6 Ways To Avoid Fading On A Long Ride
Bicycling South Africa|March 2018

Anyone can start strongly on an endurance ride like the Cape Town Cycle Tour; but finishing strongly takes some skill, and some clever thinking. Here’s how to avoid fizzling out – or even bonking.

Selene Yeager
6 Ways To Avoid Fading On A Long Ride

WE’VE WALL BEEN THERE, feeling chainless and amazing for the first 60km of a 100km-plus ride. Then suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, we feel... less amazing. We wonder why we started this stupid ride to begin with; and more importantly, how we’re going to make it another 40-odd km. As we watch our so-called friends roll off into the distance, our speed fades, along with our energy – and maybe our will to go on.

Well, guess what? It may feel like the Piano Man fell from the sky and sat on your shoulders out of the clear blue, but that’s actually not the case. Coming undone in the middle of a long ride is your body’s response to what you did – or didn’t do – during the first part of the ride. Read on to learn how to stay strong from beginning to end:

1. Save your strength for the second half.

This story is from the March 2018 edition of Bicycling South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the March 2018 edition of Bicycling South Africa.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM BICYCLING SOUTH AFRICAView All
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 mins  |
January / February 2024
RAGE AGAINST THE LYCRA
Bicycling South Africa

RAGE AGAINST THE LYCRA

WHY MOUNTAIN BIKING IS WAY MORE SOCIALLY ACCEPTABLE THAN BEING A ROADIE.

time-read
2 mins  |
January / February 2024
6 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CHAINS
Bicycling South Africa

6 THINGS YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT CHAINS

To help you get the most out this crucial drivetrain component, and celebrate just how impressive your loop of metal links really is, we've rounded up six things you might not know about the bike chain.

time-read
3 mins  |
January / February 2024
EVERYONE KNOWS 52X11 IS BIGGER THAN 48X10. EVEN THOUGH IT ISN'T.
Bicycling South Africa

EVERYONE KNOWS 52X11 IS BIGGER THAN 48X10. EVEN THOUGH IT ISN'T.

\"The human threshold for 'least noticeable difference' is generally on the order of 10 per cent change of a value.\"

time-read
3 mins  |
January / February 2024
A CELEBRATION OF JUNK MILES
Bicycling South Africa

A CELEBRATION OF JUNK MILES

\"No longer dreading my next bunch sprint, I felt like I belonged on my bike again\"

time-read
3 mins  |
January / February 2024
KONTREI KUDOS
Bicycling South Africa

KONTREI KUDOS

YOU DON'T HAVE TO TRAVEL FAR TO FEEL SOUTH AFRICAN WARMTH. BUT SOMETIMES YOU CHOOSE TO.

time-read
1 min  |
January / February 2024
THE EASTERN CAPE PASSES ADVENTURE
Bicycling South Africa

THE EASTERN CAPE PASSES ADVENTURE

SOME OF THE HIGHEST PASSES IN SOUTH AFRICA ALL IN ONE HELLUVA RIDE!

time-read
2 mins  |
January / February 2024
CAFFEINE - THE EXPERT'S PED*
Bicycling South Africa

CAFFEINE - THE EXPERT'S PED*

TIPS AND TRICKS FOR EVERY PART OF YOUR RIDE LIFE

time-read
3 mins  |
January / February 2024
THE RACES ARE FASTER. ARE THEY CLEANER? AND DOES IT MATTER?
Bicycling South Africa

THE RACES ARE FASTER. ARE THEY CLEANER? AND DOES IT MATTER?

THE LAST TWO EDITIONS OF THE MEN’S Tour de France were among the three fastest.

time-read
2 mins  |
January / February 2024
Perfect Timing
Bicycling South Africa

Perfect Timing

THE SOUTHERN CAPE IS LITTERED WITH EXCELLENT RIDING AND EVEN BETTER COFFEE.

time-read
2 mins  |
January / February 2024