Cycling compared to running.

[Anny Road]

I've gotten to quite enjoy my running and can easily do 50k a week over three or four runs. I'm no athlete believe me but I have amazed myself over the last year or so as my distance and times have gotten better.

I quite fancy doing some bike touring around the islands this year so bought myself a pretty decent road bike. and was waiting for decent weather to get out on it and get some miles in the saddle. I've bough maps and was planning 40-50 even 100 mile legs.

I went out tonight on what is a hilly route and had to head home miles short of where I was heading. Fucked is not the word. I managed about 10 mile.

Like I say I can do a 10k in about 50 mins and could at a push do a half marathon. I was not however prepared for the different psychological strains of cycling. Gutted is not the word. Anyone else tried to go from running to cycling?

[Charles Penrose]

Yes I'm a triathlete.

[Anny Road]

How do you find it? What do you train more for? Running for me took a good 18 months from couch to pissing 10k's. I imagined I'd jump on a bike and knock out 20 miles no bother.

[Dougie Do'ins]

I'm the exact opposite mate. I'm up to about 80 miles in one go now, but I'm fucked if I so much as have to run for a bus.

[Charles Penrose]

I have to confess I'm not a triathlete. I just thought it was a suitable running to cycling joke.

[Jennings]

I get knackered driving to the offy.

[Anny Road]

I'm the exact opposite mate. I'm up to about 80 miles in one go now' date=' but I'm fucked if I so much as have to run for a bus.[/quote']

 

I suppose the training must be specific. I imagined if you were fit enough to do one the other would be reasonable if not great.

[Dougie Do'ins]

I suppose the training must be specific. I imagined if you were fit enough to do one the other would be reasonable if not great.

It does seem a little odd that you struggled on the bike as your obviously in good shape to do all that running.

 

My mate came out with me when he got his new bike. It was the first time he'd been on a bike since he was a kid and he did 20 miles without batting an eyelid. The route I took him on was flat though.

[Anny Road]

Maybe I am underestimating the terrain the first hill is 140m and seems to go on forever. I can run up it no bother. I think it's a mental thing.

[manwiththestick]

If you have a smart phone get yourself the endomondo app. It's tracks your route and times your miles and such. Very good for keeping a tab on your progress. I've been using it for a few weeks cycling to work and you find yourself pushing to beat your mile times. It also post links to your ride on to Facebook if you're one of those people that likes to share everything with the world.

[Magic Sponge]

[Dougie Do'ins]

Maybe I am underestimating the terrain the first hill is 140m and seems to go on forever. I can run up it no bother. I think it's a mental thing.

L19Red is into his cycling in a big way. He'd be the best person to seek advice from. If your doing a lot of hills then cleats will help.

 

I'm considering buying a road bike so if anyone knows of a bargain, let me know.

[Nantwich girl]

You use different muscles when running than you do when cycling. I regularly do 50 minutes on an elliptical trainer (different motion to cycling)notching up about 13km if I go running I can only manage 20 minutes before I'm too tired to continue. Runnings bad for your joints anyway :-)

[Anny Road]

You use different muscles when running than you do when cycling. I regularly do 50 minutes on an elliptical trainer (different motion to cycling)notching up about 13km if I go running I can only manage 20 minutes before I'm too tired to continue. Runnings bad for your joints anyway :-)

 

I get the whole using different muscles idea but when running if you stop you stop. On a bike you can rest. I touched 38 mph on the down hill without moving a muscle. I mistakenly thought the cardio fitness would be enough. I fully expect a sore arse, elbows, wrists etc but I imagined general fitness would enable me to plod along for 20 odd miles.

[Magic Sponge]

You use different muscles when running than you do when cycling. I regularly do 50 minutes on an elliptical trainer (different motion to cycling)notching up about 13km if I go running I can only manage 20 minutes before I'm too tired to continue. Runnings bad for your joints anyway :-)

 

[Anny Road]

L19Red is into his cycling in a big way. He'd be the best person to seek advice from. If your doing a lot of hills then cleats will help.

 

I'm considering buying a road bike so if anyone knows of a bargain' date=' let me know.[/quote']

 

Whats this cleats thing mate? The reason I am cycling and not running at the mo is because I went for a wee ride on Sunday and forgot my shoes were strapped in, stopped and as you can imagine sideways I went and bruised ribs were the result. Plus two bust fingers. Can I buy some shoes and adapt myb existing pedals to take cleats.

[Dougie Do'ins]

Whats this cleats thing mate? The reason I am cycling and not running at the mo is because I went for a wee ride on Sunday and forgot my shoes were strapped in, stopped and as you can imagine sideways I went and bruised ribs were the result. Plus two bust fingers. Can I buy some shoes and adapt myb existing pedals to take cleats.

Not sure about that AR but the cleats are basically the clip that attaches the shoe onto the pedal. I'm no expert but they defo help on the hills.

 

I got a set of Shimano cleats and pedals for £50

 

And a pair of Specialized shoes for about the same price.

[VladimirIlyich]

Maybe body shape has something to do with it.

 

I havent cycled for a few years but dont find it too bad at all,I've got thighs like a certain Brazilian who could bend a round thing filled with air massively,but I can run a couple of miles a couple of times a week and no matter how many times I do it I'm knackered.

 

I'm a bit stocky so maybe the bike stuff suits me better but you might be the opposite,thin and wiry maybe?

[Anny Road]

I'm 6ft 14 st. Do a fair amount of weights and my belly is no bad. Massive cock must be weighing me down.

[Anny Road]

I'm going to get the wife to drop me off an improbable distance from home and just do it. She is gurning about having to drive 30 miles x2 but I am going to pick a route with a decent lunch stop in the middle.

[Guest The Big Green Bastard]

you can get the shimano cleats and pedals quite cheap on ebay, never really been a fan of them for health and safety reasons. If you come off the bike you will find the bike will not leave your body and you potentially have a handlebar/pedal in groin situation.

 

Keeping your balls is more improtant then keeping fit imo.

 

I used to love hill climbs, 20 years of cycling and my legs are wider than my upper frame, cycling seemed to increase the size of my legs moreso than running. This in turn would be quite intimidating to the opposition in a certain game we all love.

[Chocoholic]

Are your tyres properly inflated? What kind of pump have you got?

 

If it's a standard old fashioned errrr... 'hand job', you may forget it. You'll never get the required pressure in the tyres. It'd be like bouncing a half inflated basketball. Then imagine that same effect on tyres.

 

If you don't have a floor pump similar to this one, you're giving yourself untold hard work. All your energy will be used as inefficiently as it is possible to do so. The day I discovered this revelation, was the day my cycling took on a new level.

 

I used to come back after a 12-14 mile trip and I'd be knackered, but now can easily do 20+ miles without a bother.

[VladimirIlyich]

I'm 6ft 14 st. Do a fair amount of weights and my belly is no bad. Massive cock must be weighing me down.

 

6ft 4 and 14st is quite slim to me,I'm 5ft 10 and about 14st 7ish.

 

Well done with the massive cock though.;)

[Anny Road]

I bought a decent boardman. Go my local bike shop to set it up. How do you get on in the wilderness, surely you cannot carry one of those around with you.

I did forget to mention last night was a friends birthday and I ust have drunk 4 bottles of wine. However I have drank more than that and ran further.

[neko]

probably the only thing that hasn't been mentioned yet (that may be important) is whether the bike is appropriately sized for your body.

 

my guess is that it could be too short (or tall ?) and you are not using your muscles properly.

 

basically your knees should almost extend fully down (85%) when the pedal is at the bottom.