Grizou

Apologies for possibly reviving a very old tread. As I am an avid cyclist myself, I thought I should not hesitate to give my 10 cents to the forum too. Feel free to disagree with my advice, this is what helped me get along quite well on a marathon and other rides: Saddle position: Don't go too low or too high, aim for a position where your leg is not fully stretched when the pedal is on the bottom end and your other leg should not bend beyond a 90° angle. This should give you the best power leverage. RPM: I think there is no right or wrong here. Try to find the RPM that allows you to maintain your speed also for longer distances. The lower your RPM on a high gear, the more power you will need to advance, thus if you have a long way ahead, do not start too heavily (similar to when you go for a run, plan your rides). On the other hand, I like to include heavy gear/low RPM sessions in my rides to also build some strength once in a while Gear shifting: agree on what has been said. Additionally, if you want to go easy on your materials, do not put full pressure on the pedals when shifting. I have seen this too often and if you love your ride, you should avoid it. Moreover, if you are using cleats, you can make your life easier by shifting down a few gears if you foresee a fullstop Increasing back pain: if you feel an increasing pain in your back on a ride, do not automatically think something is wrong. The regular aching in your lower back, especially after a fresh start into a new season, is very likely just a sign that you need to build up your condition. If you happen to feel such a pain, lower your gears and go easy for a while. Of course, if the pain seems out of the ordinary, rather go see a doctor instead ;0) Don't overdo it, but do not go too easy on yourself either: try to tackle those steep hills and trails. Like in weightlifting, no pain no gain. Sometimes you have to master your inner devil and take the steep way up instead of the easy way around Tyre pressure: make sure to adjust your tyre pressure to the surface you will be riding. If you go for a ride on solid/hard surfaces, more pressure in the tyres will make it easier for you to just "roll along" (especially for road cycles). If you want to go for a trail ride, less is more. If your tyres have too much pressure, you will lose grip! Know your material: the brakes on a road cycle will react totally different then disc brakes on a MTB. Bad weather (i.e. rainy days) can also considerably impede the power of your brakes. Save your head and your eyes: while a helmet should be self-explanatory, do not forget to wear some sort of glasses. I have countless scratches of stones, dirt and even insects on my riding glasses that would have otherwise ended up in my eyes if it was not for the glasses. Learn from my mistakes: I had to find out the hard way that you cannot compete with a road bike or ebike while riding an MTB. Different set-ups will enable you to go along with more or less speed, accept it. I still love my MTB as it takes me where any road cyclist would be gnawing their jaws in envy (think the Alps, 2000+m, nothing but mountains, some trees and no cars etc.) All in all, no need to take it all too seriously (my advice included). Have fun riding!