It’s a proud day in every kid’s life when the training wheels come off the bicycle. Seems all we need at that age is a bell, handlebar tassels, and maybe some playing cards clipped to the spokes to generate motorcyle sounds. When we’re young, cycling isn’t exercise, it is simply enjoyable.
But can’t it be both? Good fun and good for us?
As adults we too easily accept the notion of doing tasks rather than just blasting out for pure enjoyment. But for too many of us, the experience of zipping around with wind in our face and sunshine on our shoulders has become a photo in grainy black and white.
Here’s the good news: Exercise does not have to be a chore. Getting back on the bike for excitement, pleasure, to help others and, yes, because it is a smart fitness move should be the main objectives.
All you need is some encouragement. And here it is.
Gear
When we were kids, we had two speeds: moving and stopping. We had to stand on our pedals to get up a hill and a simple back-back pedal supplied the brakes.
As adults, we like more options and have a much lower tolerance for discomfort. With comfort and safety paramount concerns, we need to purchase the best equipment we can afford.
The largest outlay of money will be for the bicycle. You do not have to spend thousands of dollars, but you should get the best bike your budget permits and have it adjusted to fit you.
Everyone has different proportions, and a bike adjusted to suit your leg, arm and body measurements will give you the most enjoyable ride. Your skill level and personal preferences also will come into play. A few years back, I did the MS 150-mile ride on a bike with downturned handlebars and decided I would never ride that type of bike again. It was uncomfortable for me. In addition to the handlebars, you’ll need to decide what type of saddle to sit on, what sort of pedals are most comfortable and the type of gear ratios you will need.
Find a friendly employee at a bicycle specialty shop and start a dialogue about your skill level, goals and budget.
“A professional fitting of you to the bike will make the difference between your back, neck and legs hurting or the best ride of your life,” says Randy Wittmer, owner of Mobile Cyclery. His shop doesn’t charge for such a fitting, but some do.
As for clothing, purchase bike pants that are padded with a seamless chamois crotch. Other essentials are a helmet, bike shoes with stiff soles, shirts and socks that wick moisture, sunglasses, sunscreen and gloves. Also, your water intake for long rides will be improved by wearing a hydration system that can provide from 28 to 100 ounces of water on demand from a small pack on the back.
“It is a good idea to drink water prior to a long training ride, 1/2 cup of water or sports drink every 15 to 30 minutes during a ride, and consume adequate fluids (4-6 cups) post-ride,” says Bonnie Jortberg, a registered dietician and instructor in family medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center. “Water is recommended for recovery, but diluted sports drinks may be helpful for recovery if it is a very hot day.”
Getting ready to ride
Matt Thompson, professional cyclist and certified fitness trainer, suggests getting advanced instruction from a certified coach on how to properly ride a bike. “Although it may seem basic, there is a lot to be learned when it comes to proper pedaling, breathing, cornering, hydrating, riding in traffic, how to eat and even how to grab your water bottle,” Thompson says. You can find certified coaches at bicyclecoach.com.
Preparing for charity events, and even for personal riding, will be more enjoyable if you do it gradually. Cycling will improve both your aerobic fitness and muscular strength so begin riding as soon as possible after you make your decision to do this sport.
There are no short cuts. The best way to train for a sport is to do the sport.
If you have one of the long summer charity rides in mind (like the MS 150 or Courage Classic), ideally you should start training about seven or eight months out. For people who are sedentary, begin slowly by riding or walking 20 minutes a day, three times a week for three to four weeks, increasing the time you spend exercising by about five minutes every couple of weeks. After six weeks, start bumping up your intensity by increasing speed and doing some hills. Once you have your own equipment sorted out, do as much riding as you can on the bike you will be using for the event.
Increase your mileage incrementally about five miles per week for three weeks, recommends aidslifecycle.org, a web site dedicated to helping people get ready for the 585-mile AIDS charity ride from San Francisco to Los Angeles. Then cut back by half on the fourth week for rest, then on the fifth week, increase the mileage again using the third week as a base.
For example:
Week one: 15 miles;
Week two: 20 miles;
Week three: 30 miles;
Week four: 17 miles(rest week);
Week five: 35 miles total.
Keep increasing your weekly mileage incrementally in this fashion right up to the event.
Preparing off the bike
The entire experience is improved if you spend time at the gym cross training by weight lifting, swimming, cycling (particularly with spinning classes), doing Pilates and yoga.
Exercising in the weight room at least twice a week will help strengthen the core muscles of the abdominals, back and gluteus and the muscles of the legs and ankles. The arms and shoulders (and, therefore, the upper back and chest) are also seriously involved, not just the legs.
Lee Cherry, exercise physiologist and expert cycling coach says that everyone should also have an initial fitness assessment to plan their training, weight training and flexibility instruction . Strengthening the core muscles of the back, abdominal and gluteus area is crucial, so perform as many exercises as possible on unstable equipment (Swiss ball, balance boards, air-filled cushions), while standing on one foot or with twisting moves. A certified personal trainer can help you learn proper form.
The best exercises are:
Push-ups: for entire upper body strength, these are hard to beat.
Shoulder press: use dumbbells if you can, but presses on a machine are also good. For improved core muscles, execute this exercise while sitting on a Swiss ball or with one dumbbell in one hand at a time.
Lateral and rear deltoid raises: while standing, raise the weights to shoulder level to form a “T” and return slowly for lateral raise. Bend forward at the waist for the rear deltoids.
Biceps curl and triceps extensions: both can be performed with dumbbells or on a machine.
Crunches and lower back
extensions: don’t do one without doing the other in order to keep a good functional balance to the core.
Step-ups, lunges, squats, and hamstring curls. These exercises, performed with lighter weights and lots of repetitions, will help you build endurance.
Diet plays a role
All of this training is pretty useless without proper fuel. For some this may mean a radical change in eating habits. In general, slide the processed foods aside and indulge in more grilled fish, poultry, fresh fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Shift toward “good” fats (olive oil and avocados, for example) and avoid “bad” fats (butter, vegetable shortening). Food changes can be overwhelming. I highly recommend using the services of a registered dietitian who specializes in sport training. Find someone by contacting The American Academy of Sports Dietitians at 800-617-4615, or online at: lifestyleman agement.com.
Jortberg recommends eating or drinking a good source of carbohydrates on training rides that are 90 minutes or longer since your body utilizes its carbohydrate stores during endurance exercise. In addition to sports drinks, good sources of carbohydrates include fruit, such as bananas or oranges; sports energy bars (cut them into small pieces and bring in a plastic bag since you probably won’t need to consume the entire bar); trail mix; or try a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, again cut up into small pieces, says Jortberg.
Motivation and consistency are the watchwords here. No excuses for you. Colorado abounds with cycling clubs, charity events, challenges like Ride the Rockies, and good bike paths in both rural and urban settings.
Linda J. Buch is a certified fitness trainer in Denver and co-author of “The Commercial Break Workout.” Write her at LJBalance@aol.com
Bicycle Clubs in Colorado
Bicycle Colorado
1701 Wynkoop St. #236
Denver, CO 80202
303-417-1544
bicyclecolo.org/index.cfm
Rocky Mountain Cycling Club
rmccrides.com
Breckenridge Fat Tire Society
P.O. Box 2845
Breckenridge, CO 80424
303-453-5548
Clear Creek Bicycle Club
P.O. Box 496
Idaho Springs, CO 80452
303-567-4666, 303-569-2729
Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association (COPMOBA)
P.O. Box 4602
Grand Junction, CO 81502-4602
303-241-9561, 303-242-2636
Colorado Time Trial Club
1979 Breen Lane
Superior, CO 80027
303-492-6931
International Christian Cycling Club
P.O. Box 441757
Aurora, CO 80044
(303) 283-6719
E-mail: Christiancycling@aol.com
Website: www.christiancycling.com
Mesa State College Mountain Biking Club
Keith R. Fritz, 970-248-1060
fritz@wpogate.mesa.colorado.edu
P.O. Box 2647, Dept. HPW Mesa State College
Grand Junction, CO 81503
Mountain/Road Biking Association Rocky Flats (MRBARF)
8566 Cody Court
Arvada, CO, 80005
303-966-5135, 303-422-2792
Rocky Mountain Collegiate Cycling Conference
755 Kalmia Way, Broomfield, CO 80020
Terrance Yee
303-466-8704 (home)
303-940-2325 (work)
Colorado’s GLBT community (Gay/Lesbian): OUT Spokin’ outspokin.org
Recommended reading
“7-Week Cycling for Fitness,” by Chris Sidwells (DK Publishing, 2006, $15)
“Food for Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right,” by Chris Carmichael (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, $25.95)
“Take a Bike! A Guide to the Denver Area’s Urban Trails,” by Glen Hanket, (CAK Publishing, 2001, $12.95)
Calendar
Western States Bicycle Ride Calendar bbcnet.com/RideCalendar/RideListDate.asp
