Beginner cycling
 

Hey all, I’m a beginner at cycling but I already have a good aerobic base as an avid runner (think 7:45 conversation long run pace). Every time I hop on the bike my legs seem to give in long before I’m even in aerobic zone which makes it difficult to train my aerobics! I was hoping for some advice for training going forward. I’ve read to go lower resistance and higher cadence, but I really want to build up my leg muscles to where they are almost or on par with my lungs. All advice is appreciated!

Fitness can be a funny thing. It doesn't always translate well from one discipline to the next. It is going to take time. The nice thing though is with a solid fitness foundation you'll come around quickly.

How many times have you ridden and how far? What kind of bike?

I small change in an exercise will have an outsized effect on muscles. For example, when lifting weights, a change of grip will effect the involved muscles in different ways. Just keep pedaling and your legs will catch up. Also find some hills to build endurance.

My history with cycling is on and off. I did triathlons until I was about 16, riding 3 times a week. When I went to college I rode with the cycling team for about 2-3 months to strengthen my legs for a half marathon. Now it is two years later (I'm 20) and I wanted to get back into triathlon, starting with the bike. I've done about 10 rides in the last three weeks, all on a Peloton (My carbon fiber Scott is still at school), 5 45 minute workouts and 5 60-90 minute rides. The 45 minute workouts are around 150-160 Watts avg. and the long rides are around 105-115.

I forgot to say "welcome to the forum." You are going to do just fine and you are going to come around quickly. I have a hunch when you move from the Peloton to a real bike you'll feel some differences.

Thanks! Haha. Are those positive or negative differences?

You're right that as a runner, your lungs are probably ready to rock. However, the leg muscles involved in runny vs cycling are radically different and it'll take time to build the cycling-specific leg muscles.

I think the advice regarding resistance and cadence is good advice. If you start training with a power meter, you'll learn there are two ways to generate power: mash your pedals at low RPMs or spin your pedals at high RPMs (or a combination of both). I personally prefer the latter... kind of like how race cars (Indy, Formula 1, etc.) are crazy fast but also run their engines at crazy-high RPMs. The benefits of spinning are that it taxes your lungs more, which is the thing you already have well developed. Granted, this won't grow huge quads, but in the long run I think it's better for the health of your legs... more specifically, the health of your knees. I was warned when I was in my teens that I shouldn't mash gears or else I'd risk wrecking my knees when I got older... that advice came from a ex-Olympic cyclist. He was right... I'm now 46 years old and my knees like to talk back to me :-) While I do enjoy an occasional all-out sprint, I'm a firm believer in "spin it to win it"!

Just a few difference in the way you use certain muscles. A simple fit change from one bike to the next can do that. It's easy to adapt though. You got this!

Two different disciplines that work different muscles. I was never a runner but have been through two academies in law enforcement that running was the preferred exercise daily amongst other things. I never liked running and still don’t. I only run if a big dog is chasing me or someone with a weapon and I have exhausted mine.....LOL.

Now to cycling to build up your legs. Well, I am no trainer so I don’t know other than getting on the bike and pushing it weekly until you build those muscles. Hopefully a REAL trainer here can give advice. I am of the school just ride until you puke then do it again. It made me into a decent amateur who has competed. But at 50, I am not looking to be anything but an weekend warrior.....well, every other day hopefully.

Congrats and welcome to the best sport there is in my estimation.

My advice: keep riding! I was a runner for 50 years but my knees couldn't take it anymore. After a few years of hobbling around and trying to recover, I bought a bike 2 1/2 years ago. Like you, my legs just weren't in riding shape, but over time they caught up. It probably took a year. Now I'm riding 15-20 miles a day at about 16 mph and at the end of it, it feels more like after a run. No doubt about it though, a hour of running is much more fatiguing than an hour of cycling, even when I'm pushing it. Still, it's good exercise and my knees don't ache anymore. Just keep riding and your legs will get there.

I agree with previous posts- just keep riding. Maybe find a MTB and do a bit of cross training as well. Good luck!

Although I'm not at all an experienced rider, I do have a lot of experience working out. Squats and lunges couldn't hurt. Some plyometric exercises could make you more explosive for short hills too.

Work out your lower abs for hip flexor strength too. Biking a ton will help, obviously, but putting in work off the bike can also speed things along.

As not a runner, I could be pretty far off but I'll throw in my two cents:

Since cycling is generally low muscular impact, I would avoid low cadence all the time. Certainly there are times when you may end up pushing hard, its just likely not at a low cadence. Now that does not mean to avoid working on higher gears... It just turns into intervals...

So, If you want to work on improving you bike fitness, I guess it would be intervals for strength and speed, and FTP, with good recovery in between. Don't just throw your bike in a high gear and think that will do it. That will lead to bad habits and bad knees.

Since you have a trainer with power, I'd work to that, likely at a cadence between 80 and 100, varied up a bit to broaden your comfort zone. Maybe it has some nice training routines built in.

If you're in college or something maybe you could find a coach or something related to your other activities?