The 10 'Rules' All Cyclists Should Live By

Over the years, cyclists have adopted different interpretations of the 'rules' that they should live by. However, if you want to be a better, happier cyclist there are 10 simple rules that you can follow.

If you’re not aware of ‘The Rules’, they’re a doctrine for leading a true and virtuous cycling life. When they were written, they were meant to be taken with a pinch of salt and I can’t imagine that the authors ever thought that anyone would seriously adhere to them. Unfortunately, a certain group of road cyclists did and, if you’ve ever met one, they probably sneered derisively at something you’d done “wrong” according to ‘The Rules’.

Fortunately, these days cycling is far less snobbish,and much more inclusive. However, if you do want some “rules” to follow in your cycling life, here are my Top 10 to make you an all-round better cyclist.

Rule One: Keep it simple

This particularly applies to training. Don’t overcomplicate things, don’t jump from one “must-do latest thing” to the next, and be very wary of coaches, “experts” and other riders who sound as though they’re speaking in tongues when giving advice. For most of the riders I’ve ever worked with, a consistent diet of one ride focussing on Threshold/Sweet-Spot, another upping the intensity to Zone 5/VO2 or Zone 6/Anaerobic Capacity and a steady endurance ride does the job - you can find out what all these things mean in this article

Rule Two: Know how your bike works

You don’t have to become a bike mechanic but, having a knowledge of the basics, such as indexing gears, fixing a flat etc will make you more mechanically sensitive and therefore a better rider. Probably one the biggest BS Rules in my opinion is Rule #29 // No European Posterior Man-Satchels. This is just nonsense, I’ve ridden with plenty of pros who’ll use a saddlebag on a training ride. Always carry the spares/tools you need and know how to use them.

Rule Three: Don’t neglect recovery

Going out and battering yourself day in and day out no matter what the weather or how you’re feeling might meet the criteria of Rule #5 and Rule #9 but, here’s the kicker, it’s not sustainable, it’s not going to make you love your riding and it won’t make you a stronger rider. Yes, sometimes you do have to give yourself a bit of a talking to but equally, you also have to know when to back off. Remember, it’s during recovery that your body adapts and you become stronger and, if you aren’t getting enough of it, you’re cheating yourself of gains.

RELATED: Recovery Do’s and Don’ts for Cyclists

Rule Four: Minimize maximal losses

The Rules tend to sweat the small stuff and, although at the highest level of the sport, the maxim of the accumulation of marginal gains is a valid mantra, for almost all amateur riders (and quite a few pros), there are plenty of bigger picture areas to get right before stressing about a handful of watts one frame may save you over another. Training/recovery, nutrition, and position are the big three. Have you optimized these or at least made them as good as they can be? A case in point was a rider I was chatting to on the road last week who was waxing lyrical about the watts saving of his frame while sitting bolt upright and wearing a jersey that was billowing like Superman’s cape.

Rule Five: Something consistently is better than everything occasionally

Don’t get sucked into a 'more is more' mindset because, at some point, life will throw you a curve ball, you won’t be able to sustain your mega-mileage or epic training plan, and, in true human nature, because you can’t do it all, you’ll do nothing - trust me, I’ve been there. Any good training plan should challenge you but it needs to be consistently do-able and adaptable. Eight weeks of the approach I eluded to in Rule #1 is always going to Top Trump three mega weeks, two weeks ill, one week of “getting back into it”, one week of beating yourself up because work stress meant you couldn’t ride and then a miserable mega week of penance.

Have a “good enough” baseline plan that you can manage pretty much alongside of whatever else life throws at you and, if that’s all you do but it’s consistent, that’s okay and anything else is a bonus.

RELATED: How to Create Effective Training and Performance Goals

Rule Six: Forget about average speed

Average speed is not a valid metric to measure your progress against as there are just too many other variables that impact it. Wind speed and direction, air pressure, temperature, and traffic are just a few of the factors that can have a significant impact on your average speed around a local loop. A “slow ride” under unfavorable conditions can easily be a far stronger effort in terms of average power than an effort in “float conditions” where you smashed every KOM.

Rule Seven: Get a power meter

The number one rule of any rider I coach, no matter what their level, is that they own a power meter and learn how to use it. It’s a no-brainer now that they have come down in cost, and even single-sided units do a decent enough job. It’s a fast-track tool for perfect pacing, which means training sessions can be as effective and time-efficient as possible and, unlike average speed, gives you a 100% reliable measure of progress. Need more convincing? Read this.

Rule Eight: Bed to shed is the hardest bit

I’m a huge advocate of listening to your body, knowing when to back off, and not simply hammering yourself for the sake of it (see Rule #3). However, there are some days when you do have to find a bit of extra motivation to get out and ride. My golden rule is that, if I’m struggling to get going, I make a deal with myself that, if I get out and ride for 10 minutes and I’m still not feeling it, I can abandon it with zero guilt - I say the same to my coached riders too. 99 times out of 100, it’s just getting out that’s the hard bit and, after you’ve been riding for 10 minutes, you’ll finish the rest of the session.

RELATED: Bad Day(s) On The Bike? Understanding Why They Happen

Rule Nine: Cycling is not your job

It should be fun and, although there can be some “type 2 fun”, where you only enjoy it afterward, if all of your riding is a battle, a struggle and it’s not putting a smile on your face, you’ve got to ask yourself why? Try dialing down the seriousness for a while, going out for a few rides without a computer, trying a new discipline or even taking a bit of time off the bike to rekindle your passion.

Rule Ten: Don’t be an a**hole

This is probably the biggest rule. Even if you are a true acolyte of the Rules, don’t be that cycling snob bore who tries to impose them on everyone else. It doesn’t matter if someone is riding a road bike with a mountain bike helmet, they’ve got a saddlebag, or have hairy legs. Anyone who is out riding a bike is, as a fellow cyclist, on your side. Give them a nod or a wave even if they’re not in your specific cycling tribe, welcome newbies in an inclusive and non-patronizing way and, if you must quote the Rules, do it tongue in cheek and with a smile.