Cycling Question

[WhoDunIt]

I drug my mountain bike out of the garage for the first time in a couple years and gave it a quick look over and took it for a spin around the block after airing up the tires. So far I've found that I could climb one of the hills here in a much higher gear than I could before and that I should have adjusted the brakes before that first ride (out of adjustment brakes, PB Blaster on the rear rim, and alot of fat and muscle rolling down hill doesn't stop all that good it turns out ) Now I haven't spent much time on the bike since mid-'06 and last time I spent alot of time on it was maybe '01 and would like to make things a little easier at first to build up my endurance before hitting the hills around home. I currently live in an area with alot of old railroad right of ways (where the track run and about 50' out from where each rail sits) that have been converted to prairie paths as well as some that were made from the get go as a bike path that have a lot easier grades to deal with in my case.

[WhoDunIt]

Anybody have any thoughts on this plan?

[havingfunmtl946]

Hey,

I would suggest doing exercises at the gym that are going to work similar, same or connected muscles to help get back on the bike. You might want to hit up the aerobics machine (same muscle group, with a couple extra in the abdoman and gluts), try swimming or some squats. If you focus on working the muscles in a variaty of ways you'll find it much easier to get back on the bike and hit a good clip for the hills.
I would also juggest hill work, which is a bit of a pain in the butt to do at the beginning but will help in the long run. Just keep doing the same hill over and over for a certain period of time (5mins), take a break (10mins) and hit it again. Yes it will burn, but it is a technique used often for bikers and runners alike.

All the best

[WhoDunIt]

One of my main reason for doing this is that I absolutely had using machines like the treadmill and bikes in the gym since I'm putting out all that affort and going nowhere, it just bores the hell out of me. I do alot of heavy leg presses (I've maxxed at 24-45# plates for 5 reps and can knock out 10 reps of 20 plates), curls (210# for both legs) and extensions (155# per leg) as well as calf work (on the leg press machine, max of 16 45# plates @ 10 reps), and after the next two weeks off from lifting I may try deadlifting again (the best I could get was around 185lbs for more than a few sets, I did try 205 or 215, but I was lucky to get more than two or three at a time and my lower back was killing me afterwards.) This is going to be more of a cardio program since I really need to get that going (I've still got nearly as much fat as I do muscle.)

[hyooge]

I'm a fairly competitive cyclist, and I hit legs in the gym twice a week. In my opinion, you only need three movements:

1. Squat (with free weights)
2. Deadlift
3. Calf Raise

You can really forget about the other things. Do good sets of 8-12 reps on each of these (maybe 12-16 for squats) and you'll find that your strength will increase, your legs will get bigger, and going up hills will be a breeze.

I'm really opposed to leg presses. It's relatively easy to do a LOT of weight, which doesn't do much for your true leg strength or size. It just puts a ton of stress on your knees and joints. Slow and proper squats will hit you twice as hard at half the weight.

[WhoDunIt]

Thanks for the input hyooge, I'll have to try that when I get back into the gym and lift.

[hyooge]

Sounds good! You'll find that these three movements will dramatically increase your strength for sprinting and ascending on a bicycle.

There is a downside though. All that extra muscle mass really slows you down. I routinely compete - and routinely lose - speed competitions. There's a reason why the good cyclists are all pretty svelte. But in a positive light, I'd say that I look the far and away the best in spandex shorts out of everyone in my riding club!

[inflated]

I agree with the do more deadlifts motto

Bicycling is a great exercise and it is much more enjoyable if its not done on a stationary bike. Buy a good mountain bike because a cheap one will break easily, be difficult to fix and will not be an easy ride. I learned from experience because my bike could not handle any weight over 250 that's what the store claimed so no warrantees were valid when I---broke my chain, broke a pedal, and had cracks in the frame--Now I have a good mountain bike and it rides like a dream.

[WhoDunIt]

Hahaha, I have no plans on wearing spandex anytime soon, but I seem to be able to come up with plenty of climbing power..... The bike is an old Pacific with front and rear suspension I bought at Toy's "R" Us on sale about 9 years ago. At the time it was a $250 bike that I was able to get for less than $100 becuase the box was crunched bad over the rear wheel. Over time I had to replace the rear wheel bearings and rim (one bad bearing ball gouged the bearing race in the rim) and need to rotate the tires on it since the rear is looking a little bald from sliding to a stop on pavement way too many times Don't know what this bike is capable of carrying, but it took my previous 300+ lbs well when I bought it and has taken to my current 400lbs suprisingly well too. What's suprised me is that the rear coilover still takes some effort to bottom out even with me and my riding gear on it! I'd love to buy a nicer one, but this one does work nicely for me so long as I'm not too lazy to ride it.