ride distance

[gettingintoit]

not going to lie i let my weight spiral out of control ... i have now reached 24 stone ... i have just gotten back into cycling and im hoping it will help me lose weight and get to my healthy weight of 16-18 stone ... i do a ten mile cycle ride in about half an hour but then feel like i could go do it again ... my question is should i stay doing just ten miles for a while or go for a longer ride ...

 

[Paul.G.]

Ideally you should vary your rides to get the most benefit but as you have been off the bike for a while, i suggest you build up nice and slowly, stic kto the 10 miles for a while and increase or vary route as you get fitter and stronger. Push yourself too much in th early stages and it will become horrid instead of pleasant and your more likely to keep at it if you enjoy it, hope this helps

 

[gettingintoit]

thanks ... ill take your advice and keep at the ten milers for a while

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I'd guess a lot of us have thought ''I could have gone further'' after a ride - and, come the next day, feel glad we didn't.

However, if you feel up to pushing the limit the following day or the day afterwards, I'd say go for it. It keeps a bit of variety in your rides and helps that feeling of making progress by having gone further.

Maybe even give yourself a doable ''miles in a week'' target and gently increase that.

 

[gettingintoit]

i think i may have chosen the wrong time of year to start my cycling again .... was out on a ten miler in -4 yesterday .. that wasnt fun

 

[Terry Kay]

From my years of trawling the internet, general consensus seems to be it's best to do over 20 minutes activity but over an hour has diminishing returns..
If you can continue at a nice steady pace then go for it? Trouble is, as I've found, it's all hills around here so I'd know if I'd done more than half an hour in the saddle!

 

[gettingintoit]

the rides i go on have alot of long dragging hills and a few steep big hills ... there alot easier now that i have my hybrid tyres and have set up my gears correctly ... and my brakes no longer drag

 

[Dayvo]

Hello GITI and welcome to the forum.

Well done for getting out onto your bike - good effort. Remember, though, that it should be fun and enjoyable, not a punishment. As long as you are equipped for most weather conditions, then you'll be fine.

10 miles a day is a good distance to start with, but don't be in a hurry: everything will come in time once cycling becomes a habit/drug.

Have a look at this thread by one of our forumers: hopefully it'll help you. GOOD LUCK!

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/an-updated-video-on-what-cycling-has-done-for-me.40775/

 

[gettingintoit]

wow hes quite inspiring. I do enjoy the rides that make me feel really worn out because it makes me feel good ... i have a shower to wake myself back up and get rid of the sweaty smell .. and i feel wide awake asif i could go all day .. makes me feel good

 

[BrumJim]

From my years of trawling the internet, general consensus seems to be it's best to do over 20 minutes activity but over an hour has diminishing returns..
If you can continue at a nice steady pace then go for it? Trouble is, as I've found, it's all hills around here so I'd know if I'd done more than half an hour in the saddle!

Does that just relate to fitness?

If you are trying to loose weight, then keep upping the miles. The only type of exercise that will loose you weight is the energetic, sustained type. Three hours on the bike will take enough energy for an average meal (very rough figures here), so do it every weekend and it is as good as skipping one meal a week. As long as you don't carb load on lots of cake at the end, of course!

 

[gettingintoit]

so your saying just the one long ride a week along with a healthy balanced diet would help

 

[Sittingduck]

There's nothing wrong with shorter rides, at a higher level of effort. They will help you burn mucho cals, for sure. Healthy balanced diet is the most important, as you can cycle at moderate pace until you are blue in the face but it won't get the same results as reducing caloric intake, IMHO.

If I was you, I would mix it up with some longer rides and some shorter, intense blasts. Sounds like you already have some good speed, to be able to ride around 10 miles in 30 mins or so, especially if it's on that bike in your avatar.

Good luck with it - will be interesting to read about your progress.

 

[Rob500]

Hi GTGT.
Well done on getting back on the bike. 10 miles each day is great. Doing it in 30 mins is brilliant. Keep at it.

 

[BrumJim]

so your saying just the one long ride a week along with a healthy balanced diet would help

You'll need to get up to that position in the first place, and regular shorter runs keeps your fitness levels up. But longer runs help to burn fat, whilst short bursts just use up glycogen reserves.

But, most imporantly, you must enjoy it. Exercise that is a grind won't get you thinner. It has to be something that you enjoy, want to do, and becomes a substitute for the snacking/pigging-out that is putting weight on. 10 mile rides can get dull after a while. Commuting is obviously a necessity (unless you work from home), so that is a good excuse to do the same thing (or nearly) every day, but longer rides can build up a bit of interest. Go looking for new villages to explore, new hills to tackle, sites to visit, views to enjoy. Taking part in Audax events and Sportives gets you out exploring new parts of the country, making new friends, and enjoying company, swapping cycling tales.

 

[Breaker Morant]

Don't be dazzled by what others do, some very high milage rides seem to suck the fun out of the whole thing and are more about your boredom threshold than actual fitness. 10 miles in 30 minutes is a perfectly respectable time, keep at it and vary the routes and the weight will soon drop off.