Comment about the miles you ride

50-60 miles per week probably does qualify as an ivestment into your
health.
With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

email hidden said:

50-60 miles per week probably does qualify as an ivestment into your
health.
With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

I easily do over 150 miles this time of year. Doesn't seem much at
all. Thats an hour before supper plus change. 50-60 is normal in ham
eating season.

landotter said:

email hidden said:

50-60 miles per week probably does qualify as an ivestment into your
health.
With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

I easily do over 150 miles this time of year. Doesn't seem much at
all. Thats an hour before supper plus change. 50-60 is normal in ham
eating season.

Well here in south Florida I tend to ride more miles in the "not summer"
season. I really can't call it winter. During the summer I only do real
rides early in the morning, on the bike by 7 or 7:30 am done by 9 or
9:30. And how many times a week I ride is limited by my crazy schedule.
But I agree 4 or 5 days a week riding a couple of hours a day isn't
really "too much" in my opinion.

Ken

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

50-60 miles per week probably does qualify as an ivestment into your
health.
With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

_ It's not mileage, but time.. 200 miles a week isn't all that
much for someone that can do 25mph in a group ride. It's a lot
if you doing 12-14mph tooling along by yourself. I think the
latest "recommendation" I've seen is 1 hr exercise per day,
that's somewhere between 75 and 150 miles a week for most
people.

If you want to stay in shape on a bike you have to commit to
more time than with other sports. An hour of running a day is
a lot, an hour of biking a day isn't unusual at all. I'd say if
you can't manage at least 5-6 hrs a week to ride, you'll not make
much progress on a bike unless you ride at an intensity that will
be difficult to maintain in the long run.

All depends on where you're starting from and what your goals
are, certainly something is better than nothing.

_ Booker C. Bense

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Just A User said:

I had a brief conversation with a fairly new co-worker (manager in
training) about the miles I ride per week. Somehow we were talking and
got into how I am an avid cyclist and how many miles I ride per week. I
told him that I used to ride a lot more, riding 150 - 200 miles a week,
but now I am probably only riding 50 to 60 miles a week. He said "Well
that's still a lot." I replied "Well I look at every mile I ride and
investment in my long term overall health.". He replied "That's an
interesting way to look at it.". He is in his late 40's or early 50's
and has high blood pressure (controlled with medication) and has
suffered two heart attacks (he says they were stress induced) and he
also suffers from high cholesterol (controlled with medication). He also
asked me if I knew what my heart rate was and or my blood pressure. I
told him about my recent readings in the free machine at the supermarket
blood pressure and heart rate machine (see previous post).

I ride 50-150 miles a week, and find that the more I ride, the better I
feel (if you don't count the leg cramps after very long rides). I'm
convinced that getting back on a bike is the best thing I've done for my
health in the last twenty years.
Here's another reason to ride, if your friend needs one. IIRC from my
last tax return, the IRS figures that the average car costs $.42/mile to
operate. I've ridden around 10,000 miles in the last five years. Ergo, I
have saved myself $4,200, minus the cost of my bikes and their upkeep.
Now if I can just remember what drawer I stashed that tidy little sum
in, I have a vacation coming...

Bill

__o | Help us start to finish multiple sclerosis.
_`\(,_ | E-mail for details:
(_)/ (_) | moonshdw [curlique] xmission [daht] com

Booker C. Bense said:

-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----

In article <[email hidden]>,

Quoted message said:

50-60 miles per week probably does qualify as an ivestment into your
health.
With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

_ It's not mileage, but time.. 200 miles a week isn't all that
much for someone that can do 25mph in a group ride. It's a lot
if you doing 12-14mph tooling along by yourself. I think the
latest "recommendation" I've seen is 1 hr exercise per day,
that's somewhere between 75 and 150 miles a week for most
people.

If you want to stay in shape on a bike you have to commit to
more time than with other sports. An hour of running a day is
a lot, an hour of biking a day isn't unusual at all. I'd say if
you can't manage at least 5-6 hrs a week to ride, you'll not make
much progress on a bike unless you ride at an intensity that will
be difficult to maintain in the long run.

All depends on where you're starting from and what your goals
are, certainly something is better than nothing.

Well any time on the bike is better than nothing. Sure you can crank up
the intesity if you have limited time. But group rides at 25 mph? Who do
you ride with? I often see groups around here and I usually pass them
with ease. And I don't think I am riding that fast, unless my cycle
computer is REALLY out of touch with reality. I don't have it mounted
where I can see it while riding, but max speed is usually around 22 or
23 mph.

Ken

Quoted message said:

Just A User said:

I had a brief conversation with a fairly new co-worker (manager in
training) about the miles I ride per week. Somehow we were talking and
got into how I am an avid cyclist and how many miles I ride per week. I
told him that I used to ride a lot more, riding 150 - 200 miles a week,
but now I am probably only riding 50 to 60 miles a week. He said "Well
that's still a lot." I replied "Well I look at every mile I ride and
investment in my long term overall health.". He replied "That's an
interesting way to look at it.". He is in his late 40's or early 50's
and has high blood pressure (controlled with medication) and has
suffered two heart attacks (he says they were stress induced) and he
also suffers from high cholesterol (controlled with medication). He also
asked me if I knew what my heart rate was and or my blood pressure. I
told him about my recent readings in the free machine at the supermarket
blood pressure and heart rate machine (see previous post).

I ride 50-150 miles a week, and find that the more I ride, the better I
feel (if you don't count the leg cramps after very long rides). I'm
convinced that getting back on a bike is the best thing I've done for my
health in the last twenty years.
Here's another reason to ride, if your friend needs one. IIRC from my
last tax return, the IRS figures that the average car costs $.42/mile to
operate. I've ridden around 10,000 miles in the last five years. Ergo, I
have saved myself $4,200, minus the cost of my bikes and their upkeep.
Now if I can just remember what drawer I stashed that tidy little sum
in, I have a vacation coming...

Well I wouldn't recommend for him to start riding given his heart
problems. Well as fas as saving money goes, I was happier when I didn't
have to have my car on the road. Not having to pay the insurance was
pretty nice. And then there is the cost of fuel. But that's another
subject altogether.

Ken

Just A User said:

I
told him that I used to ride a lot more, riding 150 - 200 miles a week,
but now I am probably only riding 50 to 60 miles a week. He said "Well
that's still a lot." I replied "Well I look at every mile I ride and
investment in my long term overall health."

I've always liked the Breezer catch phrase, "Fit exercise into your
life, not just onto it." That's been my cycling mantra lately. I
ride 6 miles each way to work and back about 4 times per week. I'm
riding on my commuter bikes (http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc122-
forbesbagatelleb0506.html and http://www.cyclofiend.com/cc/2006/cc152-forbesbb0906.html),
so it's probably... what... 10-15% more work than if I were on my go-
fast bike. On the other hand, I keep it pretty slow, especially on
the way in so I don't get sweaty.

With a 5-month-old baby at home and a new job with big hours, I have
not been able to get signicantly more riding in other than the
commute. Still, the exercise is doing me good. I've already dropped
a belt-hole since I started riding to work in early May!

Every mile counts,

FBB

I used to ride/run/ski an quivalent of 200+ cycling miles a week for
10 years. That's not the point. All I was saying is that if you do
that much riding (training) you'd better know what you are doing. The
heart and the knees are not the only organs that your body has. E.g.
up to 50% of competitive cyclists/runners/nordic_skiers (my alias)
have been shown to have chronic lung inflammation.

.... and if you goal is to keep a halthy heart (the original post) 30
min-1 hr exercise per day is ufficient.

Quoted message said:

With 150-200 miles per week and more it sounds more like an addiction
and ambition, and does no longer qualify as "healthy" per se, IMHO.

150-200 miles would be a week off for me - I normally do 500-600km per week
(about 350 miles), comprising commuting and some group rides. It's rare
that I don't get out every day, since winters are quite mild and dry here.

Now, I'm single, working part-time, and pretty fast, and I can easily find
the time for this. Riders who'd like to be fitter and stronger but can't
because they have families and/or heavy work commitments aren't accused
of being addicted, ambitious or unhealthy, so why am I?

--
Home page: http://members.westnet.com.au/mvw

In article <[email hidden]>,

Just A User said:

Quoted message said:

All depends on where you're starting from and what your goals
are, certainly something is better than nothing.

Well any time on the bike is better than nothing. Sure you can crank up
the intesity if you have limited time. But group rides at 25 mph? Who do
you ride with?

_ I take it you've never heard of the noon ride in Woodside. I'm
more in the 12-14mph class myself, but 25mph on flat ground is
not that fast for a 1-2hr group ride.

Quoted message said:

I often see groups around here and I usually pass them
with ease. And I don't think I am riding that fast, unless my cycle
computer is REALLY out of touch with reality. I don't have it mounted
where I can see it while riding, but max speed is usually around 22 or
23 mph.

_ There are a lot of really good riders around here. I generally
do about 20 mph on flat ground and I get passed a lot.

_ Booker C. Bense

email hidden said:

I used to ride/run/ski an quivalent of 200+ cycling miles a week for
10 years. That's not the point. All I was saying is that if you do
that much riding (training) you'd better know what you are doing. The
heart and the knees are not the only organs that your body has. E.g.
up to 50% of competitive cyclists/runners/nordic_skiers (my alias)
have been shown to have chronic lung inflammation.

My knees have twinged in the past from bad cleat position or f'd up
saddle height, never from twenty years hammering road bikes. Lungs are
brilliant, I make sure to have two homeopathic cigarettes with a
tumbler of bourbon every so often, because I worry! On the bike path I
am known as the "Beast of Butcher Holler". Only one kid ever passes
me, and he's got a skinsuit, tri-bars, and I got fifty pounds on him.
Damn aero waifs. The boy's got arms the size of my wrists!

Booker C. Bense said:

In article <[email hidden]>,

Just A User said:

Quoted message said:

All depends on where you're starting from and what your goals
are, certainly something is better than nothing.

Well any time on the bike is better than nothing. Sure you can crank up
the intesity if you have limited time. But group rides at 25 mph? Who do
you ride with?

_ I take it you've never heard of the noon ride in Woodside. I'm
more in the 12-14mph class myself, but 25mph on flat ground is
not that fast for a 1-2hr group ride.

I don't even know where woodside is.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

I often see groups around here and I usually pass them
with ease. And I don't think I am riding that fast, unless my cycle
computer is REALLY out of touch with reality. I don't have it mounted
where I can see it while riding, but max speed is usually around 22 or
23 mph.

_ There are a lot of really good riders around here. I generally
do about 20 mph on flat ground and I get passed a lot.

I don't know how fast I ride on level ground with little wind, but the
last time I had the cycle computer where I could see it, I was riding at
between 17 and 19 on flat ground. I have hit 25, but can't maintain it
for very long, certainly not 1 to 2 hours.

Ken

Hey Ken - just curious - why do you mount your computer where you
can't see it, and where is it?

Booker C. Bense bbense+rec.bicycles.misc.Jun. said:

_ I take it you've never heard of the noon ride in Woodside. I'm
more in the 12-14mph class myself, but 25mph on flat ground is
not that fast for a 1-2hr group ride.

How would we be familiar with "the noon ride in Woodside"?

That said, I don't doubt your flat ground group ride speed, given some
fit, serious cyclists. I don't happen to ride that fast, even in a
group, but I'm of the old, fat set.

<[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Booker C. Bense bbense+rec.bicycles.misc.Jun. said:

_ I take it you've never heard of the noon ride in Woodside. I'm
more in the 12-14mph class myself, but 25mph on flat ground is
not that fast for a 1-2hr group ride.

How would we be familiar with "the noon ride in Woodside"?

That said, I don't doubt your flat ground group ride speed, given some
fit, serious cyclists. I don't happen to ride that fast, even in a
group, but I'm of the old, fat set.

I've had the pleasure of following the noon ride in Woodside, as well as the
Wednesday night A ride. I can keep up with them, in my car. And yes, my
speedometer says they are going at least 25mph on the flat. My daughter
refers to them as "the peleton". :-) They are quite impressive.

Quoted message said:

Hey Ken - just curious - why do you mount your computer where you
can't see it, and where is it?

I'm not Ken and can't speak for him, but sometimes I find that it's nice
to shut off all the data and just ride at whatever pace feels right.
Night riding can be nice that way.

since you are tallking about the Wodside noon ride, the relevant
question is not how fast one rides in a group on a flat, but what
one's Old La Honda time is.