So, I began to challenge myself by keeping my speed above a certain mph on my rides and each week or so increase my speed by .5/1mph. My question is what do you do to "train" or improve performance/speed/stamina? And is what I'm doing good?

Attack every hill, buy a road bike, etc.

I was taping up a car for paint and chuckled at the tape reel. It said automotive "performance" tape. I was like, "it's tape, bro."

use a power meter and try to sustain a certain amount of a wattage throughout the ride Going by speed doesn't mean anything because of winds and road gradient changing. You can time yourself on a set distance and just compete against yourself, but that will only do so much if you keep doing the same route

And I would suggest riding more. Increasing distance. 20 mile rides. 50 mile rides. Centuries. Two-day tours. And on...

the power meter idea sounds good. any suggestions on which to buy? i guess i can also time myself on a certain distance and just push to beat my time. thanks

interval training and endurance workouts on machines. i know it's lame but if you stay on a stationary bike and just work REALLY HARD twice a week it's better than having to deal with real world riding.

then again, if you know how to train you can do it on the road pretty successfully.


the only thing you need to buy to gain speed is food, and sometimes expertise. you don't need power meters and you don't need drugs/coaching/ultralight racing components. you just need your bike and your muscles and your brain to tell them what to do. strength is about your brain being able to work your muscles to exhaustion and your digestive system being able to build them up stronger.

Go for distance not speed and work like you're a mule.

Train Muay Thai.

oh, also genetics. you're nothing without the genetics, but this only relevant depending on your interests

Oh, also spin a low gearing at a high cadence, like Mr. hairnet over there.

I never gets easier, you just go faster.

yeah. thread can be summed up in two words.

WORK HARD

but keep it fun

know about your body and keep it fun and work hard

Win.

I ride my fixed for fun and if I wanted to reach my peak performance, then I'd just get a road bike.

stay healthy know about your body keep it fun and work hard

make sure your bike fits perfectly stay healthy know about your body keep it fun and work hard

take steroids make sure your bike fits perfectly stay healthy know about your body keep it fun and work hard

cool story, bruseph

Sounds good. Thanks for all the advice. I actually found a training program that I will begin next Monday. Also, I don't want a road bike....FIXED!!!

quadruple post ftw, brah

I call shenanigans.

Actually, wouldn't riding a fixed gear get you in better shape than a road bike because you can't slack off?

No, because you can't vary your intensity. It's like doing nothing but push-ups VS a real weight training routine.