Road bike races for beginners

Road bike races for beginners

How to go to get there? 

Reading this text will take you less than a warm-up - about 10 minutes. I want you to read after reading what the specificity of the presented competition is in order to be able to properly approach them, prepare and realistically assess your abilities.

The specificity of the effort during the XC race, marathon or bicycle tour is different in each case. The differences concern everything: the way of training, preparation of equipment, mental attitude, diet. But they are connected by one goal - reaching the finish line. And now the rules how to do it.

Marathon MTB 

Marathon is a long-lasting effort. It usually takes about 2-7 hours to drive 60 or 100 km. You have to assess your options rationally, and different factors have an impact: the route (interval or mountain), your previous results and experience, psycho-physical disposition on the competition day and competitors (tiki) present at the start.

Note- Omafiets buying tips and tricks- More and more often you see young people and adults driving around on an oma bike. The granny bike has been very popular for a number of years now-

Interval route, that is, on which the ramps are not long but steep and require full mobilization, alternate regularly with short descents. The intensity of the effort is still high and there is no place for a break because the downhill is too short to completely rest, just like in the interval training. Therefore, the intensity must be adjusted to the expected travel time and not overdo it. There are several climbs on the high-altitude route, but the descents are long enough that the heart returns even to the resting heart rate. So the intensity of effort must be matched to the length of the main driveways, remember when to attack, and then only to maintain strength.

Marathoners' driving skills are different. It is very easy to damage a bicycle (eg a derailleur) in a crowd, I do not even say about accidents. There is a code in the head of players. When you are ahead, signal it with words such as "free law", just go ahead, where it is wider. Do not push yourself on a madman, because then it turns out that the same person passing by on the hillside passes you one minute earlier. Get rid of anger at a faster pace, and not stupid maneuvers, curses and curses!

You must drink and eat so that "the motor could work". Drink properly earlier, because when you feel thirsty - it is already swept away, dehydration has come. Irrigation should begin 2-3 hours. before the start using carbohydrate nutrients (eg Gatorade, Isostar or Powerade), and just before the start (for 10-15 min before) it is good to drink a glass of water more or less. 

When driving, you have to drink regularly from the water bottle. 200 ml electrolyte drink (carbohydrates up to 8% concentration) for 15-20 min. That is an average of 2 drinks per hour. No less important is the replenishment of fluids after physical exertion. You can not pour 1.5 liters of water at a time only to drink in installments. Drink slowly in small sips, every 15-20 minutes. Water is not the best solution. Carbohydrate drinks, diluted fruit juices will be good.

Cross Country competitions

Due to the fact that the XC race, depending on the age category, type of competition and organizer, lasts approx. 60-180 minutes, it is a relatively short physical effort. But ... at very high speeds. The riders rush at 100% of their abilities, and when the podium comes into play, they finish at 110%. I do not know how it is possible :). Nobody saves here from the very start. So remember to warm up! 

Losing contact with the leaders means: I will never catch my club. The setting on the start line is also important. Those in the first row are in a much better position than those in the 4th and subsequent rows. Make sure that there is fire at the start. The players want to rip the peloton as soon as possible and work out a suitable place in the group to be in a good position when entering the narrow path. Then there will be no time to rest. Competition routes are difficult: technically descents, narrow turns, and steep climbs require concentration. 

You have to get acquainted with the route of the competition in advance, that is, go around the day before the competition. Find places where you can tighten, think about gears - when you get up on the pedals and go to the maximum of your abilities.

Highway

As for the competition on the road, there is no rule as to how it will run. It may be that starting from the start the peloton will jerk and accelerate the pace, or vice versa - it will move slowly and only in the last kilometers a decisive battle will take place. In both cases, you need to be focused and alert so you do not miss the right escape. Driving in a tight group has its pluses. A player riding on the so-called the wheel loses less strength to overcome air resistance. 

On the other hand, however, riding behind other competitors is not ideal either. Long-distance cyclists also need suitable, breathable clothing-

In the crowd, you can not see what is happening at the front, whether it is a sensible escape, whether the road is narrowing or there is a bend. Therefore, keep your eyes and ears wide open and your fingers on the brake and grip levers. When the side wind blows, hide from the leeward side to minimize resistance. The issue of eating and drinking during road racing is similar to that of marathons and XC competitions. You can not allow dehydration of the body, you have to drink a lot, especially during hot weather. And be able to grab a bag with provisions.

Bicycle tour (tourism) 

Bicycle tours also cost the body a lot of energy. Most often they last all day. A quiet ride, without spurts, jerking on the uphill is a method to reach the destination. You drive with your pace or pace. Here no one stands and does not drive on the uphill, the company will wait. Rather, save your strength because the fact that the 20 kilometers are going well does not mean that after crossing 50 km will be the same.

Note: Road ​cycling ​clothing kits- Are you looking for new cycling clothing? Then first read this article with tips for buying cycling clothes. We will discuss what you have to pay attention to when buying a bicycle garment-

It is necessary to drink a lot and systematically while driving, that is, you need to obtain a large number of energy drinks for the entire trip. You also need to have food for an expedition such as bars, yeast cake with nuts and raisins, sandwiches.

Dried fruits are also good: apricots, raisins, apples. When planning a trip, it is worth checking out where the tourist hostels will be on the way to stop for a rest and easy dinner. I especially recommend pancakes with cheese and jam or dumplings with fruit.

Driving through less civilized areas, find out whether there will be shops along the way because you can not always count on water from the spring. 

Be prepared for weather changes: take a rain jacket and long trousers. You will also need inner tubes, patches, patch glue, pump, Allen wrenches (for your bike's screws!), Chain cradle, spare brake pads can be useful.

Note: Bicycle carrier mountain biking facts- a mountain bike with the car is as easy as with a normal bike. There is not a special mountain bike carrier for sale. There are, however, a few things to consider when transporting a mountain bike compared to a normal bicycle-

In addition to such equipment, we still take good humor and a positive attitude and then we will definitely reach the goal.