# Riding does nothing for you.



## George M

just read in Velo News and I've read it, in some training books, that just going out for a ride doe's nothing for you. If you don't go out and do intervals or sprints, or hill climbs, etc. your basically wasting your time. If you go out for a 4 hour ride, at a slow pace, the only thing you've done is get yourself tired.
I'm not talking about just going out to smell the roses, like some people do. I'm talking about exercise. I cant believe your not doing anything for yourself, just riding. Are they just talking about racing or getting ready to race? 

I would call Z2 pretty easy riding, Recovery or just plan riding. Your getting your heart rate up, rather than just sitting here, like I am now. I just find it hard to believe that your not gaining anything, just riding. I've gone for 4 and 5 hour rides and when I get back I'm 4 pounds lighter and they say, I'm not gaining anything. Would some of you shed some light on this. I know I must be missing something. Thanks.


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## PissedOffCil

Surely those 4 pounds are water you lost, not fat.

Sure just going out is doing something for you, it builds your endurance. It's just not making you faster, so I assume they are talking about racing. Training is all about stresses. Stress your body, it reacts, adapts, gets stronger and in the long run it gets easier to do the same effort. If that is going long, then just riding is what you need to do most of the time. When you'll start to want to improve your time, some higher intensity is essential.

And BTW, you need a good base endurance before starting higher intensity, so it DOES do something for you when done at the right time.


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## Oxtox

well, riding reduces my homicidal urges, so it's beneficial in that regard.


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## Undecided

Oxtox said:


> well, riding reduces my homicidal urges, so it's beneficial in that regard.


Depends . . . .


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## Pscyclepath

I read the report, and it's bullshit. Your personal fitness goals will drive how you want to ride and train, but simply being out and active will bring physical improvements. You'll never win the Tour de France or even the local club criterium if all you do is ride your Schwinn cruiser down to the coffee shop and back, you'll want to work hard on endurance and power. Specific goals require specific training, but whatever the goal, get out and ride.

A bicycle is the only vehicle man has invented that makes you healthier the more you use it.


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## George M

Pscyclepath said:


> I read the report, and it's bullshit. Your personal fitness goals will drive how you want to ride and train, but simply being out and active will bring physical improvements. You'll never win the Tour de France or even the local club criterium if all you do is ride your Schwinn cruiser down to the coffee shop and back, you'll want to work hard on endurance and power. Specific goals require specific training, but whatever the goal, get out and ride.
> 
> A bicycle is the only vehicle man has invented that makes you healthier the more you use it.



Thanks for the reply. That's exactly how I feel.


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## Jay Strongbow

I'm not saying I buy it and I haven't read it either but:

I think it's possible and perhaps your not agreeing is just a matter of semantics.

Compared to just sitting there, yes it's better, but it's not necessarily 'gaining' because just sitting there you wouldn't be breaking even, you'd be declining (assuming you didn't need rest). So on a long easy ride you'd be slowing the rate of decline.....but not really gaining anything assuming you were a fit rider. They must assume the reader is someone already in biking shape. So it would make sense, because if a racer only did long slow rides they'd be in for a steady decline.

That's just a guess on what the article would be getting at.


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## serious

I agree that if you are in decent shape and are looking for improvement, just riding around does nothing for you.


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## iliveonnitro

serious said:


> I agree that if you are in decent shape and are looking for improvement, just riding around does nothing for you.


Disagree.


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## bahueh

*why?*



iliveonnitro said:


> Disagree.


plateaus happen. I know some fat cyclists who just ride around. base miles are great for winter rides, however they're not really beneficial after March or so.


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## heathb

We all know there's overlapping levels of fitness gained from various workout intensities.

What it really comes down to is time. Why on earth would someone that wants to race or or improve fitness waste 4 hours of their day on the bike. 

I'd much rather do a really hard ride for 1.5 hours four to five days a week and be done with it. 

If cyclists were to eat a very healthy diet with calorie restriction and shorter really hard rides, if their goal was to be in good shape then that would accomplish it. If you keep your body lean and body fat low and do HIT training with proper recovery, then what more do you need. 

IMO HIT training is where it's at. I threw all these training plans out in the trash several years ago when I started to accept the idea that I wanted to be fast, not just good at endurance which will get you dropped.


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## PissedOffCil

heathb said:


> I threw all these training plans out in the trash several years ago when I started to accept the idea that I wanted to be fast, not just good at endurance which will get you dropped.


Your plans weren't suited to your needs, you should have refined them instead...


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## rbart4506

I assume you are doing crits heathb??

You need endurance and speed if you're doing road races and that is where those 4 hour rides come in...Personally they are not a waste in my books...I rather enjoy a 4 hour ride on the country roads with a group of friends.

I guess when my coach has me riding 3 hours on the trainer that's a waste too??

Sorry but the only way to build base endurance, that you then develop speed from, is riding the bike for extended periods...


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## Pablo

I've always found such statements about "trash miles" hard to swallow, based on my own experiences. I've come to realize that they're often simply poorly worded, overly-broad, and hyperbolic statements. Simply riding around is no doubt good for general health and well being, which, at some level translates into capabilities on the bike. However, simply riding around probably doesn't do much, if anything, for you as a bike racer due to the specific skills and strengths that racing requires. Simply riding around for miles is only "trash" in the sense that it may not help you reach certain specific goals. It all depends on what you want.


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## heathb

rbart4506 said:


> I assume you are doing crits heathb??
> 
> You need endurance and speed if you're doing road races and that is where those 4 hour rides come in...Personally they are not a waste in my books...I rather enjoy a 4 hour ride on the country roads with a group of friends.
> 
> I guess when my coach has me riding 3 hours on the trainer that's a waste too??
> 
> Sorry but the only way to build base endurance, that you then develop speed from, is riding the bike for extended periods...


I do road races. They're what I prefer, although I do crits as well because that is the bulk of what's available in my area. I've always been able to get better results in longer road races, that aspect comes naturally to me.

My endurance never suffered as long as I put my muscles though the torture tests of high intensity. Now if I fluffed my workouts and spread them out for longer I'm going to get dropped by the big thighed strong men that often train for no more than 1 hour a day with one long ride each week. There's no workout that I can't accomplish in 1.5 hours period. I can go out and motorpace for 1.5 hours and be hurting the rest of the day, take two rest days and be faster and stronger. I could sit on trainer until my brain froze over from boredom and accomplish little more than make my arse sore.


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## New_Personal_Best

The stuff I've read teaches that the rider should avoid riding at 80 to 90% effort day after day. You need some 90 to 100% intervals - which could be anything from a hard 2 minute hill climb or a stomp type sprint on one day. The next day you poke along at a recovery pace. The day after that you might even do something different like swim or go hiking.

Some rides I focus on having a great overall average speed but you shouldn't do that very often -save that for the weekend club ride. With intervals you have slow paced recovery between each effort and this will kill your overall average speed.


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## heathb

Recovery for me is off the bike. There's no need in recovery pace, unless it's between intervals. 

You can ride at 80 to 90 or more% for a few days in a row, just keep the workouts short and if you need to take an extra day off the bike, do so. 

The bigger question for me is where does this need to ride lots of base miles come from. Why do we have this obsession with spending lots of time on the bike. Did we watch too many years of grand touring cyclists.


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## serious

iliveonnitro: [bDisagree.[/b]

Yet we don't see many racers who are improving with just aimlessly riding aorund.


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## rbart4506

I get what you are saying, but what I was intending is that a complete training plan will involve a variety of workouts that will include longer rides...

Yes if all you did was ride for hours at end then you would not advance...


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## Pscyclepath

Being active (e.g., getting out and riding around rather than sitting on the couch with a ball game and abowl of nachos) brings physiological benefits. Specific riding goals will require specific training methods and regimes; how you want to ride will affect how you need to train.

But at least, ride.


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## Undecided

heathb said:


> Recovery for me is off the bike. There's no need in recovery pace, unless it's between intervals.
> 
> You can ride at 80 to 90 or more% for a few days in a row, just keep the workouts short and if you need to take an extra day off the bike, do so.
> 
> The bigger question for me is where does this need to ride lots of base miles come from. Why do we have this obsession with spending lots of time on the bike. Did we watch too many years of grand touring cyclists.


Well, "lots of time on the bike" is a broad category; I've been doing what might be described as pretty long versions of SST in my off season (e.g., four hours at a steady 78% of FTP) and variants of it (e.g., 3 hours at 78% of FTP, then a 20 minutes interval at 90%, then finishing out another 50 minutes around 78%). In my "study" of one, those are pretty good "base" workouts for my road races, which are typically of a similar duration.


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## New_Personal_Best

heathb said:


> Recovery for me is off the bike. There's no need in recovery pace, unless it's between intervals.
> 
> You can ride at 80 to 90 or more% for a few days in a row, just keep the workouts short and if you need to take an extra day off the bike, do so.
> 
> The bigger question for me is where does this need to ride lots of base miles come from. Why do we have this obsession with spending lots of time on the bike. Did we watch too many years of grand touring cyclists.


So if you have a day of really hard intervals, and the next day you can really feel it, do you still do a couple of intervals the next day? The stuff I've been reading says that is a no no.

I AGREE about lots of base miles being a joke. I laugh at advertising for cold weather gear promoting mega winter base miles. The days are shorter, it is colder, and who wants to be on a trainer for more than 30 minutes? What I do is try to cram as many tough hills and intervals into a 12 to 24 mile work out. My recovery time is off the bike because I don't ride more than 3 days per week during the winter.


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## psycleridr

I think a lot of people do not have concrete goals. Base miles (as mentioned several times already) are good for overall health but if you plan on racing I am a big fan of the periodization. In which case you need to do base miles (i.e. SST). Even the pros as mentioned only really do this during the winter AFTER they took a long break from the end of the season. They lost some fitness due to long layoff. So they go back to base before intense training begins as they know they can only maintain their highest level of fitness for so long.
And accoridng to the posted link for articles in this thread the OP article must be talking about racers and not the avergae lay person as i think we all agree that SST would be great for anyone that needs a normally sedentary lifestyle. However if you race you need to stress your body occasionally so you need additional/different training methods. If you are a pure road racer, crits, MTB or CX then you need alot more than SST. If you do Iron Man distance Tri's SST would be beneficial as there are no huge accelerations when you still need to run 26 miles after you rode 112 miles. It is all about consistent pacing and energy conservation.
Lastly, you must remmeber that training is testing and testing is training. You can knock the methods all you want but have you honestly tried them as specified? You may be doing well in your current group/cat class but when you step up to the next level will you do the same? As you progress your training methods should progress as well. I think the main point of the article comes down to doing the same thing AND NOTHING else all the time will only get you so far.


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## harpon

It's a coaching slogan isn't it mostly? Designed to push riders along.

I have no real problem with it, but never was my style. It's kinda without term and scope.
Where are the miles the 4 hours are spent? I lived in hilly southern Indiana- four hours of riding on no flat land gives a good workout. also a Category 1 rider after years is just going to be riding more intensely in any 4 hours han a novice who struggles just to RIDE four hours. Who doesn't go out and interval naturally a little bit? A stoplight, a hill, a sprint to a signpost? Outrun a dog....

I think sometimes you just gotta keep the joy, keep the interest. Personally I started racing because I love to ride and did so much of it. Time on the bike adds up at any level- now an old fart, I notice it sooner. Maybe in terms of results, or nearer to seasonal peaks the idea has more importance, but a lot of gaps in ability can be filled with just play.
At least that my own feelings....


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## MisterC

Just go buy Friels book and read it.

You will then know the roll that aimless miles take.

Nobody on here is an expert. Go to Barnes and Noble, buy a coffee, and read the words of the experts.

But if you want your desire and decision to not feel pain when you ride a bike to be affirmed then yeah, riding around however you like is good for you, but you'll never win a race.


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## New_Personal_Best

All I know is that the 25.5 mile ride I did yesterday that involves three tough 4 minute climbs and a few more moderate ones really wore me out. Afterwards I felt like what a 40 to 50 mile workout would feel like when I was in top form, relatively speaking, back in October. I think I've definitely lost some endurance.

Right now I have no training schedule. I pick a route, as harpon says, that helps keep the joy and interest, plus remind my legs of the hurt certain hill climbs dish out.


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## New_Personal_Best

All I know is that the 25.5 mile ride I did yesterday that involves three tough 4 minute climbs and a few more moderate ones really wore me out. Afterwards I felt like what a 40 to 50 mile workout would feel like when I was in top form, relatively speaking, back in October. I think I've definitely lost some endurance.

Right now I have no training schedule. I pick a route, as harpon says, that helps keep the joy and interest, plus remind my legs of the hurt certain hill climbs dish out.


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## harpon

That's so normal. I was lucky enough to train at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs when it first opened the winters of '79 and '80 under Eddy B. (No I never made the team)

But on group rides, he wouldn't let the riders compete in the middle of winter. In a cold climate, you just gotta do the base miles- The air is thick, you take so much longer to warm up and when it's really cold, maybe you never do get warmed up. You can't get out consistently sometimes because of weather- you can't let it psyche you out. Four hours is a long time on the bike in the dead of winter- if not the middle of summer.


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## Guymk

From the different books i have read they all recommend that during the cold winter months that most rides should be building your aerobic capacity with a few intensity rides thrown in. then once it starts to get warm you start putting in more hours per week with more strength and pain tolerance training. I couldn't go out for my ride today because it was 38 degrees and raining and the roads were icy. No way that i could get anything done in that time with so little light after getting home from school. 

So I think the point is only riding easy all the time will get you no where. Only doing intervals or hard rides all the time will get you no where as well. A proper mix is what's needed.


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## MisterC

Nothing I have read corresponds anything with temperature and your periodization. I'd even argue that putting in hard efforts in the cold is good training. My first A race is in March. It could very well be in the 30s so I better be used to those conditions if I expect to do well. But I'm no expert.

Base miles are not easy. They're looooong. Mental toughness is something that needs to be developed. At 700 hours a year, this week (starting yesterday) is my longest at 20.5 hours. Later today I'll likely be doing 4.5 hours on the trainer and I just know that about 90 minutes in I'll start rationalizing as to "why I don't have to do this" and "its just one workout" but pushing through those thoughts prepares you fo the suffering you are sure to endure in order to compete.

And if you just can't do it, well, you've learned something else about yourself.

But I'll take 2 hours of intervals over 4.5 hours of zone 1/2 any day.


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## multirider

Main reason for not going too hard during a winter ride is to not sweat too much. No matter how effectively your clothes wick sweat, if you get too sweaty you're going to freeze on a downhill or some other low-effort part of the ride. Long, steady effort is best to not end up hypothermic. Depending on how cold it is, of course. Currently single digits here in Colorado, so I'm on the trainer.


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## aingeru

*The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing*



George M said:


> just read in Velo News and I've read it, in some training books, that just going out for a ride doe's nothing for you. If you don't go out and do intervals or sprints, or hill climbs, etc. your basically wasting your time. If you go out for a 4 hour ride, at a slow pace, the only thing you've done is get yourself tired.
> I'm not talking about just going out to smell the roses, like some people do. I'm talking about exercise. I cant believe your not doing anything for yourself, just riding. Are they just talking about racing or getting ready to race?
> 
> I would call Z2 pretty easy riding, Recovery or just plan riding. Your getting your heart rate up, rather than just sitting here, like I am now. I just find it hard to believe that your not gaining anything, just riding. I've gone for 4 and 5 hour rides and when I get back I'm 4 pounds lighter and they say, I'm not gaining anything. Would some of you shed some light on this. I know I must be missing something. Thanks.




I follow this, and really works. You just need to be patient, something that seems to be lost in our culture. I consider that if you need to build something strong and durable ( your fitness level),it has to be done slowly over years. So intervals make you faster, but most of the people do too much of it...


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## Chris_S

Pscyclepath said:


> I read the report, and it's bullshit. Your personal fitness goals will drive how you want to ride and train, but simply being out and active will bring physical improvements. You'll never win the Tour de France or even the local club criterium if all you do is ride your Schwinn cruiser down to the coffee shop and back, you'll want to work hard on endurance and power. Specific goals require specific training, but whatever the goal, get out and ride.
> 
> A bicycle is the only vehicle man has invented that makes you healthier the more you use it.


I agree. So if I, Mr. Sedentary for 11 years, gets on a bike and pedals, I will see no benefit from it? I call BS on the report, I can vouch that cycling has increased my lung capacity, caused me to loose weight, and built some muscle. If I believed that article, I should have just stayed on the couch. I am not looking to race, but let's face it, any exercise when you are sedentary is better than no exercise.


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## fontarin

Usually the 3-4 hour easy rides are my way of enjoying the bike. I like short sufferfests too, but sometimes I want to just get out and ride.


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## serious

I think everyone agrees that easy recovery rides are very beneficial at the right time and for the right reasons. But what is absolutely clear, is that "just riding around" will never to allow an individual to reach their optimal performance. Sure you will lose weight, get in shape and feel 100% better than sitting on your couch, but I think we are talking about achieving your potential. That requires some intelligent, speciifc training.


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## cyclesport45

If you're "just riding around", "doing base miles", or whatever you want to call it, then that;s what you'll get good at.

Many years ago, my much faster riding buddy told me, "If you keep going out at 18 mph, you'll get better and better. . . at going 18 mph.

Going slow to get fast. . . now THAT sonds like a training plan!


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## hscoach2

I get what they're saying, but sometimes we overplan...most runners spend most of their training time just getting in the miles (including some who t=run 2x/day), with only a few workouts/week having a more focused purpose (the long run, tempo, hills).

The only problem I would see is if you never ride hard or if you always ride hard.


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## Offline

Undecided said:


> Depends . . . .


awesome!


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## Countchristo

Might sound obvious but as someone new to this sport are you saying a shorter hill climb would be a quicker way to improve than a longer flat fast ride?


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## highbrow

Hi I am very new here and have been loving the place. i would also wish to disagree with this report I started riding a bike in Feb. It was a cruiser I got for going to dinner and places with my wife around town ( like 2 to 3 miles ) . I rode that cruiser for a month and while my wife was at work started riding it further and further at a slow pace. Moved to a hybrid bike end of march and today a full carbon cannondale road bike for the last month. Since starting end of march ( and changing my diet of course ) I have lost 83lbs and it is thanks to those slow rides to start so I am disagreeing as well.


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## Chris-X

highbrow said:


> Hi I am very new here and have been loving the place. i would also wish to disagree with this report I started riding a bike in Feb. It was a cruiser I got for going to dinner and places with my wife around town ( like 2 to 3 miles ) . I rode that cruiser for a month and while my wife was at work started riding it further and further at a slow pace. Moved to a hybrid bike end of march and today a full carbon cannondale road bike for the last month. Since starting end of march ( and changing my diet of course ) I have lost 83lbs and it is thanks to those slow rides to start so I am disagreeing as well.


Congratulations! Remember to keep enjoying the road bike the way you enjoyed the cruiser and don't get too caught up in the tech.

A lot of people come up to me on their cruisers and say "nice bike" or whatever and honestly, I don't think they realize what they have. A functioning bike that is practical as anything and they can get out to go to a restaurant or bar, sightsee, or stop and smell the roses.

The one bad thing about the cruiser riders; a lot of them aren't watching where they're going.

Don't worry about training schedules either. You'll get faster just riding around and then after a period of time, you'll decide whether you want to be more structured to get faster or whether you just want to get out and ride for an hour or a few more. Just ride..


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## highbrow

thanks Chris for the kind words and advise. I know from my few short months of riding while my road bike is a huge jump up, riding friends road bikes I can tell a huge difference in bars and various other small things, shifters, etc. so I think it maybe time for a small upgrade or two


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## Magnus Scorpionicus

Late to the party, but that's bullshit. A lot of coaches want to portray their own special 'Silver Bullet' solution for getting faster by insisting what can be accomplished on a 5 hour ride can be compressed inside a 2.5 hour ride. 

Everyone talks about efficiency and cramming as much efficiency as possible into limited time. 

What if I enjpy riding my bike for no other purpose than enjoying riding my bike?

There is no such thing as 'junk miles' for the cyclist who loves to ride.

Yes, there are 2X20 FTP intervals, etc etc and other assorted protocol to get faster and lots of coaches who think they are uber-mensch.

Hardly..........

Even on your easiest ride planned, you will face conditions that make that ride very worthwhile.


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## Luis Leon

I love to go out and ride, 1 hour, 2 hours, 3 hours. Heck being able to spend 4 hours riding a bicycle is a plus in my book. I am blessed with many nice routes. I definitely see ride to ride improvements and since I'm not a racer that is enough for me. There are no flat routes where I live so all the rides include plenty of climbing. So that even a short ride gives me plenty of stress.


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## Magnus Scorpionicus

Likewise.

Speed will take care of itself via more time in the saddle.


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## JasonB176

I haven't read all the replies but I generally agree with that statement. I wouldn't say that it does absolutely nothing for you but to get real results, you need to push. Intervals and hillwork are what really build fitness. I almost always include some anaerobic training in every ride I do.


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## Alkan

I don't think I'm capable of going slow enough on a bike to not improve. I always have a desire to go faster, and likewise I always get a good workout. I mean, I pace myself quite carefully, but it's always a high pace for whatever distance.


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## VitaminJ

I'd most defintitely say riding does something for you. I ride my bike to work which is about 36km round trip, and there are two monster hills that I ride up. I don't bust my balls, but I have a quick pace for the majority of the ride. I lost 10lbs just riding for 3 months every 3-4 days during the week.

A colleague of mine lost 50lbs riding his bike in Taiwan every day, no hills.


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## vladvm

that article targets racers, but unless you are a pro why even bother. also if you are going to get 2nd place at a local race, what's the point really? 

but since this is coaching thread: hills can and will make you work so take those routes with plenty of hills and also smell the roses.


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## wannaberoadie

The thing I'm noticing here is that the responses seem to be pretty unidirectional. From what I've been reading from Friel, Chapple, Maffetone articles etc. training is a progressive thing. You ride your long base miles to train your slow twitch muscles to use fat primary while using carbs more efficiently. You do your intervals to increase your LT which builds power and speed. You gradually increase the frequency and intensity of the intervals according to monthly time trials. Each month you need to reevaluate your training and adapt. The thing about base is that it takes about 95% longer to develop than power etc for a given period of time. That's not to say that you're going to go out and go from Couch to Cat2 in a season, but you'll be making significant improvement. Every aspect of training seems to have its place and it's up to the individual to fit those pieces together in the correct order at the correct time. It's obviously different if you're interested in sprinting, climbing, long ass distance etc. Sprinters train differently than the climbers even down to their muscle composition etc. There's a lot that goes in to it.


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## ZoSoSwiM

The benefits of long easy "trash miles" for me have nothing to do with training my muscles. It's about clearing my mind an ignoring the Garmin/powertap for that day. Sometimes a zero goal ride is exactly what is needed. Sometimes these can fit into training.. like 5 hour endurance rides. Sometimes they might not fit.. However just going for a ride is always better than sitting on the couch IMO. 

I've read 101 places that most people can ditch recovery rides... However I know my legs feel like crap the day after a day in which I haven't ridden. So for me just going for a ride helps.

No training rule is set in stone for everyone..


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## Local Hero

How old is this thread? 

Anyway, I disagree that riding around for 4 hours "does nothing for you." 

I come from a distance running background. The science there says we benefit from high mileage base training. Low intensity, high volume creates adaptive changes in the body, such as increasing capillary density and lowering resting heart rate (while increasing efficiency). It also strengthens connective tissues and prepares the body for higher intensity later in the season, lowering the risk of injury. On the other hand, it's not going to peak your V02 Max, speed or strength -- that requires specificity and intensity. And testosterone levels tend to drop and we run the risk of "overtraining" with 3+ hour daily training over prolonged periods of time. How much of that directly translates from running to cycling? You decide.


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## kingfisher

I've read that the real benefits of long easy riding come once you hit 20+ hour per week, and that those benefits are similar to shorter bouts of high intensity training, with the added benefit of a deep aerobic base. This is how the pros train. Chris Carmichael makes this point in his book. And, in suggesting workouts for the "time crunched cyclist", he recommends almost exclusively threshold workouts and high intensity 3 minute intervals to generate racing fitness.

Many of us are somewhere between time crunched and 20+ hours a week, and try to get the benefits of a deep base before turning to high intensity work. In my experience, though, it's the high intensity work that wins races.


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## deadhead1971

isn't it enough to just enjoy it ?


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## bytewalls

Lots of racers have an all or nothing mentality. The long easy 4 hour ride has a place in everybodys schedule. It is good for endurance, promotes recovery, ect. On the flip side 4-5 hard rides a weak leave your body in shambles no matter what shape you are in. It will weaken your immune system, weaken your legs, racing ability, make you more tired and the list goes on. Is riding 4 hours everyday best for performance no not really. But for a lot of over zealous athletes, going slower every once in a while will actually make them faster.


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## Ricey155

Surely if your burning calories in the right zone and not force feeding yourself when you get back home cycling be it fast or slow is good for you ?? 

cycling for me is great for the mind and determination pulling yourself around your local run when your dead on your feet is awesome you feel great especially after a day or two rest 

my cycling is the new gym, its free (well except the kit/ bike) all that fresh air in the countryside is priceless and your mind is clear of all the crap going on 


who cares what people write unless you agree with it :idea:


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## tindrum

if andy schleck spent a season just going out and riding around, maybe a hundred easy miles a week, his fitness would decrease fairly dramatically. if the average, slightly-overweight american with a largely sedentary lifestyle buys a bike and does that, their fitness will increase fairly dramatically. 

"junk miles" are a concern for only a very small, very competitive number of riders, or people that are very serious about their personal fitness.


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## Ricey155

think that goes for most people, unless your smashing miles left right and centre 

biking is great and a great free sport forget the gym its all about the bike 


tindrum said:


> if andy schleck spent a season just going out and riding around, maybe a hundred easy miles a week, his fitness would decrease fairly dramatically. if the average, slightly-overweight american with a largely sedentary lifestyle buys a bike and does that, their fitness will increase fairly dramatically.
> 
> "junk miles" are a concern for only a very small, very competitive number of riders, or people that are very serious about their personal fitness.


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## SevensRacer

Although I am more of a beginner in cycling, continually breaking your limit is the key to getting better. When I used to be involved in auto-racing, my coach would continually push me. For instance, in one course, my fastest lap time might be around 1 min 80 seconds. Then, he would push me a little further, then my lap time would go down to 1 min 72 and so forth.

I don't find it any different from cycling. When I started 3 months ago, I finished my 17 mile route in a slow, paltry 2 hours. I kept pushing little by little, and now, I can finish that 17 mile route, on average, in 1 hour 10 mins (I recently broke my fastest time by 8 minutes - can finish this route in 1 hour).

My advice: Gradually, push yourself harder and harder. You'll get faster in no-time.


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## desertgeezer

I always push it when I go out and as a result I'm in better condition now then I was twenty years ago. Lung capacity up. Recovery time down. Weight down. I sleep better. I crap bigger. I eat better. And the solo rides gives me a chance to think about what the voices in my head are telling me before actually acting on them.


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