How many of you cycle?

[lolly]

Hi

I have just started to cycle again, well actually started this morning.

I was awake by 6:10am and on the road by 6:35, took a lil long to get ready today.

distance 12.38kms
ridetime 00:49:46

Hopefully with time i'll be able to go further in less time

I don't like to eat so early but it was not a good idea not eat first. Can anyone recommond a health shake or something similar i could before each ride.

Here's to getting fit this year

[Roadbiker]

I'm definitely into cycling (see my username ). I don't do so well on early morning rides, so I usually ride in the afternoon. For pre-ride nutrition, I go for either a PowerBar type of thing or a gel. If you want to use the gels, try a number of them to find which one you like. I found that some of them just don't taste that good. My fav is the GU Vanilla gel, it has very little aftertaste, and it hits the bloodstream quickly.

Best of luck with your fitness goals.

[Andrew Michaels]

Originally Posted by lolly

I don't like to eat so early but it was not a good idea not eat first. Can anyone recommond a health shake or something similar i could before each ride.

I never eat before I run first thing in the morning. I find it gives me cramps.

If I'm running a little later though, and I know I'll have time to digest, I always eat either easily digested fruits (bananas, melons, etc), or fruit smoothies, as I find they leave your stomach quickly, or at least they don't cause much trouble while they're in there doing their thing.

[bylto]

I love cycling. I do more of it in the summer though. Don't worry Lolly your fitness will definitely improve with time. I find that running brings fitness levels up faster but I enjoy cycling more.

As far as a shake, it depends what your goals are. If you want to lose weight then a high sugar drink or bar like lucozade wouldn't be something you would want as these carbs would fuel your session and not the fat on your body. In this case drink plenty of water beforehand or a protein shake.

If you don't want to lose weight and are in it just for increased fitness, then you can go ahead and take some lucozade or a fruit smoothie or something like that.

[lolly]

Good to know there are some cyclist out there. Maybe we can use as thread for other cycliest or for those want to start.

1. Offer friendly advice
2. Give each other support
3. Ideas for cycling nutrion (sports)
4 Tips on where is best to ride in your area.
5. Keep track of your progress


What do all think? I hope just maybe we can keep this on the first page of the forum. I would love to see one of my thread being successful.

Feel free to add to this thread. I'll keep you all up to date on my progress becasue i plan to ride nearly everyday but must have at least one rest day. That probably be a friday.

[Jessica Adlin]

I love cycling, too. I am making a commitment to reduce my CO2 emissions (global warming and all) so am making a conscious effort to do errands, commute, etc. via bike. Sooo, I would love any tips on efficiently and effectively using biking as a primary mode of transportation..

Lolly, regarding your question regarding breakfast shakes and morning cycling, here's my two cents worth (being a nutritionist/exercise physiologist): I think it is really important to have something to eat within an hour of awakening in the morning, especially before a workout because, in essence, we have been "fasting" for 12 hours of so (hence the name breakfast for the first meal of the day). When we ask our bodies to exercise without having eaten for several hours, our bodies need to increase our blood glucose to supply fuel to the working muscles. The only way to do this, if we don't eat something, is for our bodies to produce cortisol, considered a "stress" hormone. Cortisol will successfully increase our blood glucose but at great expense to our bodies over the long haul. That said, I think the best breakfast is something that contains a balance of macronutrients (protein, carbohydrates, and a bit of healthy fat). A fruit smoothie with a bit of protein powder (I recommend whey) and a few nuts is a quick, easy-to-digest breakfast that should fuel you well through your ride. What I usually do is get up and eat breakfast and then get ready for my ride or whatever. That gives me a bit of time to digest. Just some food for thought!

Regardless of what you decide to eat for breakfast...good for you for cycling...I agree with some of the other posts...you will see your fitness level improve in no time at all...consistency is the key!

Glad to have this thread going...I look forward to supporting one another!

Seek health-

[pll]

Hi all,

I too am an avid cyclist. Actually, I describe myself as "A runner with a cycling problem" I haven't run regularly for years due to my schedule, but have incorporated a cycling workout into my commute time.

During the cycling season (for me roughly May-Sep) I bike to work 4 days a week.
Depending upon which route I take, the distance varies anywhere from 30mi/day to 50mi/day. During the winter it's back to the gym for a spinning class 3 days a week.

Glad to see other cyclists here too!

[jkmuller]

I really do like cycling, especially mountain biking. The real turn-off for me is biking along roads. The town where I go to school has terrible roads to begin with not to mention the total lack of a bike lane. I know that bikes and cars are supposed to share the road but biking so close to cars really makes me feel nervous. Alternatively, I've had some great experiences mountain biking in a park near my home.

[Mark Lapierre]

What do you recommend for someone who's considering getting into biking? I'd like to start riding to and from work, and also be able to ride along more scenic routes on weekends. I'm just planning on going to a bike store and asking the people who work there, but I'd like to know what you'd recommend? What kind of bike, and what kind of training (if any) would I require to be able to go from just doing daily yoga, to riding for around 40 minutes (each way) in city traffic?

[stacey]

I can't seem to walk or cycle for more than 5 minutes without my knees clicking and hurting. What should I do? I want to exercise on my bicycle or take a brisk walk, but I am limited to 5 minutes.

[technobeast]

Another cyclist here. I try to maintain my cycling the whole year, however it's difficult in the snow :-). But I still get a ride to work when the weather is not that bad (even when the temps come to minus 5-10 Celsius).

Originally Posted by stacey

I can't seem to walk or cycle for more than 5 minutes without my knees clicking and hurting. What should I do? I want to exercise on my bicycle or take a brisk walk, but I am limited to 5 minutes.

Why don't you try swimming at first? For a couple of months maybe. I've found it good to strengthen almost any physical weakness (almost :-) ). And then try cycling 5-10 minutes at low temps (your bike has speeds I guess - switch to the one that's most easy for you to rotate, and feel almost no pressure on your feet).

[lolly]

This thread is dropping.

if you have any tips please post them. There are some great site out there that can give great advise, so lets find them and help other newbies.

[ChefSalad]

On the clicking problem: Do you have your seat high enough? I've seen people have a hell of a time riding, then put their seat at the correct hight and have no problems at all. Your seat should come up to your waist as you stand flat-footed on the ground next to your upright bike. To most people (who aren't avid cyclists) this seems high at first but it's the best for your knees.

[Narz]

I cycle whenever I need to get somewhere.