There are two possible approaches to take when cycling ‘training’:

1) See it as a route towards pleasure: forget about ‘proper’ training, ignore planning schedules and interval training, and simply cycle often and regularly in order to gain overall fitness (and enjoy the countryside...)

2) Set specific targets for speed and distance and when these goals are to be achieved, and set-up a specific training schedule that will allow you to meet these goals

'Modern' thinking is that cyclists should take very little break from the sport during the winter, and should focus on getting out on the bike each week if possible. A fine idea, and if you are able to get in a couple of decent length rides each week it will certainly make the new season much easier. For many of us, however, a combination of shorter days, work commitments and poor weather mean that cycling training opportunities diminish substantially during the winter months. This article is aimed at us...

Note however that it is said that for each week 'off the bike' you will need two weeks of training to recover from the break - so after a two month complete break from cycling you might need four months to recover your form.

Group riding - also known as drafting or paceline cycling - refers to several cyclists riding together, one behind the other.

The cyclists each take it in turns to lead, than after leading the group for a while the leader drops away and joins the end of the line. This has great benefits because it is much less strenuous cycling close behind another cyclist than it is cycling alone - because of protection from wind and reduced air resistance.

The key elements involved relate to:

• maintaining a constant predictable speed;
• avoiding sudden movements (especially braking);
• being able to cycle confidently at speed with other cyclists.

The definition of 'long distance' for you or for me or for someone else will always be completely different. If you talk to a non-cyclist, 20 miles sounds like a long ride, but for an enthusiastic club member 100 miles might be a long ride. There are cyclists who regularly cycle much greater distances than this (Tour de France stages are often 140 miles or more).

For the sake of this article I'm thinking that a ride of four or more hours in the saddle is long, five or six is very long. Few of us have the time to ride for more than five hours in one session very often, even if we are physically able.

Cycling up hills (or mountains) is the hardest part of cycling when you are just starting out. Ignoring problems of speed, most new cyclists can manage to go along a flat road for a reasonable distance without any terrible difficulties. But what happens when a hill turns up? Even a  small  hill can be a big challenge if you don't know what to expect and haven't prepared.

To put the record straight first - hills never get easy. They get easier with experience, but then you go faster. However casual that cyclist might look as he races past you on the hill, be assured that he is also suffering. Suffering faster, it is true, but suffering all the same. Hills hurt.

Note: see separate article for bike sizing (also includes saddle height) which also has a significant impact on your position.

A couple of good reasons to spend some time thinking about the best riding position when you go out for a ride:

- Sitting in an aerodynamic position on your bike is a much more efficient and cheaper way to improve your performance than spending thousands of pounds on a lighter bike.

There are dozens of ways to get into good physical condition including aerobics, running and yoga, yet I believe cycling is one of the best and most enjoyable.

If you’ve struggled to get into shape, it is quite obvious you’re not alone. It isn’t so hard to get started, but it is difficult to keep it up. Keeping up the fitness program that you’ve started over the long run is one of the major issues. Excuses seem to pile up, muscles aches, joints hurt, no time today, it isn’t working well with your schedule; then pretty soon you’ve talked yourselves out of it.

There is nothing more guaranteed to spoil your day out cycling than a dog jumping out at you unexpectedly or, perhaps worse, standing snarling in the middle of the road ahead of you. Followed by the heart-stopping ten seconds when you have passed the dog, and don't know if you can outsprint it. This is when your maximum speed of the day will be recorded!

So what can be done to help reduce the problem? Every cyclist has their own method for dealing with a dog, and there are some basic guidelines that will help you stay safe on the road.

One of the most common questions among new cyclists - and one of the hardest to give a sensible answer to - is the average speed of a cyclist.

There are lots of reasons why average speed can't be used as a reliable measure of comparison, which mostly come down to the following:

We cyclists all have a small pouch underneath our saddle, with as few tools as possible squeezed in - because every tool we carry adds a few extra grams of weight. But which tools are really important when you set out on a long ride?

Essentials:

1. Spare innertube - much quicker to replace an innertube and easier than repairing a puncture

2. Tyre levers

2. Puncture repair kit  - it's much quicker simply to replace the inner tube but sometimes things go wrong - you might miss the cause of the puncture and get another one straightaway, for example.

3. Pump (and/or gas canister for inflating tyres)

4. Suitable range of allen keys - things like saddles to come loose occasionally...

Looking for a good cheap bike?

There is a bewildering choice of bikes in the £350-600 price range, the typical starting point for a road bike, and it is difficult to know where to start. Virtually all mainstream bike manufacturers have entry bikes in this price range.

To confuse matters further, your bike supplier will often have last years models at reduced prices, and often available at extremely tempting prices. There is little benefit for the beginner in having the latest model - so if last years version of the same bike is available at 25% reduction it is likely to be a bargain.

When you first decide to buy a road bike the choice can be very daunting. From bikes in the local supermarket costing £150 to those in specialist shops costing up to £5000 or more, what is the difference and what should you look for?

If you haven't ridden a road bike before, or not for many years, it is not easy to 'test drive' bikes, because they will all feel 'wrong' at first. The saddle will seem uncomfortable and too high, your back might hurt, and you won't know how to change gears. Don't be deterred!

Which are the best road bikes?

It's a common question - after all everyone buying a bike wants the best one possible - but the question is one that is impossible to answer!

The answer depends on what you are looking for i.e. what you mean by 'best. First you need to consider which of the following is important to you':

• speed over comfort
• comfort over long distances
• a great looking bike
• cheap or at least great value
• easy to upgrade in the future eg frame that is good enough to merit much more expensive wheels in due course

That carbon fibre model that looks so great and feels so light might be very tiring over long distances and hard work to keep it motoring along if it is very rigid - but great for whizzing your way up the nearest steep hill...likewise rigid wheels and a bumby route can make your life pretty tough.