What makes a Recovery ride?

[ratter]

Hi all
I keep reading about doing recovery rides etc and have asked the question but never got a straight answer.

What makes a recovery ride, do I just go out for say 20 klms and keep the same cadence as normal (approx 90) but keep the effort/heart rate low by using flat roads if possible or do I drop my cadence down as well as my effort?

[boss]

From what I've read, a recovery ride involves no effort whatsover. Ride like a granny. No climbs, no sprints, none of that stuff. Just ride like a granny. Harder than it sounds.

[ratter]

thanks, so by that i just need to turn my legs over slowly without grinding?

[g-boaf]

I don't know, but my idea of a recovery ride is a gentle 20-30km and doing about 25km/h which I find easy enough.

There are other reasons you might be on a recovery ride too, depending on who you are riding with and how quickly they are going.

[cyclotaur]

Small ring.

[blkmcs]

If you are dropped by an old guy on an MTB then you are on a recovery ride.

[booge]

Basic purpose is to get the leg muscles gently moving to flush lactic acid from previous hard rides. It also helps the legs to encourage the growth of more blood vessels for stronger fitter legs with better endurance. Generally the fittest people would get the most out of it, most of us average people need to just get out and walk the dogs for a similar effect!

[Percrime]

Maybe not quite that lazy. But for at least 99% of the ride you should be able to chat.

[winstonw]

What makes a recovery ride, do I just go out for say 20 klms and keep the same cadence as normal (approx 90) but keep the effort/heart rate low by using flat roads if possible or do I drop my cadence down as well as my effort?

30-60 minutes
no effort = around 25kph for most
80-90 rpm
no more than 70% of HRmax

[sogood]

Can we go back a step? Extended lactic acid accumulation is a concept that does not exist and that's not how recovery ride works. Recovery ride is but to get the joints and muscle moving following strenuous activity, one that have caused normal inflammatory responses in the tissues. A bit of exercise would assist with circulation and reduce tissue swelling and avoid stiff muscle and joints and generally assists with the recovery. As for intensity, it's obviously one that's low enough to not further strain the muscles and joints to any significant degree.

[jasonc]

I did the rapha rising challenge in July this year. It was hard work. This is what I did:

day 1: big ride - 62.8km and climbed 2,092m
day 2: recovery - 18.1km and climbed 259m - Avg Speed 18.2km/h, HR - not worn
day 3: ride - 53.3km and climbed 1,725m
day 4: recovery - 21.6km and climbed 278m - Avg Speed 19.5km/h, HR - 110BPM avg, 149 max
day 5: ride - 48.7km and climbed 1,752m
day 6: recovery - 28.4km and climbed 367m - Avg Speed 22.9km/h, HR - not worn - that one was probably too fast!
day 7: mini ride - 37.1km and climbed 574m
day 8: ride - 61.8km and climbed 1,513m

this got me through that week. If I was to do it again, I'd drop either the day 6 or day 7 ride and made one of the other rides bigger to get the numbers I needed.

and yes, it hurt.