Slow bike exercise?

Carvendive
Carvendive Posts: 23 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
When I ride by myself I stay in cardio. When I ride with someone else (un-named) she is too slow to teach cardio.

I've tried two alternates;
1. Maintaining a 70-90 cadence.
2. Top gear high pressure leg presses (more of a strength training).
Which burns more calories?

Replies

  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    "Which burns more calories?"

    The combination of cadence and gearing that produces the most power. Assuming you haven't got a power meter then the blend that produces the highest speed outdoors.

    If the speed is the same from high rpm/low gear or low rpm/high gear then there's going to be a negligible difference in power and hence calories.

  • Carvendive
    Carvendive Posts: 23 Member
    edited March 2019
    Yea, she averages 9.6mph so I'm looking for a way to get more calorie burn within her speed range. At least we're getting 90 minutes in.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Carvendive wrote: »
    Yea, she averages 9.6mph so I'm looking for a way to get more calorie burn within her speed range. At least we're getting 90 minutes in.

    Let the air out of your tyres?
    Wear a big bulky jacket?
    Ride a truly awful bike?
    Put your companion on a much better bike (or e-bike) and give them a tow?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    Carvendive wrote: »
    Yea, she averages 9.6mph so I'm looking for a way to get more calorie burn within her speed range. At least we're getting 90 minutes in.

    Let the air out of your tyres?
    Wear a big bulky jacket?
    Ride a truly awful bike?
    Put your companion on a much better bike (or e-bike) and give them a tow?

    Carry extra weight on your bike?
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    edited March 2019
    How many calories do you burn when you ride with her at 9.6 mph for 90 minutes?
    What is your average speed on the same route for how long and how many calories does that burn?
    How often is riding with them your workout?
    What is your target HR?

    May I add that I've been that person who was slower and have been told I was too slow for someone else to get what they considered to be a good workout. It is not a good feeling to be on the receiving end of, so I hope you will be careful what you say to her.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,297 Member
    edited March 2019
    sijomial wrote: »
    Carvendive wrote: »
    Yea, she averages 9.6mph so I'm looking for a way to get more calorie burn within her speed range. At least we're getting 90 minutes in.

    Let the air out of your tyres?
    Wear a big bulky jacket?
    Ride a truly awful bike?
    Put your companion on a much better bike (or e-bike) and give them a tow?

    Get a tandem bike?

    ETA: If you want your companion to become more active, which requires that they enjoy the process, then there is a danger zone here of potentially discouraging behavior you want to avoid.

    I say this as someone who was once married (before widowhood, not before divorce) to someone much more athletic than I am. He was not a jerk about any of it, and over time encouraged me to get better at lots of things, but there were things we adapted to work for both of us. For canoeing, which we did a lot of, the solution was tandem. For cross-country skiing, the solution was for him to take longer loops faster, but come back to check on me now and then in case of injury or other problems. There were other things that we each just did separately (different things: He played softball, I didn't, for example.)

    I don't have any specific advice for you here, but I empathize with your situation, and recognize that it can be a challenge.
  • icemom011
    icemom011 Posts: 999 Member
    You can carry a backpack with at least 15-20 lbs of weight. That will increase your level of difficulty. It's actually a good training tool. Second what others said about being careful with the way you behave and what you say to her, it's very easy for her to notice that she's a burden and then she won't be joining you anymore. Unless that's your goal, but it doesn't seem that from your post, OP.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    Carvendive wrote: »
    Yea, she averages 9.6mph so I'm looking for a way to get more calorie burn within her speed range. At least we're getting 90 minutes in.

    I've been there and I sympathize with you. The best thing you can do is get rid of her. I'm kidding, this is a situation where you're just not going to get a lot of calories or training out of it. You're doing this for her. Probably the best thing you can do for yourself as a cyclist is to go balance and handling drills when you ride together. Fall a little behind, see how long you can trackstand, sprint to catch up.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
    icemom011 wrote: »
    You can carry a backpack with at least 15-20 lbs of weight. That will increase your level of difficulty. It's actually a good training tool. Second what others said about being careful with the way you behave and what you say to her, it's very easy for her to notice that she's a burden and then she won't be joining you anymore. Unless that's your goal, but it doesn't seem that from your post, OP.

    For what it's worth, you can get a much bigger effect without making your shoulders sore by putting crappy tires on your bike. Luckily crappy tires are dirt cheap. The difference in calories per hour and also in difficulty that you get from changing from the best tires to the worst is about the same as the difference between flat ground and the steepest hill a train can climb.

    (For the bike nerds, 0.01 crr = 0.01 % gradient and that relationship is linear.)
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    I see it pretty simply - if you want a hard workout - workout by yourself. If you ride with a friend and you are the stronger rider then you have to accommodate your friend. Your friend will probably get stronger quickly if you are patient. Ride with your friend when you need a recovery ride - go hard another day. Find a strong club ride that pushes your limits and ride with them on a different day.
  • willdo3
    willdo3 Posts: 3 Member
    Some really good replies on here. I ride with a group and average much slower than I do on my own, but I enjoy the banter and I use it as a recovery ride. If you can't get out too often by your self, I like the heavier bike idea. I have a steel frame touring bike that I use for shopping trips. It has a rear rack that I can fill up with more weight. You use a lot more energy and it gives your legs a good workout at slower speeds.
  • ritzvin
    ritzvin Posts: 2,860 Member
    If money/space is not an issue and you ride with slow people often enough, you could buy a slower bike. Fat bike /childrens bike /folding bike/.. . Alternatively, worse tires for the current bike and /or let out some air pressure & /or be the pack mule.
  • puffbrat
    puffbrat Posts: 2,806 Member
    I am much too slow for my husband but he goes with me as support. Sometimes he will keep riding when I go home to get his "real" workout in. Is that an option for you OP?
  • Carvendive
    Carvendive Posts: 23 Member
    I DO NOT PUT HER OR ANYONE DOWN FOR GOING SLOW. I get plenty of hard workouts in all by myself. On the same course I'll average 15.2 mph. I don't know my heart rate but I keep my respirations high. My runs are 60-90 minutes using a tadpole trike - catrike road (ruptured C5-C6 so I can't ride a diamond frame).

    My only question was what is the best was to increase calorie burn at the slower speed? I like the weight idea and I do have panniers. Tandem would do it but I can't ride upright.
  • AnnPT77
    AnnPT77 Posts: 34,297 Member
    Carvendive wrote: »
    I DO NOT PUT HER OR ANYONE DOWN FOR GOING SLOW. I get plenty of hard workouts in all by myself. On the same course I'll average 15.2 mph. I don't know my heart rate but I keep my respirations high. My runs are 60-90 minutes using a tadpole trike - catrike road (ruptured C5-C6 so I can't ride a diamond frame).

    My only question was what is the best was to increase calorie burn at the slower speed? I like the weight idea and I do have panniers. Tandem would do it but I can't ride upright.

    FWIW, I recognize and appreciate that you want to ride with and support her. Potentially challenging in terms of your workout goals, but you're winning at connected real life

    Weight in panniers is better/safer than backpack, IMO.
  • Whatpatience
    Whatpatience Posts: 11 Member
    Extra weight may or may not work depending on the terrain. It'll only take extra energy when you're accelerating or if you're riding an incline after all.

    I suppose you could just drag your brakes, but that might cost you a bit for brake pad replacements...
  • garystrickland357
    garystrickland357 Posts: 598 Member
    Carvendive wrote: »
    I DO NOT PUT HER OR ANYONE DOWN FOR GOING SLOW. I get plenty of hard workouts in all by myself. On the same course I'll average 15.2 mph. I don't know my heart rate but I keep my respirations high. My runs are 60-90 minutes using a tadpole trike - catrike road (ruptured C5-C6 so I can't ride a diamond frame).

    My only question was what is the best was to increase calorie burn at the slower speed? I like the weight idea and I do have panniers. Tandem would do it but I can't ride upright.

    I doubt anyone meant any offense - remember that intent and tone don't convey well on the internet. I ride occasionally with my wife or friends that are much slower than I am. I don't count it as a workout. I just think of it as quality time with those people - but that's just me.

    Report back if you find something that works for you. It might help someone else with a similar issue.
  • johngsprague
    johngsprague Posts: 22 Member
    That's the thing about cycling with others, it's tough to ride with unequal skill levels. If you have 90 minutes, I would do both workouts/modes you described, because both will make you stronger. With 90 minutes to kill, I might warm up for 15 min, then do a half dozen very high cadence intervals on maybe a 30on/60off. After another 15 minutes of partner's pace, do a set of power intervals, meaning your low cadence work, to build muscle. Speed won't matter, just shift down til it hurts!
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,463 Member
    Carvendive wrote: »
    I DO NOT PUT HER OR ANYONE DOWN FOR GOING SLOW. I get plenty of hard workouts in all by myself. On the same course I'll average 15.2 mph. I don't know my heart rate but I keep my respirations high. My runs are 60-90 minutes using a tadpole trike - catrike road (ruptured C5-C6 so I can't ride a diamond frame).

    My only question was what is the best was to increase calorie burn at the slower speed? I like the weight idea and I do have panniers. Tandem would do it but I can't ride upright.

    That all sounds great! I asked the questions because it is hard to know where a poster might be coming from. The post could have been from someone who rides once a month with someone else and feels it is ruining their fitness because the other person can't go 2 mph faster or their HR is slightly lower than usual for 30 minutes. I'm glad you are encouraging and supporting the other person and that you are actively pursuing your own workouts too. HAPPY RIDING!
  • Carvendive
    Carvendive Posts: 23 Member
    I ride 3days a week usually. This year looks like I'll probably do even more now that I FINALLY figured out how to eliminate my hot foot.

    Regarding my slow ride - increased calorie problem - I found a solution thanks to your replies.
    My trike has disc brakes right and left. I'm alternative using them to increase resistance enough to keep my respiration rate up therefore indicating increased heart rate.
    Thanks for the suggestion, it's working for me!

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