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Bike Timings

JasonBJasonB Posts: 303
I did 21Km in 44.47 on a bike ina the gym the other day followed by a 4K run straight after on the running machine.



Is the bike time good. It works out to be 32.7mins or 33.1mins for 1 10 miles. The thing is I was going like the clappers, and my eyes looked demonic.

Was it worth it? Is it harder on a gym bike because you can never really get the extra yardage, the distance is always the same no matter the resistance. ie No gears to give further distance.

Comments

  • I think you will find that gym biking is much harder because there is no option to free-wheel and take some rest.

    I seem to remember 220 advising to only gym-bike for 3/4 of an hour maximum, just perhaps use it as an extra to your training.

    I remember first training last year on a gym-bike and becoming pretty disheartened from the experience...



    There is no better training for triathlon than getting out on your road bike in all conditions.....I would just use the gym bike when it snows :-)
  • loonytoonloonytoon Posts: 673
    I agree with HMS...The gym bike is only really there (in my opion) for cardio work...



    By going like the clappers I presumme you mean pedalling rate? - this is probably not all that useful as you will rarely ride in a race at such hi-cadence...



    I am not sure but I thought you did get more distance at a higher level? at least if not it woild be a better work out as you could keep your cadence at a more normal level...

  • madnursemadnurse Posts: 782
    Jason - I have found using a spinning bike useful esp if running straight off into run. I was spinning for an hour then gauging my [progress with a either a 5 or a 10km run after although did this on a track rather than treadmill. But that was my preference as I am training for mainly olypmic distances. So long as is safe no training is bad training so long as it works for you & if possible is, at least someway, pertinent to what you are training for.



    phil
  • 44mins for 21km seems about right - the average time for 20km seems to be about 40-42 mins in most triathlons, though hills and weather make a big difference. However, as a general rule I wouldn't trust the speeds/distances that gym bikes give you. They tend to either over or underestimate the speed and vary alot between different levels. The bike in my local gym convinced me that I was regularly cycling 20km in under half an hour - imagine the disappointment when you realise you're about 10-15 mins slower in real life! That said, it trains most of the right muscles and it replicates the calf cramp quite well when you switch over to the run, so it can be useful in small doses. The recommended cadence seems to be about 80-90 (though I'm no expert, so others may correct me). More than that and you get too knackered, less than that and you lose your rythmn, particularly when you try to change up the gears quickly when you hit a hill.



    Mike

  • BonusBBonusB Posts: 279
    I heard a different theory about gym bikes. Stay away from them, mainly as there is a school of thought that you should train on the same bike you race on (its all about recruiting the right muscles at the right time) and bike gyms are not particularly adjustable compunding the problem of creating poor form.



    That said I still use them for brick training as it is only one line of thought.
  • guv001guv001 Posts: 227
    I agree with above from Bonus however if you can use a proper spinning bike they are meant to be so adjustable that you can replicate your road bike set up. The ones I've seen you can do that, so no more massive padded seat and bars up in the air.
  • JasonBJasonB Posts: 303
    My cadence was about between 98-104, so just shows how out of time the thing was.



    Our gym is changing and are introducing spin bikes. I have heard many good things about these. But totally agree, proper training has to be done on your own bike.



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