Getting fit...
- Thread starter Indigo one
- Start date
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Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
Mine has more of a proper recumbent seat, which is bleddy lovely. You can also push back against it when riding uphill so you get more power in your pedals (being as how you can't stand up on the pedals, which is the big shock when you start riding them).
thecube
Senior Member
- Location
- Leiicestershire
I can see the logic to some extent (based on bike weight, not set-up), but the effort is not determined by the weight of the bike. And what is mostly likely to lead to someone wanting to keep fit over a long period of time is pleasure obtained from doing it in the first place. I would guess most cylists would want to plan a nice enjoyable varied route going as far as possible in a given time rather than putting in just as much effort to do a fraction of the distance. Unless it's winter and a quick spring up a local hill on a fully laden lead tubing beast might suffice!
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
It's quite a large fraction! - it ain't a tractor y'know!
I guess time can be a consideration - if you get a whippy little carbon cloud-weight you actually have to go further to get the same benefit.
thecube
Senior Member
- Location
- Leiicestershire
..........but going further is often a good thing.
Apollonius
Guru
- Location
- South Staffordshire
To quote the now so ironic book title "It's not about the Bike." It is about riding it. The km you put in will make you fit. You will do more of them on a nice light bike that is a pleasure to ride.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
A slightly heavier bike is not necessarily not a pleasure to ride, though what the OP is proposing does not sound comfortable. My 'bent is a real joy. It's 14.2kg btw.
Personally I don't think that's heavy, not light but not heavy. I suppose it depends if you're a carbon fibre junkie but I've one steel roadie at 10.5, one at 14, one at more than that and some in-between.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
That's interesting. I'm not a weight queen so I've not got into the whole carbon thing, but I've seen people talk about bikes being 7kg or something. I often have a bit of luggage too of course, and at 5'5" I'm not a big powerful person (except when swordfighting, obvs!) so I did think 14kg sounded a lot.
thecube
Senior Member
- Location
- Leiicestershire
Of course becoming obsessive about saving the odd gram here and there is a bit pointless, i'm not paying over 100 quid for a ultra-light bottle cage just to stick half kg of water in it!
Dogtrousers
Kilometre nibbler
While I was on holiday I had a go on a heavy bike with incorrect saddle height (actually it was just waaaay too small for me all round). It was a MTB that was in the shed where we were staying. It was heaps of fun but my quads were really hurting in an unfamiliar way after 10 miles of forest tracks. I don't think it did anything for my fitness either way but it made me happy.
Ganymede
Veteran
- Location
- Rural Kent
SatNavSaysStraightOn
Changed hemispheres!
- Location
- ɐᴉlɐɹʇsn∀ 'ɐɹɹǝquɐƆ
that's light.... my expedition bike (custom made so it fits) - aka an off-road touring bike, comes in around the 22kg mark apparently!
now I know a couple of rides on that laden with camping kit and when I get back to my road bike (or mountain bike) I set PB's all round for the next few weeks... but it is also very clear to me that the expedition bike uses a slightly different muscle set to my road bike, but is much the same as my mountain bike (after all it is based on a mtb design)...
I own a proper 28" traditional gents roadster. It must weigh in at ~50lb and is built like a tank.
I've quite happily rode a lot of the same routes on it that I have done on my roadbikes. Yes, it takes longer, yes you are conscious of the extra weight on the hills, I have lowered the gearing but still occasionally have to walk the odd hill but I always enjoy doing it. Speed isn't everything.
I've quite happily rode a lot of the same routes on it that I have done on my roadbikes. Yes, it takes longer, yes you are conscious of the extra weight on the hills, I have lowered the gearing but still occasionally have to walk the odd hill but I always enjoy doing it. Speed isn't everything.
OP
OP
Indigo one
Regular
I wonder if @Indigo one has found any of this blether remotely useful?
Actually yes...
I currently ride a self built mtb on road tyres primarily for riding with the kids (5&9) and have the saddle low due to constant stop start...and I have a short stem so its a more upright stance for better long distane view while riding for 3.
The low saddle and additional drag is very aparent but its probably the best leg workout I ever had...and I must say the 5 or 6 miles a day with the kids leaves me tired but happy...like my Raleigh chopper did.
I will keep an eye out for any skeletal niggles though as at 45 I'm not quite the 10 yr old I was...
