♥There is no single answer to this question. This is a very important element in training. The most important. You can rest too much, too little, or just right. This is the key to success.
♥When practicing sports, it is common to reach a dead end, the so-called "wall".
This may be a limitation of the athlete, but also a mistake in planning. The further into the forest, the more trees.
♥Is it possible? The development of a competitor on an expensive and cheap bike, with the right training plan, will be similar. When it comes to training, it can be done on a bike from the lowest price range, still guaranteeing development and growth in form. The differences begin when competing with others. Good equipment from the high price range usually guarantees better riding comfort and achieving higher speeds, but it is not certain that it has a positive effect on the overall development of the competitor. Everything in order.
♥Start with what you have. And you have a lot. As much as anyone. If you don't have the budget for top-shelf equipment, take care of what you have. The speeds achieved on aluminum frames, in bikes with 8-9 speed cassettes were practically the same as the speeds achieved today.
♥Amateur sports are healthy. Always. It is unhealthy to do sports, including cycling, when you model yourself on competitors who do these sports professionally. Observing is not harmful, but setting the limits of your body's capabilities inappropriately ends badly. As an amateur, you do not have the tools to train like a professional.
♥Goals in sports are important and we often set them at such a level that they are quite difficult to achieve. It is easier with injuries. They are within reach. 2-3 training sessions are enough to achieve the goal. A few improperly combined training units are enough to take a big step back.
♥In an athlete's life, there are days when no training is better than training. A properly selected training plan takes such periods into account. By doing training "by force", without paying attention to various signals, you can go down a dead end and instead of development, you will hit a wall.