Cadence cycling

[eccc whippet]

Gona keep this short...all that money to ride a bike for 12 weeks...is it worth it?

 

I wasnt sure that spending a couple thousand rand to ride a bike that doesnt go anywhere is money well spent...considering i have a choice of 3 bikes to get out and enjoy the fresh air...so i decided to start the course half way and save thousands...dumb move...i should have paid the extra and done the 12 weeks of training.

 

I have 1 class left of the 5 weeks i signed up for...has it made me a super fast race snake...not really...has improved my cycling...hell yes.

 

but what is more important is being the fat fella with all sorts of medical conditions that i am...i had to watch my heart rate and recovery rate...my max heart rate has reduced and my recovery rate has improved. 

 

I went for a nice slow ride to test the new saddle and bib...ended up doing 95 km...my longest ride on the road bike.

 

A combination of a comfortable bib and cadence classes made this ride a pleasure and could have ridden another 50 km without a problem.

 

The seat...mmm not convinced it is the best suited for me...but lucky for me the assos bib compensated for the seat...and this i can comment on because i did my first cadence class last night using the assos bib...and those seats are &*&^*^ uncomfortable...i found using my first accent bib i was moving around a lot trying to get comfortable...which never happened last night i moved a little but enjoyed the class without a pain in the butt

[eccc whippet]

Vivek B...the response to your question...i thought i would save money and check it out first ...so i joined the class with only 5 weeks left...i wasnt sure that it was worth the +\- R2400 to do the 12 week course...i could go to spinning class for a fraction of the cost...so i only started pro rata....after 5 weeks at cadence i am starting to understand...why it is not just a spinning class.

 

How has it improved my cycling...you would need see my sessions from start to finish.... my recovery rate...learning to control my pedal rate...(cadence rpm)

 

I have never ridden a bicycle with a heart rate monitor...cadence meter or power meter...only at cadence...you start understanding the reaction to a pedal stroke...with and without resistance...the speed...etc...simple things like sitting up while cycling...how much power you loose...and how your cleat position affects the power generated...through the pedal.

 

Every session is a structured training plan...a threshold test is done at the beginning and your levels from endurance to anaerobic are set according to that 20 min result.

 

If you are just weekend beachfront cruiser like i was...no need to waste your money...however if you want to improve your cycling learn to control your effort.

 

I am considering adding a few stage races and long distance mtb rides in the new year....i will certainly be going back for a full 12 week course....to help improve and take my cycling to the next level...the only reason i havent signed up for the next 14 week class...is the class time...5 pm is a little early for me to pack up on site get back to the workshop then still be back in westville by 5...

[eccc whippet]

One thing i have learnt about cycling...until you are comfortable on your bike it is an unpleasant task to ride a bike...no matter how pretty or light or expensive your bike and components are...if your bike is not setup correctly and your seat and cycling shorts are not comfortable you not gona enjoy the ride.

 

My advice as a beginner to other beginners...dont be shy when it comes to investing in a decent bib...dont worry about the saddle...they are all uncomfortable especially in the beginning...they gona hurt you and make you wanna give up...most people will say it is not in the budget to spend R2500 for a decent bib...my advise get a cheaper bike and spend a little more on the bib and bike setup...especially if you want a more comfortable ride...if you like me and spend the majority of the time seated and you take as long as i do to finish...even better reason to invest in a decent bib.

 

There is nothing worse than 3 hrs into a race and you still have 10 km to go...your butt feels like the skin has peeled off and you cant sit ...but your legs are so stuffed that you cant stand ...it just gets so unbearable...your sense of humor is lost and you dont want to be in that place anymore....a bib becomes the most important component...the point were you just want to give up.

[JohanC]

I will never train with a Assos bib at Cadence. Your clothing in general takes a beating in that class.

Cadence is brilliant, it takes you roughly 12 weeks to transform into a different person on a bicycle. That "wall" just moves further away, and recovery much quicker. I've been a member since January this year again (did 6 weeks before K2C last year as well). When I started at Cadence my W/Kg were 3.2 (FTP). I'm currently at 4.5 W/Kg. 

[GLuvsMtb]

I cancelled my Gym contract a few months ago after Virgin Active / Vitality tried to pull a sneaky on me to say that my "legacy" contract now expired and that I had to sign up again, at much higher cost. I told them where they can put the Gym contract and looked around for other options.

I decided to join Cadence to get me through the winter months in particular. I enjoy the focussed training setup and unlike a spinning class, there is nowhere to hide when you have a watt meter on your bike. The instructors are also cyclists and the programs are specifically designed for cycling, opposed to a spinning class which is primarily an aerobics class.

During my Gym-days I used a personal trainer from time to time as well as I felt that I needed to be pushed from time to time. At R200 a session with the PT it also added up. At this point Cadence compared to Gym with a PT twice a week works out cheaper and when riding I definitely feel that my cycling has improved immensely. I compared some Garmin uploads from last year's W2W training to this year's and while my weight remained constant, I have showed a 10 to 15% drop in my HR during the same long climbs at a similar speed, and at a similar HR a speed increase of roughly 15 to 20%. My total training time is also similar to last year where I had 2 spin classes and 2 gym sessions in the week, and 2 rides over weekends, opposed to 2 cadence classes and a mid-week ride with 2 weekend rides.

With a bit of weight loss the results should be even more pronounced.

[Veebee]

thanks for this info Isetech. Have heard a lot of good things a bout these guys, so I think I am going to give it a go in the new year in preparation for the Argus. @ R2400 for 12 weeks its not bad at all.

 

The only reason I stalled it is that I live in Merewent & work in Rossburgh so its a bit of a drive to get to Westville or Durban North.

[Cargyrl]

Best money ever spent. Will continue and hopefully get even stronger ... do no have the mental toughness of a racing snake yet, but I am getting a hell of a lot faster and stronger

[eccc whippet]

Spring training done and dusted...did the coffee ride this morning...was hoping to get a  700 watt avg for 30 seconds...seems it would have paid off if  I had done the full 12 weeks training...considering i only did 5 weeks...760 watt avg for 20 seconds wasnt bad...the second attempt...i only manged 660 watt avg for 22 seconds...maybe next time.

 

Would i recommend cadence cycling...hell yes...money well spent.