Any ex runners who've turned to cycling?

[pestcontrol]

Hi there, would be grateful for some advice. After years of running I'm having to give up due to injury and my doctor has recommended cycling as low impact. Thanks to my OH I am now the proud owner of a lovely Specialized Vita.


We did our first ride out yesterday, great fun but I don't feel like I've worked anything like as hard as I would running. OH assures me that this will happen, I just need to work up to it (I'm floating along at an embarrassing 10mph max at moment!) Thing is, running was the only exercise that trimmed me down (I used to cycle years ago but the weight never came off until I started running). My runner friends are frankly a bit snooty about cycling, saying it will never work as weight loss. Any views from out there?

I'm loving the cycling but don't want to lose my good work.

 

[2Loose]

I am not a runner myself, but I did just read an article about runners trying cycling...Here it suggests that 20mile ride maybe equivalent to 4 miles run.

 

[jay clock]

using a variety of online tools and a fair bit of experience I reckon I burn 1100 cals running one hour at 11kph and 880 in in one hour cycling at 27.5kph. It will be lower if you weigh less.

Rubbish to suggest cycling will not help with weigh loss. Cycle more, eat less and you will lose weight!

 

[Hacienda71]

I think it depends on what type of cycling you are doing. If you are cruising leisurley on the flat at 10 mph it will not be like running more like a walking level of exercise. On the other hand if you are clocking close to 20 mph and also opting for some hillier routes you will burn plenty of calories and lose weight assuming you don't overeat to compensate. Combine it with some swimming for the upper body and you should be fine. People try to get comparisons in terms of distance running v walking but it is not quite that simple. A guy called Jimbo will be along shortly to give you some science behind the theories.

 

[pestcontrol]

Thanks guys for fast responses - you cyclists are speedy indeed!
Hacienda I think you've hit the nail on the head. When I'm running, I can't hide ;-) I mean I make sure I'm making a good pace. On the bike, you can be a bit lazy because you're under the illusion you're still going somewhere. So looks as if simple answer is I need to put some effort into it.
However I look forward to hearing the science bit...

 

[Baggy]

Welcome to the forum!
I ran for a few years (between 8-18 miles per week), but got back into cycling after one of my feet decided it didn’t like high impact exercise.

As above - cycling can definitely work for weight loss, and in keeping it off, but as you’re travelling further for the amount of energy you’re using it means you need to cycle further or harder to burn the same amount of calories.

Once you’ve built up your cycling muscles and stamina by starting out gently you will be able to push much harder on the bike and start to feel you’ve had a real workout. Hills are a great way to work out, and riding longer distance at a medium intensity really works for me in terms of weight loss (working in the “fat burning” heart rate zone). The downside (or the plus side if you’re in nice riding country!) is that you’ll need to spend longer on the bike than you would nipping out for a run.

I’ve been lazy and hovering at around two stone overweight for the last couple of years, but in the last month have made a concerted effort to eat less and ride more (between 10-15 hours per week) and the weight is coming off again. I’ve also been doing some core strength exercises, as cycling doesn’t give your midriff a workout in quite the same way as running.

 

[hillrep]

I agree with Hacienda, "cycling" can be anything from the equivalent of a slow walk to a flat out sprint so it very much depends how hard you are trying.

I do quite a bit of cycling and running, and frequently use a heart rate monitor for fun and to see how hard I'm trying. My experience is that my heart rate is usually lower cycling than running, even when I think I'm putting in the same effort. For me I think this is partly because I am more adapted to running and also because cycling uses fewer muscles than running. Of course after a bit more cycling the imbalance between running and cycling will be less, but I think, as others have said, that typically cycling will burn fewer calories per hour than running (excluding freakishly well trained elite athletes:-)).

 

[dellzeqq]

I did LEJoG with a retired professional fell-runner. He was 56 at the time. Good grief, he was fit! I came to the conclusion that fell-running was probably a lot tougher than cycling.

 

[Alien8]

I don't feel like I've worked anything like as hard as I would running....

I'm floating along at an embarrassing 10mph max at moment!....

I used to cycle years ago but the weight never came off....

I think you've hit your own nail on its head - no pain no gain.

 

[pestcontrol]

Yep! I have to push myself more and not hide behind the coasting bits you can get in cycling. There are no quick fixes. Thanks everyone anyway, you have a good community here.

 

[rich p]

It's hard to find the time to replicate the effort one puts into running. I changed sports and put on weight after being a serious 40-60 mpw runner and being a cyclist. I ride quite hard but I suspect I'd have to do a lot more with a lot more effort to match the running. All my running was training but some of ny cycling is leisure and shopping and downhill!
The plus side for me is that my joints don't suffer any more with no impact cycling which is why I had to pack in the running.

 

[StuartG]

I am over 60. I returned to both running and cycling as part of my post menopausal man thing.

What a difference! Nearly every surviving contemporary from my running club was 'under the physio' with a long list of body issues. Those that were faster than me were now slower.

Whereas I'm almost a junior in the cycling club. Men of over 70 still can leave me for dead and no one has a exercise related problem. And checking the record book - they were have been performing as fast as anyone in their age group for over 50 years.

From which I draw the conclusion that to be a good distance runner - you have to put in the mileage. And the most bodies just can't take a lifetime of pavement bashing. Whereas cyclists are more likely to retain their fitness and health because of the 'shockless' nature of the muscle/bone movement.

I agree mile for mile and especially time for time running is much more effective but dangerous exercise. Cycling is effective because you can put in proportionately more miles - 60 to 100 at a decent pace is not beyond a fit person between 20 and 70 and that is a lot of calories. More importantly 60/100 miles over a day can be an enjoyable social and sightseeing event as well as good exercise. Don't knock fun.

I still run for those shorter bursts of greater activity which helps build up power - but restrict the mileage and use cycling to build up the stamina and burn the calories without acute risk of permanently damaging joints and stuff.

And yes Del - fell runners are different and beat us both in the end. I guess it is the very difficulty of the terrain gets more effort per mile plus a lot of the going is soft or even very boggy which means the repetitive impact stuff is seriously mitigated. Oh and they are all completely bonkers!

 

[UKCyclist]

I moved from running to cycling due to damaged feet. The main difference I find is that you have to travel far from home with cycling whereas this isn't the case when you run, and that's an issue for me so I'm looking to purchase an indoor trainer. I recently returned to running but my foot pain doesn't let me do high mileage so I'm back to cycling.

 

[Paul_L]

I took up cycling 2 years ago after many years of running. I packed in running following numerous back problems. On average i ran 30 miles / week, but in the run up to marathons etc. i would be regularly clocking 70 to 80 miles / week.

When i was running a lot i could eat as much as i liked and the weight would still be under control.

I've found that cycling is still good for weight control but unlike running i now have to watch what i eat as well.

 

[runner]

Hi PC....and here's my take on running

You sound rather similar to me....i have always been a keen runner and have for many years been a member of Bitton Road Runners here in Bristol....some years ago an old work colleague said to me....son..(well maybe not son

) when you reach 40 that's when the niggles and little aches start....he was right

I was lucky in some ways to be made redundant from that job some 5 years ago and as we all know approaching 50 is a difficult time to start a new career. I began to work as a court usher in central Bristol the pay was lousy but the real perk I did not have to drive but worked out that I could start cycling to and from work each day...and as I was getting more and more "little niggles" from running this really appealed to me ( thats face it as boys we all remember our love of bikes) So at 54 I cycle to and from work each day on either a Genesis ridgeback....but usually the love of my life (sorry to the wife

) my Giant Defy 1 I usually average 15-20miles each day depending on mood..weather etc and have been sometimes known to hit 30 miles ( on a clear day with a tailwind!) The great thing is I still run...amd still a member of Bitton Road Runners and I can still control those little niggles...still manage a respectable 42mins for a 10k...and am running the Chippenham Half Marathon in 4 weeks....as long as my achilles has stopped playing up!! There is nothing worse than not being able to get your daily dose of exercise...we all become grumpy old men...cycling on
my Defy with the wind in my face makes me feel forevers young..in my mind I am still 20 and will forever remain so...