Biking (and Carbs) page

[thehallowprince]

I have bought a new bike and would like to start biking to work everyday.

My work is 4.5 miles away. So it's nothing crazy.

Today I decided to bike to work after I got home to test to see how far I could go... but man... I went about 1/2 a mile and was beat... It was just a slight uphill slant and biking it was killer on my legs. I know I have to allow for some time to grow ... but ...

Everywhere I read recommends upping the carbs an hour before biking. Is that going to help? Anyone here have any tips for biking and being paleo?


Oh and I did end up finishing a full mile before I turned around and went home. Thankfully much of the way back was downhill ... In the end I did about 2 miles total today.

[Knifegill]

Getting back into the pedaling has been a process for me, too. As a teen, I'd just hop on at the start of summer and ride all day, never thinking about it. But a few years of not riding apparently added up! So, yeah, expect to build back up to it again. I don't need any carbs, really, but I DO need to supplement magnesium and potassium or I get cramps.

[pace2race]

What kind of bike is it? Road bike, mountain, hybrid, cruiser? A slower speed on most of those would be 10mph. If you're commuting to work to start you should be fine without eating before hand for a thirty minute ride where you will possibly be stopping for traffic. As you up your mileage, then you could need something. On a road bike you could cover 40-miles in a two hour-ish ride and not need anything prior. Sounds like a lot more fun than starting the car for that short of a drive.

[thehallowprince]

I'm definitley not planning on "carbo-loading" or anything like that. But lately i've been around 20-40 a day... perhaps I should throw in about 30-50 more in before biking?

yeah as a kid I biked allllll over the city i lived in from dawn to dusk... i hope it doesn't take long to get back into the game...

the best way to describe today would be to quote a wise man...

"The spirit is willing, but the flesh is spongy and bruised."

[thehallowprince]

What kind of bike is it? Road bike, mountain, hybrid, cruiser? A slower speed on most of those would be 10mph. If you're commuting to work to start you should be fine without eating before hand for a thirty minute ride where you will possibly be stopping for traffic. As you up your mileage, then you could need something. On a road bike you could cover 40-miles in a two hour-ish ride and not need anything prior. Sounds like a lot more fun than starting the car for that short of a drive.

Exactly!

1) Saves money on gas and mileage
2) Lets me enjoy some exercise.
3) Fun!

As for the bike... i dunno... i'm a novice really...

this is what i got

Walmart.com: Huffy Rock Creek 26" Men's Bike, Black: Bikes & Riding Toys

[Knifegill]

It just takes conditioning. You'll get there. But bicycling is a far cry from intense. Fat is a fine fuel for the typical commuter. Even the occasional hard pedal up a hill is really nothing compared to a real sprint. I see no real need to stay very low carb, either. I personally cycle between very low carb and low carb as I feel inclined.

I've got a Schwinn Cruiser 6. Nice little 6-speed, has some weight so you get a decent workout. Looks just like this one:

[thehallowprince]

Looking at the reviews for the bike i'm thinking I should have bought a different one... lol...

anyways, yeah, i'm definitely not going "crazy intense" on the bike... especially as I am riding to work on it. Don't want to become all sweaty and nasty before work (which is an air-conditioned law office)

[Dirlot]

What is your general fitness/conditioning level. At those distances your carb intake should not really be an issue IMHO

[thehallowprince]

Well I lost 100 lbs on paleo... never really ever worked out outside of Wii Bowling and regular sex (nudge nudge, haha, jk)

... but seriously, I don't really ever do much physical activity save for walks on the weekend and such...

[Louisa655]

What type of bike is it? What type of gearing is on the bike? Be kind to your knees....your cadence ideally should not drop below 70 per minute....Anything less than that, and you are putting too much strain on your knees.

You'll build endurance over the next month or so. Hope you are wearing a helmet --- drivers can be bad around cyclists.

/louisa (roadie)