Road bike training - tips for cycling beginners

Road bike training - choosing the right bike

For cycling to be fun, it is first important to use a bike that suits you. Enduco Science Lead Tessa Menges emphasizes that the bike should be neither too big nor too small. It is also important to choose a bike that allows you to get your feet on the ground quickly if you have to stop suddenly.

But before you go to the specialist store, you should think about what kind of bike you want, because not all bikes are the same. If you want to train and build up your endurance, then a city bike, for example, is out of place.[2]

You are much better off with a trekking bike. The slightly narrower tires are suitable for off-road use and the bike is also ideal for cycling trips. If you enjoy riding off-road, in forests and on meadows, then a mountain bike (MTB) is the perfect solution for you.[3]

If you want to be fast and sporty on the roads, a road bike is the right choice. It is characterized by its low weight and the associated speed. The saddle is usually positioned higher than the handlebars, which are curved downwards. This gives you a riding position on this bike that allows a minimum of air resistance.[4]

Cycling training: equipment for beginners

Once you have found a suitable bike, the rest of the equipment follows. To avoid a sore backside, you should make sure you have a suitable saddle and padded cycling shorts.[5] In addition to a breathable jersey, we also recommend cycling goggles. They prevent insects and dust from getting into your eyes and the wind from drying them out.[6]

Of course, a helmet is particularly important. You can go really fast on your bike, especially downhill, and it is not unlikely that you will fall on your head in an accident. To ensure that the helmet offers the highest level of protection, it should be the right size and fit your head well. It should also be comfortable and well ventilated so that you don't overheat in the sun.[7]

Cycling for beginners - how to get started

Once you have the right equipment, nothing stands in the way of healthy endurance training. However, there are a few things to bear in mind. According to Tessa Menges, one of the most important tips is not to demand too much of yourself at once. According to our expert, you should start slowly with any new sport. If you go too far too fast, you risk injury, overtraining and loss of motivation.

It is important to approach the sport gradually and also to get a feel for your own bike. If you are training on a road bike for the first time, you first need to get used to how it brakes and accelerates. You need to get a feel for when you should brake before a bend or how hard you can lean into a bend.

Tessa Menges recommends checking your riding position carefully and changing it if necessary. This can reduce muscle tension and improve the transfer of power to the pedals. It also makes sense to measure your heart rate, says Tessa. This gives you a feel for how demanding the training is.

According to Menges, proper nutrition is also essential when cycling. She recommends drinking something every 10-15 minutes. After an hour of training, you should also have a carbohydrate-rich snack with you. Bananas, muesli or energy bars and energy gels are a good way to quickly replenish your carbohydrate stores during training.[8]

Your road bike training plan

Now you are ready to get started. Goal number 1 is to build up a good base training program. This will improve your aerobic performance and your fat metabolism.[9] You can also significantly increase your endurance on the bike through basic training.

This means that long and steady sessions are on the training plan, especially in the initial phase. After the familiarization phase, you can then supplement these with short and intensive training sessions.[10]

In the first few weeks, it is best to start with 2-3 training sessions per week. Depending on your fitness level, you can either start with sessions of 30 to 60 minutes or 1 to 2 hours.[11]

Stay in the basic endurance zone 1 (GA1). This means that your road bike training remains in the aerobic zone, you can breathe easily and can still have a relaxed conversation. Your maximum heart rate should be between 60 and 75 %.[12]

Build enough recovery phases into your road bike training, because they are just as important for your progress as the training sessions themselves. During the regeneration phases, your body recovers from the exertion and your muscles are built up.[13] Also, start cycling training slowly at first and increase your training time by around 10 % each week.

For example, start with 2 x 40 minutes in your first week. In weeks two and three, increase to 2 x 45 and 2 x 50 minutes respectively. In week four, you train again as in the first week to take the strain off your body. After that, you return to where you left off in week three and increase the duration of your training by 10% each week.[14]

In this way, you will slowly build up your endurance and eventually reach longer and longer distances. For example, your goal could be three hours of cycling in the aerobic zone. Once you have reached your goal, you will slowly move out of the beginner's zone and can extend your training.

Your training plan for the first 8 weeks could look like this. However, it is important to note that this is just an example. According to our philosophy, we are convinced that individual training plans are much more effective - especially when it comes to adapting them flexibly if everyday life or other important things get in the way.

• Week 1: 2 x 40 minutes road bike training

• Week 2: 2 x 45 minutes road bike training

• Week 3: 2 x 50 minutes road bike training

• Week 4: Recovery week: 2 x 40 minutes road bike training

• Week 5: 2 x 50 minutes road bike training

• Week 6: 2 x 55 minutes road bike training

• Week 7: 2 x 60 minutes road bike training

• Week 8: Recovery week: 2 x 50 minutes of road bike training

Slowly increase for longer cycling training

To challenge yourself further, you can either increase the number of training sessions per week, the training duration or the cadence at which you ride. Elevation meters are also an ideal way to intensify your endurance on the bike.[15]

Interval training on a road bike is also a good addition to basic training. For HIIT sprints, for example, you ride for 30 x 6 seconds at 100% intensity and take a 30-second break in between. If you are on a longer hill, you can use the 20/40 method. Alternate 20 seconds of riding at full load with 40 seconds of easy pedaling.[16]

Now it's also time to work on your technical skills. Tessa Menges recommends road bike training in groups to learn more. If someone is riding in front of you, you can observe their riding line and practise riding better and faster through a bend. However, stick to your own pace even in a group, especially downhill. After all, you should feel safe.

According to Menges, riding small courses is also a promising way to build up your skills and, above all, to get to know your own bike better.

If you want to challenge your muscles in particular, you can attach clipless pedals to your bike. Not only do you pedal with them, but you also pull them up with your legs and push them forward. This transfers more force to the pedals and puts more strain on your muscles.[17]

If you constantly set yourself new challenges during your bike training, try out clipless pedals or interval training, ride courses or ride in groups, then you will always see new progress. And this is important to keep training. Because if we don't make progress, our motivation quickly wanes and without motivation we quickly lose interest in regular training.[18]

Increasing endurance with the bike

We prefer to leave top speeds like Denise Mueller-Korenek's to the professionals. However, as a beginner, you can quickly improve your skills, speed and endurance through regular road bike training. You'll be out in the fresh air, constantly facing new challenges and also doing something good for your health.‍