Things We Love

When I first started cycling, I had a frustrating problem. I barely started pedaling, and within a few minutes, my heart rate was already at 140–150 bpm. It felt like I was working hard, but at the same time, I couldn’t go very fast or last very long. I kept asking myself: Is this normal? Am I just out of shape? Or am I doing something wrong? After riding more than 2000 km, I realized something simple: It’s not just about effort. It’s about rhythm. — You’re probably starting too hard Most beginners make the same mistake: they push too hard at the beginning. You feel fresh, your legs are strong, and you naturally press harder on the pedals. But your cardiovascular system isn’t ready yet, so your heart rate spikes quickly. Once it goes up, it’s hard to bring it back down. What helped me was simple: Start slower than you think you should. The first 5–10 minutes should feel almost “too easy”. — High heart rate doesn’t mean high efficiency A heart rate of 150 bpm doesn’t mean you’re riding ...

When I first started cycling, I thought speed was everything. I cared about my average speed, how fast I could go, and whether I could keep up with others. After riding more than 2000 kilometers, I realized I was focusing on the wrong things. Here are a few things that actually matter — especially if you’re cycling in a Chinese city. Traffic lights matter more than your fitness In cities like Shenzhen, your average speed has less to do with your legs and more to do with traffic lights. You can ride at 25 km/h, but if you stop every 500 meters, your average drops to 18 instantly. Learning how to anticipate lights and choose better routes matters more than pushing harder. Cadence is more important than power At the beginning, I used a heavy gear and low cadence. It felt strong, but it burned me out quickly. After some time, I realized riding with a higher cadence and lower gear is much more sustainable — especially for commuting. Riding in China is different Cycling here is not just abou...