In the Pack: Stagger your position. Ride just to the left or right of the rider in front of you so that you can see the road ahead. Knowing that you have extra time to react to what’s coming can put you more at ease.
After a Ride: Ditch the chamois ASAP postride—bacteria thrive in sweaty shorts.
On a Climb: Break away with this workout: on a moderate climb, do 8 to 10 efforts of about 30 seconds: Shift up until you’re pedaling at 50 to 60 rpm. Sprint out of the saddle until you hit 100 rpm. Sit and accelerate, shifting to maintain cadence. Recover 3 to 5 minutes.
In the Pack: Kill the creak. Bike squeaking? It’s probably your bottom bracket. If so, a squirt of water (not sports drink!) from your bottle may temporarily quell the noise. Remove, clean, and reinstall per the manufacturer’s instructions before your next ride.
After a Ride: Don’t gorge. While you need both protein and carbs after a ride, kick off your chow-down with something labor-intensive to chew, such as an apple or pear, says Leslie Bonci, MPH, RD, CSSD, LDN, co-author of Bike Your Butt Off. It’ll curb hunger so you don’t blow through an entire box of Romany Creams.
On a Climb: Shift early and often to keep your cadence above 70 rpm whenever possible. Grinding big gears forces your body to rely on fast-twitch muscles, which fatigue quicker than their slow-twitch counterparts.
In the Pack: Give yourself space to maneuver if you need to respond quickly to an obstacle, traffic, or another rider—don’t ride the white line or stick to the edge of the pavement.
After a Ride: Close your eyes. The National Sleep Foundation recommends 7 to 9 hours of sleep each evening, but a Stanford University study found that elite athletes felt less fatigued and were able to run faster with even more—up to 10 hours a night.
On a Climb: Don’t make it a thing if you’re having a good day and your buddy’s having a bad day. Instead, focus your conversation on a more pressing issue—like the merits of Froot Loops versus Fruity Pebbles.
In the Pack: Be vocal. Let newcomers know what to expect on your ride: You’ll point out obstacles, call out approaching cars, signal all turns and stops, and ride no more than two up.
After a Ride: Help newcomers with their bikes, be it disassembling them or loading them onto the bike rack. And encourage those who lack the initial confidence when riding in bunches by giving them a thumbs up or smile.