Fifty Plus (50+) - Do stationary gym bike miles count?

Hello again all

Happy belated Thanksgiving to all N American continentals, and early festive season wishes to all

I posted twice recently about the results of a tumble 5 weeks ago off my bike - broken femur and then 2 additional stress fractures

Anyhow, I'm now almost ready for a bit of physio to get back a bit of mobility, and a stationary bike is suggested - with absolutely no resistance, just spinning against no load at all to ease the joints and tendons and to stretch the muscles whilst not putting any load bearing onto the still repairing bone

So, if downhill coasting counts towards century rides and 'ride your age' achievements, does spinning a recently broken leg against zero resistance count for anything? 'Cos if so, I'd rather be clocking up easy double centuries than just sitting bored out of my mind in a hospital room!!

Only if your butt gets sore.

Under the circumstances, we'll let you count them!

Sure, it counts as bicycling-like exercise, but references to distance cannot be made. Unless that mileage number refers to actual distance traveled. Flying down a 15% grade for 10 miles is 10 miles but an hour working up a sweat on a stationary bike is 0 miles. Or, you could assign a 'mileage' number and record it with as asterisk.
You do, of course, get a gold star for making progress on your recovery.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/goldstar.jpg

Normally I would say no. But if it there is even a chance it will get you back on your bike quicker, go for it. If it was me and everything felt OK, I'd very slowly increase the load every few rides.

I say count them. I count hours when riding and training on my bikes. I use one computer head with matching harnesses and just switch the head. I record hours in my weekly log but the computer keeps track of total miles. I count the miles, I've earned them!

The hours/miles spent on the trainer and rollers during the winter season sure do make a difference in the miles on the road later. Using some guy's logic, that miles don't count since the bike doesn't move, would allow a chain and cassette last forever.:D

Surprised to hear that you are able to even think about sitting on a bike- let alone using one- even if it is just a stationary one. Must be awkward trying to get the Clipless shoes on over that plaste, But a spare cleat and a couple of 6" nails and I suppose you can fit it direct to the plaster.:p

At your current stage of Training- I say count the miles but only if you think they are doing you any good. I know they will as the big problem with any lay-off will be losing fitness. The leg may be crooked right now- but unless you start doing something- the rest of your body will go the same way.

Just don't apply to join Club Tombay till the plaster comes off. :innocent:

Time on the trainer counts in the sense of being exercise and developing bike fitness. Measuring miles on a trainer seems kind of silly to me. Much sillier that, say, naming your bicycle. Adding trainer miles and bicycle miles together seems downright ridiculous - ymmv.

But doing whatever it takes to get yourself back into riding condition after your accident makes all the sense in the world. Go for it. :thumb:

Yes, they count.

Just who made me judge? Divine decree.

What I say goes.

A spin instructor told me that since you do not coast on a trainer, at least for very long, you actually get to double your mileage for record-keeping purposes.

However, I've never found that a trainer simulates hill climbing very well, which is my downfall.

But it surely it is better than watching recordings of Dancing with the Stars.

Sure, it counts as bicycling-like exercise, but references to distance cannot be made. Unless that mileage number refers to actual distance traveled. Flying down a 15% grade for 10 miles is 10 miles but an hour working up a sweat on a stationary bike is 0 miles. Or, you could assign a 'mileage' number and record it with as asterisk.
You do, of course, get a gold star for making progress on your recovery.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/goldstar.jpg

I see. So I have to fix the gym bike onto the load bed of the pickup and get the delightful tandem stoker to drive me round for the exercise duration. The faster she drives, the further I've achieved. Seems simple now you explain it

A spin instructor told me that since you do not coast on a trainer, at least for very long, you actually get to double your mileage for record-keeping purposes.

You coast? One of my favorite sayings is, "you can't win if you don't pedal." 'nuff said on that!

I think there should be a differentiation between a computerized stationary trainer and one of those simple strap-for-resistance things. Either way they're time on a bike, but the ones that use a strap on a flywheel just plain don't register anything near real-world. The rate at which they log miles is like they're set to a 150-inch fixed gear, no matter what the resistance. The computerized ones that vary the resistance can be pretty good, though.

I see. So I have to fix the gym bike onto the load bed of the pickup and get the delightful tandem stoker to drive me round for the exercise duration. The faster she drives, the further I've achieved. Seems simple now you explain it

Good plan. You don't even have to pedal for the mileage to count, as long as you are on the 'bike'.
You get another gold star for the good plan.
http://i189.photobucket.com/albums/z284/JanMM/goldstar.jpg

Here's the official ruling on stationary bike miles:
They do count.
Use the following method to measure:

Set Garmin GPS on bars.
Hit "start"
However many miles your GPS reports you riding when on your stationary bike is the official number of miles you can claim.

Glad I was able to clear this up.

Here's the official ruling on stationary bike miles:
They do count.
Use the following method to measure:

Set Garmin GPS on bars.
Hit "start"
However many miles your GPS reports you riding when on your stationary bike is the official number of miles you can claim.

Glad I was able to clear this up.

Cadence sensor on the rear wheel will still work

Here's the official ruling on stationary bike miles:
They do count.
Use the following method to measure:

Set Garmin GPS on bars.
Hit "start"
However many miles your GPS reports you riding when on your stationary bike is the official number of miles you can claim.

Glad I was able to clear this up.

Grand.

So, I gather, with stokette and truck used as above, the mileage can be considerable and the slumber uninterrupted?

So glad I came here to ask

I count them. Anything over ~17mph on my trainer is actually more difficult than it is on the road. After a few weeks on the trainer my first ride outdoors feels really easy. Plus, in the dead of winter with ice/snow on the roads it can be a lot more fun to think of hopping on the trainer to do 25 miles than to think of doing 90 minutes.

My log always shows whether the miles were on the trainer or not, but my total for the week is my total.

Some here...........and if you don't remember who they are, I'm not going to tell you..............have managed to join Club Tombay while ingaging in the use of a bicycle bolted to a stationary training stand. Given the level of effort and the danger involved I'd say that the milage counts as an equivalent to over the road cycling........:innocent:

Count for what?

If you're hopeing to get a cookie or a trophy or something for all the miles that you ride, I've have to say no.

If you're hopeing for some kind of a rehab or aerobic benefit, what's the alternative? I'm thinking that anything you do is better than doing nothing so they definitely count.

I always count my trainer miles, but that's because I have a rear mounted wheel sensor so I can. A gym stationary bike's milage counter won't be anywhere near accurate but it is all you have so count em.

No matter how hard I ride the stationary it still pales by comparison with road riding so I always take all of it with a grain of salt. It's a small fraction of the total in any case.

If you want them to count, they do.

If you don't want them to count, they don't.

Just be sure you are smiling!!

I have been expecting this thread.

I started on the indoor spin bikes in my worksite this week wearing my HR monitor (which uses the "bogus" average :)). I record the time and record the estimated miles involved. It's not the same as riding but is very productive time. So one vote for "record with asterisk." I don't record time doing leg or shoulder presses though!

Its a matter of making distinctions. You classify the type of riding, on the saddle on a bike or off the bike on a trainer or exercise machine. So if you want to log total miles per year and say 5,000 miles this year, you can break it down into the different categories.

Nobody but your coach will ever dissect this data.

It ALL counts

Isn't there a Governing Body somewhere that determines what miles count?

Isn't there a Governing Body somewhere that determines what miles count?

Are you saying this isn't it?

None of it counts. Measure lumber. Ride bikes.

You have my vote! Go gently and be patient. Good to hear you're ready for PT.

Glad your on the mend, speaking of "exersize bikes", it's been snowing and roads full of ice for over a week now and it's not looking to end for a few days! Don't have the cash for a new exersize bike or a trainer, rats, well found a E-bike for $20 on Cragislist, YEA!! Well after cleaning it out, overhauling/regreasing, etc. I've got the whole thing 99.9 percent and sadly the left pedal must have been put in wrong and stripped, arrrrugh it won't go back in, hope I can find a "tap" that will make it fit, was looking forward at least getting to "spin" some. ;)