Build Your Base: Why the Off-Season is the Secret to Next Year’s Performance

At Dutch Diesel Cycling, we believe the off-season isn’t downtime—it’s your opportunity to recharge and rebuild. With few to no events on the calendar, this is the ideal time to focus on base training—a foundation-building phase centered on high-volume, low-intensity riding that enhances aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, and overall performance. It’s about putting in the steady miles now so you can ride stronger, longer, and faster when the new season begins.

Step Back to Step Forward

After a long season of pushing yourself and chasing goals, your body and mind need recovery. That doesn’t mean losing fitness—it means shifting focus. Easy endurance rides, hikes, or even yoga can help you stay active while letting the high-intensity fatigue fade.

Strength and Base-Building Before Speed

Cyclists often forget: power comes from more than just pedaling. Off-season is the time to work on strength training with squats, lunges, and core work that directly translates to better performance on the bike. If the gym is not your thing, doing strength workouts on the bike like low cadence/high resistance intervals can be effective but doesn’t fully replace strength training.  

Zone 2 endurance work (around LT1) builds the aerobic base that fuels every climb and long day in the saddle. Think long steady rides, both indoors on the trainer, and outdoors when weather allows. Skip the sprints for now—consistency and time-in-zone will build power that lasts deep into next year.

Time to Experiment

With no immediate events on the calendar, the off-season is the perfect time to experiment:

• Try new fueling strategies to see what works for the gut and your goals. Make sure to get 50-70 grams of carbohydrates in every hour depending on intensity. I like Heed 2.0 Electrolyte Drink and Clif Bloks.

• Adjust your bike fit or test new gear. I’m currently trying out the Hammerhead Karoo 3, since I’m adding longer rides to my training and need a head unit with extended battery life.

• Mix up your routine with gravel, mountain biking, or cyclocross to sharpen skills and keep it fun.

  
  

Reset the Mind

The off-season isn’t just about physical gains—it’s a mental reset. Reconnect with why you ride. Explore new roads, join social rides, or even step away from the bike briefly. Riders who reset physically and mentally come back more refreshed, focused, and motivated for the work ahead.

For me, the off-season is all about reflection and recharging. October has always been my time to hit pause before ramping back up in November, but this year I’ve taken a different approach – riding purely for joy, exploring around the Bay Area, and appreciating an incredible season that included finishing We Ride Flanders, biking in the Paris-Roubaix Citizen’s Tour, and completing the 135-mile Bay Ride. As I reflect on the season behind me and dream up goals for 2026, I feel recharged and ready to start base building again in November.

Ready to Build Your Base?

Need guidance on how to recover smarter or set new goals for next year? That’s where we come in. Dutch Diesel Cycling’s off-season coaching gives you a proven framework to balance rest, strength, and endurance—all tailored to your current fitness and future ambitions. Start now, and your spring season will thank you.

Start your off-season personalized plan with DDC today! And make sure to join our group rides on Zwift – see schedule here.