In modern cycling, data covers almost everything. There is a vast amount of technology out there that can provide highly detailed insight into every aspect of our performance, from power and heart rate numbers to real-time hydration and blood sugar levels.
But are we too obsessed with numbers? And are they really that important?
It wasn’t that long ago that scientific training metrics were rarely used, even among professionals. I was able to get a functional and productive workout using just the bike and the feel of my legs.
Most modern training sessions use power, heart rate, or a combination of the two to set the parameters of the session. Using these metrics is all well and good, but they may not have access to technology and can add another barrier for riders looking to take their training seriously.
With that in mind, GCN’s Conor Dunn is looking to share tips on how to improve your cycling without becoming a slave to numbers.
set goals
Before you start training, it’s worth writing down what you aim to achieve. Being as specific as possible will help you create a clear and well-defined plan to get there. These should have real purpose and meaning to you, rather than just trying to achieve some arbitrary time or speed.
If you want to improve your endurance and increase your weekly rides, you don’t need any data other than your total ride time. Spending more time in the saddle at a comfortable intensity will naturally improve your endurance. It’s even a welcome change for riders who usually like to scrutinize their data at the end of a ride to go data-free and simply reaffirm the joy of riding.
keep a training diary
Even if you’re not tracking and logging your rides online with GPS precision, keeping a log of your rides is a great way to track your activity, mileage, and mood.
A simple diary that records basic information like where you went, distance, and time taken, along with other notable information like refueling, mood, and weather, can help you see how you’re improving over time. This will help you clearly understand what is going on.
Training diaries aren’t just for retrospective use. It’s also a great way to plan your training for the coming weeks or months. Having a plan for how long you aim to ride and where you aim to go will make it a little easier to get out for each ride, and plan to increase volume and intensity over longer periods of time. I can.
make a longer effort
A good training plan should include hard efforts over long periods of time, such as 20-30 minutes at a specific tempo, or riding at a threshold intensity that can last for about an hour. Without data, it can be difficult to pace yourself, but being able to pace yourself just by feeling is a valuable skill in itself.
Long climbs and false flats allow you to keep pressure on the pedals throughout the interval. Aim for a relatively steady effort from start to finish, without fear of making it too difficult or too easy.
This is all part of the learning process that comes from data-free riding. As you continue to ride this way, over time you will gain a better understanding of how your body feels and responds to riding at different intensities.
with less effort
Shorter efforts are great to incorporate into data-free training because they rely less on pacing to maximize effectiveness. Intervals of 1-2 minutes are ideal for this, as they are short enough to go all out without holding the pace and see how long you can hold out.
Another informative session is Up and Over. This is a series of short micro-intervals organized into long blocks. A typical up-and-over workout consists of two or three 10-minute blocks of 30-second flat outs, followed by 30 seconds of easy rotation.
If you don’t have a timer at your disposal, you can time your intervals by counting pedal revolutions or purely by measuring off-feel.
full gas sprint
The ultimate data-free training session requires your full effort. This 10 second task of his does not give him time to review the data and must always be completed with maximum effort.
One way to start such a session is to find a quiet section of the road and place two markers (such as water bottles) on the edge of the road about 200 meters apart. From a rolling start, sprint between two points as fast as you can, with a brief recovery period between each sprint. Initially a session of 10 sprints will be enough for him, but over time he should consider increasing this to 15 and even 20 efforts.
low cadence training
If you intentionally run at a low cadence of around 60 rpm, the way you generate power will change. A low cadence relies on high-torque pedal rotation, which puts more strain on the muscular system than the cardiovascular system.
This type of training is great for building muscular endurance and overall leg strength. Initially, just a few blocks of 10 minutes of low cadence sliding will give visible results, but over time it is possible to increase the duration of these efforts up to about 20 minutes. Masu.
Test yourself regularly
Riding without data can make it difficult to track your progress from day to day and week to week. Testing yourself using some sections of the road is the best way to track your progress and be able to make direct comparisons. Being able to choose which roads to use helps you test different intensities and durations, such as 1-2 minutes of intense climbs, 5-minute climbs, and approximately 20 minutes of uninterrupted stretches of road.
All you need for this session is to leave with a stopwatch and something to record your results. Keeping a record of the weather and, if possible, wind direction will make it easier to go back and compare your efforts.
Are you ready for data-free training?
Data-free riding is a liberating experience for riders who are usually busy chasing numbers on their head units. Spending time training just for “feel” is extremely beneficial for pacing your efforts and understanding your body’s capabilities.
Just because there aren’t numbers to prove the intensity of a session doesn’t mean it’s not as beneficial. The key with any form of training is to focus on consistency and gradually increase your training load in terms of both intensity and duration.
How do you like to train? Do you prefer to collect all possible training metrics or just go by “feel”? Let us know in the comments. If you want more training ideas, don’t forget to visit our dedicated training area.
