Stationary bike vs Riding outdoors
There are benefits to both but which type of cycling is for you?
Riding on a stationary bike or riding one outdoors is rather subjective and is solely based on how you want to train your muscles considering different kinds of situations. For example, if you have an upcoming long ride, you should evaluate the expected overall distance of the ride and if there’s a climb — because, you need to consider that we use different muscles when we’re climbing rather than when cycling on a flat road. Below, we’ll tackle some of the advantages and disadvantages of training using stationary bike versus riding outdoors.
Stationary cycling
It’s undeniable that cycling outdoors is the best way to practice and train for rides but not all of us have a lot of time on our hands. Stationary bikes are great if you’re the type of person that usually don’t have much time for leisure, but still want to train for an upcoming ride. So here are the advantages you get if you use a stationary bike:
Your own time
This is one of the advantages of having a stationary bike is you can ride it at any time of the day or night at your own time. You can make a schedule that fits your day or night shift.
Training in bad weather
Ah yes, one of every cyclist’s enemy — bad weather. This is one of the best things about having a stationary bike because you can ride even if it’s raining outside.
Set difficulties
Most stationary bikes have knobs where you can set your own difficulty at your own pace. Plus, you can make your own program and make different kinds of bike workouts. For starters try to watch this video from GCN.
Your own pace
The good thing about the stationary bike is that you can stop at any time you want. Though some may say that this is one of the disadvantages of stationary bikes in contrast to riding outdoors where you would sometimes need to push yourself to the limit. But that’s the point of having a stationary bike, it’s for you to create your own pace at your own time.
Full body workout
This is one of the must try for cyclists that have stationary bikes as these exercises will benefit you in the long run. If you don’t know what I mean, it is what most gyms have, spinning classes.
No pollution
One of the greatest advantages of riding a stationary bike is that you won’t be cycling through pollution. (Except probably, if someone farted.)
Cycling Outdoors
This is the best experience you can have especially if you’re training for a ride, as hands-on experience will greatly enhance your balance, awareness, perception, and most importantly, your instinct. So here’s what you should expect when riding outdoors.
Experience
As Benjamin Franklin said, “Experience is an expensive lesson but only this way you can learn something”. This is something you cannot get with the stationary bike — the experience of riding on different kinds of terrain and situations.
Exploration
Going through different places can be a great achievement rather than riding a car to go there.
Getting in to the community
This is one of the greatest things about cycling it’s that every cyclist you meet can be your friend. Plus, you can extend your knowledge about the “how to’s” in cycling.
Climbs
Climbs are one of the things a stationary bike cannot replicate. The experience of climbing a mountain with your bike is a great experience for every cyclist and can sometimes have a sense of achievement or bragging rights for cyclists that climbed high mountains.
Riding your bike
Your bike is your greatest companion through thick and thin in a ride. You just have to take care of it so that it will take care of you in your ride.
We all have our own preferences, go with the thing you think fits you the most whether its riding in a stationary bike or the outdoors it will all comes down to what makes you feel comfortable and accomplished. So go there and make the best out of your day!
Happy cycling!
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