Cycling 26 miles a day.... but need some advise

Cycling 26 miles a day.... but need some advise

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tricky69

Original Poster:

1,696 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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Morning everyone... I have been cycling to and from work for just over a month, which is a total of 26 miles a day. I am 25 and have a competition on 1st september that involves a 50 mile bike ride, so just wanted some help on supliments. What supliments are good to take to help imrpove muscle power, stamina and the like... also may need something for my joints

Any help will be apreciated, cheers

neil_bolton

17,113 posts

271 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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tricky69 said:
Morning everyone... I have been cycling to and from work for just over a month, which is a total of 26 miles a day. I am 25 and have a competition on 1st september that involves a 50 mile bike ride, so just wanted some help on supliments. What supliments are good to take to help imrpove muscle power, stamina and the like... also may need something for my joints

Any help will be apreciated, cheers
To be honest with you, you probably don't need them.

You would be better controlling your diet, ensuring that you are stretching and warming up/down correctly and if you are really serious, monitoring your heart rate levels and latose levels.

However I'd hazard you would find that you'll do the 50 miles easily, and I personally would use the first event to guage as to what your strengths and weaknesses are.

You certainly don't need to build muscle unless you are doing track stuff and even then you can't build fast twitch very easily that way.

I've been blown away by many a skinny rake in a sprint before - its all about those miles under your belt every day rather than how much muscle you have.

What disciple are you doing?

snotrag

14,925 posts

218 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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neil_bolton said:
I've been blown away by many a skinny rake in a sprint before - its all about those miles under your belt every day rather than how much muscle you have.
yes At the end of the day, theres only one way to become a fit rider - thats by doing lots of riding! If your doing 26 miles a day with no bother, I'd go with neil in saying that with a good dinner, and a rest day before, you'll have no problems covering 50 miles as long as you don't go crazy at the start.
Good luck!

(Reminds oneself its been 2 weeks since I've ridden, damm rain. Must get out on bike!)

tricky69

Original Poster:

1,696 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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neil_bolton said:
What disciple are you doing?
It is all road riding, but on a mountain bike as thats all i have... I do get out on my bike at the weekend as well, but only have time for a couple of hours but all thats off road. I would really like to get an enduro as well for off road and make mine a better road bike but funds are tight.

The ride each day is ok... i do try to push it as much as possible, but it is fairly flat... just want to be as prepared as possible for this event. In full it is 50 miles ride, 8 mile hike and a 5 mile canoe... called 'race the sun' if you have heard of it ?

pdV6

16,442 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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tricky69 said:
It is all road riding, but on a mountain bike as thats all i have
I take it you've invested in a set of slick tyres? If not, then do so as they'll make a huge difference on the road.

tricky69

Original Poster:

1,696 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
pdV6 said:
tricky69 said:
It is all road riding, but on a mountain bike as thats all i have
I take it you've invested in a set of slick tyres? If not, then do so as they'll make a huge difference on the road.
I would do but cycle off road on the weekends, so need to have the mountain bike tyres... i might go for the armadilo ones but have not done that yet

Marcellus

7,163 posts

226 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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tricky, with funds being limited, as opposed to buying a 2nd bike why not just buy a 2nd set of wheels?

tricky69

Original Poster:

1,696 posts

249 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
quotequote all
Marcellus said:
tricky, with funds being limited, as opposed to buying a 2nd bike why not just buy a 2nd set of wheels?

Funds are limited at the minute but should be fine within a couple of months... but thats a good idea, cheers mate

pdV6

16,442 posts

268 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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Alternatively a set of semi-slicks should do the trick for both on- and off-road (if this rain ever lets up - I've had to switch back to mud tyres!)

Marcellus

7,163 posts

226 months

Tuesday 3rd July 2007
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np - btw you will have absolutely no issues with a 50miler no need for any "special" supplements other than fluids (I use SIS-Go to reduce risk of cramp) perhaps have a gel in your back pocket in case of emergency and eat proper food not crap.

If you are doing 26 miles a day that's about 130miles a week more than me at the moment and even I would consider going out and doing a 50 miler (ok it might kill me but I would still consider it!)

mat205125

17,790 posts

220 months

Thursday 5th July 2007
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tricky69 said:
Marcellus said:
tricky, with funds being limited, as opposed to buying a 2nd bike why not just buy a 2nd set of wheels?

Funds are limited at the minute but should be fine within a couple of months... but thats a good idea, cheers mate
Swapping tyres is hardly a massive task. Why not run slicks Monday to Friday, and then change to your knobllies when you get in from work on Friday afternoon?

snotrag

14,925 posts

218 months

Thursday 5th July 2007
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When £££ allow definitely get some slicks for your ride to work. Changing tyres is not ideal, but you should be able to pick up a half decent set of light wheels for not too much, then its 2 minute job to change them over on a sunday night.