy stock version that came with your road bike. Of all the equipment to buy, you'll get the most bang for your buck with a new wheel set. But that doesn't mean you have to get rid of your old wheels. Use the heavy wheels to train on—it will make the carbon versions seem even faster on race day.

Ride with Stronger Cyclists

Jump into a group ride with cyclists that are above your level of fitness. This will push you to step outside of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. Set your mind that you can go above and beyond what you've done before and eventually your body will catch up. You may get dropped a few times, but the lessons learned will make you stronger, and the experience of succeeding will be priceless.

Train off the Bike

Cross-train at least once per week and devote a few weeks in the off season to work on muscle groups other than those used to cycle. Try different activities to keep the body balanced physically. Cross-training activities like swimming, running, hiking, yoga, weight lifting and resistance training can help strengthen muscles that commonly go unused on the bike.

Find a Recovery Strategy That Works for You

Recovery after hard workouts is just as important as the training itself. The body breaks down muscle fiber during exercise, and in order to get stronger, our muscles need to be refueled so they can be built back up. Rest, protein drinks, replenishing electrolytes, hydration, eating and stretching are important parts of the recovery process. If you are particularly sore or fatigued after a workout, try another ride at a slower pace the next day or incorporate massage therapy to get rid of lactic acid. The key is to have a process that works for you.

Eat Well

In cycling, your body is the engine. That means the food we put in our bodies is our fuel. An easy way to have better fitness, which equates to a stronger, faster rider, is to eat what our bodies need most, not what it wants. Typically athletes can afford to eat food that they probably shouldn't because of all the calories being burned. But there are good and bad calories. Eat balanced meals and watch your portions from fatty foods and sweets. Keep track of how many calories you're burning while exercising and try to replenish the nutrients your body has lost.

Work on Your Position

Build your core so that you can maintain an aerodynamic position for longer periods of time. The lower your position is on the bike, the less you'll be exposed to the wind and the faster you'll be. The key is to have a strong core so that you are able to push the pedals while keeping your back flat and your hands in the drops. If your back hurts while in an aero position, the problem may be that your core is not strong enough to maintain an aggressive position for the duration of your ride.

Use Variety in Your Workouts

Many cyclists make the mistake of doing the same workout over and over. Going out and riding will provide improvement up to a point. In order to get beyond a basic level of fitness, you will need to have a plan that sets a goal for each training session. Interval training is a good way to add variety to workouts.

Practice Yoga

Yoga is another way to build core strength and become more flexible. It can also improve breathing and help to relax tense muscles on the bike. A flexible, relaxed athlete is a better athlete. Combine this with your resistance/cross-training days and you will be on your way.

Try a Cycling Coach

Find a good coach to develop a personalized training program. This can help a cyclist to set attainable goals and tweak training programs as problems arise. A coach can also help to plan your training around a particular race and offer other services such as nutrition plans or specific drills to improve pedaling technique based on your individual weaknesses. Find a good coach in your area by searching the USAC or USAT websites. Most coaches are set up to help any athlete anywhere in the world through the Internet.