General Cycling Discussion - does this happen to you?

When I go for a ride, the first 15-20 minutes are the most difficult, its like Im being broken in, but after I get over that the rest of the ride is cake, I could kepp going and going and going. Its been that way since I was 12 years old, the first 15-20 would always feel like crap, and the rest is EZ.

Does the first 15-20 minutes of your ride feel like the same way?

Yes. If you go to a race, you will see people on trainers trying to get their first wind, like you said. Once they got their bodies up to snuff, they're ready to race.

You are warming up. You have to get your heart rate up a little and work your muscles so they loosen up. Chi is right if you go to races you will see people spinning on a trainer so that they are at peak performance when the race starts. I like to take it easy on the warm up so I don't hurt myself donig something stupid like sprinting on charging up a steep hill.

It's been happening to me for 20 years. Never seams to go away. Some days I don't even want to ride at all, so I go out anyway ... very often for my best rides.

Absolutely. Something that I have found that helps is to wear an extra layer of clothes if it is the least bit cool. Helps keep the muscles warm and I feel better the entire ride. If under 70 F, I wear a pair of loose fitting tights over my shorts and a long-sleeved jersey. I can always strip down if too hot. As with a couple of the above posts, I have been this way for over 20 years of adult athletics.

I find spinning really fast on a short warm up ride does the trick.....we have Secondary Schools Team Time Trials during the winter, just after dawn....damn cold!

Brendon
:beer: