One of the most rewarding things in cycling for me is boiled down to one word: Improvement.
Whenever I can improve on any aspect of riding the bike, be it riding more efficiently, faster, with better hydration than in the past, noticeably better bike handling skills, whatever, if there’s clear improvement in any aspect, the ride brings a feeling of hard earned satisfaction.
One way to see if you’ve improved is to compare the metrics of each ride, which show your comparative speed in any splits you may have, and your overall time. And a bike computer is the best high tech tool for doing that.
I use a GPS-powered Garmin bike computer. Over the nearly five years I’ve had it, it has added to the enjoyment of each of my rides tremendously. I’m pretty much hooked on getting the numbers it produces for each ride.
Now, I know I could do a ride without the Garmin, and still enjoy it without knowing all the statistical details. But hey, since I’m intrigued by the numbers it provides, I say, why not? So, I put the Garmin is on the bike and turn it on for every ride I do.
Post ride, my routine is to plug the Garmin into my desktop computer and upload the numbers. In a few minutes I have a full statistical breakdown of it and, since I have a regular 51-mile out-and-back, which I do more out of convenience than anything else, every stat is comparable to those of previous rides.
I can see just where I went faster or slower on all the splits along the course. The Garmin gives you far more info than you really need or want, but it’s still interesting stuff: High, low and average temperature during the ride, the temp at any point in the ride, fastest mph and where it was, average speed, the speed of each split, time of day, map of the ride, elevation gained and lost, calories burned, distance, the whole enchilada.
After awhile, you build a cumulative body of knowledge about the ingredients of a fast or slow ride on your regular course. And any others you go on.
Last week I had some days off in a row, so of course I decided I’d make the most of my free time and do back-to-back 51-milers three days in a row.
My part-time job at a big box retail outlet requires a lot of constant walking, almost no sitting, over the course of shifts that last from four to eight hours. I learned I needed cushioned insoles to keep my feet from barking at me, and plenty of water to keep from the ill-effects of dehydration. Still, it’s tough on the legs, and on ride days, it’s given me heavy legs.
But when I warm up the legs early in the ride with a nice fast and easy cadence, they start to feel stronger and power up as the ride goes on.
This past week, on the first ride, I cut myself a break and just tried to ease my legs into a steady pedaling pace, pretty much telling myself not to push hard for speed.
Conditions were good, not too warm, so I left at 8:53 a.m. not too worried about getting broiled on the way back. There was a little cross/headwind to contend with on the 25-mile second half of the ride. But still, very nice conditions overall.
I finished in 3:09:00, not counting a 20-minute break in the middle of the ride, the turn-around point. It was far from a fast time, an average speed of 16.23 mph, but my legs seemed to shed their early heaviness, and I was fine with the pretty slow time.
The second day promised to be triple-digit heat in the afternoon, so I left a little earlier than the day before, at 7:32 a.m. I brought electrolyte capsules, and told myself to drink, drink, drink, since I knew it was going to be a slow roast out there, even with the earlier start.
I drank a tall glass of water before leaving and a full water bottle on the first half of the ride, and that seemed to help keep my energy steady. My legs felt stronger than the day before, so I pushed the pace a bit more. I filled my water bottle at the turnaround point, ate snacks and washed down a couple of electrolyte caps with some water. The heat started to crank up on the ride back, and there was no wind, which really brings the max temp to a hot day, making for glowering heat waves off the bike trail tarmac.
On hot rides, I stop at a water fountain at a spot about six miles from home. I fill the bottle, drink half and start pedaling to finish out. I’ve noticed a big difference in my energy on that stretch when I’ve got enough water in me, I don’t feel nearly as drained of energy, and avoid getting crampy in the quads or achey in the lower back.
I finished out the ride at 3:06.46, two minutes and fourteen seconds faster than the day before, in hotter conditions. That was an average speed of 16.41 mph, and it felt good! The legs had more in them.
The third day, triple digits were again in the cards, but this time there was a lot of smoke from regional wildfires in the air. I left even earlier, at 6:52 a.m., just about two hours earlier than on the first ride. I kept the same hydration routine and swallowed electrolyte gel caps. Despite the increasing heat and hazy air, my legs felt stronger than on the previous two days. I finished at 3:02:30, or six minutes 30 seconds faster than the first day. And four minutes, 16 seconds faster than the second day. My average mph for the ride had risen to 16.8 mph. So I had steadily improved my time, even with hot conditions, by leaving earlier when it was cooler, and staying hydrated, while all the while, putting a little more push into pedaling.
The improvements, documented by the bike computer, felt rewarding. And that was mainly due to the deeper understanding of each ride made possible by the bike computer’s data collection.
So if you don’t have a bike computer like a Garmin, try it, you’ll like it. If you do, you’re probably like me, hooked on all the interesting stats it generates. Especially when they show you’ve improved.
Til next time, remember to strap on a helmet every time you get on the bike. Then, keep the rubber side down, ride safely, and don't forget to have a blast.
-- Mark Eric Larson
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