The Worst Training Advice

The Worst Training Advice – EVER!

Training advice is available dime-a-dozen, in your favourite bunch and further afield. Boy, there are some howlers, though.

By Jordan Smith | 4 March 2020

Training advice is freely available from all angles, and while the intentions are usually noble, there is an awful lot of old-wivery out there, too.

We’ve all received some bad advice at some point in our cycling lives. Whether you’re a competitive racer, a recreational rider, or a commuter, there’s someone out there who couldn’t wait to offer unsolicited advice about how you should ride.

We put out the call for the worst training advice cyclists ever got, and the answers you gave on our social media feeds delivered. This advice ranges from head-scratching to old-school to downright offensive. Though you’ve likely heard (and rolled your eyes at) some of these comments—especially ones your non-cyclist friends love to make—multiple times, other examples of what someone considered “helpful advice” might be a surprise.

Here is a fine collection of crackers, some only slightly unhelpful, some downright criminal!

Training Advice That’s No Help

“You should train with a weight vest on.”—smile_y_riley

“You don’t need strength training year-round.”— shifthumanperformance

“If the ride is under 30 miles, don’t waste your time.”—illinijones

“You’re wasting time using a trainer.”—cyclistsofarkansas

“Hold your breath on the trainer to mimic anaerobic effects.”—Tory Cane

“Fill a bottle or two with pennies.”—creakybottombracket

“Ride every day.”—kevinhayesbirchler

“Little gear for training, big gear for racing.”—thecyclingkid

“You gotta have $2k wheelset!”—glenn_sr

Hydration Myths

“Don’t drink water. It will give you a cramp.”—Robert Steven Dobbs

“Don’t drink cold water, you will have to warm up all over again.”—DouglasVlad1

“Only bring one bottle for long rides and no bottle for short ones.”—sully_bikes

“Always carry gum for when you run out of water.”—lipheralps19

“Don’t drink while you ride, you will cramp. Take a swig of water, rinse your mouth, and spit it out.”—PghDragonman

Advice From Your Friends Who Never Ride

“You can’t ride a bike if you are not skinny!”—blmckibbin

“Cigarettes and bikes are okay.”—mattbrunett

“Someone once told me before a race to not eat, drink a bit of water, and meditate.”—Edward Dennis

“You should ride on the sidewalk, it’s safer,”—Dan_Rogue

“Sleep??? You don’t need sleep!”— fauxpraux

Training Too Hard Will Make You Better

“Push yourself really hard in the first few laps of a crit.”—katie_fogel

“Go outside and ride in -30 degree-celsius temps. It gives you some character.”—ejnevalaine

“First 1 000km of the year on a fixed gear, then 1 600km of small ring, then the big ring.”—beeankey

“Big gear, big hill grind.”—eddycrowonkdkaradio

“Push through pain.”—michymoo2u

“Push till you barf…”—Michael Johnson

“Go for a long, hard ride till you bonk. After that, your fitness has no way to go but up.”—adriangoh66

“Every day, 100K ride.”—Paolo Bennati

“Ride 7 days a week. Who needs recovery?”—Steve Callahan

Nutrition Don’t Dos

“Eat on the bike as little as you eat on your run.”—johnblocker

“Phospho-soda before a race. It’s a race ya’ll, to the toilet.”—rustybicyclechain

“No food on a road ride less than 50 miles.”—grasshopperking0

“You don’t need carbs.”—smile_y_riley

“EATING is CHEATING!!”—vhudacek

“One of the super old-style pieces of advice I’ve gotten is ‘eat a steak for breakfast.’”—spiceroads

“You don’t need to replenish any calories unless the ride is longer than three hours.”—shifthumanperformance

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