5 Simple Keys for a Cycling Endurance Training for Beginners

A cycling endurance training for beginners should focus entirely on simplicity and fun.

Learning how to do cycling for beginners can be pretty intimidating.

If you do some research online for beginning cyclists, there’s an overwhelming amount of information.

So let’s keep it simple, shall we?

1. Ride the Bike You’ve Got For Your Cycling for Beginners Training Plan

For cycling endurance training for beginners, it really doesn’t matter what you’re riding as long as it works. If it doesn’t work, bring it into your local bike shop for a tune-up to make sure your chain, brakes, and shifting all work.

And if you’re set on buying a bike, keep it simple again. Try the local bike shop for used bikes.

In Milwaukee, we have a great place called Dream Bikes where people donate old bikes and neighborhood kids repair them for sale. That’s another great place to buy bicycles.

Make sure the bike shop does a decent bike fit on you. The front of your knee should be roughly over the spindle of your pedal when it’s parallel to the ground and forward. And your knee should be slightly bent when your pedal is at the bottom.

2. Add Mileage Gradually

It’s way better to be more consistent in your cycling than trying to do one long ride with cycling endurance training for beginners.

Shoot for getting out on the bike about three times a week.

Better yet, use the bike to commute to work. That’s an easy way to build up your mileage and save a lot on gas money.

But cycling endurance training for beginners should be simple: Just ride. Explore your town and your area.

I don’t want to give you mileage recommendations because everyone starts at a different place.

You might start with 15 to 30 minutes of riding, see how that feels (and see how you feel the next day), and build from there.

3. Have a Destination to Build Cycling Endurance Training for Beginners

When I do long rides, I always try to have a coffee shop as a destination.

That way there is always a purpose in doing a ride.

Visit a friend, try a new route is a good way to build a cycling for beginners training plan.

My cycling for beginners training plan would include at least one ice cream shop, custard stand, or coffee shop! Well, at least once per ride.

4. Find Like-Minded People to Ride With

It’s always better — usually — to ride with others. (Some days, I just pop my earbuds in, download a bunch of podcasts, and ride off into the sunset.)

Check with Facebook groups or Strava. There are always groups of beginning riders, ready to welcome you and help you build cycling endurance training for beginners.

For example, for women in Milwaukee, the Cadence Cycling Club is a great way to get introduced to a lot of fun people who like to ride bikes.

5. Consider Bike Shorts

If you start riding more, bike shorts help the challenge of sitting on a bike saddle.

But gym shorts or pants that don’t have seams (like jeans) work just fine.

Wearing t-shirts, sneakers, etc., is all you need for your cycling endurance training for beginners.

That’s It For Your Cycling Endurance Training For Beginners

No, really, that’s all you need to get started.

Once you start enjoying yourself and wanting to ride even more, we can talk about intervals, bike shoes and pedals, and a good bike.

But find out if you really like cycling before you invest the money.

And as for helmets: Few people in the Netherlands, where everyone bikes, wear helmets because it’s just safer there.

I always ride one here in the States.

Next week, I’ll write about how to take the next steps in cycling.

Still Curious About What You Can Achieve?

Contact me or sign up for Virtual Coffee so we can discuss your goals!

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Contact me to ask questions and talk about making your endurance training more effective.

Five Things to Know While You Start Cycling Endurance Training for Beginners

1. Ride what you have.
2. Start slowly.
3. Have destinations
4. Find a group.
5. Consider bike shorts