Social

I admit that I enjoyed watching part of the virtual Tour de France, with teams of female cyclists. Here’s a link to part 1.

https://vimeo.com/432778768

1. It made me appreciate just how much good commentators add to the race.
2. Like the real race, you don’t have to pay full attention all the time.
3. These women put out some power. They often show watts per kilogram (presumably rider+bike). One of the top riders is Erica Magnaldi (who’s also a practicing physician, so she’s definitely type A).  She averaged better than 5 watts per kg, and going for a Queen of the Mountains top got up to 7.4 w/kg.  If I convert that to my weight, that’s 500-750 watts, which is multiples of what I can do on a spin bike.

But, if you desire to emulate, WSJ has you covered!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/peloton-schmelotonheres-how-to-turn-your-bike-into-a-connected-workout-station-11595163600?mod=hp_lead_pos13

Because the Wall Street Journal has a tight paywall, I’ll summarize what you need:

1. Bike
2. A tablet or smartphone
3. Trainer  (e.g. a Saris trainer)

Upgrade: smart trainers contain built-in sensors and pair with those apps, they can automatically adjust resistance based on the incline of the virtual course, so when your avatar climbs in the game, you “feel” the hills.Examples: the $370  Tacx Flow Smart and the $1,200 Wahoo Kickr.

4. A riser block ($9) to hold up your front wheel so you don’t feel like you’re biking downhill
5. A mat ($25) to absorb sound and sweat
6. A fan and a towel, because sweat can damage bike parts
7. A phone or tablet mount ($19); upgrade pick: a $125 fitness desk
8. A cadence sensor detects how fast you’re pedaling in rotations per minute, while a speed sensor reveals the equivalent “miles” you’ve ridden. Wahoo’s $60 Blue SC measures both. The Wahoo app shows collected data and records workouts.
9. Zwift is a $15-a-month virtual biking platform designed specifically with meetups and competition in mind. There are similar apps designed for indoor cycling training—Rouvy, Fulgaz and Sufferfest all use video footage from real routes, instead of virtual environments—but none are as focused as Zwift on the social aspect.

Of course, it’s summer now, so why stay indoors? But I will miss my old winter indoor cycling regimen if I don’t return to the fitness center this winter: I’d listen to podcasts or watch TV on my incredibly noisy, built-like-a-tank Schwinn XR-7 stationary bike, which eventually had 30,000 miles on it and was ready for more.  (When I moved, I donated it to Northside Prep, where one of the teachers was using that same venerable Schwinn model to have his students get exercise, grind some flour, and then bake goodies to sell at bake sales; he presented at an EBC meeting a few years ago.)   One more example of how things are much more high-tech now than in the days when Schwinn ruled the U.S. bicycle market.