Cycling

I signed up for Cycling expecting a straightforward fitness class. What I found was a technical discipline that demands real skill development. The descending technique I was shown in week one is still something I'm refining now, 16 months later. bonking and fuelling gave me a framework for understa…

I came to Cycling for the fitness and stayed for the mental challenge. Everyone talks about the physical side — the descending technique, the conditioning, the kit (bibs and jersey). Nobody mentioned what happens to your mind. Learning FTP demands a kind of focused presence that clears everything e…

I started Cycling at 40 and felt completely out of my depth in the first class. Most people were twenty-something and athletic. I was neither. But the coach adapted sessions to my level and nobody made me feel unwelcome. Recovery takes longer at my age, and expensive initial gear investment hit har…

I've been training Cycling for 11 months at a decent gym with good coaches. My cadence over gear has improved significantly and I've developed a real understanding of FTP. first sportive completion has been a consistent positive. The one thing that has genuinely frustrated me: saddle soreness in th…

After 18 months of training Cycling I entered my first competition. I lost. It was the best thing that's happened to my development in the sport. Competition exposes gaps in your game that rolling or drilling never will. My cornering fell apart under pressure. My understanding of bonking and fuelli…

People describe Cycling as a workout but that undersells it. After 14 months your body moves differently. The climbing seated vs. standing drills reshape how you use your hips, shoulders, and weight distribution in ways that carry into everything else you do. It's not just fitness — it's body litera…

A friend dragged me to a Cycling trial class. I went to be polite. I was terrible. I went back because I couldn't stand being terrible at something. That was 15 months ago. The climbing seated vs. standing I stumbled through in that first class is now something I teach to newer beginners. group rid…

I've been training Cycling for 3 months and the moment climbing seated vs. standing finally clicked was a turning point. Before that I was going through the motions. After, the whole game opened up. My coach breaks things down well and has a good understanding of group ride etiquette, which made th…

Cycling has been one of the best decisions I've made for my fitness and mental health. The drafting in a group and the deeper group ride etiquette keep training mentally engaging in a way the gym never did. But I want to be honest: car traffic safety concerns. Nobody told me about that before I sta…

Around the 15-month mark in Cycling I hit a wall. My progress with drafting in a group wasn't improving and I felt like I was spinning wheels. It's apparently common but that didn't make it less frustrating. What helped: going back to fundamentals with my coach, spending more time drilling FTP slow…