Bicycle conditioning recommendations?

Maybe I'm interpreting this wrong, but I'm interpreting it as a question about how to improve endurance: You're biking what you consider a shorter distance, and want to bike a longer distance without becoming over-tired.

Endurance is mainly most effectively built by relatively low intensity work for a gradually increasing distance/duration. A common rule of thumb about how much to increase is 10% per week, not a sacred and inviolable thing, but a rough guide.

Also, conditioning is quite sport specific. There's some carryover of muscular strength or cardiovascular capability from one activity to another, but it's not complete. Simplistically, the implications is that the best way to increase cycling endurance is to gradually, progressively cycle longer at a moderate, relatively easy pace. Stationary biking will have a fair amount of capability/endurance carryover to regular biking, though not complete because there are differences (obvious example: balance, where the outdoor biking requires more from stabilizing muscles than stationary biking).

Don't get me wrong: Doing a variety of things is better from a general health and fitness perspective. @Jthanmyfitnesspal is giving you great advice there. Most generically, that means doing some cardiovascular exercise thing, and some strength exercise thing. One will benefit the other, to some extent, too. There are also activities that will - all in one activity - have some strength benefits and some cardiovascular benefits. Discussions of things tend to be a bit black and white, but reality is more nuanced and overlapping.

In the long run, there's more to biking effectively and efficiently than simple endurance, but you've phrased your question in a way that aims in that particular direction, at least in my reading. Therefore, I'm aiming my suggestions that way, too, rather specifically. In addition, as someone who has some coaching education in a different cardiovascular sport (rowing), we'd almost always start out with building endurance as a fitness base. We sometimes call the practice that builds that endurance base "LSD", i.e., long, slow distance.

In context, "long" is subjective and variable, as is "distance". We start with whatever pace and duration is a manageable challenge - maybe your current 3 miles, unless you're finding that over-fatiguing in which case the starting point might be a bit shorter. As that gets easier, we'd add more duration to keep the manageable challenge, and with something like biking you might find that your pace picks up a bit as you progress, too, without necessarily pushing for faster pace. You'd still be keeping it subjectively fairly mild intensity. Once there's a good endurance base, that's when we might start thinking about introducing some shorter but faster-paced work into the mix, like once a week, maybe.

But that's down the road (pun intended). For now, if I've interpreted your goal correctly, I'd just gradually increase from say 3 miles this week to (rounded numbers) 3 and a quarter miles or so next week, then around 3 and a half the week after that, and so on. You didn't say how many times a week you're doing this now, but that's part of the total volume idea, too. If you're doing one day of 3 miles now, you could increase the number of days and maybe shorten the distance per day next week, see how that goes. The point is to gradually and manageably increase the total volume.

Is that slow progress? Maybe. But whatever you decide, pay attention to how you feel. Overdoing, under-recovery, cumulative fatigue in daily life from over-exercise: That's counterproductive to almost any fitness or weight management goal.

Best wishes!

That's great info, @AnnPT77 !

Thanks for this question, OP. It's where I'm at also.

I've found that my stationary bike efforts these last few months haven't translated that well to the real world. I live in a hilly area, and even upping the resistance on the exercise bike at the gym doesn't match the difficulty of lots of elevation gains and losses in an hour's ride outside.

As Ann hinted, cumulative fatigue and overtraining can be problems, and I think I need to slow things down a bit, or not increase my mileage for several weeks.

Best of luck to you. Update us here with your progress, if you like.

Eddy Merckx, famous bike racer, said something like, "Ride. Then ride more."

I took that advice, and discovered the even better method (for me) of combining, in warmer seasons, swimming with riding, and in winter, stationary bike and machines in the gym (I won't ride on snow or ice). Great plan for me, where now I'm 71yo, male, a big guy, and (then) just retired from a sedentary, travel-heavy IT career, from which I was a physical mess. When I retired, the family gifted me a nice bike, saying, "get out and ride." So I did. Between the activity and improved dietary choices (a vital component), I dropped about 75lbs. It took several years of focus. I did hit a plateau with the pandemic, downsizing and moving into a new home, a non-cycling injury, etc., but I've now resumed the program.

I had done some extensive riding and lite touring in the 80s, so I knew I enjoyed cycling. At first, it was a struggle to do several miles. But, gradually, I built up. At the time of my retirement, we lived where I had a 6+ mile ride to the nearest ocean beach (beach club with pool, actually) - so it was a great day to ride, swim, ride home. Now, the roads in our retirement home area are not so conducive to riding beyond the extended neighborhood, so I'm taking an Aquafit class 2-3x/wk for flexibility and cardio, and doing rail trails and other offroad options for my more extensive riding.

It's important to me that I am riding for riding's sake - the enjoyment of it. Yet, there is the underlying subgoal of fitness progression. I think you have to like your fitness activity in order to face up to doing it for long-term success. Last year, I fulfilled a "bucket list" item, cycling the iconic Going-to-the-Sun road in Glacier National Park. I also cycle in various destinations from Ontario Canada (where one daughter lives) to the FL Keys when traveling.

I found practical advice and fitness guidance in Joe Friel's book, "Cycling Past 50."

Good luck in your endeavors.

I've been a spin instructor for almost 20 years, and a cyclist for 15. The most folks that come to spin can be broken up into 4 categories.

1. Those who have heard it's a killer workout and want you to push them. Often cardio junkies that aren't quite ready for "hills" - Love to hate it…
2. Those training for a triathlon/long bike event or cross training for running. - See it as a necessary evil.
3. Cyclist trying to escape the boredom of their home trainer. - They think jumps are silly, and prefer "heavy tension with speed" or "fast flats" or "long hills" - real feel rides.
4. People wanting to "get in shape" and drop some weight. - Generally new to fitness (not always) and very uncertain as to what they have gotten themselves into. Without specific goals it's hard to measure success and they often give up. SO I tend to help them develop goals. At first it may be make it half a class (resting as needed, there is no room for pride in my spin room). My goal is to push you regardless of your level. Heck there are workouts where I take a breather and just call class.

I teach class based on my participants. I'm a cyclist and abhor jumps, but if I've got the cardio junkies I had better throw in a set or two (giving and new folks or folks with bad knees seated options).

I think your goal of 15 miles will help you succeed. One of the most important things for you will be to take it slow and set-up the bike properly.

Bike set-up: Look up positioning on YouTube, and make sure you aren't putting undue stress on your

• Proper seat height - leg should have a slight bend, not locked, when with your heel on the pedal at 6 O'Clock.
• Proper seat distance from the handle bars - when the leg is at the top of the stroke it should not go passed the toe and the arms should be slightly bent, not locked out.
• Proper handle bar height - this is a matter of preference. The higher the handlebars the easier it tends to be (less core engagement). Cyclist especially racers like them low, but you have to be careful of your back/neck and not to hold your weight in your arms. Arms are mostly for balance or maybe a bit of work on a hard climb. Don't over grip with the hands or lock out your arms. To protect your neck and back, keeps you eyes forward, and your shoulders down not hunched. Look where you are going even though you aren't going).

You'll have to get past the first week of discomfort in the saddle. Contrary to popular belief, a small hard saddle for longer rides is often better. There are fewer points of contact and therefor less rubbing. If you prefer the gel seats, by all means go for it. If you aren't comfortable you won't continue.

The next step is to set small goals whether they be speed, time, distance or strength. Since you have a distance goal I recommend starting with steady state work. Add enough tension that you feel the wheel, don't just free spin. I like moderate tension for this (not too hard, just like you are riding in dirt) at a tempo (speed/rpm) that you can maintain for 10 - 15 minutes. At the end of 10-15 minutes, add in a little speed work. This doesn't have to be fancy: 20-30s faster the 20-30s easy, repeat for for 3-5 minutes. This is a 15- 20 minute beginners work out designed to build speed and endurance. Take water breaks as needed. If this is easy add some time or tension to the ride. Because distance is your goal, add a few minutes (10% rule = 2 minutes) to your steady state piece each week. When you get to your goal distance, celebrate the accomplishment before rushing into the next goal. It's important not to chase perfection because on the bike "It doesn't get easier, you just get faster."

Now if you plan to ride outdoors, you have to actually ride outdoors. As someone said earlier, riding outdoors is a different world and does not translate mile to mile with indoor riding. It also tends to burn more calories because, well, it's harder and involves more muscles. Early in my teaching career, I had a group of cyclist that came to class and always said I needed to ride outside to know what things "really felt like". These were older riders in their 50's & 60's (where I am now) and I was a 30 something. I truly thought I would be fine maybe even surprise them. I showed up with my heavy old bike, a helmet and tennis shoes. Those guys schooled me that day. I literally drug myself home that evening. I was hooked! Even though I had taken/taught in the gym for 3+4 years, I struggled on the WV hills. It changed the way I looked at spin class. It wasn't just an aerobics class, I needed to incorporate muscle building exercises by using tension and speed.

BTW, please don't lift weights or do push ups on your stationary bike - they aren't made for that. You can do intervals with weights, but get off the bike to do them.

Sorry that was a bit of a novella.

Best of luck!

Nikki

excellent advice about the e-bike. Don’t get a moped type thing with a throttle but as you suggest a pedal assist is a great option.

Just a thought from a non- professional here. If you are having unexpected trouble increasing endurance gradually(can't increase 5 percent a week) maybe get a physical. And re-evaluate your diet and sleep. Get some blood work to look for deficiencies. Make sure you have a good foundation for building endurance.