To be a good cyclist, it takes much more than just a fit body and a good cycle. You need to practice and work hard every day. One good rule of thumb is to get inspired by other cyclists and take tips from them.
A top professional cyclist earns nearly €6 million in a winning race, so the sky is your limit! If you want to know how to become a top cyclist, here are some useful tips for you.
1. Don’t carry too much load
When you’re touring somewhere or commuting through a cycle, make sure the load is as light as possible. Put the load on the cycle, not you. If you simply have a light rucksack, you don’t have to install anything additional. Beautiful your load is heavier, make sure you have a seat-pack or a handlebar sack in the cycle.
2. Do strength and endurance training
Another major tip to excel in the profession of cycling is to do strength and endurance training. This is basically where you need to ride upwards using a larger gear than you normally would while being seated. You can ride for about 5-10 minutes first with a speed of 50-60 rpm and then increase the training speed.
3. Descend properly
When you’re descending, make sure you do it very carefully. Always cover your brakes and make sure you brake smoothly. For example, if you’re turning in a corner, make sure you predict that a little bit before actually turning suddenly. Practice well on a flat surface first to get the hang of the brakes.
4. Buy a good kit
A good cycling kit goes a long way. Make sure to invest in good-quality cycling clothing and apparel, bike helmets, and cycling shorts to name a few. The helmet should be as sturdy as possible so that, in case you fall, you won’t get seriously injured. Other than that, a set of Allen keys and a puncture-repairing kit can also come in handy.
5. Time your rides
Looking at your time frame can help you to understand how fast or slow your average speed is. For beginners, this is an especially important tip. Try and make every ride count by squeezing in a couple of minutes every day for cycling. Do a normal-paced ride first and calculate the base miles. Then, go for extensive training.
6. Invest in clipless pedals
Clipless pedals are a special type of equipment where you can lock in or secure your shoe to the pedal using a cleat attached to the shoe. It might not seem like much but a clipless pedal is really useful. If you haven’t tried these pedals before, start with toe clips, which are easier on the shoe, and then move on to the clipless ones.
7. Ride with your group first
Often, amateur riders can get carried away and start to ride much ahead of their group. Once their speed becomes dangerously high, they topple over and hurt themselves. So a good idea is to ride with your teammates first. Stay close to them and maintain a level speed so that even if you fall, others can pick you up.
8. Eat small but healthy
Did you know that cyclists frequently suffer from bonking? This is a phenomenon where they run low on energy because their nutritional requirements aren’t met and then they perform poorly. So make sure you have lots of power-packed energy drinks and snack bars in your backpack or cycle storage space to avoid bonking.
9. Hydrate yourself
While this might seem quite obvious, hydrating yourself properly is a must. Unfortunately, most cyclists fuel themselves only on energy drinks, which can cause problems in the long run. Drink plenty of water, both during and after the ride. Don’t gulp in large amounts of water at once. Take small sips right from the beginning.
10. Don’t lose hope
Irrespective of your performance, you must not lose hope. Even if you see that your hard work and sweat aren’t paying off visibly, you will improve through patience and tenacity. Organize rides with other people, practice with them, and take useful tips on how to improve yourself.
Conclusion
These are some of the basic tips and tricks that you need to follow to become a good professional cyclist. Remember, with dedication and passion, there’s absolutely nothing that you won’t be able to achieve!
