Beginner - Q on distances ect.

DAC

Hi,
I've "transferred" across from jogging to cycling (road) as my preferred method of keeping fit. I've a few Q's for the experinced cyclists among you
Typically how far or how long would be a typical spin be - I'm thinking somewhere about 40Km & circa 1.5Hrs? a few times a week- this is for someone who wants to keep reasonably fit without competing.
I also have a turbo trainer for the bike so I could use that for 3/4 hr a few times a week as well.
One thing I noticed is that my upper body & feet are quiet cold after cycling - compared to jogging - so I need to get proper clothing for this time of year - I presume fleece lined tops & covers for the shoes?

Raam

DAC wrote: »

One thing I noticed is that my upper body & feet are quiet cold after cycling - compared to jogging - so I need to get proper clothing for this time of year - I presume fleece lined tops & covers for the shoes?

You want windproof stuff. The windchill factor is increased when going faster.
For the shoes, you can get neoprene overshoes...good for the rain and cold weather.

trinewbie

cheap overshoes - I have a pair and they are grand, no more numb toes.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=9275


Look for a top that breathable, waterproof/resistant and reasonably lighweight.

blorg

I have BBB overshoes which are pretty good- you can get them in any local bike shop. €23 for the waterproof ones I have in Joe Daly's Dundrum; they also have thicker warmer-looking ones for €30.

It can be a good idea to layer; the amount of coverage you want climbing up a hill is likely to be less than you will want coming back down.

rubadub

I have a balaclava & good gloves. For my body I need nothing much, a long sleeve t-shirt keeps me warm enough, it is an incentive to keep the pace up.

Manys peoples idea of "fit", means no having a beer belly, in which case if you were to exercise 3 times a week for 30-60mins then lifting heavy wieghts will usually beat any other activity for fat loss (not necessarily weight loss).

blorg

rubadub wrote: »

Manys peoples idea of "fit", means no having a beer belly, in which case if you were to exercise 3 times a week for 30-60mins then lifting heavy wieghts will usually beat any other activity for fat loss (not necessarily weight loss).

Jogging can also be good

doozerie

DAC wrote: »

Hi,
I've "transferred" across from jogging to cycling (road) as my preferred method of keeping fit. I've a few Q's for the experinced cyclists among you
Typically how far or how long would be a typical spin be - I'm thinking somewhere about 40Km & circa 1.5Hrs? a few times a week- this is for someone who wants to keep reasonably fit without competing.
I also have a turbo trainer for the bike so I could use that for 3/4 hr a few times a week as well.
One thing I noticed is that my upper body & feet are quiet cold after cycling - compared to jogging - so I need to get proper clothing for this time of year - I presume fleece lined tops & covers for the shoes?

It depends entirely on what level of fitness you want to maintain. What you describe above seem like quite a lot to me, but "reasonably fit" to you might be "extremely fit" to me for example (I don't race, so what I consider to be a reasonable level of training will be significantly less than a racing rider).

There are lots of good books, and websites, out there that'll give you a good idea of what to aim for. Try www.bikeradar.com for one (usually) decent site. As a very rough guide though, you could start off with 50km rides at the weekend (one or both days) and take it from there. If you had been bike training right through the season then you might be doing 100km+ rides already at the weekend, possibly on both days, and starting to do rides one or two evenings during the week too as the days get longer, but my advice would be not to dive straight in at that level 'cos it is surprisingly easy to overdo it and find yourself gradually getting run down physically (and literally too, on these dark evenings!).

As you find the weekend rides getting easier, start to throw in some more hills to increase the challenge and/or start increasing the distance gradually. The turbo-trainer could be useful when weather/darkness prevents you from getting out on the road, but it'll be tough going both physically and mentally (it is mind numbing being in the one spot) so you don't want to push yourself too hard there either.

doozerie

Oh, and if you are going to be spending a lot of time on the bike then decent cycling kit will make your life a lot easier. Decent shoes will help keep your feet from suffering unnecessarily, plus overshoes as already mentioned are essential at this time of year. Decent shorts, warm tights (they don't need to be waterproof but really need to be windproof). Decent gloves are essential.

For your torso there are numerous options but I use a thermal base layer, plus cycling jersey, plus a thermal long-sleeved zip-up cycling top. I add a second cycling jersey and armwarmers for very cold days. I carry a lightweight cycling windproof zip-up long-sleeved top too, which folds up very small so is easy to carry, but I rarely have to use it. That set of clothing gets me through the entire year - I just mix and match according to the weather. I have various weights of cycling tights too to choose from.

Raam

And say bye bye to all your spare cash

doozerie

Raam wrote: »

And say bye bye to all your spare cash

Buying decent kit can certainly be pricey at the start, especially if you buy it all in one go, but the good stuff lasts for ages so it can be good value for money. Some of my kit is over 10 years old and is still in very good condition.

DAC

doozerie wrote: »

Buying decent kit can certainly be pricey at the start, especially if you buy it all in one go, but the good stuff lasts for ages so it can be good value for money. Some of my kit is over 10 years old and is still in very good condition.

Thanks for the reply's, can you recommend some quality brands, I'd like to get good gear, I've already got shoes, tights, & gloves but I didn't pay a fortune & I was gifted the bike so I can afford a few bob to go to some decent gear, I'm going to get some overshoes tomorrow (I'll try for BBB as per blorg's post) so I'll get waterproof ones. But advice on good tights, tops & waterproof jacket would be appreciated.

Raam

Assos, Cannondale, Gore, Adidas...they are my favourites.
They are also quite expensive.
Altura rain jackets are popular. I think I have one of them.

blorg

For tights, these dhb Merston Bib Tights from Wiggle are good and won't break the bank. These are quite warm and good for the current weather (sort of fleece-lined on the inside), the "dhb Earnley" ones are lighter plain lycra and would be better for spring (I have them in 3/4 length.)

Check the Wiggle/CRC sale pages too though, you could get a substantial discount (I got my pairs of those tights above for £15.) They have the 3/4 length ones for £18 although TBH you would probably be better off with the lighter ones for 3/4 length.

The dhb stuff gets consistently good reviews and is at least as good as any entry-level branded stuff, better than many. (Most of my summer shorts are Cannondale, and I have Cannondale, Berghaus and Pearl Izumi jerseys.)

I don't have any Assos although I believe it will basically move your legs for you, you just sit there and don't have to do anything ;-) Seriously though, it is good stuff but I would save your money if you are just starting out, get familiar with what suits/fits etc. first.

doozerie

DAC wrote: »

Thanks for the reply's, can you recommend some quality brands, I'd like to get good gear, I've already got shoes, tights, & gloves but I didn't pay a fortune & I was gifted the bike so I can afford a few bob to go to some decent gear, I'm going to get some overshoes tomorrow (I'll try for BBB as per blorg's post) so I'll get waterproof ones. But advice on good tights, tops & waterproof jacket would be appreciated.

My stuff is a mix and match. Assos, as already mentioned, have a good reputation and that reputation goes back years so you'd expect (hope!) it to be a guarantee of quality. The only Assos kit that I have is a pair of arm warmers and while they are good there are plenty of decent arm warmers available amongst some of the cheaper brands.

I was told several years ago that Alexa are essentially a copy of Assos, nearly as good but a lot cheaper. I don't know how true this is but my long-sleeved zip-up thermal jersey (usually my outer layer) is Alexa and I have always found it to be excellent. I have Cannondale shorts, which I find very good.

Some of the reputable makes have already been mentioned, and I would add Endura to that list (haven't used any of their stuff myself but it looks pretty good quality and several people have told me that they use Endura tights and find them very good). If I were buying thermal tights today, I'd look at the Endura ones. Castelli make some good stuff too and I have a pair of their thermal tights - they are very good, but they can feel a bit light for the first few miles on the coldest of days, whereas I believe the Endura tights are heavier.

You don't have to buy the big names to get quality though, and similarly not everything with a reputable name on it is very good. You have to be careful when it comes to fit too because this is not consistent across ranges even those by reputable brands - not a problem if you are buying stuff in a store obviously as you can try on most things first, but certainly applies if buying stuff online. For example, I have a pair of Nike tights (bought on spec in an online sale, 'cos I can't take my own advice )whose fit is crap - tight where other brands are loose and vice versa. They fit well enough to be usable, but only just, and to be honest they are no better than my cheaper Castelli's.

Stuff changes all the time though, both in terms of range and quality, so it is worth checking some of the bike magazines for reviews. I have a lot of respect for the reviews in Cycling Plus, and in their online site www.bikeradar.com, but not everyone agrees with their reviews so you shouldn't take them as gospel by any means.

I would start out with good shorts, thermal tights, a thermal top, overshoes, a fold-up rain cape/jacket, a short-sleeved cycling jersey, gloves, and possibly thermal socks (thin ones, so that you can layer them). Then just add any other layers (thermal base layer, for example, or arm warmers under the thermal top) that you find you need to stay warm in the cold/wet weather, or other things (such as lighter tights) that make for a more comfortable ride during milder months. Over time you'll end up adding stuff to cater for the variations in the weather, such as 3/4 length tights, but if you want to keep your costs down initially that basic list of stuff will see you though all of the seasons by mixing and matching.