PDKL45

Huh. I commute on a steel bike in Korea as well, at age 44. I've been clocking 300-450 km weeks during Covid.

I love to ride longer distances (60 km a day commuting and 120-150 km recreationally on the weekend occasionally), and I usually spin at about 23km/h. I can maintain that pace all day, especially on the flat riverside bike paths around Seoul. Finding a comfortable level of exertion and not trying to push too hard helps.

As does nutrition. I eat a lot of lean protein, especially after longer rides, to give my body what it needs to make repairs. Korean roasted grain powder and roasted bean powder is fairly high in protein and often cheaper than whey protein etc. It tastes better too, in a shake with the Italian "Almond Drink" from No Brand. Lotte also have oat and almond protein shaker bottle drinks for 2,000. No Brand's great for cheap protein, though, with chicken breasts and tenders, as well as pork. Korean beans--the black beans from the sweet side dish--and normal white beans are cheap, easy to cook and full of good vegetable protein. I make bean salad with them. I also take collagen supplements for my joints, there is cheap "Aqua Collagen" made from fish available online here, much cheaper than vegetable collagen. It just tastes like lemon, it's fine. Koreans also tend to eat a lot of rice, but you can--if you eat a Korean diet primarily, instead of cooking western food at home--put beans and pulse mix into your rice cooker rice ("japgok" in Korean), bringing up the protein levels. The rice cookers have a special setting for it as well; it's nice.

Stretching is another important thing that I need to do more often, as well as strength exercises. As cyclists I think we tend to get much, much more cardio than strength training; I certainly do and it's really something I need to address.

The last point I would make is clothing. Wearing appropriate clothing, especially now, going into a Korean winter, is important. Feeling comfortable on the bike, and ending the ride still feeling marginally comfortable--it's below zero sometimes, comfort is relative, you know what I mean--helps you to ride again. Proper lined cycling pants with a chamois, layers of sweat wicking clothes, a somewhat breathable wind breaker--so important when that NE wind screams down out of China--or old ski jacket, decent shoes or shoe covers, etc. It's all really important for keeping your body healthy and avoiding chafing, saddle sores etc.