The joys of riding fast AND slow

[rpm]

I've always been one of those people who has avoided structured training, militantly asserting that every ride should be a self-contained pleasure, not a means to another end--"No, I'm not training, I'm just riding."

But as I've gotten older, I've gotten slower and this year it seemed like I was being passed by all kinds of riders, young and old, that never used to pass me. So, I decided that instead of just riding the same way all the time, I would take all that advice to alternate fast and slow days. So now twice a week I head over to the fairgrounds and do intervals, and on the following days, I deliberately ride slowly.

Much to my surprise, I'm really enjoying the structure. After a day of riding really slowly, I'm ready to go out and rip, and after a hard day, I look forward to simply meandering along and not worrying about being passed, because I want it that way.

I find it helps to ride a slow bike on my recovery days. If I'm on my go-fast bike wearing my go-fast clothes, I can't help feeling competitive and speeding up. So after yesterday's intervals, today I'm riding my 650b with albatross bars over to a bike shop to chat and buy tire levers. It's so much nicer than than just riding the same bike at the same endurance pace every day.

[Fixed]

nice bro look for the yellow pedro levers
i ride the same way by feel if i want to ride fast i do but I enjoy a nice slow ride as well especially when I am riding with mrs fixed she is real slow ..
cheers

[Ahneida Ride]

I just ride the way I feel like.

There are no rules. That's the nice part about cycling, it can be
highly unstructured.

Once it's no longer fun, I'll no longer ride.

I have enough structure in my life. Bike time is mine, to ride however
I feel at the moment.

Not riding is the only mistake.

[Kevan]

is what I'm talking about!!!

+1

[Blue Jays]

I've noticed the *average speed* of my crew fluctuates wildly. Sometimes our pace on a 40-mile ride can be less than what we did on a century the weekend before.
We just go with how fast our legs feel like pedaling any given day.

[rwsaunders]

I just ride the way I feel like.

There are no rules. That's the nice part about cycling, it can be
highly unstructured.

Once it's no longer fun, I'll no longer ride.

I have enough structure in my life. Bike time is mine, to ride however
I feel at the moment.

Not riding is the only mistake.

+1. Bobspeed, is what my friends call it.

[Fixed]

Fartlek is what i call it


cheers

[Ken C]

I find it helps to ride a slow bike on my recovery days. If I'm on my go-fast bike wearing my go-fast clothes, I can't help feeling competitive and speeding up.

+1. After reading the Bleroit thread I visited the Rivendell site. This got me to thinking that I should drink some of the Koolaid and take one day a week to go on a ride without spandex. This really does help to keep the pace down. I also left the HRM and the bike computer at home and rode at a leasurely pace. In a T-shirt and hiking shorts (I did wear my riding shorts underneath) I really did not feel the competitive urge to go fast. It was one of the more enjoyable rides I have take recently.

[Acotts]

Dude...thats so biker rider.

[Ken C]

I already have a sloping top tube, a thomson set back, and anatomic bars so I don't think I will ever be a cyclist.

[Fixed]

+1. After reading the Bleroit thread I visited the Rivendell site. This got me to thinking that I should drink some of the Koolaid and take one day a week to go on a ride without spandex. This really does help to keep the pace down. I also left the HRM and the bike computer at home and rode at a leasurely pace. In a T-shirt and hiking shorts (I did wear my riding shorts underneath) I really did not feel the competitive urge to go fast. It was one of the more enjoyable rides I have take recently.
bro cargos and a t for me everyday nice hat cheap shimano mt. shoes and i am good to go
cheers

[rpm]

+1. After reading the Bleroit thread I visited the Rivendell site. This got me to thinking that I should drink some of the Koolaid and take one day a week to go on a ride without spandex. This really does help to keep the pace down. I also left the HRM and the bike computer at home and rode at a leasurely pace. In a T-shirt and hiking shorts (I did wear my riding shorts underneath) I really did not feel the competitive urge to go fast. It was one of the more enjoyable rides I have take recently.

So, off I went at noon on my 650 bike. The weather was sunny and in the high 50's so I didn't bother to change. I just took off wearing my shirt, tie and chinos, figuring a leisurely ride won't work up too much of a sweat. I had a lovely, guilt-free ride along the river past Minnehaha Falls to Hiawatha Cyclery, which is where they serve the Rivendell kool-aid. There are lots of Surly's, Bleriots, and A Homer's there. I got my tire levers, chatted with the guys there about their selection of 7-speed freewheels, and eyed a brass bell for a future trip. The ride back was sweet, and when I got back there was even left-over pizza from an office party! :banana:

Tomorrow at noon I'll suit up and try to rip the legs off somebody. Life is good.