[Sportsandrec] WALKIN ROUND

[Ron & the bears]

Hi Anita,

When I started to be more responsible about my blindness, I was a frustrated 
cyclist. I had ridden my single bike with remaining vision for too many 
years before I finally bought my first tandem. To satisfy my desire for 
mechanical appreciation and identity with real cycling, I began to ride an 
indoor  trainer.

A trainer is a stand that holds a real bike up off the ground an inch or so 
and lets you ride it indoors. The stand holds the bike stable and also 
provides you with resistance to simulate riding outdoors. Between shifting 
the gears and varying pedaling speed, the trainer will challenge you with 
more resistance. You can work on cardio with faster pedaling, or cadence, or 
do strength training with harder gears and a lower cadence. Depending on how 
hard you ride, a cyclist can burn between 400 and 1,000 calories per hour. 
The metabolism, then stays elevated for hours after the ride. Perhaps Kelly 
can elaborate on that physiology.

Using a real bike, it fits me better and feels like, hmmm, a real bike. When 
I can't find a pilot for my tandem for an outdoor ride, I simply get on my 
trainer. When I do get back on the tandem with someone, I am noticeably 
fitter and stronger from riding the trainer.

I come from the generation where exercise bikes were not very desirable for 
me, after I had ridden some fine bicycles in my time on the road. However, 
they have improved over the years. If you decide to buy an exercise bike, 
make sure that it fits you well. Have an experienced cyclist show you how to 
adjust it for optimum comfort and performance. The best bike, or exercise 
bike is one that will get ridden.

When I ride, I have a fan blowing on my face and a net designed to keep my 
perspiration off my bike. I use the bike's cages to hold my water bottles. I 
often have a cat curled up in a chair watching me in his sleep. I listen to 
music and ride for about one to two hours. I have ridden it longer when I 
was being coached, but did not yet know a lot of riders in my then, new 
city.

My bike is much nicer than it needs to be for indoor riding, but I will take 
any inspiration I can find. Most of the components are back-burner, Tour de 
France level and my trainer is the best I have ever ridden. If it gets me on 
the bike exercising, than it is worth it.

"Two in a row. Everybody knows. At the green light, you rev it on the 
redline." Been waitin' all week, to get my wheels on the street. Put my 
hands on the wheel, slide down in the seat." Rev on the Redline, by 
Foreigner

Ron & the Dad is like our giant hamster on a wheel bears
Austin, TX

Anita Ogletree wrote, "Rhonda,how I whish I had a bike because I would 
certainly take you up on
: your offer.  It is so nice of you to want to share what you have.
:
: Just in case a day comes when I can get a bike and use your trainer or
: perhaps get my own, how does it work?
:
: Anita" 



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