Fitness questions...
Discussion
I've always liked cycling and have a few decent bikes, however I've always looked at cycling more for the adrenalin of MTBing or the sociability of a nice road ride rather than proper exercise. However I've done very little for at least a year and I am determined to get fit over the winter. I've bought a decent front light (Bikeray III) which has transformed my riding at night, and as soon as I've got over the faff of getting changed and getting out there I am really enjoying it, and already feeling the benefits. But I've got two questions.
Firstly...I'm going out at the weekend with a group of mates on roadies. We are really not hanging about now, and building the mileage up well...we did about 53 miles last Sunday. I know diddly squat about nutrition/exercise programmes, or anything like that, but I make sure I keep hydrated and have a bar/gel in my jersey to munch before I start to flag. There's the usual 30mph sign sprints into villages, and a lunch stop (OK, and a pint...). My computer (£12 Aldi special!) has a heart rate monitor...should I be really trying to ensure that I am within a certain range or is it not really that relevant unless I am looking for that last 1% of benefit? Will the exercise be significantly more effective if I really keep an eye on BPM or is the important thing just getting out there and pushing myself to what "feels" right?
Secondly...I also go out on a couple of midweek evenings and recently I've been riding a fully rigid Inbred single speed. It's got the "factory" gear ratio for MTBing, but it has skinnies on it. So predictably, it's not very fast, and I am coasting on even gentle downhills. But I have surprised myself how much I can spin now. Last night's Endomondo stats were 20 miles in 1h45m, av speed 11.27mph, which is probably not far off what I spin out at. So...is this spinny slowness a good complement to my roadie, or would I be better off on my road bike, doing more distance with more "stomping"? Truth is, I bought the Inbred to break for bits, but it turned out to be almost brand new and I am enjoying riding it, and I do like the "security" of the thing on wet leaves, or the ability to not worry about potholes on cycle paths. However I do have a geared Inbred too, so I could always stick the skinnnies on that and get the best of both worlds?
Any advice appreciated, thanks!
Firstly...I'm going out at the weekend with a group of mates on roadies. We are really not hanging about now, and building the mileage up well...we did about 53 miles last Sunday. I know diddly squat about nutrition/exercise programmes, or anything like that, but I make sure I keep hydrated and have a bar/gel in my jersey to munch before I start to flag. There's the usual 30mph sign sprints into villages, and a lunch stop (OK, and a pint...). My computer (£12 Aldi special!) has a heart rate monitor...should I be really trying to ensure that I am within a certain range or is it not really that relevant unless I am looking for that last 1% of benefit? Will the exercise be significantly more effective if I really keep an eye on BPM or is the important thing just getting out there and pushing myself to what "feels" right?
Secondly...I also go out on a couple of midweek evenings and recently I've been riding a fully rigid Inbred single speed. It's got the "factory" gear ratio for MTBing, but it has skinnies on it. So predictably, it's not very fast, and I am coasting on even gentle downhills. But I have surprised myself how much I can spin now. Last night's Endomondo stats were 20 miles in 1h45m, av speed 11.27mph, which is probably not far off what I spin out at. So...is this spinny slowness a good complement to my roadie, or would I be better off on my road bike, doing more distance with more "stomping"? Truth is, I bought the Inbred to break for bits, but it turned out to be almost brand new and I am enjoying riding it, and I do like the "security" of the thing on wet leaves, or the ability to not worry about potholes on cycle paths. However I do have a geared Inbred too, so I could always stick the skinnnies on that and get the best of both worlds?
Any advice appreciated, thanks!
No, I don't really have a specific goal in mind. I want to loose some weight around my middle (so perhaps the pint of Doom Bar on the last ride was not a great idea), and to be honest I don't care about the number on the scales, it's the reflection in the mirror! So I guess lard burning is the important bit.
Perhaps this is where I am going wrong, and I should have a more clearly defined goal?
WRT it not getting easier...I think it is! There is a killer hill on my weekend road ride, and I struggled to get up it the first time. OK, I admit, I pushed a bit...the one and only time I have ever pushed a road bike up a hill (but I do have a "man's" chainset...no compacts for me!). Last weekend I rode straight up it (it really is steep, everyone was getting little bits of wheelspin!). Admittedly I was pooped at the top, but there's no way I would have made it up there a few weeks ago.
What about spinny slow bike versus speedy road bike?
Perhaps this is where I am going wrong, and I should have a more clearly defined goal?
WRT it not getting easier...I think it is! There is a killer hill on my weekend road ride, and I struggled to get up it the first time. OK, I admit, I pushed a bit...the one and only time I have ever pushed a road bike up a hill (but I do have a "man's" chainset...no compacts for me!). Last weekend I rode straight up it (it really is steep, everyone was getting little bits of wheelspin!). Admittedly I was pooped at the top, but there's no way I would have made it up there a few weeks ago.
What about spinny slow bike versus speedy road bike?
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