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Cycling speed

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  • 23-10-2007 8:26am
    #1
    Notch000
    Registered Users Posts: 1,472 ✭✭✭


    Hi i jsut bought a bike to go scooting around in the evening for a bit of exercise. Im in good shape besides as i go swimming a lot.
    I bought a cheap plain mountain bike and will mainly cyling round the city on the flats. So far i've done 2 cycles each 10miles in approx 1hr, giving a steady 10MPH, Im quiet confortable with this distance.
    I dont know much about cycling really so To maximise my workout should
    • Try increase my speed
    • Increase my distance
    • Run caontanst speed
    • or do some alternating sprints and cruises ?
    Any advise


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    #2
    rubadub
    Registered Users Posts: 32,381 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Some will say a mountain bike is less efficient- and it is- but as your aim is exercise and hence just expending energy there is no real issue with efficiencies.

    You should be cycling hard enough to get your heart rate up, sweating is a good sign you are working hard enough. Cycling in low gears (spinning) is a good low impact cardio exercise. In higher gears it can stress the knees a bit- but this might not be an issue for 1hr cycles- more a problem for tour de france lads in the seat for weeks.

    Some people use HIIT high inensity interval training- more do this with running- sprint until the heart rate is up, then go into a jog. This is suitable for cycling on the road too- since you will be stopping at lights etc, so you can go all out, then come to a rest at lights for a moment.

    Try and find a route with few stops on it. In a gym a bike is constantly going, dont take a route where you will be freewheeling along- your aim is to expend energy, not conserve it.


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