Cycling stamina question

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

I'm hoping someone can help me out with this. I ride my bike every day, always the same route, been riding it for months even before I started tracking on MFP. Anyway, I've been attempting to extend the distance of my ride when I got comfortable at what I was already doing but lately I've noticed many times I have a harder time just doing the basics. My leg muscles will feel varying levels of tired, some days are better than others. My calorie intake is usually pretty good but my water intake and sleep haven't. Long story short, could this be the reason I have days when what's usually a simple ride makes my legs ache? I was really enjoying going from twelve to nineteen minutes in total and been feeling kind of lousy that I can't keep it up.

First of all, yes sleep and water intake can affect how you feel.

Some other ideas:

-- Bicycle fit: Have you had the bicycle set up properly for you? 12-19 minutes is really short and if you've been doing this for a while, you should be able to do more than that. However, if your bicycle isn't set up properly for you, that could be why your legs feel so fatigued.

-- Boredom: Maybe you need to shake up the routine. Go places you haven't gone before!

-- Speed: How much distance are you covering in 12-19 minutes? You may need to slow down slightly to allow yourself to go further.


If your maximum right now is 19 minutes ... do that tonight, but then tomorrow try for 21 minutes, the next day try for 23 minutes. Then go back to 12 minutes again. Next day pick it up at 21 minutes and build in 2-minute increments to 23 then 25. Then go back to 12 minutes again. And so on.

If you really struggle with a certain distance/time, go back to the previous one and do it again.


But be sure to get your bicycle fit checked. That is very important.

MichelleSilverleaf wrote: »

I've never had it fitted for me, always rode it as is. I got it off of a friend of my mom's and it's in very good condition. My usual route is about ten minutes, but the last four or so tend to be the easiest since it's the downside of a slight incline. The reason I boosted to 19 minutes was because I did get to a point where the usual 10 minute route was too comfortable and I wanted the extra challenge. My goal is to eventually go longer distances and I'm just trying to find the right increments that are challenging but not straining (I do have an issue with my knees that I have to be aware of). It only seems lately that the 10 minutes all of a sudden can be difficult on multiple days at a time. So I want to try and pinpoint the possible cause. I do like the idea of changing up the route though. My bike is also my mode of transportation for errands in my immediate area and I seem to manage them all right.

OK, it sounds like you need to get the bicycle fitted for you.

Ideally, you would take it to a bicycle shop and have them do a fitting for you, but we can start with this ...

Get on the bicycle and pedal casually on flat ground for a moment or two until you feel settled on the bicycle.
Now coast with your right foot down in the 6:00 position (lowest your pedal will go).
Place your heel on the pedal.
You should have just the slightest bend in your knee.

Repeat with the left foot.
Again, you should have just the slightest bend in your knee.

If you have too much bend, your saddle is too low.
If you are reaching for the pedal or your leg is locked straight, your saddle is too high.

Adjust the saddle height as necessary.


Also, are you able to post a photo of your bicycle here?

nevermind... didn't read closely enough.