spinning

jas0n said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a gym?
are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real bike or
just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable weather
comes along?

I have never done spinning classes but from what I have heard they make
a good substitute for real cycling if you can't face the great outdoors.
Will build you appetite and keep you in shape for the open road as the
weather turns. I tend to ride in all weathers these days.

Give it a try and let us know.

MSeries said:

jas0n said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a
gym? are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real
bike or just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable
weather comes along?

I have never done spinning classes but from what I have heard they make
a good substitute for real cycling if you can't face the great outdoors.
Will build you appetite and keep you in shape for the open road as the
weather turns. I tend to ride in all weathers these days.

Give it a try and let us know.

I just went for a good 35 min swim and checking out the next spinning
class, its tuesday night so i'll give it a go ...

.... also, as I was sitting there in 'the car' in traffic waiting ...
waiting ... all I thought was, why am I in the car! its only just over 1
mile to the gym and whilst its mostly uphill to get there, that means a
nice time coming back after the workout.

and on that note, they have 4 stands for bikes just outside the main
entrance ... (of course all empty ... the regulars wouldnt want to turn
up looking all sweaty and out of puff, ruin their image!) i think
they're sheffield stands ... basically large upside down u's about 1
metre wide concreted into the floor.

so here starts my 2005 biking, just got to get hold of a wire lock ...
and remember to take off computer, bottle and seat bag and as its just
over a mile from home doesnt matter if get a p*ncture as within walking
distance

.... the plan forms ... just got to act on it now!

jas0n said:

... also, as I was sitting there in 'the car' in traffic waiting ...
waiting ... all I thought was, why am I in the car! its only just over 1
mile to the gym

Ye Gads!

You could even walk that far...

Al C-F said:

jas0n said:

... also, as I was sitting there in 'the car' in traffic waiting ...
waiting ... all I thought was, why am I in the car! its only just over 1
mile to the gym

Ye Gads!

You could even walk that far...

😉 ... gale force winds and mucho rain ....says 'no'!

"jas0n" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a gym?
are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real bike or
just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable weather
comes along?

Not me -- but then every time I've tried a stationary exercise bike I have
found it to be a torture machine. Plus, of course, it is terminally boring
not going anywhere.

T

My mate thought he was being lazy by skating to the swimming pool,
about 5 miles away instead of running there. His sister told him he
was loopy!

Jason, you'd be surprised how pleasant cycling in supposedly adverse
weather is. Since you were going swimming you don't even have to worry
about "proper" clothes at either end of the journey.

LSMike said:

My mate thought he was being lazy by skating to the swimming pool,
about 5 miles away instead of running there. His sister told him he
was loopy!

Jason, you'd be surprised how pleasant cycling in supposedly adverse
weather is. Since you were going swimming you don't even have to worry
about "proper" clothes at either end of the journey.

the bikes not ready yet otherwise I would have .... all I really need is
a lock and to give the bike a once over, pump up the tyres, etc ... so
i'll sort that out and then have no excuses at all

Al C-F said:

jas0n said:

... also, as I was sitting there in 'the car' in traffic waiting ...
waiting ... all I thought was, why am I in the car! its only just over 1
mile to the gym

Ye Gads!

You could even walk that far...

I am amazed at how averse to walking us provincial types[1] have become.
I've done a few one or two mile trips on foot (or whatever 15 to 20
minutes translates to in distance) and it's served to confirm my
potty-ness to the few who had allowed my cycling as a minor eccentricity.

[1] IME it's different in London and I have a few colleagues in the
smoke whose commute conists of a two mile walk.

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"jas0n" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a gym?
are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real bike or
just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable weather
comes along?

Not me -- but then every time I've tried a stationary exercise bike I have
found it to be a torture machine. Plus, of course, it is terminally
boring
not going anywhere.

When I lived in Canada, I used to do a spinning class about 3 lunch times a
week in the winter. It is completely different to normal a 'exercise' bike
and I reckoned it was a great fitness regime. It started me onto proper
clip pedals and I then converted my road bike as a result. I would advocate
that you give it a go. It beats going to gym for a workout on your own as
the class motivation makes you work a little harder.

Gavin

Not Responding said:

Al C-F said:

jas0n said:

... also, as I was sitting there in 'the car' in traffic waiting ...
waiting ... all I thought was, why am I in the car! its only just
over 1 mile to the gym

Ye Gads!

You could even walk that far...

I am amazed at how averse to walking us provincial types[1] have become.
I've done a few one or two mile trips on foot (or whatever 15 to 20
minutes translates to in distance) and it's served to confirm my
potty-ness to the few who had allowed my cycling as a minor eccentricity.

[1] IME it's different in London and I have a few colleagues in the
smoke whose commute conists of a two mile walk.

factors affecting not walking for me today were:-

10 stone+ overweight, it hurts more to walk than cycle
it was raining heavily along with a gale force wind
bike not ready yet, this one will be sorted tomorrow hopefully

"Gavin Collinson" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

"Tony W" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

"jas0n" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a gym?
are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real bike or
just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable weather
comes along?

Yeah I have been doing them for about the last month about 3 times a week.
At first I found it really hard work as the instructor was from hell and
insisted half the class was conducted at heavy resistance. I must admit
that I have got into it now and eat it and it is a great, high intensity,
workout. A few tips:

1. Wear padded shorts under your normal ones. You can't put a Brooks or a
Selle on a spinning bike ;-)

2. Get there early and set the bike up for your preference - reach, saddle
height, all the usual stuff applies. It WILL hurt if you don't.

3. Beware friction on inner thighs - saddles are not great. Vaseline
works.

4. Take fluiid.

5. Don't eat for about 2 hours before - otherwise you may be likely to see
it again.

6. Don't be afraid to back off if you need to - there's peer pressure to
'go for it' all the time. One girl passed out on us last week trying to
keep her speed.

7. Don't take a sweat towel - take about 5.

8. Enjoy!

Cheers

Paul

<snip>

We go once a week for an hour,can highly recommend it.An hour or so passes
very quickly.

All that the previos poster says is correct,especially about arriving a bit
early to set the bike up,and don't forget a drink.Yoo'll need it.

Sam Salt

Sam Salt said:

<snip>

We go once a week for an hour,can highly recommend it.An hour or so passes
very quickly.

All that the previos poster says is correct,especially about arriving a bit
early to set the bike up,and don't forget a drink.Yoo'll need it.

Sam Salt

So far, all the posts about having actually done it are just making me
terrifed of going!

Oh well, i'll give it a go tuesday night - worth it if it helps get some
cycling fitness back into the legs

ive now got my bike 1m wire bike lock (A £12 h*lfrods special) so can
secure my bike to the sheffield stand at the gym which is just over 1
mile away and uphill on the way there so no matter what the punishment
in the class getting back should be a breeze just rolling mainly
downhill providing bike is still there on return and has not been
vandalised! 😉

jas0n said:

i was wondering if anyones tried those group spinning class's in a

gym?

Quoted message said:

are they any good for helping to get you upto speed on a real bike or

Quoted message said:

just getting some fitness into the legs until more suitable weather
comes along?

Until a recent change of circumstances (new job, house move, new baby)
I used to cycle about 100 miles a week (mainly commuting) and could do
50 miles a day relatively easily. Now I find I have very little time
for cycling (and I cannot commute apart from the one mile to the
station).

So I've started doing some of these classes hoping to avoid losing all
the fitness I've got from cycling.

I'm quite enjoying it. There's a mixture of high resistence
out-of-the-saddle stuff and lower "sprinting", but more of the former.

It is tough. But I think the instructor singles me out for some of the
"more resistence" or "faster" 'cos I turn up in "proper" cycling gear.
I think shoes and shorts make a big difference with this type of
exercise.

I'll see whether it works when I get more time for real cycling.

Toby

PS. A couple of the attendees seemed surprised that I cycle to the gym
(maybe 2 miles) to do this. It seems the logical thing to do.

Quoted message said:

PS. A couple of the attendees seemed surprised that I cycle to the gym
(maybe 2 miles) to do this. It seems the logical thing to do.

Yes, I have a few friends who use gyms and they always drive the mile or
so there and back! Never quite understood the logic of that.....

--
Who needs a life when you've got Unix? :-)
Email: [email hidden], John G.Burns B.Eng, Bonny Scotland
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Response to [email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

PS. A couple of the attendees seemed surprised that I cycle to the gym
(maybe 2 miles) to do this. It seems the logical thing to do.

I know it's been seen here before -

http://www.goodexperience.com/broken/i/04/02/america-fitness-s.jpg

(I'm sure there are plausible justifications for it...)

--
Mark, UK.

"All war must be just the killing of strangers against whom you
feel no personal animosity; strangers whom, in other
circumstances, you would help if you found them in trouble, and
who would help you if you needed it."