How to increase the intensity of bike riding?

[Bob]

It's not enough, not on normal streets and surfaces (those without oil   ).  

The point is to get my heart rate up.  It's 10 bmp's lower now than it was, so bike riding isn't doing a whole lot to push my heart anymore.

An inclined surface does get it into the moderate zone though.  


Is there anything available that I could attach on my bike to make it more difficult to ride?

It would be really cool if I cold generate power doing that, but I just want anything at this point.  Something cheap too.

Don't oil/lube the gears.  That would make it tougher.


https://www.training4cyclists.com/20-ways-to-increase-training-intensity/
Hm.... I was about 80 bpm away from my max heart rate.  There was no way I was going to hit it.  I need some way to make it harder to pedal.


I do have an inside exercise bike. But it's inside. It's more interesting outside.

[thalbergmad]

Head for the hills. If you live in flattish country, then I guess that could be a problem.

Also, aim for a 60-90 cadence. Much more efficient and keeps the heart rate up.

Thal

[Bob]

Thanks.

So far I've found...
Leave it in a higher gear.
Hills, but I don't have many here. (Just inclined spots where they spread oil out and don't mark it...)
Stuff about switching things up on the bike, like the gears, but I'm not doing that.
Using an exercise bike indoors.  I might end up doing this.
Possibly having the brakes squeeze a bit somehow. 

I was hoping there would be some attachment like the old style exercise bikes where I could just twist a knob and it was press down a little on the wheel and add more resistance.

Wasn't exactly sure what cadence is... but it's what I thought.
https://forums.bicycling.com/topic/54635607126179526


I did find one post saying to make it easier to pedal and move the legs faster.  That's kind of a weird look though.  Hills/inclines do what I'm looking for, at least to some extent.  Instead of a lower heart rate it goes up to the medium range finally if I'm on an incline.

[Bob]

Haha.... Something with this would look cute...




But I could see it working.  If it worked like the brakes and gripped a little from each side on the wheel rim, that might work.


Or... If there's a way to attach another set of V brakes on one wheel somehow.  Then those could be manually set a bit so they press in, like having the brakes on all the time.  It would wear out whatever brake pads they use, but it might work.  It would be easier if someone just made a little pinching clamp that did that though, with rollers instead of brake pads.

[rachmaninoff_forever]

Start bmxing

[thalbergmad]

The best way i have found to increase intensity was to buy a Garmin and start uploading my results to Strava.

That way, you can compete against yourself and others riding the same segments.

Thal

[gyzzzmo]

I'd say, get rowdy.
Throw some stones towards a police car, rob a bank etc (you get the picture..) and hop on your bike. This should get your heartrate up.

Gyzzzmo

[Bob]

The broader goal is just to increase my heart rate without running, ie riding a bike.  My heal still hurts.  Rest of the body says yes.  Heal says heck no.  Heal wins.

It's fairly impossible to search for 'how to increase exercise intensity'   or 'heart rate.'   I just end up with sites saying how to measure it.  I've got some general ideas though.

[thalbergmad]

I would not get too hung up with heart rate, or you will end up like Chris Boardman.

Thal

[thalbergmad]

When I wanted to increase intensity, I bought a Cube.

Thal

[gyzzzmo]

Ok i'll try a more serious post now.
Im not much into cycling, i find it utter boring to be frank, but that might be because i grew up in (flat) Holland where i had to ride 30 miles every day to get to school and back.

If you're focussed on heart rate, the logical thing seems to do is either find very steep hills, or do interval training, where you have to cycle very fast for like a minute, cool down, and repeat a couple of times. You can google it somewhere i think: interval training for cycling.

good luck

Gyzzzmo

[thalbergmad]

I could not imagine cycling in Holland. Dead flat is indeed boring but some good climbers have come from Holland.

Thal

[gyzzzmo]

I could not imagine cycling in Holland. Dead flat is indeed boring but some good climbers have come from Holland.

Thal

Well although boring, cycling is actually a very practical way of transport in Holland, and also safe since the roads and drivers have adapted to all those cyclers. And a big pool of cyclers usually does mean being able to get a few hits of great ones, even though Holland is such a silly little country

Because of my 'profession', i have quite some contact with foreigners to whom i once told that some of my friends didnt even have a drivers licence, just because they didnt need one since cycling is so more practical. So even it might be boring here, i too find myself much more on the bike than in a car.

And as you maybe remember (Thal), i went to on a vacation to Schotland this summer. And even though Schotland might be relatively safe on a bike, i wouldnt even want to think about getting on a bike in a country like this, because its A) still too unsafe (have to wear the silly helmet) and B) all the hills means a sweaty arrival....


Gyzzzmo

[thalbergmad]

I took my bike once with me to Scotland and regretted it.

Cycling down Glencoe is indeed not a good idea.

Thal

[Bob]

My bike as it is now isn't going to cut it.  I scoped out all the hillier places around me.  My heart rate is still low, even when facing into the wind.  Legs get a medium workout, but the heart doesn't really do much.

[timothy42b]

It is too unsafe in my area to ride a bike

The roads are made for cars and the drivers are aggressive and inattentive

So I have my bike mounted on a stand with a magnetic resistance gadget like this:

https://www.comparing.guru/pages/nsearch?seedid=510&origin=bing

You can get your heart rate up as fast as you want on one of these

When I had a set of rollers:
https://www.calibex.com/Roller-Bicycle-Trainer/shop-html?nxtg=87f0a50051b-840A5D27C733538D

which is basically a treadmill you set your bike on.  You are not attached, you have to balan ce, and your rear wheel turns the back rollers which drives the front roller with a belt.  There is not much resistance, but the bike shop told me I could get a resistance gadget like the magnetic one I showed you that would clamp on the back wheel

[Bob]

Thanks.  I was wondering if there was anything like those bike holders that would actually attach on the bike only though.  And without the base part.  Just something to add more resistance.

[j_menz]

Something like this?

[thalbergmad]

It is nice to see pictures of my home town.

Thal

[Bob]

I don't think increasing the weight will do it.  More wear and tear on the bike.  When you get moving, it's all moving with you.  The extra resistance is nil at that point.

[timothy42b]

Thanks.  I was wondering if there was anything like those bike holders that would actually attach on the bike only though.  And without the base part.  Just something to add more resistance.

Yes.  The bike shop told me I could get one of those resistance gadgets like a wind trainer without the base, that would just attach to the rear wheel.  My quick google yesterday didn't find one though.