First target hit!!!

guilliano
guilliano Posts: 5,495
edited May 2009 in Road beginners
When I bought my bike a few weeks back I set myself a target of riding from home to work (approx 13-14 miles) in 40 mins. This was based on my MTB time of 55 mins and a first ride on the road bike of 44 mins when I collected it. This morning I rode to work in a touch over 38 mins without really going for it! So chuffed with myself. The 30-40 mile rides I've been doing are starting to pay off in time, now I just need to start seeing the evidence on my waistline
http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/

Comments

  • Mettan
    Mettan Posts: 2,103
    Sounds good :)
  • Barkiesnake
    Barkiesnake Posts: 244
    Guilliano, it will come.
    I have dropped 3 stone in 8 months just through commuting daily with longer rides on Thursday nights and once a month on weekends.
    It takes time but is well worth the effort.
    :D
    "If you think you can, or if you think you can't, your right" Henry Ford
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    You probably need to take additional actions to reduce your waist. Sitting on a bike doesn't make much difference to that area so altho your fitness and stamina will show a marked improvement, your spare tyre won't show much change. I speak from experience... :)

    Well done on the improvement - the number of riders on here who wonder whether to use a MTB or a road bike and then discover the difference a decent road bike makes, is quite high.
  • dodgy
    dodgy Posts: 2,890
    ChrisInBicester wrote:
    You probably need to take additional actions to reduce your waist. Sitting on a bike doesn't make much difference to that area so altho your fitness and stamina will show a marked improvement, your spare tyre won't show much change. I speak from experience... :)

    Not my experience. At all.
  • Bikerbaboon
    Bikerbaboon Posts: 1,017
    ChrisInBicester wrote:
    You probably need to take additional actions to reduce your waist. Sitting on a bike doesn't make much difference to that area so altho your fitness and stamina will show a marked improvement, your spare tyre won't show much change. I speak from experience... :)

    Well done on the improvement - the number of riders on here who wonder whether to use a MTB or a road bike and then discover the difference a decent road bike makes, is quite high.



    Eh More out than in and you you will lose fat. You may not overly tone any area other than your legs and arms but your love handles will go.
    Nothing in life can not be improved with either monkeys, pirates or ninjas
    456
  • bompington
    bompington Posts: 7,674
    I know for a fact that I can burn over 1000 calories on my (20 mile, hilly) commute.
    And that I then feel justified in eating an extra 1500 to compensate.
  • fuzzynavel
    fuzzynavel Posts: 718
    dodgy wrote:
    ChrisInBicester wrote:
    You probably need to take additional actions to reduce your waist. Sitting on a bike doesn't make much difference to that area so altho your fitness and stamina will show a marked improvement, your spare tyre won't show much change. I speak from experience... :)

    Not my experience. At all.

    I agree, Once the legs are toned then the energy for a long tempo ride has to come from somewhere.....Also as someone else said...if you expend more energy than you take on then the fat will go.
    17 Stone down to 12.5 now raring to get back on the bike!
  • HonestAl
    HonestAl Posts: 406
    whether you lose the inches or not is pretty much a simple balance of what you take in versus what you burn. I know from long and, at times, bitter experience :) But my recent biking fun is helping keep them at bay!

    Anyhoo, great work on the time achievement, they're good those Giant bikes aren't they? :)
    "The only absolute statement is that everything is relative" - anon
  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    36 mins today! And that was the return leg which is slightly more uphill.

    Is it just me or do we all start to sweat more when we stop than when we are riding?
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • Marcosplace
    Marcosplace Posts: 103
    I do a hilly 17miles between Seaham and Hartlepool (18 MILES) in 60 mins on average. I do this a couple of times week as a commute - 36 miles round trip. I have lost weight since the start of the year.

    Love my Giant TCR Advanecd - had it 4 weeks now and its part of the family.... :lol:
    http://www.jacksbikes.com/contents/medi ... posite.jpg


    My bike
  • ForumNewbie
    ForumNewbie Posts: 1,664
    guilliano wrote:
    36 mins today! And that was the return leg which is slightly more uphill.

    Is it just me or do we all start to sweat more when we stop than when we are riding?
    Are you sure about the distance? If you are doing 13 miles in 36 minutes, that is the equivalent of 27.6 minutes for a 10 mile time trial, or an average speed of 21.6 mph, which seems incredibly fast for a commute of that distance. As your route was slightly uphill that makes it even more impressive. Does your 13 mile commute have no traffic lights, cars or other hazards to negotiate and slow you down?

    Maybe it's just because I am so slow, but I really find it incredible that people can do that sort of average speed for a slightly uphill commute.
  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    The vast majority of the ride is a single A road with no roundabouts or junctions of any sort, and I pushed hard in the big ring most of the way (changed down for the last climb)
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • amaferanga
    amaferanga Posts: 6,789
    Tail wind? :wink:
    More problems but still living....
  • guilliano
    guilliano Posts: 5,495
    Slight headwind actually. Was probably helped by the fact that I never had to unclip and stop at any roundabouts
    http://www.flickr.com/photos/guilliano/
  • jonmack
    jonmack Posts: 522
    ForumNewbie wrote:
    guilliano wrote:
    36 mins today! And that was the return leg which is slightly more uphill.

    Is it just me or do we all start to sweat more when we stop than when we are riding?
    Are you sure about the distance? If you are doing 13 miles in 36 minutes, that is the equivalent of 27.6 minutes for a 10 mile time trial, or an average speed of 21.6 mph, which seems incredibly fast for a commute of that distance. As your route was slightly uphill that makes it even more impressive. Does your 13 mile commute have no traffic lights, cars or other hazards to negotiate and slow you down?

    Maybe it's just because I am so slow, but I really find it incredible that people can do that sort of average speed for a slightly uphill commute.

    Doesn't sound that abnormal to me and I've only been riding a week, currently averaging between 17.5 and 21mph on my short rides, which vary between 17.4 and 30 miles. I'm not denying that to cut off 8 minutes in a few weeks is impressive, but if it's the return leg, you know you can push as hard as you possibly can, and you'll be able to chill when you get home, so it seems very achievable.
  • mask of sanity
    mask of sanity Posts: 610
    guilliano wrote:
    Is it just me or do we all start to sweat more when we stop than when we are riding?

    It's not that you're sweating more, just that your body has cooled down slightly so it evaporates a lot less quickly, giving the impression that you are sweating more.
  • thomasali
    thomasali Posts: 179
    When you are riding you experience a degree of air conditioning! When you stop you feel like you are baking because that still air isnt drawing the heat away as nicely as when you are flying along at 20+mph.
    http://www.last.fm/user/bobfossil
  • MAXTHEDOG
    MAXTHEDOG Posts: 29
    Guilliano,I'm jealous! Wish I could those kind of averages.No chance in a million years with all the hills round me.I'm sure they're doing me good somehow though. :)

    Thomasali's right.When you're moving the sweat is been evaporated away,when you stop you see how much you're really working.Also, hence the need for a biiiiiiiig fan when using a turbo.

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