Leg Muscle

How hard are your workouts on the spinning bike? Your probably at the point where any exercise is good exercise for weight loss but your not getting much benefit out of it in real terms. Get Trainer Road or similar and follow a training plan.

Most blokes first accumulate fat around the middle. That's where I noticed the losses when I shed 18 pounds by 5:2 eating. My legs stayed the same, but I noticed I was going up hills faster.

You sure you've lost it from your quads? Do you have before and after measurements? Just how much extra weight were you carrying and how much have you lost? Have you been restricting what you eat too much? I'm just turned 60 and I'm aware that I no longer have the muscle mass I used to, and I'm consciously trying to include plenty of protein and fat in my diet.

Your mention of being barely able to turn the pedals makes it sound like you might have gone out too fast and not been eating enough on the ride.

My personal preference is to do as much on the road as I possibly can, work and family commitments permitting. I just know I'd find a turbo or a spin bike too boring, and I'd find excuses not to do it. I ride all year round, 2-4 times a week, in all but the very worst of the weather. From October through to April that means a couple of night rides; decent lights and reflectives, sensible kit choices, and mudguards. If anything I get a better workout in the winter.

keef66 wrote:

My personal preference is to do as much on the road as I possibly can, work and family commitments permitting. I just know I'd find a turbo or a spin bike too boring, and I'd find excuses not to do it. I ride all year round, 2-4 times a week, in all but the very worst of the weather. From October through to April that means a couple of night rides; decent lights and reflectives, sensible kit choices, and mudguards. If anything I get a better workout in the winter.

100% agree with this.
I manage a weekly minimum of 1 evening ride and a couple of hours at the weekend.

I'd say get out on the trails and only use the spin bike when that's not possible.
Riding the trails is the point, after all. On top of that you must use a lot more muscles on an actual bike.

If you're only practising for 45-50 mins, it's not surprising you get knackered after an hour.

My biggest problem is not being able to stand up on the pedals for more than what feels like 10-30 secs at a time before needing to sit back down again. I can pedal for ages in comparison.

Try to cross train as well.

I have found that since I started to run again, my cycling fitness has improved. I also find that when time is at a premium is it 'better' to go for a run rather than cycle to burn calories in a restricted time.

If you feel your legs are not as strong as they were try some strength exercises such as squats.

I'm no personal trainer, this is just what seems to have worked for me.

Agree with others that say if you're training yourself for an hour, then you've developed fitness and endurance for an hours activity.

If you were a runner (where I have more experience), you'd do 2-4 sessions in the week which were less than an hour, some of which might be hard efforts, some recovery, and then generally 1 or 2 longer runs at a very easy effort. The long runs develop endurance, the short runs can develop some speed, the combination means you can go at a decent click for longer.

Same I would expect to apply on a bike. Get out for 2-4 hour rides at the weekend with the spinning stuff and you'll definitely find you develop the endurance to match the short-endurance fitness that you've undoubtedly improved.