Is this a good start?

jrewil

Once again after the football season its time to get fit for next year by doing some cycling.

As usual I have the one route that i take which is generally safe as most drivers around my area are maniacs.

http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1138906 is the route and i can usually complete it on my own in about 50mins averaging around 11.5mph.

Looking at the gradiant profile would you say this is an ok time as I read that most people are flying away at 15mph+ but I dnt know if these times are flats?

Secondly I was thinking of getting into cycling a bit more, especially doing a bit of training over winter.
However time is an issue - being a student and having textbooks to read I was thinking of maybe a resistence trainer? What would you recommend?

Not knowing much about them except that they turn ur round bike into stationary bike which can double up furniture in your living room what else do I need to know.

Is it safe to put spare textbooks underneath my front wheel to simulate climbing etc?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

-x-

wiredued

It's a believable start as long as you improve by atleast 1mph by next year you're doing something right.

Training in the winter is a good idea in the summer I went from point A to Point B and in the winter I went from point B to C while most people I know detrained during the winter months and started all over again in the spring.

For trainers I recommend the Kurt Kinetic Road Machine or Pro http://www.1upusa.com/kurtkinetictrainer.htm it has good road feel, a leak proof design, and a fairly accurate speed to power curve with the least drift of all fluid trainers.

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jrewil

Thanks for the advice and the links will def look into it!

Just need to sort out my intensity programme out so i can fit everything in as uasually what i do year on year is that the soccer i play usually puts me in a great position over the summer for the bike.

I feel I peak towards the off season with soccer so its just maintaining a little bit of work for next soccer season and usually 1 or 2 rides a week can do that as I do try and go flat out. Usually suffer my depression winter time with football wen all catches up but with some lousy weather thats ok as quite a few games can get called off so that all makes perfect sense!

Obviously why i want to do more cycling over winter is as i wont have as much time for the soccer so the bike will be my "book break and my sanity"

We'll see about the improvement in speed if i do the winter work, and thanks for the up lift - get quite worried that im not working hard enough in the saddle when i ride even though im knackered at the end of rides - with people posting speeds of 15mph+

bobsbarricades

this is funny to me because I think the same thing when I ride. I don't have anybody to ride with, so i always wonder if I'm doing good or not. I have this 20 mi. route I take and my goal is just to do it in under an hour. There are a rediculous number of hills for florida and it kills me. At least 45 minutes just to get the initial 10 and the way back is torture!

BullGod

you won't be able to find a KK trainer anywhere outside the US.....and the weight those things have it's not worth the shipping.

wiredued

Are either of these trainers available in his location as a second choice?

http://www.1upusa.com/bike_trainer.html

http://www.1upusa.com/blackburnultra.htm

__________________
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. http://www.earnharts.com/html/reala...ecific.asp?id=3

BullGod

I doubt it.....Tacx has most of the market share in UK and Europe.....on the cheaper model (flow) the power curve is less accurate than the KK but on the more expensive products you get a pretty accurate reading and if you pay for it you can have VR racing etc

Powerful Pete

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wiredued

This guy ships to the UK for $75

http://cgi.ebay.com/2006-Blackburn-...VQQcmdZViewItem

__________________
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. http://www.earnharts.com/html/reala...ecific.asp?id=3