What is the formula for time off bike and fitness levels?

STEFANOS4784

Whatever it is it aint fair. 3 weeks off the bike and feels like not ridden for months, spewed at the top of Dunkerton :oops:

Beware everyone, what a waste of time .

bobtbuilder

I've heard that for gym work it's 3 weeks to gain / 1 week to lose. Sounds about right to me.

rake

3x^2 +2l/8ab + guff factor= bu11shit+1

geoff_ss

I had an injury that put me off the bike for 3 months from early August and limited my riding considerably for a while afterwards. I rode early season 200km and 300km Audaxes the following Spring in an attempt to qualify for PBP but blew up spectacularly on the 400. I think I rode the the other events on the previous year's fitness which was quite high.

So I guess it depends how fit you are to start with and what your aims are after the break. I wouldn't think 3 weeks would have a huge effect if you were very fit initially.

It's been downhill since then

Geoff

nmcgann

I find 2 weeks is pretty deadly. A week is just about ok.

Neil

Splottboy

You'll get some flexibility back first - if you had any!
Then aerobic, heart lung fitness.
Followed by Strength, Power.
Last of all, your Skills.
It's because of the "Principles of Training", as part of the Reversability process.

It'll get there, just don't rush it. Time depends on how fit you were previously.

STEFANOS4784

rake wrote:

3x^2 +2l/8ab + guff factor= bu11shit+1

I have a similar one;

r + ake = tw@t


Luckily i'm a skinny blighter so still flexible but the lungs suffer the most and also thighs on hills, think that the 3 weeks off was spent downing copious amounts of booze probably didn't help ah well at least i got my bike working

squeeler

I've just had six weeks off and I've found that that my tights now fit oddly. They are the exact proportion looser on my thigh muscles that they are tighter around my gut.

STEFANOS4784

Mine are slightly looser round the tighs and also seem to offer less freedom of movement than i remember, they are quite cheap though...................

Gazzaputt

Been out 4 weeks due to Illness and being knocked off.

First rides last week and felt after a couple surprisingly good. I'd maintained around 300 miles per week this year and lost about 20lb in weight so fitness was good (imo!)

Average heart rate on a normal ride was about 135-140 and last week this had increased to 156 average.

solsurf

I've found that it can help, especially for high intensity sports like running and cycling, it forces you to give your self some recovery time from overtraining, remember you only get stronger during rest! And I think it can get you over training plataeus (well it has for me)

I'm sure you'll be flying again soon.

NWLondoner

I do NOT even want to think about how hard it is going to be when i get back on the saddle in New Year :shock: It was going so well up to September then it all went downhill rapidly.

Pork Sword

Our club has its usual share of mile-munchers (500mile + per week sometimes, commuting to work, extended club runs etc.) and those of us (me included) who manage what we can when we can.

Sometimes that's 200 miles a week in the Summer, down to 0 during periods of illness etc.
I've hardly touched the bike since June ,whlist most of my clubmates have been knocking out some serious mileage (entering events etc.)...I've found my performance matches most of these guys during recent club runs - even after this period of releative 'inactivity' - so perhaps you guys shouldn't worry too much about a lack of mileage.. .

Sure. your VO2 max will decrease, you'll lose a bit of leg strength and you'll gain a few pounds... but this is what you actually want at this time of the year - there's plenty of time to get 'fit' in the New Year!