Bring It, Stormaggedon!
Bicycling South Africa|May 2017

Why there’s never been a better time to ride inside.

Joe Lindsey
Bring It, Stormaggedon!

Winter takes many forms depending on where you live, but what’s constant is the dark – even balmy Durban gets just 10 and a half hours of daylight a day in June. For cyclists, the solution has long been to train indoors. That used to mean punishing yourself in a cold garage away from light, fresh air, and stimulus of any kind. No more. An explosion of technology in the past five years has remade what it means to ride inside, from trainers with a realistic ride feel to interactive, game-like apps. And there’s a genuine fitness benefit: Studies indicate that indoor cycling is often higher intensity than riding outside (perhaps because you focus on the work, rather than the scenery). And you’re more efficient: you’re never freewheeling and never have to stop for a traffic light, so every pedal stroke goes towards the workout. “I can instantly tell from a rider’s power file whether the ride was inside or outside,” says Isaiah Newkirk, who coaches and manages indoor programmes for a popular cycling coaching service. “If they’re following the plan, you see the junk-mile percentage disappear.” 

Here’s what’s remaking the art of riding inside.

SMART TRAINERS!

Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Bicycling South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

Esta historia es de la edición May 2017 de Bicycling South Africa.

Comience su prueba gratuita de Magzter GOLD de 7 días para acceder a miles de historias premium seleccionadas y a más de 9,000 revistas y periódicos.

MÁS HISTORIAS DE BICYCLING SOUTH AFRICAVer todo
GEAR FOR THE AGES
Bicycling South Africa

GEAR FOR THE AGES

Some bicycle components, tools and accessories - by design, luck or a bit of both - become icons of performance, reliability and permanence in cycling.

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
Bicycling South Africa

A RACE LIKE NO OTHER

IN KENYA'S MAASAI MARA, KNOWN MORE FOR SAFARIS THAN CYCLING, THE MIGRATION GRAVEL RACE CHALLENGES RIDERS FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD THE WORLD WHILE FORGING A FUTURE FOR BIKE RACING IN AFRICA.

time-read
10+ minutos  |
July/August 2024
WAR ON WHEELS
Bicycling South Africa

WAR ON WHEELS

IF YOU GO FOR A RIDE IN CAPE TOWN AT THE WRONG TIME, YOU COULD FIND YOURSELF IN THE MIDDLE OF A CYCLING GANG WAR, WHERE THE WEAPONS OF CHOICE ARE STRAVA RECORDS AND SALTY COMMENTS ON INSTAGRAM. THIS IS THE TALE OF THREE RIVAL ROADIE CREWS AND A REMINDER THAT CYCLING IS A SPORT BEST TAKEN WITH A SENSE OF HUMOUR.

time-read
7 minutos  |
July/August 2024
GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS
Bicycling South Africa

GET TOUR DE FRANCE FAST IN FOUR WEEKS

HAVE YOU GOT TOUR FEVER? If you have a good fitness base, let the pros inspire you to take your riding to the next level.

time-read
4 minutos  |
July/August 2024
THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START
Bicycling South Africa

THE SECRET TO MAKING A COMEBACK? JUST START

\"THIS IS WHAT DECONDITIONING LOOKS LIKE,\" I said out loud to no one, as I looked at the heart-rate reading on my phone and gasped for breath. \"This shouldn't be so hard.\"

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
DEAR MARK CAVENDISH
Bicycling South Africa

DEAR MARK CAVENDISH

WHEN I FIRST STARTED FOLLOWING professional road cycling around 2014, you were at the top of your game.

time-read
3 minutos  |
July/August 2024
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO
Bicycling South Africa

HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR POWER-TOWEIGHT RATIO

POWER-TO-WEIGHT RATIO IS one of the most telling metrics in cycling - and thanks to indoor trainers, many more cyclists are now familiar with it. Right now it's never been easier to calculate your power-to-weight ratio and use it to improve your performance.

time-read
5 minutos  |
July/August 2024
EASY RIDER
Bicycling South Africa

EASY RIDER

A FEW YEARS AGO, my wife and I along with her parents, brother and his wife-cycled down the Danube River in Europe.

time-read
2 minutos  |
July/August 2024
LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP
Bicycling South Africa

LEADING THE WAY - RYAN GIBBONS, 29, SA PRO RIDER, MULTIPLE SA & AFRICAN ROAD CHAMP

AFTER JOINING LIDLTREK from UAE Team Emirates, South African national champ Ryan Gibbons aims to be the best lead-out man he can be - while also helping his new team in their quest to climb the World Tour rankings.

time-read
7 minutos  |
July/August 2024
6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER
Bicycling South Africa

6 WAYS TO BEAT THE HEAT THIS SUMMER

TOP TIPS TO KEEP YOU COOLER AND RIDING STRONGER... NO MATTER WHAT THE TEMPERATURE.

time-read
3 minutos  |
January / February 2024