Cycling can be a physically and mentally demanding sport, especially for those who road race, time-trial, and compete in regular events. A lot of time and money go into training, maintaining, upgrading your bike, travelling, and racing so it’s important to schedule yourself a break.
That’s why taking an off-season—usually after the summer events and before winter training begins in January—has huge benefits for both body and mind.
When does the off-season begin?
Your off-season typically begins in September or October, after your final races of the summer cycling season. For professional cyclists, this is usually a little later, around November.
If you’re not sure when to start, then you should consider taking time out at the end of your heaviest racing and training stint and immediately following your last goal event. This is when your body needs rest the most and provides you the most free time to relax and recover, whilst still having plenty of time to build fitness before the next season.
How much time should I take off the bike?
Depending on how intensely you cycle, you should aim to take a good few weeks or a couple of months off to rest and recover, especially if you’ve been training and competing for the best part of the year.
Most amateur cyclists can take longer than the professionals because you’re not out, so if you want to wait until January before you hop back on the bike, then do it!
What should I do during my off-season?
It’s important to take time off the bike to prevent overtraining, injury, and burnout. Think of the ‘off-season’ as preventative care, getting ahead of any problems before they potentially arise and cause you issues when you begin to train again.
During this time, you should aim to avoid cycling or doing any other intense activities, unless it’s gentle cycling, and only for fun. You should aim to destress, go for walks, spend time with family and friends, and do things you enjoy without feeling guilty for spending time off the bike – you’ve earned it!
If you do decide you want to be more productive than re-watching your favourite show on Netflix, then taking your laptop or notepad to a local coffee shop, grabbing a nice slice of cake and a hot drink, and planning next season’s training sessions, bike upgrades, and pinpointing club or regional events you’ll be planning to attend is a great idea.
Will I lose fitness?
The short answer is – yes, you will lose some level of fitness if you aren’t training your usual 5, 10, 15 hours a week, but it’s important to give your body and mind a break so that when you begin training again, you can come back even stronger, and maybe even win that club trophy!
Sometimes we can get stuck in a training rut, and it’s hard to see the bigger picture, so taking a break can put things back into perspective and offer some mental clarity.
What should I expect when I get back on the bike?
After a winter break, you shouldn’t expect your fitness levels to be the same as when you stopped cycling, so don’t be hard on yourself! The pros usually take a long and slow approach, with the primary focus on long and slow miles over the winter, building a strong base of stamina and fitness ready for when you begin to pick the pace back up in the spring.
You could join long group rides or go out with friends, exploring the area and getting plenty of miles under your jersey! A turbo trainer is also a great addition to your cycling training room if you haven’t got one already, as this can combat the limited daylight in the winter and helps bridge the gap between winter and spring.
Once your off-season is over, you’ve given yourself a good rest and looking at starting some winter training then check out our Indoor training: must-have turbo training accessories guide to help you get back to your best.