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Cycling conditioning

2K views 22 replies 5 participants last post by  Cyclist 
#1 ·
Well lets just say the treadmill or any cardio machine at the gym isnt really for me...if im going to be doing cardio id prefer to do it alone and in a good environment (gym isnt one for me).Im doing this mostly for hockey and to get in better shape all together so i can last for the whole kickboxing workout.I play division 1 hockey at my highschool so im not a completely lazy bastard but just not in the shape id like to be.

So with that said id like it if i could receive some tips on how to go about biking and some good biking workouts you guys do and maybe i could fit it into my plan....


Any advice is appreciated
 
#4 ·
That still doesn't answer my question..... What kind of bike is it? Your type of bike will determine how you are going to ride it and workout.

If it's a BMX bike or beach cruiser, I would suggest getting a different bike. The ideal (imo) bike is a road bike. Mountain bikes are good too.

So... for the second time. What kind of bike do you own?
 
#10 ·
So i fixed my bike and getting used to the difference...yesterday i went 5-6 miles in 40 minutes through the city hills and slopes its cool and today i did the same path in 30 minutes its a good workout tomorrow i may take an offday or ima go out and go a little farther and match it the next day..im just trying to pace myself so far till i get in better shape.
 
#13 ·
Now that you've gotten used to your bike, it is all about cadence and pedal stroke. You want to shoot for 75 – 100 RPMs on the pedal stroke to maximize your workout ability on a bicycle. Don’t exceed 100 though, the effects from some reason dwindle over 100.

You also want to learn how to pedal through the pedal cycle, not just push down with one leg then the other. This takes a lot of practice, and thought when you are doing it in the beginning, so I would recommend practicing this on a stationary bike at the gym. Once you get this down along with a good cadence, you can really get a killer workout ok the bike.

If you really want to get into it, you move on to including Lactic Threshold training and Max Vo2 trailing.
 
#14 ·
I just went on another run when yyou posted that i was out on the bike and yeah that pedal cycle i think i know what you mean..i always try to like push outwards with both feet while sitting down... i do all my biking sitting down except for extreme hills i stand up and power through them i did about 5.5 miles in 45 minutes today...

Yesterday i did 4.5 in 30 minutes the day before i did the same ride 4.5 in 45 minutes so would you say thats a good start?

tomorrow i think ill do an offday then ill do the same 5.5 the following day...or maybe ill do it tomorrow..anyhow ill fill you in on all my rides.

thanks for the information
 
#15 ·
Tagheur said:
So i fixed my bike and getting used to the difference...yesterday i went 5-6 miles in 40 minutes through the city hills and slopes its cool and today i did the same path in 30 minutes its a good workout tomorrow i may take an offday or ima go out and go a little farther and match it the next day..im just trying to pace myself so far till i get in better shape.
Yea dont over train. I over trained once and it wasnt good, i was fatigued and very very irritable. Running like 3 miles got me tired because i would never take a break. I take a day off every week now.
 
#16 ·
tomorrow i think ill do an offday then ill do the same 5.5 the following day...or maybe ill do it tomorrow..anyhow ill fill you in on all my rides.

thanks for the information[/QUOTE]

Time and Distance doesn't actually tell me much about your riding ability. Because so many factors play into your over all preformance on a bike. Things like Geography, Road conditions, weather and altitude can drastically change your speed, time and distance. Hence why cyclist do their preformance measurements in watts(power). This is a measure of how hard you are pushing and your RPMs.

On the pedel stroke. Pedal through the stroke, you can't lift up on the ped, but you can lighten the pedal so it is easier for your other leg, Keep your knees in too.
 
#18 ·
This morning i thought id step it up a bit and i went for a 17 mile ride through the country side...i didnt even mind it it is real beautiful some hills up and down and the ride back is by the water so its great...


Im thinking about doing one tomorrow but it all depends how i feel...


I ate alot of pasta before i went and i never felt as if i couldnt go on anymore...im seeing loss in fat on my chest and hips so its good..and my legs are much stronger.

All in all cycling is definitly great for conditioning but i find for some reason it isnt that good for intense cardio ill try running for extra cardio soon.
 
#19 ·
When you want to increase the range of the workout thats when you start messing with your RPMs, and gears and what not. This is where it's no longer just normal exercise and cycling training.

For a good cardio, this is where you are going to work in some sprinting. You are going to have to learn how to work your gears on this cause I can run through three gears on a sprint. This is one of the points where you are going to be exceeding 100RPMs; you’ll probably hit around 120.

You can also try climbing hills without downshifting. You want to get to the point where you are obviously expending way more energy trying to cycle up a hill then you would if you were walking.

Other things you can consider doing is Max V02 training and LT training.

I have gotten better results with eating fruit for long rides.

I remember after my first week of cycling I lost a healthy three pounds.
 
#20 ·
What kind of tool do i need to find out my rpm's?


And do you have road bike with like really skinny tires or a mountain bike?


I have a mountain bike though i really want to get a road bike or w.e skinny tire one there much faster with less grip.


I went on another 17mile cycle this morning ill probably do another tomorrow.
 
#22 ·
Today i went on a 4 mile bike to a walking track out in the country and jogged/walked a bit for cardio because i find riding a mountain bike just works your legs hardcore but doesnt do much for cardio...and 4 miles back to my house...


On the way i seen a duck and racoon that were 3 feet apart from each other supposedly ran over the racoon was freshly dead and the duck had its neck broken and was laying on its back moving its feet it was pretty sad especially since im pretty soft hearted when it comes to animals and i seen a duck the other day right next to where it got hit (probably the sam e duck..) i found it was a bit odd that they were so close together seems like maybe some killed them and dropped them there rather than ran them over since what are the odds of that...

yes very offtopic

And i should be getting a job soon im only 15 ill get a road bike and a rpm computer...i hope the local bike shop has one.
 
#23 · (Edited)
Buy your first road bike used. My road bike that I do serious rides on offed me 1500 bucks. My first road bike cost me around 100 bucks and, and another 200 I sunk into the bike for tune ups, modifications and repairs. I still ride my first bike, I converted it to a fixed gear bicycle, useful for training since you can never coast on a fixed gear.

Talk to someone at your local independent bike shop. They usually don't carry used bikes, but most people who work there love bikes and will help you track down a good used bike. Since they are hoping you will remember them when you need to buy shit and do tune ups. Make sure you ask them about the proper size of the bike. This is crucial for mountain and road bikes. You want the bike prefect for your leg length and arm length.

Cycling is great cardio, a good portion of my training is dedicated to different levels of heart rates. You might want to rethink the gears you ride in if you aren't getting the range of aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Also fight some tougher climbs to ride.

I like to throw in some triathlon training with some rides on Saturdays. I ride to this lake near my place, lock up the bike, swim across a section, pop off and run to my bike. It's really fun, give it a try sometime.
 
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