What am I doing wrong?
Discussion
My legs just ache constantly. I ride to and from work every day - have done for 18 months, rain or shine (probably driven in 5 times). It's not a difficult commute - 13k ish each way, long steady downhill on cycle path (old railway) to seafront, along seafront to work (all more or less level)and the reverse to go home, finishing with a couple of short sharp inclines. First 6 months mostly used old road bike (steel GT, 1997 vintage, 14 speed, comfortable but heavy), then used singlespeed all the time (again, old bike, early 80s BSA converted by me, running 48:18 gearing - hills doable but hard work). Since Dec flipped back wheel and ridden fixed gear (same gearing), primarily to save wear and tear (fewer moving parts, less use of brakes - sandy seafront like grinding paste on rims).
I know it never gets easier you just get faster etc but in the last month or two it seems like my legs are constantly aching. I have, whilst riding fixed all the time, gone from flat pedals to flat pedals with straps to SPDs and, like all of us I think, I tend to ride flat out, extracting as much exercise as possible from each commute.
Am I overdoing it with the fixed everywhere? It does mean pedalling downhill as well as up and maybe now I'm clipped in I do use the upstroke as well as the downstroke...
I don't know, sorry to ramble. Opinions / advice gratefully received.
I know it never gets easier you just get faster etc but in the last month or two it seems like my legs are constantly aching. I have, whilst riding fixed all the time, gone from flat pedals to flat pedals with straps to SPDs and, like all of us I think, I tend to ride flat out, extracting as much exercise as possible from each commute.
Am I overdoing it with the fixed everywhere? It does mean pedalling downhill as well as up and maybe now I'm clipped in I do use the upstroke as well as the downstroke...
I don't know, sorry to ramble. Opinions / advice gratefully received.
Thanks all. 
I suspected it might be over training - whilst the quantity hasn't changed (it's not a long ride) the "quality" has... The SPDs should be ok, they are straight off my old road bike. The age thing probably true too. I swapped back to platform pedals with straps today and took it easy on the way in, it makes it much more difficult to hammer it everywhere so I'll see how that goes. I don't have the option of using a bike with gears currently so I may have underestimated the benefit of the occasional swap. The magnesium supplement is interesting, I'll give that a whirl too.
Thanks again, you clever lot.
I suspected it might be over training - whilst the quantity hasn't changed (it's not a long ride) the "quality" has... The SPDs should be ok, they are straight off my old road bike. The age thing probably true too. I swapped back to platform pedals with straps today and took it easy on the way in, it makes it much more difficult to hammer it everywhere so I'll see how that goes. I don't have the option of using a bike with gears currently so I may have underestimated the benefit of the occasional swap. The magnesium supplement is interesting, I'll give that a whirl too.Thanks again, you clever lot.
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