Originally Posted by SSP
"Riding slow" is less effective at burning calories than riding fast, per unit of time. You burn a LOT more calories per hour riding fast than you do riding slow. Slow riding will burn a higher percentage of fat calories, because your body favors fat at low intensity levels. But, for weight loss it's the total calories burned that's important, not the fact that you're burning fat calories. Most of us are time-limited, so unless you have 4 hours per day to ride, go hard.
As for "bonk training", it's been shown to be ineffective. Trying to "train" without adequate levels of glycogen will just result in a bonk, or a bad training session. Better to get a small amount of fuel on board (200-300 calories) so you don't run out of gas.
Thank crikey!
Not sure about "bonk training", although I understand the logic behind not wanting to "hammer" when depleted of glycogen (although I think muscle and liver stores would still be adequate in the morning; it takes longer than a night's sleep to deplete stores), but I'm suprised this "fat burning zone" myth is still around ("myth" in that it's not a better way to lose fat). At best it's a "bigger piece of a smaller pie" scenario, and at worst it's a complete waste of time --time that could've obviously been spent burning more energy, getting stronger legs, and achieving a greater training effect.
these are hardly referenced journal articles, but it's all I could be bothered finding at short notice
http://static.highbeam.com/r/running...sbriefarticle/
http://www.sdbuzz.com/sports/fitness/fitness04.html