Health

Heading into the mountains on your road bike? From preparing for long climbs to managing fast descents and changing weather, these safety tips will help you make smart decisions on the road.

I thought running would make me fitter. So I laced up my sneaks, hopped on the treadmill, and took off. This should be easy – I'm a cyclist in good shape, right? Wrong. My heart rate soared, I was more winded than I've ever been in my life, and the shin splints had me hobbling for days.

“How do I get thighs like that?” I asked my cycling friend, referring to a woman on Instagram with amazingly thick, sculpted thighs. Her answer both amused and disappointed me: “Heavier squats,” she laughed. “Much heavier squats.” I was hoping she would say just keep cycling.

Cycling isn't supposed to hurt. Yet for many riders, discomfort creeps in sooner or later. Maybe it's a nagging knee on climbs, tingling fingers halfway through a ride, or a sore back that lingers long after you've unclipped. Sometimes it builds quietly over weeks. Other times, it happens all at once in a split-second crash.

We lined up on the rail, ready to leave it all on the track in a team sprint race. The whistle blew, and we dove down the track, wheel to wheel, cadences high and our determination even higher. We gave it everything we had – until our lungs burned and our legs gave out into wobbly, noodly messes. Yet the final sprint was photo-finish close.

“You just didn’t drink enough,” he said, as he handed me a bottle of Gatorade and an ice pack for my throbbing head. And he was right. I was so taken by the thrill of the ride and the glorious country views that I forgot to sip regularly. Dehydration got the best of me.

The old adage, "Hope for the best, and be prepared for the worst," is a wise approach to packing for rides. Just as you would pack a raincoat if there's a chance of rain, you should carry a cycling first aid kit just in case you or someone in your group has an accident.

Cycling hydration affects performance, recovery and comfort. Here’s how much to drink, when to drink and how to stay hydrated during indoor and outdoor rides.

Whether you're fuelling a long endurance ride, a hard interval session or a ROUVY race, knowing when to eat fast carbs and slow carbs can make all the difference to your performance.