Is bike riding much more physcially demanding than driving a car



You may be having trouble guessing your speed, effort level, etc. while
riding. I always do.

There are books that cover training methods fairly well. I bought
_Serious_Cycling by Ed Burke, and it has a good overview of how to
measure performance on the bike. Unfortunately I'm not serious enough
to buy an HRM, power meter, and/or speedometer, but they do seem useful
for training. He gives some case studies of triathletes, etc. who have
really boosted performance with a few weeks of power feedback.
 
You might try getting together with other cyclists for group rides once
or twice a week. Riding with experienced cyclists, especially
aggressive riders, is a great workout.

novice wrote:
> I guess I need to set up some goals so I can measure performance and
> progress. Right now I just ride on the flat road for 2 hrs. Not many
> hills close-by. With running, there are common standards so it easy to
> assess how good you are. I guess I will get a speedometer. Are there
> any training schedules for intermediate bike riders?
>



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On 24 Mar 2006 18:17:08 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I guess I need to set up some goals so I can measure performance and
>progress. Right now I just ride on the flat road for 2 hrs. Not many
>hills close-by. With running, there are common standards so it easy to
>assess how good you are. I guess I will get a speedometer. Are there
>any training schedules for intermediate bike riders?


There's training plans all over. The time trial is the real standard in
competitive cycling. In bunch start racing aerodynamics and other factors make
such a differenct that time keeping isn't an objective measure, the TT will tell
you how you're doing. Standard distances are 10 and 25 miles. If you're
completing a 25 in under an hour, then you can complain that it isn't taxing.

Google for cycling training programs and you will find. Everybody's an
experiment of one so you or a coach will have to develop a plan. It will include
easy miles as you've already experienced. Usually called base miles, you need
lots of 'em, this is an adaptive phase and since cycling isn't "natural" in the
way running is they are essential. This is going to be mixed with one to three
days a week of high intensity work.

It is having done the high intensity work that gives us license to make fun at
your first post. The bike permits you to punish yourself far more than running
without injury. If you've trained running you know what intervals are, you get
to do them on a bike. There is an entire universe of pain that you are so close
to, but have not yet touched.

Ron
 
"The bike permits you to punish yourself far more than running
without injury."

These seem like wise words. I need to take advantage of this. i only
have 5 weeks to race. need dramatic improvement without injury.
 
On 26 Mar 2006 10:51:56 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"The bike permits you to punish yourself far more than running
>without injury."
>
>These seem like wise words. I need to take advantage of this. i only
>have 5 weeks to race. need dramatic improvement without injury.


What kind of distances are we talking about? Typical 5K + 15 Miles, 10K and 25?

How much riding do you have on you already?

Don't get overly ambitious, but if you've got a decent fitness base five weeks
is enough to be ready for a good fun race.

A duo is basically a steady state effort, even though there's lots of other
people there it's a solo effort without drafting. A cycling program will usually
involve one or two long days, usually twice race duration, and two high
intensity days of racing or intervals or other gut busting a week along with a
day or two of easy recovery rides. I've got no clue how the running training
works in.

I do cyclocross and our races rarely involve more than 30 yards of running at a
stretch, though it's usually uphill, through mud or over obstacles at a near
sprint.

Check the guys at slowtwitch.com - I don't know how well they cover the shorter
distances, training for those is different from the ironman distances.

Over about three weeks, I'd build up intensity and speed and then use the next
weeks before the race to freshen and recover. If you push, but not too hard,
this can be really good.

Ron
 
On Sun, 26 Mar 2006 22:49:46 -0500, RonSonic <[email protected]> wrote:

On 26 Mar 2006 10:51:56 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]> wrote:

>"The bike permits you to punish yourself far more than running
>without injury."
>
>These seem like wise words. I need to take advantage of this. i only
>have 5 weeks to race. need dramatic improvement without injury.


Some links you might find helpful. Offered in no particular order, these are
sites if found helpful or worth another look.

http://www.pponline.co.uk/encyc/cycling.htm

http://www.trifuel.com/triathlon/

http://home.hia.no/~stephens/exphys.htm

Ron
 
Go faster.

novice wrote:
> I did 12 mph for about an hour on a flat gravel road.
>
 
On 28 Mar 2006 14:11:51 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I did 12 mph for about an hour on a flat gravel road.


No wonder you aren't breaking a sweat.

Ron
 
I use a mountain bike and I was tired from overtraining, but i admit
that once you start measuring speed and distance things get more
interesting.
 
I have a heart rate monitor and it is pretty useless. I have a high
rate which is supposed to mean im in good shape. Just get a bike
computer and go until you barf and keep going.
 
On 28 Mar 2006 18:38:44 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>I have a heart rate monitor and it is pretty useless. I have a high
>rate which is supposed to mean im in good shape. Just get a bike
>computer and go until you barf and keep going.


It's only useless if you don't know how to use it.

How old are you? You are either very young, not too smart, or a
"novice" troll. Which is it?

By the way, a high heart rate, in and of itself, tells us very little.
If it goes high when the effort is low, you aren't in good shape.

And I don't think you need a bike computer, to ride until you puke.
All that takes is stupidity.



Life is Good!
Jeff
 
Im in good shape from mtn climbing. i forget the reason but a high
heart rate means you are using oxygen efficiently or something like
that.
 
On 23 Mar 2006 22:43:50 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>i'm preparing for a duoathalon(biking and running) and biking just does
>not get me breathing heavily.


You need to be following someone worth pursuing.

>i run 40 minutes and that is pretty
>useless too. 40 minutes of exercise every second day is not a hell of
>alot. I have to go out mountain climbing to get any real exercise.


And the point of all of this was...?
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On 29 Mar 2006 10:49:43 -0800, "novice" <[email protected]>
wrote:

>Im in good shape from mtn climbing. i forget the reason but a high
>heart rate means you are using oxygen efficiently or something like
>that.


You didn't answer my question, how old are you?

The answer to the above would be helpful, related to your training.
Are you hoping to be competitive in the race that you are training
for?

I didn't know that mountain climbing was/could be an aerobic activity.
I always thought it was more of a strength building endeavor.


Life is Good!
Jeff
 

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