What is the best tip you have for long distance bicycling?
By Lazarus907
@Lazarus907 (14)
United States
April 23, 2011 6:32pm CST
Is there a technique, workout supplement, piece of clothing or equipment that you have used that made your long distance biking a better experience.
I am not concerned about racing, just endurance biking and touring. Let's break it into categories:
Ways to make someone bike FASTER without taking more energy?
Ways to make someone more COMFORTABLE and therefore improve endurance and speed?
Supplements or excercises to improve a person's PHYSICAL peformance on the bike?
Let me know, I will be checking back and trying a lot. Please answer only if you are a biking enthusiast and not trying to sell me something.
1 person likes this
1 response
@checkmail (2039)
• India
24 Apr 11
Hello Lazarus907 this is checkmail and do have few previous biking experiences, not racing or marathon type but local biking along with friends.Well an person should be an good runner in real life to achieve an good performance in long distance bycycling.
More over water is the best energy booster in tiredness, thought you may add an pinch of salt, sugar in it, to improve its taste.
The external gear for bycycling doesn't matter much but should be light, but the inner gears should be more comforting like the jockeys new gears.
Also one thing to mention, if tired always split the water first and imagine as tiredness slitted out, wait for few time than sip a little water, might get recharged like earlier.
The same goes here too practice makes perfect, nothing can be achieved in an single day.Keep on cycling its good for health and nature.
@Lazarus907 (14)
• United States
26 Apr 11
Some of that might work for you and others, Check, but I have found that I do better at biking because I can't run. My knees can't handle the impact anymore, but the fluid motion of pedalling does not hurt.
I carry and drink lots of water (in bottles-I hate back packs with camel backs, and the wet cold stripe of sweat they leave).
I have found that CYTOMAX mixed in my water is the best thing for preventing muscle burn. You can get it at most fitness stores, like GNC. It is an "acid buffer" and helps prevent the lactic acid from causing that burn. Also, it doesn't taste bad and it's not too sweet, so you can drink more water with it.
The pinch of salt trick is a good one. I did similar things in the army. But if someone has blood pressure problems, that might not be good.
As far as clothing, comfort is key. I don't wear underwear because cotton soaks up sweat, stays wet, and becomes uncomfortable. Then the undies bunch up, rub and create iritation. I wear biking shorts with inner liners built in--right up against the skin. The padding helps, and the seams are placed in such a way that they don't irritate.
But get ones that are snug, but not tight. Also, I hate the ones with tight elastic on the bottom of the shorts that bind around my thighs. Sometimes I cut those.
