5 ways to beat the summer slump
A guide to liven up your riding routine becomes too much of one
Photo by:
Sirotti
We all love to ride our bikes, but sometimes there comes a time when you gotta mix it up. For most of us, after a long winter of riding inside, we welcome the warm weather for some great cycling outside. But come July and August, your regular routine may need a makeover. You may find yourself less motivated to do the same old rides you were doing back in April.
If you’re looking for some new ways to change things up, we’ve got you covered.
1. Everesting
If you like climbing, and are looking to try something fun, you may want to try your first Everesting challenge. Everesting is popular with both runners and cyclists. The premise is simple: you repeatedly climb up and down a specific hill with the goal of accumulating a total elevation gain of 8,848 meters, which is equivalent to the height of Mount Everest.
When it comes to Everesting, one of the most important things to think about is finding a local climb that works for you. There’s plenty of opinions about which grade is optimal–steep enough, but not too steep–but thankfully there’s plenty of resources online. It will be a tough day on the saddle, but worth it. It can also be something you can set as a goal later in the summer, and then train towards.
Hill climbing tips from past and current Canadian Everesting record holders
2. Ride your regular route backwards
This may seem like a simple thing to do, but you’ll be shocked to ride your regular ride the other way. You’ll be amazed at landmarks and sights you may have missed on the other side of the road. Also, those long downhills you’ve enjoyed will surely be different the other way around. Bonus though, that climb that you dread will be a breeze.
3. Try a group ride
If you’re used to riding solo, why not jump in with a local group ride. Be sure to do some research before, as different groups do different types of rides. Some may be spicy and fast with town line sprints, some may be more social. Reach out to someone who is a regular on the ride as well, as some group rides sometimes require you to be a club member, or if it’s a competitive one, you may need to be vetted for safety’s sake. If you’re nervous about riding in a pack, there are always lots of beginner group rides where you can learn the ins and outs of riding with others. You may make some new friends too!
4. Different discipline
Why not mix it up? If you’re used to riding on the road, consider borrowing a pal’s MTB and hitting the trails. And if you’re used to riding off-road, try the tarmac. Depending on where you live, there may be lots of dirt roads to check out on a gravel bike–-or just use your road bike with some fatter tires. If you’re lucky enough to live in a velodrome, you could sign up to borrow a track bike and try that out. You may have to take a short course to be able to ride on the track, but you’ll learn some valuable skills in doing so.
Lessons from the road: What a pro track cyclist learned from riding outside
5. Bikepacking
Adventure awaits! If you like camping, and love cycling, why not combine the two? Bikepacking has become very popular lately in Canada, and given that we live in one of the most picturesque countries in the world, it makes sense. Bikepacking involves frame bags to carry your gear, but you can also use a more traditional touring set-up with panniers or even a trailer.
Wout van Aert went on an absolutely incredible bikepacking trip for his post-Classics break
