Benefits of cycling?

[KatintheHat]

I've always wandered whether cycling does me a load of good in terms of fell running fitness or not. I know it does my fitness some good, and also means my bad knee is bad anymore, but I always struggle on a run if I've being doing more cycling than running in any one week!
I usually ride to work and back and only have a day off the bike in the if I'm getting out climbing in the evening. So the running and riding have to go hand in hand.

As for gears - ain't it a personal thing - it should be, as people ride differently, there shouldn't be any machosim involved - I'm a twiddler on my mtb, but a cranker on my road bike. Go figure!

[M.C]

As a biker who's getting back into running, I find that I'm *relatively quick on hills compared to on the flat.

*ie. not that fast, but seem to overtake people on hills, who then pass me on the flat....

[NotVeryMiniMarvin]

I think mountain biking is great for all round fitness and also gives me satisfaction when i beat marvin to the top of big long hills.

[daz h]

i used to bang out serious mileage on my roadbikes but since getting more and more back into running these last few years if cut down a lot
time is a problem
ive done 25miles on my bike tonight and it was bloody hard work, a very hilly route but i suffered a lot
my back is now killing me which is something of a problem ive had for years, if ive not been on my bike for a week i get terrible back ache but 2 x nurofens will sort that out
the roads are a lot more dangerous nowadays as well, its not safe being a bikie any more
never really been intrested in mountain bikes , i like to ride older road bikes , cant manage fixed speed anymore

[monkeynut]

Mountain bikes you will be wanting brakes that work next
Ive had ago on one once dident like it mutch. ill stick to my old Cross bikes ,twichy,unnerving,
plus you get some running in too, carrying it over peat hags n through bogs up steep fell sides, find it tougher than just running
And more fun than you can wave a muddy stick at

[daz h]

finally got my bike out a couple of times but i threw it in the shed tonight
bloody wind and rain killed me , im the lightest ive weighed for years but i stuggled up the hills today, going to try again tommorow.

think i need those bora wheels

[dominion]

finally got my bike out a couple of times but i threw it in the shed tonight
bloody wind and rain killed me , im the lightest ive weighed for years but i stuggled up the hills today, going to try again tommorow.

think i need those bora wheels

Bollocks. Listen to Lance.

"It's not about the bike!"

[Chris]

finally got my bike out a couple of times but i threw it in the shed tonight
bloody wind and rain killed me , im the lightest ive weighed for years but i stuggled up the hills today, going to try again tommorow.

think i need those bora wheels

You know more about this than I do Daz, but I'd have thought that if you haven't done it in a while the hills and wind and rain are going to be difficult. I've been cycling throughout the winter and I realised that being bicycle fit isn't quite like being running fit.

[daz h]

You know more about this than I do Daz, but I'd have thought that if you haven't done it in a while the hills and wind and rain are going to be difficult. I've been cycling throughout the winter and I realised that being bicycle fit isn't quite like being running fit.

yes chris its tough getting the bike out , although i favour crap conditions personally it will be a good 2 months before im up to anything like i used to be.
i have this love hate relationship with the bike. some rides are hell and i just want to throw the bike in the hedge but then out of the blue im flying down hill with my belly laying on my seat and my chin flat on the handlebars and its magic.
roads are very slippy at the minute, drivers are worse than ever, but im back this will be about my 40th comeback on the bike.
hoping i can cut down the running mileage.
i will be out again tommorow

[Chris]

I've never done any cycling til this year and mostly this winter. I've only been doing a bit of running since October to keep my hand in. I love the wind and the rain but I'm too tight fisted to buy any winter clothes.

I think the point is though that if you cut down on one or the other (out of cycling or running) not to cut it out completely for too long.