Neil_B

Should I include spinning bike miles in the figures I am giving Tom for Spinner Saturday? And should I include them in my personal weekly figures? An I cheating if I do so?

I'm asking because:

spinning bike miles, as well as miles I've ridden on recumbent exercise bikes, aren't on my own bike.

they don't require me to balance or use other bicycle skills.

Thoughts, folks?

bcart1991

As long as you're sweating, I would say they count.

MeMyth

I would say count them as well...

Hobartlemagne 

How much climbing are you doing? Wind?

Pinyon

I consider spinning another type of cross-training, and don't count the miles. There is just no way to calibrate "distance" with the resistance settings, etc. It is also too different from outdoor riding. Sure, you use the same leg and butt muscles, but you are right about the balancing and...how the bike feels underneath you being a HUGE difference. Your pedal stroke is different, YOU move and the bike does not, and my seat and hand placement are A LOT different than the set-up that I have on my road bike. The differences are especially pronounced for us clydes, and especially for hills/high resistance settings. The resistance of the flywheel and pads allow you to maintain a much smoother "spin", than you can outside at the same cadence when you are a clyde.

Spinning during the winter really helps me get started riding outside in the spring, though. I can train my feet to spin faster cadences, and the lack of movement of the spin-bike allows me to train using very high resistance and very low cadence for power and strength, because I can really control my technique to avoid any knee issues (no wide-legs to compensate for bike movement, etc.).

I'll be interested to see if others count their spin-bike miles.

ronjon10

I've been counting the hours but not the miles for spin classes as I don't have a clue how to calc that distance.

Neil_B

It's very hard to judge these factors. Also, my "spinning" bike miles include spinning bikes, recumbent exercise bikes, and a handcycle. (I was in physical therapy for two months.)

My miles for the year so far are 3004 with the spinning bikes, and 2819 without.

Neil_B

Don't you spin at roughly the speed you normally ride at? It seems a matter of simple math to get your figure.

ronjon10

If I was at home on my trainer and bike, I could figure it out with the cadence and gears. But at spin class, the resistance changes a lot and my cadence changes some. It doesn't matter enough to me to bother with it.

Pinyon

Outside I tend to utilize a steady-state grind over longer periods of time, and in spin class the instructors at my gym prefer to only use really intense intervals. I can't sustain that level of intensity on a real hill outside for more than 5-10 minutes, and lots of the hills around here take at least 30 to climb (for me, anyway). Outdoor riding is a lot more about building and using aerobic base and leg strength for me. Spin classes are more about burning lots of calories for other gym folks, and improving your lactate threshold (in theory...mine stays about the same, but recovery is faster if I train with enough intervals).

CliftonGK1

I have a stationary 'bent, and I count all the miles I put in on it. Typically when I ride it, I use the "Hill" setting which varies the resistance over the course of my ride.
Is it the same as getting outside and riding? No, of course not. Usually I'm watching movies or playing video games while cranking away on the stationary.
Do 30 miles of simulated varied terrain, which get my heart rate into the proper zone and wear my legs out, count just like "real" miles? Heck yes they do. My legs are stronger and my endurance is higher for having started a routine of extra miles on my recumbent in the evening.

Tom Stormcrowe

If you are asking for the purposes of the database, then yes, Spin Bike miles count, on a 1:1 basis.

JohnKScott

I count my trainer miles as well. It's easy for me because it is computer driven and simulates hill climbing and accumulates miles, time, ascent, watts etc. and I have found the speeds to be reasonably accurate compared to riding outside. I can adust the weight to compensate for wind etc. I have it set right now for 30 lbs over my body weight. Seems about right.

So heck yeah I count them. I say, if you can come up with a reasonable estimate, count 'em up!

Tom Stormcrowe

If you know your average cadence and can compute the gear inches, you can get a really good estimate of distance. For example, if you hold a 90 cadence for 15 minutes, and you are running a wheel diameter of 26.6" (700C is the closest conversion)

Every pedal rotation = 316.36 inches or ~26.3 feet.
90*26.3=2367 feet every minute,or .4 miles roughly, *15 (To get the distance in a minute to the quarter hr)*4 (To convert from 1/4 hr to hr)=24MPH., this is using a 53X14 gear ratio.

thus 1 hr at 90 cadence = 24 miles.

Now, you can compute the correct gear ratio here
https://www.panix.com/~jbarrm/cycal/c40cycal.html

and there is a variables calculator here:
https://www.panix.com/~jbarrm/cycal/cycal.30f.html


53x14 100.70 0.00% 316.36 0.00 26' 4.36" 200.28 1:3.79

piper_chuck

I do a rough guess on miles based on time and exertion. I measure exertion with a heart rate monitor so it's easy to compare to riding on the road. If I know that a moderate exertion ride outdoors averages 15 mph and I rode at a similar heart rate indoors for 30 minutes, I give myself 7.5 miles.

As much as I dislike riding indoors, it does have it's advantages.

1. Rain, cold, lack of light, etc doesn't get in the way of riding.
2. Since I decide where the hills are, I can control my exertion much easier. If it's supposed to be an easy day, I can do just that.
3. When you don't have to worry about traffic, potholes, dogs, It's much easier to focus on form. It becomes a great way to improve your pedaling.

Gus Riley

Do down hill and tail wind miles count while riding? Yes. Trainer mile counting is up to the trainee. I count mine. Otherwise I'd get no miles in the winter.

Mr. Beanz

On bikejournal there is a separate category for indoor/trainer miles. I log outdoor and have my rankings set as 'compare to outdoor only'. But I'm luck in Cali cause there really is no demand for indoor miles with our weather. But I'm sure there are posters on bj that log indoor as outdoor, you know how people are!

On something like Tom's log, yes I would use spinner miles as well. But being ranked against others, I only care to compare myself withoutdoor only as that's what I do!

One thing I found amusing is the info others log on bj. Indoor trainer miles are posted as 26 mph average while the same rider posts there outdoor miles as 13 mph even on the flat rides. Then they log the weather as cold, windy, and rain. C'mon, it's not windy in your livingroom!

If it were me, I'd log in comparison with my usual outdoor ride. If I averaged about 17 outside. I'd log a 2 hours trainer session as 34 miles. That's what I would do!

flip18436572

My spinning is on rollers that I bought for $50.00 used. Pretty dang hard workout with my bicycle in the basement. It is a good sweating workout.

aliensporebomb

My spin classes I've taken have been instrumental in improving my on-bike performance.

My average speed increased by nearly two miles per hour and I don't gain weight in winter
anymore. Spinning = a big plus for my fitness.