Cycling Training Plan for Beginners
Cycling Training Plan for Beginners
I love to cycle and have competed in mountain bike and road bike events over distances up to 137kms. The freedom a bike gives you to see beautiful countryside and improve your fitness while you do it is unmatched. The idea of starting can be daunting though when fitness levels are low, knowledge is limited and open roads with cars look scary. I have created a short blog below to start you on the right track and if you want to take your performance to the next level then Burberry Fitness provides bespoke training plans.
The best thing you can do when starting out cycling is to ease yourself in. I have put together this 8-week plan that can take you from novice to intermediate with ease, culminating in a 10-mile ride. In my plan, you will cycle 3 days of the week with every Saturday or Sunday being the longest ride, so as to avoid conflicting with work (unless you work weekends, of course).
Before you begin, select which days are best for you to cycle (ideally a weekend day will be one of them) and you will alternate days. I recommend Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Feel free to expand on the times if you feel you can. This plan is aimed at complete beginners. If you feel you can cycle for longer, go ahead, just keep the times relative to each other on the plan.
The first two weeks are about getting to grips with cycling, so start off with a couple of 10 minute cycles on the first two outings, finishing with a 20 minute cycle on the weekend.
Repeat Week 1.
Cycle for 15 to 20 minutes for your first two allocated cycle days. Cycle for 30 minutes on the weekend.
For this week, we’re going to remove one of the days, and cycle for longer on the remaining two days. We would recommend cycling for 25 minutes on the Wednesday, and 35 minutes on the weekend.
Back to three times a week again. Cycle for 30 minutes on your first two days, with a 45 minute cycle on the weekend.
Repeat Week 5.
Cycle for 30 minutes on your first day, reduce it to 20 for your second, and finish the week with a 60 minute cycle on the weekend.
For the final week, you’re going to add an extra day of cycling. Ride for 45 minutes on your first day. Cycle for an hour on your second day, and follow that with a 20 minute ride the very next day (Friday, if you’re using our recommended dates). For your last cycle of the plan, ride for 10 miles.
And there you have it. With this plan, you’ll go from total beginner to completing a 10-mile bike ride with ease in eight short weeks. The route you pick is up to you. For complete beginners, I recommend sticking to a relatively flat route. If you want to challenge yourself, choose a route with some hills.
Alternatively, if you don’t live too far from your place of work and you’re getting into cycling to save cash on your commute, you can apply this plan to it.
To give you an idea of distances and speed, the average cycling speed for a beginner is about 12mph. This means that in your first week, you’ll be covering distances of up to 2 miles. After eight weeks, the 10-mile ride shouldn’t feel daunting at all.
Mount Teide in Tenerife
Cycling Tips for Beginners
There are a few things that aren’t immediately obvious for cycling novices, so here are a few top tips to note before you get started:
Keep your tyres pumped up. This will make cycling easier and reduce your chances of getting a puncture.
As mentioned before, keeping a puncture repair kit (inner tube, Allen key, tyre levers and pump) on you at all times is highly recommended.
Invest in some eyewear. They will protect your eyes from bugs, rain, stones and glare. You’ll be surprised at how many bugs will get in your eyes if you don’t protect them.
Buy, and use, mudguards - especially when cycling to work.
For long bike rides, make sure you keep yourself fuelled and hydrated. Energy bars, bits of cake, sweets and bananas - these are all great sources of energy for long rides and will keep you feeling energised.
Road Cycling Tips for Beginners
When it comes to road cycling, there are a few more things to consider, and tips you’ll find useful.
If you’re going to get into road cycling, you need to invest in a helmet. Over half of all cycling fatalities are due to head injuries, it is not worth the risk.
Ensure you’ve chosen the right riding position. It’ll make a big difference to how comfortable you are and consequently, how long you can ride for. Your leg should have a 30 degree bend at the bottom of the pedal stroke.
If you’re using clip pedals, try to get into the habit of unclipping early and with the same foot first every time. Clip pedals will increase your power and speed; they just take some getting used to.
If cycling in a group, learn how to ride as a group. You’ll use your energy more efficiently and as a result can go on longer, faster rides. The social aspect will also motivate you to cycle more often.
When taking corners, always put your outside pedal in the lowest position and apply downward pressure. This will help your bike grip the road.
Make sure you’re up to speed with your highway code knowledge. You’ll also benefit from reading up more on the techniques of road positioning.
Mountain biking in Chamonix
Taking Your Cycling to the Next Level
If you want to improve your cycling performance then Burberry Fitness provides bespoke training plans based on your requirements. I will create a structured periodisation plan that will have you peaking at the right time if entering an event including nutrition advice and race tactics. Submit an enquiry now on the website to start your journey to being a stronger, more confident cyclist.