Cycling: distance VS speed

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JazCopycat
JazCopycat Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi friends. I was wondering what is better, cycling longer (time+distance) but going at slowrer pace or going faster but for a shorter period of time and shorter distance???
What are your thoughts on this?
And yes, better for fat loss.

Replies

  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Going farther.
  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
    edited July 2016
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    I prefer a short 20-30 mile ride as fast as I can rather than long distances.

    Calories will determine your fat loss. Not the style of riding.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    the best thing for fat loss is a calorie deficit.
  • CincyNeid
    CincyNeid Posts: 1,249 Member
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    I do a combo of both some rides I'll go out for a more steady 12-17mph ride for 45-50 miles, and sometimes I'll go out for a 20-30 mile blast as hard as I can like @Hornsby mentioned.

    It all depends on what style of riding you like. Weight Loss comes from a Calories Out > Calorie in formula. So either one will be just fine for weight loss.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    For fat loss it doesn't matter...fat loss is a bi-product of consuming less energy (calories) than you expend for which fat must be oxidized to make up the difference.

    I actually gained weight training for my first century ride despite logging hundreds of miles...why? Because my training left me hungry all of the time and I ate a house every day.

    I do both...right now I'm doing a lot of high intensity shorter rides because I'm training for this summer's time trial series. As late summer/fall approaches I will start doing longer endurance rides to get ready for my tour rides this fall.

    Try to look at your exercise and fitness for the sake of fitness...establish fitness goals that are independent of weight management objectives and train accordingly.
  • Tweaking_Time
    Tweaking_Time Posts: 733 Member
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    I do both...I sprint (the trails) until my speed drops - then quit. It usually is somewhere between 60 and 80 minutes when I start to run out of gas depending on the wind, temp, the work day, how I fueled up before the ride, etc.
  • NorthCascades
    NorthCascades Posts: 10,968 Member
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    Longer amounts of time burn more calories, as a general rule. Higher intensity burns them more quickly but not enough to make up for the fact that you can't do high intensity as long. (Do the math, 20 minutes at 250 watts vs 60 minutes at 175 watts.) Also high intensity depletes your glycogen stores and makes you hungry to force you to replace them; runners know this as "runger."
  • JazCopycat
    JazCopycat Posts: 28 Member
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    Thank you all.
    @NorthCascades I was thinking about that, how hi intensity do make me more hungry. Currently I am riding 24 miles every day in 1h 30min. Humidity isn't pleasant so that is the max I can do while being able to pay attention on the traffic.
    While I do feel a bit tired at the end I recover fast and have no extra hunger issue.
    But somehow I am surprised I don't feel exosted at all...like my body is adapting fast. That is why I wonder I don't hit a plateau....
  • meritage4
    meritage4 Posts: 1,441 Member
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    do both. Speedwork and long slow distance both have benefits.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,119 Member
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    For me, it's mostly about distance. I'm a long distance cyclist.

    But I do include some speed/strength workouts in my week. After all my events are timed and I've got to be fast enough to complete them within the time limit.
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,811 Member
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    Obviously you know fat loss comes from a calorie deficit but for calorie burning then distance and longer duration wins as long as you have the time to invest.
    If you only have a small amount of time then "cycle like you stole it" - the fastest you can manage for the time available.

    But when you get to 2hrs+ you are going to start to have to pay attention to your fuelling unless you are cycling at very low intensity.

    Would urge you to develop more goals than simply calorie burning though (fitness, a challenge, health, enjoyment....). Then a mixture of distance, intensity and elevation will come into play.
  • jessiethe3rd
    jessiethe3rd Posts: 239 Member
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    Longer rides with 70% HR zone. You want to stay locked into you HR zone to effectively burn fat. If you burst you'll chew through you glycerol stores.

    CICO is important but weight loss or more precisely fat loss happens at that target zone.

    Additionally HIIT style on the short distance is a fat destroyer. I indoor bike a pyramid system and my bf % is moving super fast.

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