You are hereForums / By Discipline / Mountain (off road) / By Location / Australia / NSW / Northern Beaches / Best track to improve my fitness
Best track to improve my fitness
Is the answer to this any track will do? I'm doing a circuit of Manly Dam twice a week and in the new year I intend to add a third or maybe somewhere else at the weekend, I too will beat that hill.
I was thinking of doing some K's on the road to improve my fitness but I'm not sure how much this would help for off road? Add to that the fact that I would need to buy some slicker wheels or maybe a whole new bike and the idea has less appeal and I'm certianly not buying into all thay lycra.
Any advice on good tracks for this?
Cheers
- Login to post comments
- Bookmark & share
Tags
to avoid all that lycra!!!!
cascades they will say will help - seeing as it's hills up and down - freakin horrible if you ask me!! Duck ponds and Centre track at Terrey Hills are good too...but i am sure the others will say 'riding'!!
MEEEE
Cascades hands down.
Insane hills up Quarry track. Cascades, Heath, Lower Cambourne Tracks also good within the same area. There is nothing flat in there at all!
http://nobmob.com/rides/cascades
Agreed on Cascades.
Plenty of hills.
Do you mean that hills are what you want to "improve your fitness"? This is not necessarily the case. As there are other skills you should be learning that supplement your stamina training. But, if you do mean hill climbing, then:
Towlers Bay at Terrey Hills has a killer hill to climb back out of.
Lane Cove also has lots of hills.
Great Northern Road at Wisemans Ferry, although about an hour out of town, has some monumental hills to climb. Many of them in fact.
Riding up the Oaks is not particularly fun, and must count for hill climb training. A bit boring, possibly, as it is all fire road. And again, an hour out of town.
Have fun (better you than me)!!
of the dam to your standard outing, this will do wonders, or so I have been told.
and this is hard to get on trails.
elite xc bikers train 60% on road.. because of maintain steady pace (= heart rate) is easier.
think of training 3 times a week..
1x easy (always steady)
1x moderate (one week steady - every other weak alternating) - suitable for technical sessions..
1x hard (one week uphill - power other week fartlek)
and add a second lap at manly dam..
happy training..
Thanks for all the comments some interesting stuff.
Cascades sounds good and seeing as its only round the corner from where I work I have no excuse, If i'm lucky someone may organise a ride round there to make my life easier first time out.
Did a lap at Manly dam yesterday which was 44mins and included a unscheduled pit stop over the handle bars (I want to get this down to a sub 40), it was a warm day for it but a second lap is a must!
Thanks again and if anyones heading out to cascades in the near future let me know.
Cheers
I was at the dam yesterday and after seeing this post it inspired me to do two laps. This was the first time I have done two laps in a row. The biggest challenge for me was riding past my car after the first lap as I was so tempted to call it a day.
That would be my problem, that and my lungs bursting!!!
2 it is in the next couple of weeks!
happy to join you on the Cascades. Just live around the corner in Belrose. Any time. After / before work, weekend. Need to get rid of some excess Xmas bagagge.
Cheers
Olaf
Sounds good to me, how about we say a week on Thursday (10th) then we can open it up to others in the rides calendar. What time suits? I can make 5.30(pm)
Cheers
Gary
Count me in. It would be great if we can start at Ralston. We can do a few laps on the single track and then head over to St. Ives and back.
Cheers
Olaf
I'll add it to the rides calendar and see if we get any other takers.
See you there!
My Power Hour around the Cascades.
Start at Ralston, follow the short single track anti-clockwise then about 3/4 way round, turn right for the long technical DH. Keeping left will bring you out on Bare Ck track about 50m north of Lower Cambourne turn off. Right into Lower Cambourne, across the creek and then all the way up to St Ives. (about 26mins to this point).
Take a breather (you'll need it!) then a fast run back down but stop about 50m short of Upper Cambourne turn off (first major turn-off to left). Off to the right is an initial steep technical single track that joins Cascades again lower down.
Back around onto Bare Creek track then Heath track to top. About 1hr in all and a great mix of riding.
Make it a bit longer by taking Quarry track and ridge top to st ives or at finish from ralston back down Heath and out Cascades to Davidson end.
I'll be riding it most afternoons this week and over the weekend if anyone's interested.
Another favourite is Morgan Rd Fire Trail - XC loop - moon rock - power lines - nursery rhymes - downhill or lizard rock - climb out on road. A bit more technical stuff and some hike n bike up nursery rhymes.
I'll be driving home from work down Forest rd. from the 7th of Jan onwards for a month or more, so I was wondering what time you'll be riding. I can be there by 3.30pm but could work longer and start about 4.30pm is that too early for you?
John.
Daz,
I will set up a ride for 4pm on the 7th to start off with. I'm back at work in the city but it's pretty quiet.
Cheers
Olaf
7th sounds good. Count me in!
Also plan doing Cascades from Ralston on Thu 3rd and Fri 4th at 4.00pm.
Sat 5th, early start 7.30am, thinking Morgan rd, XC, moon rock etc. Anyone interested?
Might even get a leave pass for Sun morning.
Gotta get in a heap before back at work!
Hi Darren,
I'm hopeful to pick up my bike from the workshop aroundd luncch time. Are you still going today at 4 ? If so, I would love to join.
Cheers
Olaf
Hi Olaf,
Yes, if it is not raining I'll be there.
Will be at gates at Ralstson at 4.00pm
Cheers
Daz
Managed two laps of Manly Dam at the weekend, just under 1hr 30m so pretty pleased with that. I suffered later in the day, about 3hrs after I had finished, didn't feel right again till I had a beer late in the afternoon! Will try again this weekend.
Started a Cascades 4 gates ride in the Hot Laps section. A good fitness ride. Check it out! [Ed. Cascades 4 gates]
....is a bloody good idea, cruel but good!
Is a good power ride. It's mostly undulating fire trail, 22kms of it. Ride out via perimeter track, out and back on long trail, back on perimeter track. You can keep up a good pace for most of it, so good for endurance I found.
If you want to do training off-piste, try some spin classes - the amount of standing they get you to do is amazing for core strength, I found an amazing difference after a month of 2-3 a week