Any bike riders out there?

[JoelR]

My only cardio other than fast paced circuit training is riding a bike or the heavy bag because of a total hip replacement. The thing is, I'm not a "bike rider" by nature. LOL What I'm trying to say is, I'm not a professional bike rider. I have noting to compare to or to go by so I don't know if my pace is good or bad.
I feel as if I'm flying or riding like a mad man. LOL I use the HIIT method but my slower pace is still moving pretty quick. (at least it sure feels like it to me)
Anyway, I just started back after a layoff because of a hernia operation so I know I'm a bit slower and will build back up but is 3.4 miles in 14min. good or am I wussing it? (it's 3.4 because of the loop around our housing area is 1.7 and I'm doing 2 laps. I will build up and do more)

Any input will be appreciated,, I just want to know if I need to step up the pace, tone it down, or what.

Thanks.
Joel

[nomasgordo]

well it depends on if there is alot of elevation change I guess. on a loop that has little elevation change, 3.4 in 14 min is a pretty slow pace, but, as you mentioned you have a recent surgery and don't want to over-do it which is a smart thing. biking is supposed to be good for maintaining a general muscle balance/coordination between your hammies and quads, but for cardio, biking hills is amazing! Some of the places i mountain bike have 1000ft elevation gain in 2 miles, and it can be a real lung buster!

just listen to your body and do what your body tells you, only you really know the answer

[Tyrbolift]

Originally Posted by JoelR

My only cardio other than fast paced circuit training is riding a bike or the heavy bag because of a total hip replacement. The thing is, I'm not a "bike rider" by nature. LOL What I'm trying to say is, I'm not a professional bike rider. I have noting to compare to or to go by so I don't know if my pace is good or bad.
I feel as if I'm flying or riding like a mad man. LOL I use the HIIT method but my slower pace is still moving pretty quick. (at least it sure feels like it to me)
Anyway, I just started back after a layoff because of a hernia operation so I know I'm a bit slower and will build back up but is 3.4 miles in 14min. good or am I wussing it? (it's 3.4 because of the loop around our housing area is 1.7 and I'm doing 2 laps. I will build up and do more)

Any input will be appreciated,, I just want to know if I need to step up the pace, tone it down, or what.

Thanks.
Joel

A lot depends on the type and quality of bike you have. Averaging 13.6 is not really fast, but if you have a steady pace, it is a good benchmark for improvement.

On my mountain bike on the street I usually average around 15.5. Heavy touring bike around 16.5, and lightweight aerodynamic road bike around 19. (not fast by any means but not bad)

[MacGyverDel]

Originally Posted by JoelR

My only cardio other than fast paced circuit training is riding a bike ...

Any input will be appreciated,, I just want to know if I need to step up the pace, tone it down, or what.

Thanks.
Joel

Long time no sea there buddy.

Check out 97LT1's Bike Thread Joel;

http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=3540031

[oldermuscledude]

I do primarily road biking (only cuz I don't yet own a "real" mountain bike). I've been a cyclist since just before knee surgery, when my surgeon told me to give up running--too much stress and pain on my knees--and to take up cycling instead. I wasn't a cyclist before, by any stretch of the imagination. I've also had 3 hernia surgeries.

I think cycling is an awesome form of cardio!! Think about it: no pounding stress on your joints, your body weight is supported by your bike seat, the scenery is beautiful, you're outdoors instead of indoors in a room full of people, you can travel a great deal more distance in the same amount of time than you can by walking or running, and you'll see/hear/smell things you'd never notice traveling the same road in a car. If you've got a route that has hills on it, that's even better, because that increases the cardio effect.

Right now my average speed is about 14 mph, and my average rpm pedaling is between 80 and 90.

One of the best things you could do to help you get more benefits from cycling is to put a bike computer on your bike. Get one that measures cadence (pedaling rpm) as well as speed. Most bike computers also measure distance, trip distance, riding time, and can tell you your average speed, maximum speed, and average cadence for each ride you do. The CatEye Astrale 8 is a good choice, because the cadence measurer thing mounts on the rear wheel--so you can also use it if you decide to get a trainer contraption and use your bike indoors during the winter.

It's important to measure cadence to make sure that you maintain a fairly regular pedaling speed. It's kind of like the tachometer in your car, but it will help you keep from either pushing too heavy a gear (pedaling too slowly) or overpedaling (pedaling too fast). If you can maintain a fairly constant pedaling speed, then you can go greater distances without wearing yourself out. It can also be useful for HIIT training--you can figure out what you want your maximum pedaling and minimum pedaling speeds to be, and then monitor it while you're working through your intervals.

Besides, it's always a rush for me to come back in from a long ride and realize that I did 30 miles today, in just under 2 hours.

And get yourself some padded cycling shorts--either the spandex ones or ones designed for off-road riding (if you don't want to be seen in public in spandex)--they'll make your ride a lot more comfortable. It might also be a good investment to buy cycling shoes and special pedals with cleats for your shoes to attach to, so you can get more power when you pedal.

As far as stepping up your pace, yeah--I think you need to. But I also know that faster speeds will come the more you get into riding (and the more you recover from your last surgery), so don't sweat it--just keep on riding, man!! You might want to check with your local bike shop and see if they sponsor any type of organized rides for beginners that you could go on, too. Riding with a group will help you pick up your pace, and is great fun, too.

Good luck, man!

[Minotaur]

Originally Posted by Tyrbolift

On my mountain bike on the street I usually average around 15.5.

Same here. I use the knobbies on-road and off-road. Great workout either way. An on-road ride is usually 35 mins. to an hour. Off-road is an hour or two. My next project is to pick up a road bike again, for faster and longer rides.

[StartinOver-68]

I can offer nothing to this thread but comic relief. I recently started using a stationary bike, but I prefer my Harley for outdoors.

[Datoyminaytah]

Originally Posted by Tyrbolift

On my mountain bike on the street I usually average around 15.5. Heavy touring bike around 16.5, and lightweight aerodynamic road bike around 19. (not fast by any means but not bad)

Dangit. Does that include any hills, or is it all flat?

Where I live there are HILLS any direction I go. I can't bring up my average MPH over 12 or maybe 13. I want to find a good flat route somewhere, drive my bike there and see what I can average on flat ground.

[naturalbrawn]

It's hard to tell if your training hard on an outdoor bike sometimes.

You can really haul ass sometimes without even being pushed.

The lighter your body weight and the grade your riding on all impact the intensity.

I would use a heart rate monitor. If your not in the zone, you will know you need to move faster.

[erod13]

I have both a road & mountain bike. like other posters have said, not bad but not great either. I live in a hilly area and usually do about 15-16mph on my mountain bike(pushing it) and 20+ on the road bike. I would suggest a computer for your bike (Cats Eye makes a good one that gives you mph, total miles, pace etc...) they only run about $30, and or a heart monitor.
Hope this helps, check nashbar.com or performancebikes.com
Ed

[JoelR]

Thanks to all. What a great group of responses.

My bike is a Wal-Mart Mongoose Mountain Bike. It is quite the tanker but I do like the suspension. I had another one (my wife?s now) that was also a tank but the bumps killed me. LOL

I don't want to get all into it & spend a grand on a bike & accessories because I can't do too much because of my hip. If I ride too much, it's taking the life expectancy from my hip & being only 37, I need this thing to last as long as possible. (it's already 7yrs old) The bike is just an alternative cardio workout. I think I will go for the heart monitor & possibly the cheaper computer for the bike though. It will help. I just had nothing to compare to.

Thanks again.
Joel

[baker]

I used to ride all the time. Then I moved to the city. It's not worth it.

Gary Fisher Tassajara
Trek 1000
2006 CBR1000RR (My Favorite)

[namtrag]

Originally Posted by baker

I used to ride all the time. Then I moved to the city. It's not worth it.

Gary Fisher Tassajara
Trek 1000
2006 CBR1000RR (My Favorite)

Meet me at Fat Frogs Bike shop on Nimmo Parkway Saturday morning at 7:30 for a 21 mile group ride through Pungo. It's lots of fun! Safety in numbers.

[Tyrbolift]

Originally Posted by Datoyminaytah

Dangit. Does that include any hills, or is it all flat?

Where I live there are HILLS any direction I go. I can't bring up my average MPH over 12 or maybe 13. I want to find a good flat route somewhere, drive my bike there and see what I can average on flat ground.

Half and half. There's a way to ride hills that doesn't hurt too bad, and it's important you pedal downhill and let it rip. Otherwise your average WILL go down.

[hotdamnman]

Originally Posted by JoelR

My bike is a Wal-Mart Mongoose Mountain Bike. It is quite the tanker but I do like the suspension.

Is it the red and silver 18 spd? That's what I've got, like you I didn't want to drop a bunch of cash on a bike that might not get used much. Think I'm going to change seats though, the narrow one that it comes with wants to go up my crack.

Wal-Mart has a heart rate watch in sporting goods here called a miowatch, I picked it up for less than $30.00. You can program it with age and weight and such, tells you what percentage of target heart rate you're working at, and calories burned.

[Insulin Ihsaan]

i average 16 or so on flat land on the long country roads north of my house, i dunno if thats good or bad but bikings a great way to get out of the gym for a while