coastie1975

I'm kinda new to cycling and have heard terms thrown around, What is the difference between a "hard rider" and a "strong rider"? What is the difference between "Bonking" and "Hitting the wall"? And are there more terms that I should be aware of as my cycling experiences continue? Thank you.

Phatman

a hard rider is someone who pushes all the time, even if they're not particularly fit. They are extremely annoying if they are the same fitness as you, but just hammer all the time. a strong rider is someone faster then you at the same effort level. bonking is when you run out of glycogen, and your body has to use fat as the sole source of energy, which is a lot slower, and thus, you feel like crap. hitting the wall is pretty general, it could be bonking, or it could be just when you reach your mental limit, or if you crack on a climb, and you just feel bad. but hitting the wall doesn't always mean bonking.