Couch to 5K - for Cycling?
 

Does such a thing exist? (are the apps for it?) I don't know what a similar goal to the 5k run would be for cycling...

explain.

"C25K, is a fantastic program that's been designed to get just about anyone from the couch to running 5 kilometers or 30 minutes in just 9 weeks."

For cycling.

Just go to your local bike shop and join one of their no drop slow rides.

I haven't seen anything that has been as mainstream as couch to 5k, but I did find one link that might help you. What are your intentions. Are you into getting in shape, wanting to do high mileage at some point, or get really fast?

http://beginnertriathlete.com/cms/ar...articleid=1671

5km is only 3.1 miles...just get off your couch and ride it. Done. :P

that was going to be my response.

How would an app help with that? Actually, I think an app would be about the worst thing to make this happen. Less time in front of digital screens, more time on the bike.

5 km is only about 3.2 miles.

That's not the point! I mean the equivalent of running 5k, in terms of cycling.

The C25K app I've used in the past (we're talking running again) dings at the proper intervals and tells you what to do (DING run for 5 mins, DING walk for 3 mins, DING run for 7 mins, etc).

Probably your average LBS slow ride of about 25 miles...

A Garmin cyclocomputer can help time your intervals and whatnot. What sort of training you might want to do is going to depend on the course you want to ride. Hill repeats won't help for an event in Florida. Or maybe they would.

I got yer back on this one pal:

1) Stand up from couch

2) Sit on bike

3) Pedal until tired

4) Stop

5) Repeat at will

Five easy steps!

I think the answer is that there isn't a well known predefined program like that for cycling. its hard to come up with an equivalent for cycling. Most people out of shape can go a pretty long distance on a bike, but they might take a really long time doing it.

I would say start riding as much as you can and look for hills to climb.

My wife found something - I don't have the link right now but I'm sure Google will help - that was a training plan to go from minimal cycling experience to a 100k ride in 12 weeks. It's based on three rides per week starting out at 10k per ride and building from there.

If you can't do 10k perhaps it would be worth extrapolating it back a little way and maybe starting with 5k rides.

Exactly.
It is pretty rough running. But biking is easy for anyone. Maybe a couch to 50m? Distance is pretty easy though too. But it can be pretty tough for beginners...my longest ride has been 40m.

I'd say a 10 mile TT would be the cycling equivalent of a 5K run.

Not sure if this would be useful, but trainerroad has a couple of base plans that might be worth a look:

http://www.trainerroad.com/cycling/plans

Yeah, 10k / 6mi is my usual ride distance. I live near-ish the Sacramento River Trail (short and sweet), but not really near the American River Trail (so much longer and nicer).

I can't see there being something like this for cycling, at least not something very useful. The limiting factor for a new runner is the lack of ability to run. The limiting factor for a cyclist is comfort or boredom. If you're comfortable on the bike, I see no reason a new cyclist couldn't ride 25 miles the first day they own the bike, assuming they don't go and max effort. While with running, you're either running, walking, or stopped, on a bike you're either cycling (whether pedaling, or not) or stopped. My 67 year old father that has never worked out went on a 15 mile ride with me the other day. I took my girlfriend on a 30 mile ride the first day she had her bike, with no previous experience.

Using Triathlons as a guide, a sprint triathlon has a 5k run and 20k bike ride. So i'd say the cycling equivalent of a 5k is a 12 mile bike ride.

This article compares the two in terms of energy expenditure: http://www.drmirkin.com/fitness/8841.html
Couch to bike is easier than couch to run I think, so it is not a direct comparison i guess.

^This.

The C25K exists because so many people have never really run and most people don't just decide one day to run several miles. People aren't fit enough or don't even know how to run right. Cycling is different. I think anyone could jump on a bike and go 25 miles. They may be sore, they will probably be slow but it's doable. If you go out and ride 5-10 miles for a couple weeks then 10-15 for a couple weeks, etc. it won't take more than a couple months to build up to a comfortable 25 miles or more. Building up to a fast 25 miles or a steep 25 miles now that's different but the same process applies.

wrong post

+1

And here I was thinking the OP was talking 5K = 5000 km for the year .... but in glancing through this thread, I think that's a bit advanced for the OP at this stage.

OK ...

DING

Start riding.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Take a swallow of water.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Take a swallow of water.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Keep riding.
Take a swallow of water.

And when you're reached 10 km, turn around and repeat the above back home again.

DING.


There you go. There's your app.