Static bike question

[Ajax Bay]

But surely spinning can only be achieved by doing at at a low resistance rate? How can you spin if the pedals can't go round fast enough?

"Can't" means "haven't yet done" (as my late father was wont to say). Push harder on the pedals at a 'spinning' cadence (eg 85rpm+). This will require the rider to produce higher power than spinning "at a low resistance rate". The rider may not be capable of achieving that power level without improving their fitness level.

 

[Venod]

But surely spinning can only be achieved by doing at at a low resistance rate? How can you spin if the pedals can't go round fast enough?

See Ajax Bays answer above, your not trying hard enough.

 

[nickAKA]

He doesn’t actually ride any miles on the Smart trainer either however If he lives in Spain, why doesn’t he ride outside?

Any progress towards the next step yet?

Point taken re. the distance...

As regards the next step, I surmise it's a number of factors holding him back:

1. Worry. Fear. He's a similar age to me and probably hasn't ridden a bike for over 30 years and worries about the roads & other road users (the roads are actually brilliant, the drivers are more used to recreational cyclists & are generally much better than some of the numpties around Manchester)
2. Self-consciousness. Sort of ties into point one, but he's pretty heavy and I don't think he fancies mixing it with the local, tanned, slender cycling clubs on their Sunday rides into the mountains.
3. The terrain. He lives 'up in the campo' so you're either going up at 5-20% or down fast. It daunted me initially tbf but I love it now, having done it.

All that said there's a cracking cycle track on the promenade which is flat & stretches out for miles & miles of flat, traffic-free, great weather riding, but no amount of persuasion has worked thus far.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Right. I haven't been on the bike(s) tonight,i went on a cross trainer and the rowing machine instead. I did one hour on the cross trainer and like the bikes i used maximum resistance,which is level 25. like the bikes i find it better to go slower but push harder. I suppose some will say i'm not trying hard enough but my heart rate was at 120 bpm for an hour. I know this because i borrowed someone's heart rate monitor. I hardly broke sweat,in fact i only took mt track top off nearing the end of the hour. Others using the cross trainers were sweating like billyo. My average watts output for this according to the screen was 178.

 

[nickAKA]

Right. I haven't been on the bike(s) tonight,i went on a cross trainer and the rowing machine instead. I did one hour on the cross trainer and like the bikes i used maximum resistance,which is level 25. like the bikes i find it better to go slower but push harder. I suppose some will say i'm not trying hard enough but my heart rate was at 120 bpm for an hour. I know this because i borrowed someone's heart rate monitor. I hardly broke sweat,in fact i only took mt track top off nearing the end of the hour. Others using the cross trainers were sweating like billyo. My average watts output for this according to the screen was 178.

If I averaged 178 watts for an hour on the bike I would expect my average heart rate to be 145+ and to be sweating pretty heavily, based on an FTP of 237 & a weight of 71kg (which is absolutely bang average according to Strava stats).
No idea how the bike compares to the cross trainer but work is work, watts are watts...

 

[AndyRM]

This edition of you gym based fantasies is off to a good start. Chapeau @Accy cyclist.

 

[Dave 123]

Who needs a class to spin pedals i ask? Do you need lessons in this latest fad of spinning? To sit on a static bike and pedal like crazy while producing a bucket of sweat and in my case making my knees feel like they're going to dislocate just does not appeal. I tend to get your question directed at me quite a lot. Usually from females. I mention cycling and they'll say " Have you tried spinning"?

Spin is great fun. I love my Monday night session.

 

[Accy cyclist]

This edition of you gym based fantasies is off to a good start. Chapeau @Accy cyclist.

Aw sounds like you're a 'wee bit' jealous of my fitness levels. Especially as i'm what,20 years older than you? Normal to many,but fantasy to you. Never mind,you'll get there one day.

 

[Accy cyclist]

If I averaged 178 watts for an hour on the bike I would expect my average heart rate to be 145+ and to be sweating pretty heavily, based on an FTP of 237 & a weight of 71kg (which is absolutely bang average according to Strava stats).
No idea how the bike compares to the cross trainer but work is work, watts are watts...

I couldn't maintain 178 watts on a bike! It was the cross trainer where i reached 178. Honestly,they aren't that difficult to use. I don't use the back and forth hand things most of the time due to my muscle loss on my chest. I either balance hands free or use the hand grips. I'm the only one in there i've seen standing on the pedals of the bikes. Maybe others should try it as it gives you much more power. I know someone started a thread on CC a few weeks ago saying they couldn't stand/balance on the pedals of their bike. I couldn't maintain half an hour of standing on the pedals on a real bike as the change in gradient and the need to stop at junctions means you have to sit in the saddle every now and then,but balance isn't needed nearly as much on a static bike so....

 

[AndyRM]

Aw sounds like you're a 'wee bit' jealous of my fitness levels. Especially as i'm what,20 years older than you? Normal to many,but fantasy to you. Never mind,you'll get there one day.

Maybe, if I'm lucky.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Spin is great fun. I love my Monday night session.

Like i said earlier,it's not for me,but if you get some benefit from it and you enjoy it then that's good! Some say that grinding or a low cadence puts too much pressure on your joints,but i find when i spin(or try to) my left knee starts clicking and i feel like my legs are running away with themselves.

 

[Accy cyclist]

Maybe, if I'm lucky.

That's the spirit!

 

[vickster]

Hope you're keeping your feet flat on the crosstrainer and not cheating by lifting your heels

Spin classes don't just involve spinning high RPM, there's plenty time spent at high resistance, out of the saddle and so on (if included in your membership, why not give it a go?)

 

[Accy cyclist]

Hope you're keeping your feet flat on the crosstrainer and not cheating by lifting your heels

Spin classes don't just involve spinning high RPM, there's plenty time spent at high resistance, out of the saddle and so on (if included in your membership, why not give it a go?)

Cheating by lifting my heels? I've tried that and it's more difficult than keeping the feet flat i'd say. They don't have spinning sessions where i go. They have them up the road in the private gym,but i think they're accompanied by that horrendous thud thud music. I'm thinking that many who attend these spinning groups/classes don't actually ride bikes,maybe haven't ridden one since their childhood.

 

[vickster]

Cheating by lifting my heels? I've tried that and it's more difficult than keeping the feet flat i'd say. They don't have spinning sessions where i go. They have them up the road in the private gym,but i think they're accompanied by that horrendous thud thud music. I'm thinking that many who attend these spinning groups/classes don't actually ride bikes,maybe haven't ridden one since their childhood.

So what. It's an exercise class not a cycling group Similarly, people who do boxercise or similar will never have been in a ring either