Forums >Cross Training>Injured Runner trying to Bike
I've had some issues this summer and can't run long right now, so on the weekends i'm trying to do some cycling to get a nice aerobic workout in. I have no experience, and i don't have money, sooooooo not ideal, but i'm using my daughter's bike (it's a little small but not horrible) and trying to ride about an hour hard to replicate how i feel when i get a good tempo run in. We live in a really hilly area, so i can do some loops around my house and uphill i feel like i get some good work in, but then there is so much coasting time downhill, so i don't feel like i'm having to work to hard, there are just to many breaks
so this morning i drove to a local gravel trail that is very flat so i could just pedal hard for an hour, it might be a bike issue, but her gears only go up to a 6 (i don't know if bike gears are standard or what but i remember in high school my bike went to ten gears) and even then on a six i didn't feel like i was pedaling hard. after 50 minutes i was ready to be done but i didn't feel like i was working hard. I couldn't seem to get my heart rate up or increase my breathing rate at all. My glutes are bruised for sure, she has a terrible seat
i don't think that cycling is going to become the new love of my life but any tips for making it more effective in the short term??
My first bike rides of the season are always arduous, but I get into "bike shape" much faster than running shape. It only takes 3-4 10+ mile rides for me to feel pretty strong cycling. Keep it up, you'll see.
Setting the seat height correctly is a big deal; no, you do not want to set it so you can stand on it with your feet on the ground. Bikes are for riding, not standing over while stopped. Look online for tips on seat height. My knees are nearly straight and my toes pointed down a bit at maximum stroke depth, which is slightly deeper than most cyclists, but as a runner I find it more comfortable. Of course, I'm using clipless pedals so I can pull as well as push. If you're just using flat pedals the best height might be lower.
60-64 age group - University of Oregon alumni - Irreverent and Annoying
Before I splurged on a road bike I rode around on my Target Eddie Bauer hybrid. It had limited gears. It gave an ok workout, although admittedly I really started to enjoy riding when I got the road bike. You can go so much faster! You can spin at a higher cadence. On the hybrid I was always mashing the pedals so it didn't really simulate running very well.
My advice is to adjust your seat height correctly. You can always go to the local bike shop and get a better fit or look at some youtube videos to help out. Some rules of thumb - If the seat is too high you will feel it in your hamstrings. If the seat is too low you might get quad pain.
Biking is much different from running. I cannot get my heart rate up to the levels I do while running unless I am *really* pushing like up hills and stuff. The fatigue it causes is mostly due to duration. You have to bike for longer to get a workout equivalent to running. Give it a chance before giving up on it. It might be worth it to invest in a used road or mountain bike. It is a tool you can turn to any time you have to limit your running.
"Shut up Legs!" Jens Voigt
okay, so this is interesting, i had thought that biking for the same length of time would be the equivalent of running, so an hour run equals an hour on the bike....but this isn't so?? that makes sense with how i felt today, i wasn't starting to even feel engaged til almost the end of the ride
and i'll look up some videos about seat height, i really am a novice, i have no idea!! i'm pretty sure i couldn't straighten my leg though this morning when i was coasting...
runktrun
Good advice already, and I feel the same way on the bike.
In addition to seat height, see if you can slide it forwards/backwards and tilt it. That may help with the bike frame itself not fitting you perfectly.
You could try to borrow a road bike.
Not running for my health, but in spite of it.
It really depends on the type of workout. The only time cardio wise I can compare the two is at racing or hard interval training efforts. A 60 min criterium race brings my heart rate at my 5k running race pace. The cool thing about cycling is that when I’m riding a lot, say 150-200 miles per week, I can run races up to 10 miles with no training plan. Sadly I don’t have that kind of time anymore, 15-20 hrs per week. Generally for me a 2 hr endurance ride gives me the same training stress as a 1 hr run.
And definitely fix your seat height.😊
okay, so this is interesting, i had thought that biking for the same length of time would be the equivalent of running, so an hour run equals an hour on the bike....but this isn't so?? that makes sense with how i felt today, i wasn't starting to even feel engaged til almost the end of the ride and i'll look up some videos about seat height, i really am a novice, i have no idea!! i'm pretty sure i couldn't straighten my leg though this morning when i was coasting...
Est. 2006
Village people
It takes me a bit to get used to the seat if I haven’t been riding for awhile.That will get better.
I enjoy biking but it was never able to replace running for me. DH goes out for hours and loves it and it has basically replaced running for him. The road scares me and I am not very nimble?
Make sure you have a good fit and maybe look for a more challenging route.
It seems like it's at least double if not triple the time to get the same workout as running, at least when mountain biking, which is the only cycling I do. Road bikes might be 4x time commitment.
Still kicking
Call me crazy, but I bought a spin bike, put it in front of my big screen smart TV, and got a pedestal fan to blow on me. I got a good quality bike seat to replace the crappy seat it came with. I got it set up identical to my road bike, and I LOVE IT!!! The quality of the workout is completely up to your drive and determination, and I kill myself on mine. I used to be a 50-70 hard core mpw runner, but old arthritic knees/SF/PF and torn meniscus, has knocked me down to a 20 easy mpw runner... but with the bike mileage (200-300 mpw) I'm racing well, and still win my age group at everything I enter. Be forewarned... once you get your bike legs going, you're only swimming away from becoming a triathlete. I drank the cool aide, and having a blast!
I'm also on Athlinks and Strava
When I used to bike, a running coworker and I decided that one mile of running equals six miles of biking. I can't remember our algorithm but two people in agreement can never be wrong. Anyways, it definitely takes much longer to get a workout on a bike and I've done plenty of both at this point.
That said, it sounds like you daughter's bike is set up to for easy riding in terms of gearing. There are no industry standards. You might want to look for a cheap bike on craigslist if you're in the US, or its equivalent elsewhere. You could probably find something good for the price of the pair of running shoes you'd be wearing out if you were running.
https://philadelphia.craigslist.org/bik/d/philadelphia-vintage-mid-80s-giant/6943788388.html
Wow, I'm dorking out on the Philly area craigslist. In your shoes, I'd be riding that gravel trail on this little number.
I always find it interesting that most cyclists think their bikes hold their full retail value, and try to sell 1-4 year old higher quality bikes for the same price they were new, yet after 5 years the prices plummet to near Goodwill price for most of those bikes. And also that they need to have a new bike every 6-10 months. If they're in such a hurry to sell it, why do they think it's worth so much to other people?
The technology and manufacturing quality has not changed much in the last 30 years (gear shifting aside), so a top of the line 2000 bike is still going to be very close to a top of the line bike 2019 bike regarding performance. I have a 1998 Specialized FSR that over the years I built with lightweight components to be under 23lbs; try finding a full suspension mt bike NOW that weighs so little and handles so well. And I think my bike might be worth $100-200 on Craigslist...
The last time i was injured and unable to run i did try to buy a stationary bike and set it up in my basement, and i think i used it three times. I hated it. cycling outside at least gets me out in the fresh air and moving, i find i can tolerate it a lot better and will actually use it
good info on how many miles i need to do on the bike vs running, I really didn't know that it would take so much more time on the bike to replicate a good hard run. Thanks for that, it definitely helps keep my expectations in check
it seems as if i'll be running "back to normal" within a month or so, so not sure i want to buy a bike for myself, although i could probably convince myself to buy a better bike for my daughter she's actually my height and still growing, so if her bike is to small for me it's to small for her ... that's something to think about
thanks so much!
rectumdamnnearkilledem
Get a bike and start looking a duathlons!
/enabler
Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to
remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.
~ Sarah Kay
SMART Approach
Firstly, get comfortable on your bike. I am with you about lower HR on bike. I can't get to 60% of max if working on comfortable steady pace. This is what I do to enhance the work out. I generally bike 30-45 min. First half I go out at steady pace. Generally out and back. On 2nd half it is intervals. I kind of like it beacause you can go all out (can't do this with running). I simply keep tension gear stable or increase tension by one gear on intervals and then peddle as fast as I possibly can for as long as possible. It will likely be less than 30 seconds before you are fatigued out. Then pedal easy for next 60 sec to 2-3 min and repeat. Finish bike ride this way and you will feel better about your work out at end.
Run Coach. Recovery Coach. Founder of SMART Approach Training, Coaching & Recovery
Structured Marathon Adaptive Recovery Training
Safe Muscle Activation Recovery Technique
www.smartapproachtraining.com