I don't gain much as I am a smaller man similar to Caleb Ewan 🇦🇺 , 5ft 6 " tall . I don't get too close as some riders break good etiquette . It can be scary.
It's uncanny... I went through all of those phases on the lycra: baggy shorts and t-shirt because I didn't want to look like an idiot... then to cheap cycling shorts and cheap cycling shirt because I realised all that flapping was slow and uncomfortable... next to slightly upgraded shorts and tighter shirt... finally to expensive bib shorts and jersey because they fit much better and I'm now convinced I look awesome in them.
I think a lot of riders looks very good in lycra, got passed by Johannes Kulset /Uno-x one day and he looked superfantastic. I saw lycras with nice olive green colour that looks very good, but I stick to more flashy colors because of visibility in trafic/safety. I dont look best in lycra (more fit people look better) but thats not my problem, I enjoy the ride and seeing whats in front of my eyes.
Fact. You will get passed by more experienced rider. This will happen less often over time, but there are always going to be more experienced riders. Don't let it ruin your ride and take all the fun out of the sport.
Hold on a sec here, when the newbie gets over getting passed, he'll start to see those passing as carrots to chase after and try to draft as long as possible just to prove a point that they're not slow just taking it easy!
@@StettafireI disagree. I’m not ok with getting passed (even by e-bikes), and that drives me to improve. Each of us chooses how we ride, and hopefully we’re introspective enough to know what we want from cycling.
I'm only annoyed when a 70-year old gray-haired e-biker passes me. I'm in my 40's and a little over-weight for a cyclist so I probably can't compete with younger riders anymore. But I'm also passing some other riders wearing spandex while I don't. Still, I only compete with myself, to be in better shape.
That's what some so called cyclist don't understand. People buy a bike because they like how it look, not because it's fast. Yet they keeps mocking new bikes while praising their clapped 2005 bikes
Or because they want to get into a new discipline. When I started as a road biker I didn't know that mountain biking was better. Now I have a road bike (my oldest bike, 21,000 miles), a gravel bike and two mountain bikes. It's great and so much fun!
I never thought I’d wear Lycra. I bought a road bike and did MTB shorts and a t shirt…. After a few weeks I gave in. Now I love the Lycra and and slowly building up a whole wardrobe
The demonization of carbs in the fitness world needs to stop. Carbs are life and energy, especially for very active people. And the only fasting I'm going to do is when I'm sleeping.
The issue is that many overconsume carbs and underexercise, hence this negative view of the carbs. How many folks are truly grinding it out there daily (bike, gym, run, swim, etc.) vs. those who eat like crap and merely check an exercise box, if that?
Well, maybe a bit of insight into insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and the metabolic syndromes, will help you see why. There's a type 2 diabetic epidemic and I saw a triathlete on RUclips responding to viewer comments about his crappy high carb diet by taking a test. Turns out he was a full blown type 2 diabetic.
Or use agave syrup, it is fructose, then you can cut the glucose and put less stress on the body! I did this with my coffee 5 years ago. The 2 cheapest sources I've found are from Costco, or Madhava has a 2 pack of 64oz bottles on amazon. Ive never tried sugar water... right now im drinking LMNT in a bottle of water before my ride. What sort of benefit does the sugar water provide? Should I drink it while riding or before? The limeaid sounds good! Its the same flavor LMNT i like. Its like a nonalcoholic margarita with the salt in the the glass instead of on the rim. I began using LMNT to battle cramping while working outdoors @ 117f the summer of 2022. I was losing so much salt from sweating and purging my body with water to keep from dying in the heat. I would get full body cramps after work, it even started happening @ work. I went through a lot of things trying to figure it out including potassium. LMNT has the salt and potassium, plus some magnesium which couldnt hurt as im taking it too.
I was a t-shirt rider for years, and I was amazed at the difference when I got my first real kit. This is a great video! A lot of valuable advice packed into 14 minutes.
Yes I would struggle to get to 40kph in tshirt and overshorts. When I got the slim fit kit 40kph was much easier and could stay there for minutes. Much more fun at that speed
This was the perfect intro to cycling video we all needed. LOVED the zone of delusion as well. Fully LOL moment. Keep the vids coming. Instant sub I was so impressed in a world of meh...
Thanks for the info on formula369. I used your link and my bag came this week. After trying, I can say I feel similar to when fueled by Maurten 320, which I used for an event last year. I feel that is too expensive to use for training, so thanks again for this alternative. By the way, I enjoy your videos; your personality, humor, and storytelling.
That lycra thing is very true. I went as fast as I could in lycra got speed of 41 km/h, three days later, same road, same max effort, but a loose jacket- 39 km/h. Another great thing with lycra is the backpockets. I love them.
Bearing in mind that 2Km/h during a max effort can mean a lot to some people, and nothing at all to other people. Most people who care about how fast they get from A to B choose a motorized vehicle of some sort.
@@Frostbiker I am fat and 62 years old and appreciate everything that helps. When I visit my mother I am going 55 km over tarmac and dirt throug hills climbing 500 meters. It is hard enough with dedicated clothes.I like to go on my superfast gravelbike in clothing that works. On small trips what I likes best with my lycra is the pockets on the back. No other clothes I have do have these pockets where i carry my phone and something more.
6:41 is the most important part of this video. I can’t remember what you talked about, but to be perfectly honest - that’s on you. If you’re trying to make important points, maybe don’t do that while I’m watching a cute dog maximally chilling on the couch. Thank you Mitch!
Started cycling last winter and have never touched no lycras, bib shorts whatsoever. I still ride in my regular ass cotton t-shirts and baggy gym shorts and am still having so much fun, averaging around 30km/h these days in a very flat area. And no chafing and butt hurting after a few months. Guess I just adapted. I'm totally satisfied with how I ride now, so the biggest lie for me has been that you should just wear those skin suits that'll charge you like crazy $$$. But if I ever get more serious about getting faster, I'll definitely consider joining the dark side....
First video I watched from you and I have to say I really like your presenting style. The content is solid, too, but the presentation is even better. I'll definately watch some more!
I was riding a 30+lbs steel bike with downtube shifters and 35mm tires for the past 9-10 years. I Just bought a used Eddy Merckx San Remo from a local bike shop and my mph went up 3mph instantly. This may be an exception to your 3rd rule. But in all fairness I think you're communicating to the people with already nice race bikes who want to upgrade to something unrealistic economically. Loved your video!
Since I’m not racing speed isn’t my main focus - getting fitter is, so as long as my Watts are going up I’m good 👍🏻 Therefore comfort and ease (aka lack of mechanicals) is the main goal. If I was racing though, then it’s ALL about speed! Carbs though, are a universal truth for all endurance sports - no matter what your goals are
Yeah, same here. Started wanting to be faster and go further but quickly enough realized that being comfortable to ride somewhere nice for a few hours was enough of a goal and one I’d already reached anyway. Feels enough to just enjoy it and have a nice trip out and it’s the short more regular rides I enjoy the most.
There are two kinds of “buying a new bike”, one is “replace this with that” (for whatever reason: looks, component upgrades, performance upgrades, proper sizing). The other is “add X to my stable because it’s for .” I’ve done a mix of both: upgrading my “fast” road bike 3 times (once for size), and my gravel bike 2 times (once for sizing). But I added a dedicated trainer bike for convenience, an endurance bike for comfort, and a flat-bar gravel for more technical off-roading than I was comfortable doing on my gravel. Sure, I could probably have consolidated all my drop-bar bikes into a single frame with 2-3 sets of wheels. My was was more expensive, but each serves its own purpose even with overlap.
news flash: cycling isn't all about speed. sometimes it is, sure, like if you're into racing or just pushing your limits for training, but MANY of us do NOT ride for speed. Lycra/spandex is NOT a requirement (unless again, if you're into doing races), but this goes for all the points here. This video is for people getting into racing/speed.
The professional racing culture and fast road biking mentality has infected the concept of cycling in general. There seems to be a great confusion between cycling/riding a bicycle, and road racing. It is hard to find videos that give ideas related to cycling. It seems that most or all cycling channels on RUclips give advice related to road racing, and they call that cycling.
respectfully disagree. From the youtube lense it may appear as such, but youtube doesn't encompass all of cycling; there are quite a few cyclists, especially in other areas of the world that do not watch youtube or in other ways influenced by 'big youtube cycle channels'. In fact, in terms of the world cycling community, I'd say youtube consumption is a vast minority.
@@void_presence Yeah, worldwide, probably most bike users are aiming for "go faster than walking, for less effort, and moving stuff." Casual clothes, upright posture, 10 MPH if that, bike built like a tank. Utility biking.
I Can't tell people enough when they are starting the cycling journey to EAT EAT EAT and the right food (carbs) I neglected this for my first few months of riding and when I started eating everything changed!
All true. Though the most effective upgrades are always upgrading yourself. Thus such thing as training plan and direct drive trainer for your pain cave got top ROI of all the upgrades.
I have three road bikes (excluding vintage), a 2022 Vitus Razor, a 1992 Trek 2300 composite, and a 1997 Olmo Giro. There isn’t much speed difference between them unless on a very long descent. On an average ride it’s minimal. Lycra is a far bigger difference.
I have a self built fixed gear death trap with pursuit bars and a nice gravel bike. I rode the gravel bike for half a year thinking it might just be a tad slower than a road bike and then had to switch back to the fixed gear while the gravel got a check up. Its 4kmh difference on average even though the hubs on the fixie belong in the trash at this point
More important thing about lycra than speed iml is the functionality on the bike. Both the padded shorts for comfort and the back pockets in the jersey for storage, anything else is not allowing you to cycle as it's supposed to be
Just starting out myself and just ordered jerseys. I got bib shorts because my ass hurt and I had to get jerseys because my bib shorts don’t have pockets
Thanks for this, I want to get into cycling, I just ordered £200 of cycling clothes on top of a £1500 bike (that was enough for one outfit!) and this video helped me know I made a good choice. Also I did not know to avoid fat and protein. One thing I worry about is muscle atrophy which is why I usually include some protein before cardio, I guess I will try to consume protein a bit longer before and straight after and focus on carbs. I bought a gravel bike but when my funds are replenished I plan to get road wheels so that will cover the tyres part too, I will look at those tubeless ones you suggested. Thanks again for a great video!
I quit riding in the 90s when I got my drivers license. Picked it back up 3 years ago at 265lbs and having been a smoker for 20 years. That first ride was less than 3 miles and I thought I would puke. A 20 mile ride now feels almost effortless and being 55lbs lighter (and still dropping) doesnt feel too bad either.
As a clydesdale rider (6' @ 250 average), I respect that I am already a huge sail-= but I also ride in some hot and open spaces for extended rides. My average ride is currently 40 miles at roughly 3-4 hours riding. I have recently started wearing summer hoodies and, while they flap around, I feel like the lower exposure to the sun along with the fact that there is no "form fitting' jersey options for a dude who wears XXL-XXXL in biking clothing.
I just came off an 09' Allez that I had upgraded piece by piece - really to make it more comfortable. I just got a Winspace SLR 2.0 carbon fiber frame, and it is a night-and-day improvement over a 15-year-old aluminum frame in the comfort department. As they say, fast is smooth, and smooth is fast!
I was practicing swim with swim trunks and I had a 25 yrd time of 28 seconds and I got really tired out easy, i bought a pair of racing shorts that were tight, and now i can do 25 yrds with ease in 25 seconds, with my pb being 21 seconds, which still isn't good but it's a huge overnight improvement
Good video, I don't necessarily agree with the new handlebar upgrade, I think that can be a good one. Don't forget that as you said 80% of the drag comes from you, the rider and the handlebar plays a big part of your riding position. Of course the no 1 important thing you need for an aero position is a strong core but if you are like Chris Froome (tall and super skinny with long limbs) then you might be the person with the strongest core on the planet, but if you are riding with a 44cm handlebar and a 70mm stem and have a saddle designed only for climbing then holding an aero position will still be likely very painful after 20-30 minutes of riding. Having said that I think the 4th lie that perhaps hold a lot of beginner cyclists back is that pro/retül bike fitting is a waste of money. There are of course better and worse bike fitters but if you are member of a local club then you can ask the club members, mainly more experienced ones who they can recommend as the best bike fitter of your local area.
The funny thing is I swapped to bib pants because my baggier clothes would end up coming down while leaning over and swapped to a cycling jersey because it's a lot easier to carry phones and other things in a cycling jersey. I probably has ended up making me faster as well. Recently, I tried unzipping one of my vests a bit, and when I started descending I really felt it as it ended up completely coming undone and flapping in the wind, which was really concerning since I had my phone in a rear pocket, so I had to stop and zip it back up before continuing. It really was a good demonstration of air resistance, however.
I think the professional racing culture and fast road biking mentality has infected the concept of cycling. Most "cyclists" I see these days look like professional road racers, instead of just... cyclists.
I started wearing lycra for the dissipation of sweat and no other reason. I didn't even care about aero when I started wearing it, I was far too slow to care AND I was riding an ebike at the time, but I had a massive issue with sweat (and still do) which lycra helped with quite a lot. It also allowed me to carry clothes with me on my ride if I got too hot or cold, normal clothes are bulky and heavy in comparison.
My biggest hold-back from embracing real cycling kit was the cost of getting kit that was comfortable. Yeah, I did the Amazon cheap stuff, but it wasn’t until I tried that I built an inventory of bibshorts & jerseys. Finding affordable, comfortable kit made it possible to give up all that loose, floppy exercise gear. Great advice for all cyclists, not just new ones. One of the simple sugars I like to bring along is Smartees. Aside from the tartness that can induce thirst/drinking, Smartees are almost pure dextrose (aka “baker’s sugar”), which in my experience is incredibly easy on the tummy. And the biggest change I made to improve my performance was losing weight. Not of the bike, but of the *rider*. It took serious attention to how much & when I was eating, but I dropped 25lb between two seasons and the difference in how I felt and how fast I felt was very noticeable. Everything else was “marginal gains.”
Of course everyone needs a different fit but I found NeoPro jerseys to fit extremely well and they're very affordable. I do prefer bibs from other brands though.
10 years ago people would laugh at me for eating so much whilst riding, my nickname was the grazing cow!! Some of my riding buddies would literally just rub marmite on their gums and go out for 6 hour endurance 'fasted' rides. This advice is now the polar opposite! Eat more sugar!!
Although I am slowly getting into cycling clothes I don't agree with the point of "go for cycling clothes". I bought them, because I had trouble with sweating on my 21 km commute, but I would recommend to wear whatever makes you having fun on your bike. Riding a bit faster is nothing compared to riding more. I say, if you have fun on your bike and feel good, don't spend money on expensive gear to get 5% faster. On shorter rides you will spend more time with taking your bib on and off than the time you are saving during the ride. Also it is inconvenient to change clothes on the toilet at the office.
There's a demographic of cyclists that wear their cycling clothing into the ground. Saggy / see through bibs. Dudes. Consider them a consumable. They do have a lifespan. When they no longer compress and sag on you, or are threatening to go see though, replace them. There's affordable yet quality options. Quality reputable name brands do go on sale, so you don't have to settle for generic.
last week i did a test and turns out my w/kg is 5.3 lol, only trained about 2 or 3 three times a week so apparentely i am talented! Keep it up Mitch, great content!
I have a 1990's Diamondback. Shifts good and relatively fast. I bought a 1990's Trek ( Chrom- moly) that had a chainring that was larger and really small cassette, so really flies! The Trek was only $11.40 from KARM.
Carb vs fat. The more fat adapted one is, the more glycogen stays in the tank even on short hard bursts. I have only bonked once in the last 6 years since becoming fat adapted, and that was because we had a high carb lunch. I recovered to finish, but it took 30-40 min to recover. You need to train fasted, low to med intensity and keeping high intensity efforts to short bursts. Recovery needs quality clean protein and the carbs that are more nutrient dense. Save the carb loading for the higher intensity or longer rides. I have seen many many riders new and experienced overdo it with carb consumption on long rides still bonk and go into situations of gastric distress.
Spandex is for race day... I reckon and i might be stupid but... if you train and do most of your riding in less aero tshirts and still push the same speeds your working harder... then on race day your flying for the same effort
I train on a Dahon folding bike that I have upgradet with 10-speed gears and a Garmin Vector 2s. No aero, no high speed. But since I'm driving alone, that doesn't matter.
I get the kit and speed connection, but as a novice on a budget and female and wanting to avoid the sun at all costs, i havent found any kit that meets my requirements...so ill just continue biking in my hiking gear.
I think a lot of people have different reasons for riding a bike. Your friends might say you don’t need spandex because they aren’t in the minority of bicycle riders who wear spandex. And the fact is, you don’t need spandex to ride a bike
I offered a backup set of lycra to a riding partner a few weeks ago as a good deed . They didn't like them even though they were the correct brand for his bicycle . He really did need a spare set , though .
my Lyrca story... at 17 I got a pair of biker shorts for christmas... growing up a "husky" kid even though I wasn't at the time I always wore overshorts... until in the middle of a FL summer day around noon I decided to go out for a ride... I stepped outside and the heat hit me hard... I tossed the overshorts back into the house and haven't looked back... unfortuantly it took me anothe 10+ years to move to wicking/jersey type fabric for my torso... I wish someone would have told me how bad cotton T shirts where haha... these days as a SUPER CLYDE (aka fatty) I wear spandex... I ride for my comfort... not yours... in Houston the humidity sucks... wicking fabric is king
I bike since I was 3yers old :) To day in my early 60's I keep up and its pretty Amazing. Thought the part of Carbos is so important also surprised me many bikers don't follow. Anyway love your video!!
I feel like the lies about spandex are not a lie. Normal people indeed don't need spandex, unless they want to be not-normal. There are good reasons to wear biking specific apparel (whether it's specifically spandex or something else), but being faster/having an easier ride is not a "always good" and when you start getting obsessed with speed that's when you change from "normal cyclist" to, Cyclist ™. Besides wind, baggy clothes and such is just extra resistance. You get harder exercise, which depending on your goals, might be exactly what you need/want. Otherwise great points to keep in mind!
I wanted to go faster and longer, so I upgraded my old steel 5 speed rear cluster to an alloy 8 speed rear cluster. Great bike lighter and more gears. I rode that bike and found that the gears were too far apart. After many years riding that bike and finding out about carbon and bikes that now have 10 speed rear cluster. I bough my first carbon bike, I did lot's of upgrades to that bike like had a 52-34 compact crank installed ,an 11-32 rear cluster pus a new rear derailleur to suit the gears. that was a good bike, but heavy. I then up graded to my present bike Trek Emonda with Rim Brakes, this bike came with an 11speed rear cluster, and weighed in at 7.1 Kg. I have had this bike 6 years now and done over 31000 km on it. 18 months ago I put a new set of alloy rims with a 60mm carbon fearing complete with a good set of tyres. The new wheels made it like a new bike. I had to upgrade bikes when technology got better, but now I have done the cheapest upgrade and that was to wax my bike chain. The long and short of this is there was a time when you had to upgrade to a new bike, but today if the frame is good a new set of wheels and tyres can make a big difference.
I've been training and progressively getting faster while wearing overly baggie clothes and riding a 50 year old steel road bike that easily weighs as much as 2 modern aluminum bikes. I'm getting close to being able to consistently keep pace with my friends on modern bikes in full lycra. One daybI will show up to a ride on a modern road bike and wearing proper gear, and I will be unstoppable. 😂
Buying a new bike will give me massive performance gains! Right now im chasing road bikes on my full suspension mtb. But bikes are so expensive im saving. I want to go in for a fitting 1st to dial myself in. The fitting alone is $325-450, just to ensure im as comfortable as i can be on the bike. Allowing me unlimited potential (within my limits ofc)! Im still seeking advice/ideas for a good endurance bike.
At 30kph the aero difference is 4 Newtons. That's equal to the weight of 4 apples. Rider plus bike weight, vs rider plus bike plus 4 apples. I can't imagine caring, unless actively racing against someone.
The section best attempt feature of Strava , especially rising grade sections still has many issues like run up speed variations and start to end point datum accuracy issues as well as varied attempt trajectory problems .
Always entertaining but now with added extra informativeness. If you're going to upgrade equipment, wheels are where the bang for your buck is (with good tyres).
Friendly PSA: Don't buy speed from bikers. Oh... nevermind, wrong room
Unless you declare them as "business expenses"
I mean it is good advice… 😂
😂 Just say no.
They will say anything to justify wearing lycra.
I don't gain much as I am a smaller man similar to Caleb Ewan 🇦🇺 , 5ft 6 " tall . I don't get too close as some riders break good etiquette . It can be scary.
The calves of a Greek God and the arms of a T-Rex!!
The perfect body... for a very select group 😅
I resemble that remark ahaha
I’ve seen cycling coaches advising amateurs to stop weight lifting so much as it was going against their cycling performance.
i look like an orc, big belly big calves, small head
@@twowheelsandcroissant That's not too bad. I have the genitals of a greek model.
It's uncanny... I went through all of those phases on the lycra: baggy shorts and t-shirt because I didn't want to look like an idiot... then to cheap cycling shorts and cheap cycling shirt because I realised all that flapping was slow and uncomfortable... next to slightly upgraded shorts and tighter shirt... finally to expensive bib shorts and jersey because they fit much better and I'm now convinced I look awesome in them.
one of us! 🫡
You dont....
I think a lot of riders looks very good in lycra, got passed by Johannes Kulset /Uno-x one day and he looked superfantastic. I saw lycras with nice olive green colour that looks very good, but I stick to more flashy colors because of visibility in trafic/safety. I dont look best in lycra (more fit people look better) but thats not my problem, I enjoy the ride and seeing whats in front of my eyes.
Congratulation my friend, you are on the right path to cycling nirvana...
Still in the denial phase, but I already see I will not be able to resist much longer...
All I hard was "buy a new Aero bike"!
Thanks for convincing me :)
🤣
😂🤣
Fact. You will get passed by more experienced rider. This will happen less often over time, but there are always going to be more experienced riders. Don't let it ruin your ride and take all the fun out of the sport.
Even more irritating...is being dropped by the new cyclist...😭😭😭🤣
Hold on a sec here, when the newbie gets over getting passed, he'll start to see those passing as carrots to chase after and try to draft as long as possible just to prove a point that they're not slow just taking it easy!
Same for running. Be ok with getting passed. No one else is judging you for being slow, they're just getting on with their own runs
@@StettafireI disagree. I’m not ok with getting passed (even by e-bikes), and that drives me to improve.
Each of us chooses how we ride, and hopefully we’re introspective enough to know what we want from cycling.
I'm only annoyed when a 70-year old gray-haired e-biker passes me. I'm in my 40's and a little over-weight for a cyclist so I probably can't compete with younger riders anymore. But I'm also passing some other riders wearing spandex while I don't. Still, I only compete with myself, to be in better shape.
I would say most people don't buy new bikes because they want more speed. They just want a nice looking bike and that's totally fine
thats right. and when you have nice looking bike, you’re going to want it ride more
That's what some so called cyclist don't understand. People buy a bike because they like how it look, not because it's fast. Yet they keeps mocking new bikes while praising their clapped 2005 bikes
True im slow heavy and i ride my bike not that much maybe 3k a year , but its titanium keep it in in the livingroom just for decoration purposes 👀
Woah woah woah don’t come in here making sense and being reasonable like that! 😜🫡
Or because they want to get into a new discipline. When I started as a road biker I didn't know that mountain biking was better.
Now I have a road bike (my oldest bike, 21,000 miles), a gravel bike and two mountain bikes. It's great and so much fun!
Another great video Mitch. I've loved watching your journey going from a beginner cyclist to a seasoned athlete. Very inspirational.
I never thought I’d wear Lycra. I bought a road bike and did MTB shorts and a t shirt…. After a few weeks I gave in. Now I love the Lycra and and slowly building up a whole wardrobe
It sneaks up on ya!
same with me just a week ago lol
@@MitchBoyer My cycling wardrobe is too much .
Got me too. It's so awesome cutting through the wind. I live in a hilly, windy area. I need all the help I can get
The demonization of carbs in the fitness world needs to stop. Carbs are life and energy, especially for very active people. And the only fasting I'm going to do is when I'm sleeping.
Thank you.
The issue is that many overconsume carbs and underexercise, hence this negative view of the carbs. How many folks are truly grinding it out there daily (bike, gym, run, swim, etc.) vs. those who eat like crap and merely check an exercise box, if that?
Well, maybe a bit of insight into insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, and the metabolic syndromes, will help you see why. There's a type 2 diabetic epidemic and I saw a triathlete on RUclips responding to viewer comments about his crappy high carb diet by taking a test. Turns out he was a full blown type 2 diabetic.
@@JustBrowsing777Type 2 is caused by obesity, not by eating carbs
@@electricant55 no, obesity is a symptom not causality. Learn som basics mate. You can be slim and type 2 diabetic.
Lol, my partner calls my sugar water 'hummingbird food'. A bit of lime juice and table salt makes it more drinkable.
putting a bit of Salt into your drink is an underrated hack. (Unless its already included in your sports drink).
My favorite
You've reinvented the lemonade haha.
Lime juice also contains fructose which makes glucose absorption easier. Add equal parts maltodextrin to sugar and you've got most sports drinks.
Or use agave syrup, it is fructose, then you can cut the glucose and put less stress on the body!
I did this with my coffee 5 years ago. The 2 cheapest sources I've found are from Costco, or Madhava has a 2 pack of 64oz bottles on amazon.
Ive never tried sugar water... right now im drinking LMNT in a bottle of water before my ride. What sort of benefit does the sugar water provide? Should I drink it while riding or before?
The limeaid sounds good! Its the same flavor LMNT i like. Its like a nonalcoholic margarita with the salt in the the glass instead of on the rim. I began using LMNT to battle cramping while working outdoors @ 117f the summer of 2022. I was losing so much salt from sweating and purging my body with water to keep from dying in the heat. I would get full body cramps after work, it even started happening @ work. I went through a lot of things trying to figure it out including potassium. LMNT has the salt and potassium, plus some magnesium which couldnt hurt as im taking it too.
Going for an ebike like the Kawasaki Ninja can really improve your confidence if you're new.
not with the average american learning how to corner on a wallie lot
one of the slower ones but sure
I was a t-shirt rider for years, and I was amazed at the difference when I got my first real kit. This is a great video! A lot of valuable advice packed into 14 minutes.
When did you come out.
Yes I would struggle to get to 40kph in tshirt and overshorts. When I got the slim fit kit 40kph was much easier and could stay there for minutes. Much more fun at that speed
This was the perfect intro to cycling video we all needed. LOVED the zone of delusion as well. Fully LOL moment. Keep the vids coming. Instant sub I was so impressed in a world of meh...
Thanks for the info on formula369. I used your link and my bag came this week. After trying, I can say I feel similar to when fueled by Maurten 320, which I used for an event last year. I feel that is too expensive to use for training, so thanks again for this alternative.
By the way, I enjoy your videos; your personality, humor, and storytelling.
"Fat-adapted,"live it!
Oh, and wear bright colors so you don't get hit by a car. Love your vids!
Beginner here! Got some chuckles and learned some stuff! Subscribed!
That lycra thing is very true. I went as fast as I could in lycra got speed of 41 km/h, three days later, same road, same max effort, but a loose jacket- 39 km/h. Another great thing with lycra is the backpockets. I love them.
Bearing in mind that 2Km/h during a max effort can mean a lot to some people, and nothing at all to other people. Most people who care about how fast they get from A to B choose a motorized vehicle of some sort.
@@Frostbiker I am fat and 62 years old and appreciate everything that helps. When I visit my mother I am going 55 km over tarmac and dirt throug hills climbing 500 meters. It is hard enough with dedicated clothes.I like to go on my superfast gravelbike in clothing that works. On small trips what I likes best with my lycra is the pockets on the back. No other clothes I have do have these pockets where i carry my phone and something more.
my pants have pockets, better yet, all my clothing has pockets and dont make me look like an activist
Very sound advice and all spot on! Actually for me the "take carbs seriously" came very late, but now I'm very convinced ... Thanks !
I can confirm J graph, I was embarrassed of wearing Lycra. Now I love it and its super comfy
Haha glad to hear my hypothesis has merit and it was not just my experience 🫡
6:41 is the most important part of this video. I can’t remember what you talked about, but to be perfectly honest - that’s on you. If you’re trying to make important points, maybe don’t do that while I’m watching a cute dog maximally chilling on the couch. Thank you Mitch!
can't wait to follow all these tips to get to work faster! Exciting!
Started cycling last winter and have never touched no lycras, bib shorts whatsoever. I still ride in my regular ass cotton t-shirts and baggy gym shorts and am still having so much fun, averaging around 30km/h these days in a very flat area. And no chafing and butt hurting after a few months. Guess I just adapted. I'm totally satisfied with how I ride now, so the biggest lie for me has been that you should just wear those skin suits that'll charge you like crazy $$$. But if I ever get more serious about getting faster, I'll definitely consider joining the dark side....
same for me although i just started riding. its so much fun:)
You hit on the nail, just have fun who cares about all that other nonsense.
@@Bravonewyork that’s the real secret to bike riding. Having the most fun = winning at life.
Try it.. ;)
I am the same way. I ride to have fun and get some exercise, not to shave seconds off my 2 hour long rides. Different strokes, I guess...
The video we all needed 😅 thanks mate
First video I watched from you and I have to say I really like your presenting style. The content is solid, too, but the presentation is even better. I'll definately watch some more!
Holy moly, those bibs are $255! Here I thought my Castelli's at $75 were expensive.
Uhhhhh don’t google “Castelli Premio Bibshort” Your idea of brand market position may be slightly misaligned. 😂
i have three full kits of italian made gear. all bought secondhand for maybe $45 total - try a bike co op
Neopro. Cycling industry as a whole is gross.
I was riding a 30+lbs steel bike with downtube shifters and 35mm tires for the past 9-10 years. I Just bought a used Eddy Merckx San Remo from a local bike shop and my mph went up 3mph instantly. This may be an exception to your 3rd rule. But in all fairness I think you're communicating to the people with already nice race bikes who want to upgrade to something unrealistic economically. Loved your video!
Since I’m not racing speed isn’t my main focus - getting fitter is, so as long as my Watts are going up I’m good 👍🏻 Therefore comfort and ease (aka lack of mechanicals) is the main goal.
If I was racing though, then it’s ALL about speed!
Carbs though, are a universal truth for all endurance sports - no matter what your goals are
Yeah, same here. Started wanting to be faster and go further but quickly enough realized that being comfortable to ride somewhere nice for a few hours was enough of a goal and one I’d already reached anyway. Feels enough to just enjoy it and have a nice trip out and it’s the short more regular rides I enjoy the most.
There are two kinds of “buying a new bike”, one is “replace this with that” (for whatever reason: looks, component upgrades, performance upgrades, proper sizing). The other is “add X to my stable because it’s for .”
I’ve done a mix of both: upgrading my “fast” road bike 3 times (once for size), and my gravel bike 2 times (once for sizing). But I added a dedicated trainer bike for convenience, an endurance bike for comfort, and a flat-bar gravel for more technical off-roading than I was comfortable doing on my gravel.
Sure, I could probably have consolidated all my drop-bar bikes into a single frame with 2-3 sets of wheels. My was was more expensive, but each serves its own purpose even with overlap.
you should invest in a grannybike, millions of people use it and their sole and only bike, but im sure you think youre the expert here
news flash: cycling isn't all about speed. sometimes it is, sure, like if you're into racing or just pushing your limits for training, but MANY of us do NOT ride for speed. Lycra/spandex is NOT a requirement (unless again, if you're into doing races), but this goes for all the points here. This video is for people getting into racing/speed.
The professional racing culture and fast road biking mentality has infected the concept of cycling in general. There seems to be a great confusion between cycling/riding a bicycle, and road racing. It is hard to find videos that give ideas related to cycling. It seems that most or all cycling channels on RUclips give advice related to road racing, and they call that cycling.
respectfully disagree. From the youtube lense it may appear as such, but youtube doesn't encompass all of cycling; there are quite a few cyclists, especially in other areas of the world that do not watch youtube or in other ways influenced by 'big youtube cycle channels'. In fact, in terms of the world cycling community, I'd say youtube consumption is a vast minority.
@@void_presence Yeah, worldwide, probably most bike users are aiming for "go faster than walking, for less effort, and moving stuff." Casual clothes, upright posture, 10 MPH if that, bike built like a tank. Utility biking.
Sitting on my couch, eating beans, and I spot myself riding 0:34 in this video 😮
I bought a recumbent and I am CRAZY fast now. Even after going back to T-shirt and cargo shirts 😅
Cool stuff, informative, easy to listen to and humorous. New sub for ya lad.
Bonking is actually wonderful in retrospect….to have that reference point
I Can't tell people enough when they are starting the cycling journey to EAT EAT EAT and the right food (carbs) I neglected this for my first few months of riding and when I started eating everything changed!
They look malnourished
All true. Though the most effective upgrades are always upgrading yourself. Thus such thing as training plan and direct drive trainer for your pain cave got top ROI of all the upgrades.
Not a beginner but still greatly enjoyed the video, and was reminded of a thing or two! Nice work, and thanks for putting this out there!
I have three road bikes (excluding vintage), a 2022 Vitus Razor, a 1992 Trek 2300 composite, and a 1997 Olmo Giro. There isn’t much speed difference between them unless on a very long descent. On an average ride it’s minimal. Lycra is a far bigger difference.
I have a self built fixed gear death trap with pursuit bars and a nice gravel bike. I rode the gravel bike for half a year thinking it might just be a tad slower than a road bike and then had to switch back to the fixed gear while the gravel got a check up. Its 4kmh difference on average even though the hubs on the fixie belong in the trash at this point
I must say one of the best video for beginners. Thank you
More important thing about lycra than speed iml is the functionality on the bike. Both the padded shorts for comfort and the back pockets in the jersey for storage, anything else is not allowing you to cycle as it's supposed to be
get a bag and ride more
Just starting out myself and just ordered jerseys. I got bib shorts because my ass hurt and I had to get jerseys because my bib shorts don’t have pockets
You are a great presenter fellow! congrats! love the content
I have more cycling clothes than regular cloths. It's also important that my shoes match. I truly believe look good, feel good, and ride good.
Thanks for this, I want to get into cycling, I just ordered £200 of cycling clothes on top of a £1500 bike (that was enough for one outfit!) and this video helped me know I made a good choice. Also I did not know to avoid fat and protein. One thing I worry about is muscle atrophy which is why I usually include some protein before cardio, I guess I will try to consume protein a bit longer before and straight after and focus on carbs.
I bought a gravel bike but when my funds are replenished I plan to get road wheels so that will cover the tyres part too, I will look at those tubeless ones you suggested. Thanks again for a great video!
A fast helmet makes a huge difference too, after good clothing and tyres it’s where I would go next
I quit riding in the 90s when I got my drivers license. Picked it back up 3 years ago at 265lbs and having been a smoker for 20 years. That first ride was less than 3 miles and I thought I would puke. A 20 mile ride now feels almost effortless and being 55lbs lighter (and still dropping) doesnt feel too bad either.
Did you change your diet much or just cycling only ?
As a clydesdale rider (6' @ 250 average), I respect that I am already a huge sail-= but I also ride in some hot and open spaces for extended rides. My average ride is currently 40 miles at roughly 3-4 hours riding. I have recently started wearing summer hoodies and, while they flap around, I feel like the lower exposure to the sun along with the fact that there is no "form fitting' jersey options for a dude who wears XXL-XXXL in biking clothing.
I just came off an 09' Allez that I had upgraded piece by piece - really to make it more comfortable. I just got a Winspace SLR 2.0 carbon fiber frame, and it is a night-and-day improvement over a 15-year-old aluminum frame in the comfort department. As they say, fast is smooth, and smooth is fast!
I was practicing swim with swim trunks and I had a 25 yrd time of 28 seconds and I got really tired out easy, i bought a pair of racing shorts that were tight, and now i can do 25 yrds with ease in 25 seconds, with my pb being 21 seconds, which still isn't good but it's a huge overnight improvement
Good video, I don't necessarily agree with the new handlebar upgrade, I think that can be a good one. Don't forget that as you said 80% of the drag comes from you, the rider and the handlebar plays a big part of your riding position. Of course the no 1 important thing you need for an aero position is a strong core but if you are like Chris Froome (tall and super skinny with long limbs) then you might be the person with the strongest core on the planet, but if you are riding with a 44cm handlebar and a 70mm stem and have a saddle designed only for climbing then holding an aero position will still be likely very painful after 20-30 minutes of riding.
Having said that I think the 4th lie that perhaps hold a lot of beginner cyclists back is that pro/retül bike fitting is a waste of money. There are of course better and worse bike fitters but if you are member of a local club then you can ask the club members, mainly more experienced ones who they can recommend as the best bike fitter of your local area.
The funny thing is I swapped to bib pants because my baggier clothes would end up coming down while leaning over and swapped to a cycling jersey because it's a lot easier to carry phones and other things in a cycling jersey. I probably has ended up making me faster as well. Recently, I tried unzipping one of my vests a bit, and when I started descending I really felt it as it ended up completely coming undone and flapping in the wind, which was really concerning since I had my phone in a rear pocket, so I had to stop and zip it back up before continuing. It really was a good demonstration of air resistance, however.
Love it! I'm not a speed bike, but a MTB, and most of the advice suits well! :3
So much focus on speed and "fastness" for beginner cyclists.
I think the professional racing culture and fast road biking mentality has infected the concept of cycling. Most "cyclists" I see these days look like professional road racers, instead of just... cyclists.
I started wearing lycra for the dissipation of sweat and no other reason. I didn't even care about aero when I started wearing it, I was far too slow to care AND I was riding an ebike at the time, but I had a massive issue with sweat (and still do) which lycra helped with quite a lot. It also allowed me to carry clothes with me on my ride if I got too hot or cold, normal clothes are bulky and heavy in comparison.
You inflate my ego too much
Thanks for the tips!
My biggest hold-back from embracing real cycling kit was the cost of getting kit that was comfortable. Yeah, I did the Amazon cheap stuff, but it wasn’t until I tried that I built an inventory of bibshorts & jerseys. Finding affordable, comfortable kit made it possible to give up all that loose, floppy exercise gear.
Great advice for all cyclists, not just new ones.
One of the simple sugars I like to bring along is Smartees. Aside from the tartness that can induce thirst/drinking, Smartees are almost pure dextrose (aka “baker’s sugar”), which in my experience is incredibly easy on the tummy.
And the biggest change I made to improve my performance was losing weight. Not of the bike, but of the *rider*. It took serious attention to how much & when I was eating, but I dropped 25lb between two seasons and the difference in how I felt and how fast I felt was very noticeable. Everything else was “marginal gains.”
Of course everyone needs a different fit but I found NeoPro jerseys to fit extremely well and they're very affordable. I do prefer bibs from other brands though.
This was great man thank you!
Lifelong BMX rider getting into road cycling, this video was great, thanks! 😂😂😂
10 years ago people would laugh at me for eating so much whilst riding, my nickname was the grazing cow!! Some of my riding buddies would literally just rub marmite on their gums and go out for 6 hour endurance 'fasted' rides. This advice is now the polar opposite! Eat more sugar!!
I regretted buying an Sworks Helmet, 9months later I got hit by a car and that hurt my soul cause replacing it was expensive.
Haha!
I know about the Lie 1, but my chubby tummy laughs at me through the spandex each time I try it on. It hurts.
I really enjoyed this video, you are explaining ATP very well.
how the dog was chilling killed me 😂😂😂
Great video Mitch . keep up the good work
Love this! nice video Mitch!
Although I am slowly getting into cycling clothes I don't agree with the point of "go for cycling clothes". I bought them, because I had trouble with sweating on my 21 km commute, but I would recommend to wear whatever makes you having fun on your bike. Riding a bit faster is nothing compared to riding more.
I say, if you have fun on your bike and feel good, don't spend money on expensive gear to get 5% faster. On shorter rides you will spend more time with taking your bib on and off than the time you are saving during the ride. Also it is inconvenient to change clothes on the toilet at the office.
Another great video. Let me know when you want to come to NC, we'll go climb a couple mountains
There's a demographic of cyclists that wear their cycling clothing into the ground. Saggy / see through bibs. Dudes. Consider them a consumable. They do have a lifespan. When they no longer compress and sag on you, or are threatening to go see though, replace them. There's affordable yet quality options. Quality reputable name brands do go on sale, so you don't have to settle for generic.
last week i did a test and turns out my w/kg is 5.3 lol, only trained about 2 or 3 three times a week so apparentely i am talented! Keep it up Mitch, great content!
WOAHHH! Dude that's amazing!! 💪
@@MitchBoyer thanks!
How long was the test, 2 min.? 😂
"Keep peddling", that's what I do as a fixed gear rider. Can confirm, it's good.
I'm not sure what your recipe for your videos is. I can't figure out why I enjoy them but all I know is that I do.
Lots and lots of glucose
I have a 1990's Diamondback. Shifts good and relatively fast. I bought a 1990's Trek ( Chrom- moly) that had a chainring that was larger and really small cassette, so really flies! The Trek was only $11.40 from KARM.
Your last conclusion line is hilarious and perfect 🤩 😂
No one coaching approach 9:20 works for everyone . 30 years ago , a coach put me on a strategy that later was found to be ineffective .
Carb vs fat. The more fat adapted one is, the more glycogen stays in the tank even on short hard bursts. I have only bonked once in the last 6 years since becoming fat adapted, and that was because we had a high carb lunch. I recovered to finish, but it took 30-40 min to recover.
You need to train fasted, low to med intensity and keeping high intensity efforts to short bursts.
Recovery needs quality clean protein and the carbs that are more nutrient dense.
Save the carb loading for the higher intensity or longer rides.
I have seen many many riders new and experienced overdo it with carb consumption on long rides still bonk and go into situations of gastric distress.
use a fixed gear for the easy days. I do 48/16. constant pressure on the pedal... works great
Great video . Thankyou so much for this. I do long rides and nutrition is my bugbear! 😅
Spandex is for race day... I reckon and i might be stupid but... if you train and do most of your riding in less aero tshirts and still push the same speeds your working harder... then on race day your flying for the same effort
I train on a Dahon folding bike that I have upgradet with 10-speed gears and a Garmin Vector 2s. No aero, no high speed. But since I'm driving alone, that doesn't matter.
I get the kit and speed connection, but as a novice on a budget and female and wanting to avoid the sun at all costs, i havent found any kit that meets my requirements...so ill just continue biking in my hiking gear.
I think a lot of people have different reasons for riding a bike. Your friends might say you don’t need spandex because they aren’t in the minority of bicycle riders who wear spandex. And the fact is, you don’t need spandex to ride a bike
Where I bike I am usually one of the very few people who don't wear spandex 😆 Everyone looks like a professional road racer these days.
Thank you Sir! Great advice
I offered a backup set of lycra to a riding partner a few weeks ago as a good deed . They didn't like them even though they were the correct brand for his bicycle . He really did need a spare set , though .
Crazy at one point they had us convinced that masks should be worn outside.
my Lyrca story... at 17 I got a pair of biker shorts for christmas... growing up a "husky" kid even though I wasn't at the time I always wore overshorts... until in the middle of a FL summer day around noon I decided to go out for a ride... I stepped outside and the heat hit me hard... I tossed the overshorts back into the house and haven't looked back... unfortuantly it took me anothe 10+ years to move to wicking/jersey type fabric for my torso... I wish someone would have told me how bad cotton T shirts where haha... these days as a SUPER CLYDE (aka fatty) I wear spandex... I ride for my comfort... not yours... in Houston the humidity sucks... wicking fabric is king
love your videos mitch!!
Constant peddaling pressure is "IMPOSSIBLE" , when riding in traffic and on roads with traffic lights and zebra crossings . 9:40 .
I'm getting my first ever road bike soon, previiously using MTB. Looking forward to SPEEEEEED
Love the insane lycra bit 😂the chart 🤌
I bike since I was 3yers old :) To day in my early 60's I keep up and its pretty Amazing. Thought the part of Carbos is so important also surprised me many bikers don't follow. Anyway love your video!!
Cycling dress kit is worth it for the sweat management/stink resistance alone.
Beginner here. You’ve pushed me to try Lycra. Cheers.
welcome 🫡
I feel like the lies about spandex are not a lie. Normal people indeed don't need spandex, unless they want to be not-normal. There are good reasons to wear biking specific apparel (whether it's specifically spandex or something else), but being faster/having an easier ride is not a "always good" and when you start getting obsessed with speed that's when you change from "normal cyclist" to, Cyclist ™. Besides wind, baggy clothes and such is just extra resistance. You get harder exercise, which depending on your goals, might be exactly what you need/want.
Otherwise great points to keep in mind!
Everyone looks like a professional road racer these days. I am just a cyclist who wears his exercise pants, t-shirt, and light running shoes.
I wanted to go faster and longer, so I upgraded my old steel 5 speed rear cluster to an alloy 8 speed rear cluster. Great bike lighter and more gears. I rode that bike and found that the gears were too far apart. After many years riding that bike and finding out about carbon and bikes that now have 10 speed rear cluster. I bough my first carbon bike, I did lot's of upgrades to that bike like had a 52-34 compact crank installed ,an 11-32 rear cluster pus a new rear derailleur to suit the gears. that was a good bike, but heavy. I then up graded to my present bike Trek Emonda with Rim Brakes, this bike came with an 11speed rear cluster, and weighed in at 7.1 Kg. I have had this bike 6 years now and done over 31000 km on it. 18 months ago I put a new set of alloy rims with a 60mm carbon fearing complete with a good set of tyres. The new wheels made it like a new bike. I had to upgrade bikes when technology got better, but now I have done the cheapest upgrade and that was to wax my bike chain. The long and short of this is there was a time when you had to upgrade to a new bike, but today if the frame is good a new set of wheels and tyres can make a big difference.
I've been training and progressively getting faster while wearing overly baggie clothes and riding a 50 year old steel road bike that easily weighs as much as 2 modern aluminum bikes. I'm getting close to being able to consistently keep pace with my friends on modern bikes in full lycra. One daybI will show up to a ride on a modern road bike and wearing proper gear, and I will be unstoppable. 😂
My new girlfriend thinks I look good in lycra. That’s how I know she’s a keeper. 😂
Buying a new bike will give me massive performance gains! Right now im chasing road bikes on my full suspension mtb.
But bikes are so expensive im saving. I want to go in for a fitting 1st to dial myself in. The fitting alone is $325-450, just to ensure im as comfortable as i can be on the bike. Allowing me unlimited potential (within my limits ofc)!
Im still seeking advice/ideas for a good endurance bike.
At 30kph the aero difference is 4 Newtons. That's equal to the weight of 4 apples. Rider plus bike weight, vs rider plus bike plus 4 apples. I can't imagine caring, unless actively racing against someone.
Yeah, but if I have a tailwind on a climb, shouldn't I wear baggy clothes ? That would give me a huge advantage !
Oh, just don't forget a sail mast in your back pocket. You have three, remember?!
Just carry an umbrella. Much easier 😂
Nobody ever has a tailwind; they're just crushing it on that segment.
The section best attempt feature of Strava , especially rising grade sections still has many issues like run up speed variations and start to end point datum accuracy issues as well as varied attempt trajectory problems .
Always entertaining but now with added extra informativeness. If you're going to upgrade equipment, wheels are where the bang for your buck is (with good tyres).
Aero socks give biggest bang for the buck!!!