Best way to use excersise bikes?

Bhima

Instead of getting a turbo trainer, i've started using the excersise bikes down the gym. I want to increase my power on the bike so I can go faster for longer. However, i'm a bit unsure as to what the best way of doing this would be on an excersise bike.

Using a metronome in my earphones for a good cadence pace, here's four things i've tried :

Method 1:
Slowly increase the bike's resistance setting over half an hour, trying to keep the same cadence throughout so it gets increasingly more difficult.

Method 2:
Keep at the same resistance level and cadence for 2 minutes, followed by an increase in resistance for 2 minutes. Repeat.

Method 3:
Find a resistance setting which is the most realistic for most road conditions and try and keep a solid cadence for as long as possible.

Method 4:
Disregarding cadence, keep the resistance very high and alternate between sitting down and standing up every 30 seconds.

Which of these would work best? I see advantages with each method but, if one is far more superior for building up strength than the others, i'd rather focus on that one particular method.

I totally killed it in the gym yesterday with all four methods for about 3 hours and was starting to get frustrated because my legs weren't in as much pain as I thought they'd be for some reason. I was out of breath a lot more though and it's only today that my legs feel really tight - it's like there's something about going out on a REAL bike which seems to make a big difference to the workout...?

singlespeedexplosif

the best way to get any meaningful exercise from an exercise bike is to lift it off the ground and place it in a skip.

venster

Why do you say that?

I've just bought one for I can't get out on my bike. I previously had a turbo and found this extremely boring..at least with the one I bought it has variable programs etc and doesnt look odd in the conservatory.

It's better than no exercise at all....

(I know the op was asking a different question)

robmanic1

I don't think increasing power will help you go faster for longer, an increase in power will, I think, help with short bursts of speed (sprints), hence why the likes of Sir Chris have thighs of oak. I reckon you need to focus on increasing your lactate threshold but there are far cleverer folk on this forum who will advise you.

Bronzie

Bhima wrote:

I want to increase my power on the bike so I can go faster for longer.

Have a look at the various 2x20 threads in this section - this is a very simple workout for increasing your threshold power that can be done on an excercise bike, turbo trainer (and even on the road with a bit of trial and error). It's near enough your "Method 3" FWIW.

mclarent

I do "method 3" quite often on the spin bikes in the gym, but use HR zones instead of trying to guesstimate rolling resistance (no chance of me doing that!!)

Infamous

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

the best way to get any meaningful exercise from an exercise bike is to lift it off the ground and place it in a skip.

Make sure you keep your back straight and lift with your knees, to really target those quads.

Bhima

Aha! So power is only useful for sprints then? Riiiight, I get it now! I assumed it would help with increasing your endurance threshold too but a bit of searching on here has just straightened that out for me...

Bronzie wrote:

Bhima wrote:

I want to increase my power on the bike so I can go faster for longer.

Have a look at the various 2x20 threads in this section

I'll have a look now, thanks!

Bronzie

Bhima wrote:

Aha! So power is only useful for sprints then?

Not at all.

2x20's are training your "threshold power" - the sort of power output you can maintain for around 1 hour - therefore ideal for time trialling, but if I've interpretted your goal of "riding faster for longer" correctly*, it will require you to be able to output more power for the same exertion level and these sessions will help with that.

If you want to increase pure sprint power, you'll need to do shorter, higher intensity intervals than 20 minutes.

* - I guess it depends on how long your "longer" is - Chris Hoy trains with the same objective, but his "longer" is around 30 secs to 1 minute. I'm guessing you are talking >1 hour?

toontra

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

the best way to get any meaningful exercise from an exercise bike is to lift it off the ground and place it in a skip.

Absolute rubbish. I use a gym upright trainer for power intervals 3 times a week and find it really useful if combined with road rides.

Bhima, do a search for power interval training (it's too complicated to go into here and it's been mentioned many times). If your gym machines show wattage output then you're away - if not you will have to work out what the levels equate to in terms of your FT.

Either way you will be able to have a really productive 1-hour work-out which will be worth a 3-4 hour unstructured road ride.

coulcher

Bhima,

I use training DVDs I've ripped to my ipod on exercise bikes. Gives you a structured work-out. Have a look at the DVD training thread.

Depending on the gym bike it may or may not have watts, cadence and HR. Even one with little more than a manual resistance knob is good if used with a HR monitor while following a DVD programme although you have to estimate cadence if the programme requires it.

I love cycling in the mountains and I've found this great for improving power and lactate threshold for climbing.

Dan

RichardFcp

singlespeedexplosif wrote:

the best way to get any meaningful exercise from an exercise bike is to lift it off the ground and place it in a skip.

Sorry, but I would also agree this is a bit harsh. Not all of us live in areas where you can get out of the front door and on to nice roads to ride. I live and work in central London so I am limited to weekend riding on the road as I am not going to go out and play in the week day traffic with the trucks, buses and taxis, never mind the kamikazi motorbike messengers. Last year I rode the Vatterrundan at the beginning of June and two weeks later the three day LondresParis ride. Most of my training had to be done at the local David Lloyd on their static bikes mixed in with spinning classes. Far from ideal but I made it work.

Toonraid

Problem with gym bikes is that the geomery is all wrong, i found this out the hard way after a hard session on the stationary bike gave me bad back so I gave it away and got a trainer instead - its not a good idea to train on different geometries as your body gets used to one then when you switch bikes late season when you start your power sessions you might experience bad back or other problems. Having said that I have had lower back problems for some years and therefore am more prone to injury - you may not have such problems.

If trainer is not an option why not try regents park loop - its safe and not too far from central london.

Bhima

Toonraid wrote:

Problem with gym bikes is that the geomery is all wrong,

The ones at my gym can be adjusted quite a lot. It depends on the type of bike used. I took a tape measure in with me to try and replicate my bike as much as possible and got very close!

Toonraid

The problem with most is the proximity of BB axis to saddle as unlike a proper bike the BB shell is not in-line with seat tube which makes it hard to get your kops right - that was my problem with the gym bike I had.

The Jack

I sense a somewhat snobbish attitude towards gym bikes here...In my humble opinion any training is better than no training. If the weather outside is making cycling impossible (except for the complete nutters out there) you could do much, much worse than pedalling on your gym bike.

Toonraid

In case you didn't know 1/3 of cyclists are Snobbish, 1/3 are nutters and the other 1/3 are Freds!

Seriously though train on what you like - I just passed on my experience on gym bikes and don't think its snobbish to train on an old hack on rollers!

liversedge

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/kops.html

I have used a hym bike extensively in the past. Regardless of accuracy of the power reading and dodgy geometry you still force beneficial adaptations when you sit on them and pedal for an extended period of time!

I trained 5 days a week on one whilst working away from home and there are some positives;

1. ventilation in gyms is crap - you will become accustomed to high temperatures whilst riding - which is quite handy if you're planning a summer sportive in france.

2. They are computerised - so consistently tell you what resistance levels/power and heart rate you are wrking at, enabling you to track progress.

3. you always have music and company or even a tv or at lest some fit people to eye up ;-)