Training & Nutrition - Leg Burn at the store but not at home

Hi guys,

We were in Sears today and for fun we tried out some of the cycling machines. I boosted the seat up on one to have proper leg stretch and rode on one for a minute or so. It said I was doing about 18 mph and I had it set with enough resistance that it felt right doing a higher cadence. I'm guessing 90-100rpm. Anyway after I was done, my upper legs and butt muscles felt like I had really worked them out.

I don't get this when I ride my bike for any amount of time. Why would this be?

Thanks,

-Mike

By the description of where you felt the pain, there were likely some position and setup differences.

Were the angles of the stat bike you tried and your stat bike or real bike at home different? The stat bikes at the gym I go to have a much more relaxed angle ... I almost feel like I'm pedalling out in front a tiny bit compared with what I do on my real bicycle -- not like a recumbent, but I think the bottom bracket is a few inches further forward than on my real bicycle. This causes me to 'feel it' in different places than I do on a real bicycle.

Was the saddle the same width? A wider saddle can cause your butt to hurt, and most stat bikes have a tractor seat for a saddle.

Also, most stat bikes have seat height adjustments that are an inch apart or so, whereas on your real bicycle you can adjust the seat height by the mm. So you might have only arrived at an approximately comfortable seat height.

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking it had to do with a different setup, but what got me wondering is that maybe I should be getting this feeling after riding my real bikes. Maybe I'm wrong, but I associate that feeling with working the muscles. Is it normal to not get that feeling if the bike is setup correctly?

Thanks,

-Mike

Pain does not necessarily mean that you've appropriately worked your muscles.

What are you comparing the stat bike with? A stat bike of your own? Your own bicycle on a trainer? Your own bicycle outside?

Hi Machka,

Comparing it to my own road bike on a trainer and outside. I just can ride and ride in those cases and never feel any muscle fatigue like I did today.

-Mike

Maybe you need to increase the tension on your trainer a bit, and give hill intervals outside a try.

Pain does not necessarily mean that you've appropriately worked your muscles

-or that you've worked your appropriate muscles.

Maybe you need to increase the tension on your trainer a bit, and give hill intervals outside a try.

hill intervals i find are one of the best ways to get stronger. for me at least.