After ticking over the 100 mile mark and nearing the end of a long day in the saddle, I like to think that most cyclists make the joke about it only being their first lap when they return home. Or at least that’s how I rationalise my own desire to do such a ridiculously long ride. Surely everyone wants to be able to say they’ve ridden 200 miles on a push bike? Since last summer, the idea of the double... Read More Read More The post 200 mile Summer Solstice Ride appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

There is no doubt that 100 miles on a bike is a long way. For the very best it will take around 4 hours, but for the vast majority of us it will take much longer. That’s part of the reason why a 100 mile, or century, ride can be such a challenge; hour upon hour on a narrow saddle, hunched over the handlebars, turning over the pedals again and again and again. However, the monotony (and perhaps torture) of... Read More Read More The post My Zwift Century Ride appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

We are now firmly into the new year, and according to a range of news articles, it’s highly likely that if you set yourself some New Year’s resolutions, you’ve probably broken them by now. And if you haven’t just yet, then Strava reckons that by Sunday 19th Jan you will have. Deciding that you were going to wake up at 5am every morning to get a run in before work probably doesn’t seem as realistic now as it did at 11:45pm... Read More Read More The post Setting Goals for the New Year appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

It’s the end of the year 2019 and it’s the time when everyone starts looking towards how they’re going to reinvent themselves with unrealistic resolutions in the New Year. Perhaps you’re planning on getting down to 5% body fat, running an ultramarathon across the Outback, or looking to finally get spotted by a pro-cycling team for all those Strava KOM’s? Scepticism aside, goal setting is actually a really important step towards progression. It puts purpose behind all the training and... Read More Read More The post Looking Back on 2019 appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

This past week I’ve not been too well. Suffering from what I think is probably Norovirus, I’ve replaced my hours on the saddle with hours on the toilet. And just like back in September, this illness has come at a time when my training plan was starting to fall perfectly into place and I was really starting to feel myself getting stronger. It always feels unfair. Losing weight that you don’t really have is also a concern, and missing out... Read More Read More The post Dealing with sickness appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

Mention the phrase “winter bike” to a non-cyclist and you’ll probably get a puzzled look in response, or maybe a laugh. After all why on earth would you need a separate bike for winter? It can all be washed and, if need be, replaced. And that’s all very true. However, the absolute bare minimum you’re probably going to need to replace are your chain and cassette, and there’s a £60 difference for these components depending on if you opt for... Read More Read More The post The Winter Bike appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

For a lot of cyclists, winter is a bleak time. Cold, wet, muddy, slippery, dark. It’s a time when many will just stick with a steady weekend club ride, resign to the turbo trainer, or hang the bike up entirely until the sun comes back out; getting faster and stronger just isn’t an option. But winter doesn’t have to be a miserable time, and it’s definitely no excuse to cut back on training. Yes, it is cold and wet, and... Read More Read More The post How to get Faster and Stronger in Winter appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

For the second consecutive year, Bank Road, for me, signified the end of the hill climbing season. Despite Haytor being a comparatively long climb, a 4-hour drive for a 12-minute effort didn’t at all appeal to me, and besides, it meant I could celebrate with a big greasy portion of fish and chips.  It’s also a massive relief that I can go out on my next few rides to just enjoy being on the bike, rather than burying myself to the point of vomiting at... Read More Read More The post Lessons Learned from my Second Hill Climb Season appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

1:57.4. It’s absolutely bonkers that someone would spend weeks training, following a structured training plan and being careful to avoid any unnecessary carbs and fats for an effort that lasts under 2 minutes. But that’s hill climbing! A few weeks back I devised my own little training plan in order to help me achieve a PB at the Monsal hill climb. I was actually fairly ambitious at the time, and rightly so because in the months prior I had improved... Read More Read More The post Slow start to the Hill Climb season appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more

On the back of an unfortunate incident that led to me no longer owning my Emonda, (apologies to anybody who buys my now stolen broken bike from Gumtree), I’ve had the opportunity to experience what it’s like to ride a bike at the other end of the spectrum. The slick and highly aerodynamic Cervelo S5 is a bike so far away from the rounded lightweight climbing machine that I’ve been accustomed to that I think the only real similarities that... Read More Read More The post Does an Aero Bike make a difference? appeared first on Peak Cyclist ..read more