Off-road riding isn't for everyone. You're going to get muddy (in the UK, at least), you're going to crash regularly when starting out (at least the landing is generally softer than on the road!) and you're going to need some new kit to get the most from your rides. The benefits are myriad, though.
You can explore the countryside in peace, without having to worry about close passes and queues forming behind you; not only will your leg muscles get a workout, but so will your upper body, as you wrestle your bike over rocks and roots; plus, you'll be stood up out of the saddle more, which will work different muscles.
JAMES COSTLEY WHITE
James Costley White (aka JCW) is the editor of Mountain Biking UK, Britain's best-selling MTB magazine, and has been an avid offroad rider for over 30 years.
Your skills will improve, too, as you learn to tackle different trail surfaces and features, giving you more confidence when you head back to the tarmac.
Mountain biking or gravel riding are great activities to try during the off season, when it can be hard to stay motivated and put in the miles. At this time of year, the woods are much quieter than the roads, and if you head to one of the UK's many dedicated trail centres, you're assured of a weatherproof surface, waymarked routes and amenities such as a cafe, showers and bike wash.
Yes, you'll probably get dirty, but splashing through puddles under the shelter of the trees is a lot more fun than pedalling into driving rain on the tarmac or spinning life away in your garage. So, let's look at how you can get the most out of taking your bike training off-road this off-season...
10 WAYS TO MASTER RIDING OFF-ROAD
From choosing the right gear to resetting your expectations, here's our complete guide to riding safely and efficiently off-road this off-season...
Denne historien er fra December 2023-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra December 2023-utgaven av 220 Triathlon.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
How to Carb Load - Packing your working cells with carbohydrates in the build-up to your big race is a proven strategy to race stronger and faster...
Whichever distance triathlon you're racing, the intensity and duration of your activity will see your body tap into its stores of carbohydrates (in the form of glycogen) to power your effort. While it's possible to top up your tank on the go, it's better to start your event with your stores full to the brim.
The Olympic Champion - On 31 July, Great Britain's Alex Yee put together arguably the greatest one-day performance we have ever seen at an Olympic Games to win gold. And we were there at the finish line to speak to tri's new poster boy...
The opening line of the race report read how 20 years on from New Zealand’s first and only Olympic triathlon gold medal, Hayden Wilde had put in a careerbest performance to regain the title for his nation. Then Alex Yee comes around the corner.Yee’s charge, seemingly from nowhere on the final lap of the 10km run in Paris, didn’t just help him become the most decorated Olympic male triathlete of all time, and didn’t just cap a rivalry that has been building for six years, it left seasoned watchers of swim, bike, run in awe. It will go down as one of the greatest triathlon races; Yee, still just 26, as one of the greatest triathletes. His medals from Paris added to the two from Tokyo, leaving his haul at two gold, a silver and a bronze, and counting.
"I HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO INFLUENCE THE GROWTH OF TRIATHLON"
British Triathlon CEO Ruth Daniels talks Paris, her plans to grow tri and her own personal goals... knees allowing
ZWIFT RIDE
£1,199.99 Zwift's new Ride is an indoor bike that might help you break your PB... but won't break the bank
PARIS SHOWED THE VALUE OF OLYMPIC EXPERIENCE
With the spotlight on triathlon like never before at these Games, debutant athletes talked about being overwhelmed by the unique environment
GAMES AT THE GAMES
After watching and enjoying the Olympic triathlon events, Brunt amused himself by playing the 'guess how far into each event I would die' game...
WHERE EAGLES DARE
With little heat prep, the wrong gear choice and a course-recce mistake, would experienced extreme triathlete Sean McFarlane soar like an eagle or drop like a stone in Italy?
HOW TO INCREASE RUN PACE WHEN FATIGUED
The ability to dig deep in the latter stages of a race helped Alex Yee achieve Olympic gold. Here Ben, a member of Team GB's coaching staff in Paris, explains how you too can find that extra gear...
BUYER'S GUIDE: BIKE COMPUTERS
Log your rides, find your way and monitor your multisport training with a quartet of impressive bike computers...
POLAR GRIT X2 PRO
\"You can't be anything other than impressed with the GPS, whose design is one of the significant changes to the V3\"
