Ride Fit Ride Fit 2018

Ok, we admit it, winter isn’t the most inspiring of seasons for the road cyclist, so it’s no surprise that many shun the bike altogether and pile on a few pounds during the colder months, or spend them locked in a basement with a turbo trainer. It doesn’t have to be this way though. Getting fit and fast over the winter (and having fun while you do so) is easily achievable if you have the right mindset and get the right guidance – which is where we come in! This special edition combines the best fitness, training and nutritional advice from Cycling Plus (the UK’s biggest-selling bike mag) in a single volume. The expert knowledge in this issue is bang up to date and comes from the best in the…

Geraint Thomas’s versatility, resilience and never-say-die commitment to the cause helped Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome secure big victories, while also ensuring there’s been no limit to Sky’s success. This time around the rider who Sir Dave Brailsford earmarked as one who could ‘do everything’ has got his just desserts, but it wasn’t always the way. The learning curve has been a tough one since finishing in last place on his Tour debut in 2007, but it’s also been a fruitful one. Thomas took two Olympic track gold medals (2008 and 2012 team pursuits) plus a Commonwealth Games Road Race title and three World Championship team golds prior to this year’s triumph. After finishing in last place on that very first tour Thomas developed the mental strength, physical…

Mike Duff, co-founder of the Wolf Pack 500km ride, shares his tips 1 WHERE THERE’S A WILL… Find your motivation – charity or to prove something – to train yourself to a new level. Last year we rode for refugee children. This year’s Wolf Pack ride is to raise awareness of climate change. 2 DO THE NUMBERS Pore over maps, profiles, timings, flights, weights, logistics, battery levels - everything! Know your route and have a backup plan should passes be closed, for example 3 EMBRACE CHANGE Weather conditions and temperatures can change, so you need to have the right kit to suit. Do some sleep loading too, you can store some up over the week before the event. 4 FORGET THE KS So your longest ever ride is only 200km?…

Nitrate consumption helps to reduce the oxygen cost of sub maximal exercise, so makes a given workload easier to perform. But what this all really comes down to is fatigue resistance, exercise efficiency and performance. How much? You can get nitrates naturally through your diet, two to four beets a day will see you get your required amount. If you wanted to drink it you would need 800ml of standard beetroot juice to get those sought after performance enhancing effects, which is a considerable amount of beetroot to neck! Luckily beetroot concentrate is available in 70ml Beet It shots, so you don’t need to down pints of juiced beets. The best way to get these performance benefits as your sportive approaches would be to increase your dietary intake of beetroot…

Mountain biker and cyclo-cross racer Kerry MacPhee shares her tips 1 FIND FRESH TYRES Most regional cyclo-cross (CX) races allow you to race on a mountain bike. You don’t need a specialist bike, but if you’re feeling adventurous, invest in CX tyres. 2 TRAIN EASY Head to your local park and instead of sticking to the paths, weave in and out of trees, go up and down bankings and make mud and grass your friends. 3 CREATE A ROUTE Lay branches out to create hurdles and practise jumping on and off your bike. Be brave, push your limits, test out how much speed you can carry into the hurdles. See if you can skid the bike and test the tyre grip. 4 FEEL THE PRESSURE Get a hand-held pressure gauge,…

WHAT IS IT? The pecs are a group of muscles situated at the chest. The pectoralis major is a thick, fan-shaped HOW IT WORKS During cycling both the pec major and minor stabilise the shoulder blade and help support the shoulder girdle when your hands are on the handlebar. The pec minor stabilises the shoulder blade by drawing it forward and down against the WHAT GOES WRONG? Direct overuse injuries to the pec muscles are rare in cyclists. However, due to the prolonged flexed position of cycling these muscles are prone to tightness, causing increased flexion of the mid to upper spine and pulling shoulders forward, increasing the risk of injuries. Weak pecs reduce your ability to stabilise the upper body and shoulder girdle. This has the potential to cause…