Stationary Bike-Sacrilege?
12-05-07, 01:31 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Stationary Bike-Sacrilege?
Call me a heretic. I decided to go to the local Fitness Center and pay to use the Stationary Bike for a workout. I paid twenty dollars and rode for 25 minutes, but I will get the twenty puts towards a membership.
The electronic display says I burn 480 to 520 calories per hour, average 10.4 MPH, and turn about 80 RPM.
It's snowing outside, so I think it's the time of year to try an indoor trainer.
The thing that gets me is that in five minutes, I am sweating hot.
I would really like to build a new velomobile, which I tried in the late eighties/early nineties, but build it lower (semi-recumbent/crank-forward)
like this:
and make it wider. I kept the width down to 20 inches, for aerodynamics, but I had to scrunch my shoulders slightly.
I had to scrap the Type 6 velomobile, on account the internal bulkheads were cheap quarter inch plywood, and they rotted.
The electronic display says I burn 480 to 520 calories per hour, average 10.4 MPH, and turn about 80 RPM.
It's snowing outside, so I think it's the time of year to try an indoor trainer.
The thing that gets me is that in five minutes, I am sweating hot.
I would really like to build a new velomobile, which I tried in the late eighties/early nineties, but build it lower (semi-recumbent/crank-forward)
like this:
and make it wider. I kept the width down to 20 inches, for aerodynamics, but I had to scrunch my shoulders slightly.
I had to scrap the Type 6 velomobile, on account the internal bulkheads were cheap quarter inch plywood, and they rotted.
12-05-07, 05:23 PM
#4
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The electronic display says I burn 480 to 520 calories per hour, average 10.4 MPH, and turn about 80 RPM.
That sounds about right.
That sounds about right.
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12-05-07, 10:32 PM
#5
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I would love to see that bike at a local traithlon/time trial some time. That's looks pretty aero. It's even got a disk on the rear.
12-06-07, 09:45 AM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
But There is another way to ride "indoors": Build a Velomobile!
The velomobile was built in 1989, but was scrapped in 1999.
I would really like to build a new one, but six inches lower and six inches wider.
I can say that I rode that velomobile on days when it was 15 degrees F outside, and the interior reached 40 F, from my own body heat. I used a thermometer, that's not an estimate, it's an actual reading.
This velomobile has good aerodynamics too, I often got it up to 47 MPH. I wish it had a bigger chainring.
For now, I can do winter workouts at the gym. But I do want to build a new velomobile.
12-06-07, 09:21 PM
#7
RacingBear
Anyway, not sure what's the OP was asking. Stationary bikes beats not riding. The sweating issue is normal, since there is no air flow to kool you down. Thats why most gyms will have a fan in front of the stationary bikes. Cadence is on the low side.
12-06-07, 09:33 PM
#8
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I started this thread to discuss "bicycling indoors", i.e., I used a stationary recumbent bike at "Planet Fitness". Yesterday I burned 500 calories in 45 minutes. Good deal because it was snowing outside.
But There is another way to ride "indoors": Build a Velomobile!
The velomobile was built in 1989, but was scrapped in 1999.
I would really like to build a new one, but six inches lower and six inches wider.
I can say that I rode that velomobile on days when it was 15 degrees F outside, and the interior reached 40 F, from my own body heat. I used a thermometer, that's not an estimate, it's an actual reading.
This velomobile has good aerodynamics too, I often got it up to 47 MPH. I wish it had a bigger chainring.
For now, I can do winter workouts at the gym. But I do want to build a new velomobile.
But There is another way to ride "indoors": Build a Velomobile!
The velomobile was built in 1989, but was scrapped in 1999.
I would really like to build a new one, but six inches lower and six inches wider.
I can say that I rode that velomobile on days when it was 15 degrees F outside, and the interior reached 40 F, from my own body heat. I used a thermometer, that's not an estimate, it's an actual reading.
This velomobile has good aerodynamics too, I often got it up to 47 MPH. I wish it had a bigger chainring.
For now, I can do winter workouts at the gym. But I do want to build a new velomobile.
12-07-07, 07:27 AM
#9
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Any training routine benefits from an accurate measure of each workout's length and intensity. When selecting methods of measuring exercise intensity, be sure you understand whether or not you are using equipment that can produce accurate, repeatable exercise loads.
Using "calorie counters" as a measure of exercise work is often inaccurate. Get help, find a way to produce repeatable, nearly identical workloads throughout the season and record as much information as possible when selecting alternate work load and various lengths of work periods.
Many gyms allow the use of fans. Just ask if you can bring one in.
Using "calorie counters" as a measure of exercise work is often inaccurate. Get help, find a way to produce repeatable, nearly identical workloads throughout the season and record as much information as possible when selecting alternate work load and various lengths of work periods.
Many gyms allow the use of fans. Just ask if you can bring one in.
12-07-07, 08:00 AM
#10
Señor Member
At our office, we have a workout room in the basement with showers and lockers in a room next door. Works out great for commuting by bicycle. But now we have snow on the ground, I only have slicks, and I feel the need to get out and do something.
The thing that bugs me about the stationary is that the seat kills me. After about 20-30 minutes, I get off and I can barely walk cause my ass hurts. They have those really wide seats that are common with "comfort bikes"
.
The thing that bugs me about the stationary is that the seat kills me. After about 20-30 minutes, I get off and I can barely walk cause my ass hurts. They have those really wide seats that are common with "comfort bikes"
.
12-07-07, 12:45 PM
#11
Senior Member
Thread Starter
I honestly can't tell if this is a joke. And I don't see what my post had to do with you building a velomobile. I was simply making a joke about how weird looking the thing is. If you are being serious, I think you need to take yourself a little less seriously. And if you are joking, maybe I need to take BF a little less seriously.
Riding the stationary bike is new to me, but I had a velomobile in the past.
Either way, I am surrounded by warm air. On the velomobile, I can open the door if I get too hot.
I would rather be riding the velomobile than a stationary bike in a gym.
I have to build a new velomobile.
Have you seen what the Europeans have to offer?
https://www.velomobile.de
https://www.velomobiel.nl
12-09-07, 03:36 PM
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As much as I dislike a stationary bike. It is just too icy here to risk outdoor cycling once the snow falls. 
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Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
- Lance Armstrong
Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.
- Lance Armstrong
12-09-07, 07:37 PM
#13
Señor Member
I would rather be riding the velomobile than a stationary bike in a gym.
I have to build a new velomobile.
Have you seen what the Europeans have to offer?
https://www.velomobile.de
https://www.velomobiel.nl
I have to build a new velomobile.
Have you seen what the Europeans have to offer?
https://www.velomobile.de
https://www.velomobiel.nl
https://www.bluevelo.com/
They have some good pictures there too..
I wonder if I would get hassled riding one of those things on a MUP.
EDIT: Check this out: https://www.velokit.com/. Inexpensive fabric shells over a light aluminum frame. Far less expensive, and obviously not as sleek looking.
Last edited by ericy; 12-09-07 at 08:24 PM.
