Any competitive rider should have a gauge.
If you want to improve in any way, you need something to compare to, and without that gauge, you’re in limbo.
Some riders use Strava, some riders use heart rate monitors, and some riders just try to ride their hardest all the time and hope for the best. There is no right or wrong approach to this.
I generally use Strava and this is usually a good indicator of where my fitness lies. I can see past rides and compare, overall average speeds are a good indicator, and certain trails record your history and let you know if you are faster or slower.
With my recent travels to California, I rode a lot, and I climbed a lot of steep hills. I assumed my fitness was improving, but being that I don’t have Strava history on those trails, It was purely speculation. To make it worse, I rode solo 99 per cent of the time, so I had no other riders to compare myself to.
So I left California feeling fit, but also wondering when I returned home, how my assumptions would turn out.
After an eight-day drive with zero pedalling, I arrived home. The next night was the Monday night ride. My first ride with a group in over six weeks. It went well, but overall we took it easy and there was no climbing involved. Still no idea for me.
The following Thursday we headed to Radar Hill and planned multiple loops. Up and down, up and down, up and down.
It was a good group that night and my buddy Andy was there too. He’s fast. This would be my first real test since returning home.
It started off well, maybe because I didn’t tell anyone where we were going, so they had to stay behind me.
As the night went on the pace increased and I managed to stay with Andy on the climbs. Then on the last slog up to the top, I told him where we would meet up again and my “Gauge” took off up the hill with me chasing hard.
I got dropped, but I was OK with it. I don’t think I’ll ever keep up with Andy on the climbs, but the fact that I was closer than normal, and he wasn’t waiting too long for me at the top, was enough to make me feel good about all the riding in California.
Everyone should get an “Andy” – he’s a great training tool.
I’m James Durand and I’m Goin’ Ridin’…