Extended Layoff Repercussions
 

After not riding for awhile, which do you notice more... being unusually winded or legs just not having as much power and stamina?

Which suffers most, lungs or legs?

Shoulders, neck and lower back for me. Stretching out in the drops actually helps to relieve those issues rather than staying on the hoods.

I can take time off from riding and don't notice any decrease in my fitness... I still continue to workout and exercise to maintain my fitness and conditioning even if I stop riding my bike for a while.

Most immediately? I feel it in my leg muscles. So it is my leg strength that is my limiting factor.

But after just a few rides (like 3 To 5) my strength come back pretty quickly, and then it is my lungs that hold me back. That definitely takes me longer to get back.

This is based on the occasions when i have not ridden much over the winter and start going at it in the spring.

Lungs no doubt. Huffin n puffin like a *****.

What you are feeling in your legs has nothing to do with strength. Leg strength is never a limiting factor in road riding. The word you’re looking for is fatigue.

I don’t agree. Never say never.

First of all, who says we are just talking about road riding? I actually mountain bike more.

But also, it depends what scenario you are talking about. If the issue is how long of a ride I can do, sure, “strength” per se might not be the issue. But for intense and hard climbs, I think it is (or at least part of it).

If the issue is how long/far I can ride, or the steady pace I can maintain over a longer period... sure, that is pretty much always a muscle fatigue issue, regardless of what kind of shape I am in.

But what typically limits me on super steep (and typically short) climbs in the beginning of the spring definitely has to do with strength, because if I have been doing strength training, it is much less of an issue in the spring.

Remember, the scenario being asked about here is what happens immediately after a long hiatus off the bike. And some people will retain muscle endurance or muscle strength differently in that time off.

Both. And my neck and shoulders.

Well, you're entitled to your own opinion, just not your own facts. The fact is that we know the forces required to pedal a bike, road or mountain, and the fact is they are well below what a functional person is able to generate. If someone is able to walk up two or three steps, they are able to generate all the force necessary to produce the maximum power we see. Now, I notice you put strength in quotes. If you're doing that to indicate you define strength in some unique way known only to you, it's quite possible you're right; but I have no idea what you're talking about. I don't put it in quotes and use it in the way physiologists have always defined it; as the maximum force or tension a muscle or muscle group can generate. From that, it can easily be seen that if someone can turn the pedals over once, strength is not a limiter. For example, the only place where it mat be a limiting factor is for standing starts on the track where the rider can't generate enough force to get the bike moving.

Finally, the fact that your strength training improves your performance does not prove that was due to increased strength. Post hoc ergo propter hoc. Another fact is we know is that all training interventions have many cross-over benefits, so even pure strength training (and we don't know if that is what you were doing) can improve aerobic performance.

You are entitled to think or say whatever you want, but you seem to have mistaken me for someone who gives a s#it about what you think about my cycling or weight training. I am answering to OPs question. If it does not fit into your conceptions about what is possible that's your problem, not mine. I don't owe you an explanation about anything here, be it my definition of strength or my weight/rep routine when working out.

I'm not even going to bother arguing with you about this. You are the one who decided to tell me I don't know what is going on with my own legs, even though you have admitted to not even fully understanding what I am talking about.

How about you do you, and I'll do me? Because I honestly do not care one whit about what hurts you most when you get on the bike after 5 months off of it. Why you are so concerned with me in this matter.... I have no idea.

Have a nice day. And congratulations for making the rare cut onto my ignore list.

I'm not concerned with you in the least. I worry about the OP and other readers who might be mislead by all the misinformation in your posts. Confusing fatigue with lack of strength has caused many riders to train in ways that are not beneficial and may even be harmful.