Cycling in general good exercise or need to push it

[Leemi1982]

Hi been off the bike for 3 months due to some minor work injuries started to notice myselfeeling a bit slow and sluggish, heavier at home..

Today was my first day back on the bike didn’t feel as difficult as I thought it would be.

Just wondered what people would call it enough exercise on a bike, I would describe myself as a gentle pace cyclist doing about 10 to 15 mile rides and hit some hills. But I never go for speed..

do you think you need to be a fast and hard cyclist to get fit or is just getting out and about enough.
Thoughts

 

[cyberknight]

depends on what your riding for, if your happy with your fitness then its enough .
A track sprinter would train differently from someone doing lejog , an example i remember was chris hoy comparing himself to cav , hoy is a faster sprinter but he wouldnt be able to ride the distance to get to the end of a normal road race.

 

[roadrash]

I would say it all depends what you want to get out of your cycling.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Fit for what and enough exercise for what is the question

If you want to ride the Tour de France then you’ll need to be riding min of 20-30 hours every week. If you don’t have thst ambition then a little less will probably suffice.

 

[Alex321]

Hi been off the bike for 3 months due to some minor work injuries started to notice myselfeeling a bit slow and sluggish, heavier at home..

Today was my first day back on the bike didn’t feel as difficult as I thought it would be.

Just wondered what people would call it enough exercise on a bike, I would describe myself as a gentle pace cyclist doing about 10 to 15 mile rides and hit some hills. But I never go for speed..

do you think you need to be a fast and hard cyclist to get fit or is just getting out and about enough.
Thoughts

Depends on just how fit you want to be.

If you just want a reasonable level of general fitness, then 2-3 rides of 10-15 miles per week, at a pace where you feel you are working reasonably hard would be enough.

If you want to be fit enough to be able to compete successfully in some sport, you will need to be doing a bit more than that.

And if you are just ambling along, not really working at it, then that mileage isn't really going to give you a decent level of fitness.

 

[Julia9054]

Anything that raises your heart and breathing rate + uses muscles is good for you. Anything on top of that is down to your individual goals.

 

[alchurch]

I have to challenge myself a bit. I can fly along at 17 mph but the slightest reduction in effort plummets my speed to embarrassing levels.I need the challenge in every ride, somewhere new, faster or longer , hillier.Once my on off switch hits off I can barely pedal sometimes. There is something to be said for mindful riding, enjoying the process, the scenery , the journey. I am still learning how to do it

 

[Oldhippy]

Don't stress about it and just ride the bike. No point in knackering yourself out and not taking the time view what's around you. Take your camera, stop for interesting photos, stop for a sandwich and a coffee and do what is comfortable.

 

[cyberknight]

plan a ride to a cake stop , instantly increases your distance
https://cafes.cyclingmaps.net/?fbclid=IwAR2SZRq4XIjZs273Y3yHWeJ3t-yEA2M5yGq_WD08TrT6i1PsY7pcDEp3rY8

 

[Sittingduck]

What are your motivations and any goals? Take a seat - let's discuss...

 

[vickster]

I always struggle at this time of year, grey, cold, windy…me and the weather

 

[mpemburn]

Cycling is my only exercise (except for yard work). I think it keeps me young—certainly better overall than I was when I started five years ago. If it makes you happy and staves off the worst of aging, it is sufficient, in my book.

 

[DaveReading]

I have to challenge myself a bit. I can fly along at 17 mph but the slightest reduction in effort plummets my speed to embarrassing levels.

What speed should we be aiming for, to avoid embarrassment ?

 

[ColinJ]

Since performance doesn't seem to be of interest, I assume that the question really should be "Would 10-15 miles of gentle cycling a couple of times a week keep me healthy?"

I think the answer to that is "You would be healthier than not doing your gentle rides, but not as healthy as if you made a harder effort from time to time"!

For maximum health & fitness benefits, you should aim to get your pulse rate high for at least a few quick bursts here and there. How about doing 30-60 seconds of hard effort 2 or 3 times per otherwise gentle ride? You would generally still be riding the way that you like to ride, but those intervals would make a significant difference. Do a 10-15 minute warm-up before your first hard effort and take whatever time you need to recover for the next one.

 

[Arrowfoot]

Hi been off the bike for 3 months due to some minor work injuries started to notice myselfeeling a bit slow and sluggish, heavier at home..

Today was my first day back on the bike didn’t feel as difficult as I thought it would be.

Just wondered what people would call it enough exercise on a bike, I would describe myself as a gentle pace cyclist doing about 10 to 15 mile rides and hit some hills. But I never go for speed..

do you think you need to be a fast and hard cyclist to get fit or is just getting out and about enough.
Thoughts

Just go a little further at the end of each month. Your body gets conditioned in time and it will tell you if you are overdoing it. Speed is not for everyone.