Noonievut

Hokiedad4

If you've never ridden a spin bike, you should find a local gym or spin studio and try a few classes to get accustomed to the cadence and intensity you can handle in a 45-60 minute class. I really enjoy spin classes at our local studio on days when riding outside is not possible. In terms of position, spin bikes tend to have a more upright position, so it's more a matter of getting the seat height correct, which the instructor can help with.

When you're away and if there are no classes nearby, just follow one of the many YouTube spin workout videos.

Machka 

Yeah ... join a class if you can.

Or if not, do intervals. If you've got a TV available, do commercial intervals. Otherwise, shift into a harder gear and stand for a couple minutes, then sit and go all out for a minute, then stand again, then sit and spin easily then stand again, then sit and go all out for a minute, or some such rotation.

Yes, adjust it as well as you can. Spin bikes are easier to adjust than stationary bikes, and you should be able to get it quite comfortable.

BobbyG

A few weeks ago on vacation with no spin bike option, I tried an eliptical and despite standing, when I leaned forward and rested my fore-arms on the console it felt very much like a road bike...

Slightspeed

I broke my arm in a crash several years ago. The crash was in April, and my first "real" bike ride again was July 4th. While off the bike I rode my wife's stationary spin bike and lost very little in fittness. My watch was damaged in the crash, so it gave me a chance to try out the new one that had a heart monitor function. If you have an active vacation, hiking, walking, sightseeing, I would skip the spin bike, but if you hit the buffet, lay on the beach or pool all day, hit the bike. 😉

ggoytia1

Another suggestion..
Pawn shop/bike shop, ask if you buy the bike will they buy it back at the end of the vacation. Normally they will say yes at half price. Or good old dare i say wally Mart.

caloso

fietsbob

They may have them on Cruise Ships , and a staff to help.. this port is a transit stop at a transition between summer Alaska tours and winter tropical ones..

l'll try to remember to ask some visiting passengers in 4 months..

woodcraft

Bring SPD shoes if you've got them.

If by yourself, a clock or timer is important to help the time go by-

5 min warm up, 3 min standing, 3 min sitting, 30 sec sprint, 90 sec recovery, etc. etc. etc..

DaveLeeNC

I have a Lemond Revmaster Spinner bike that gets a good bit of bad weather use. It is fitted with Garmin Vector pedals so it a pretty useful workout platform.

The absolute necessity for me on any indoor bike is a STRONG breeze (high setting on a 14" tabletop fan) blowing at my face/chest. I can't imagine doing useful work without that breeze.

dave

Troul 

45 minutes seemed short to me when using the stationary setup. Set it up to fit your profile as if it is a bicycle you're going to be dedicated in using. If you would do it during a ride on your typical outdoors bicycle, I wouldn't see it a reason to not do it indoors.

Rajflyboy

Machka 

Yeah, I'd try for a full hour, unless there are people waiting.

I go for 1-hour spinning classes (on real spin bikes, not stationary bikes ... I assume we're all talking about spin bikes here). They start with about a 5 minute warm up, and then it's full-on for the next 45 min or so, then about a 5 minute cool down, and then 5 min of cool down and stretching. Roughly.

By the time you get with about 5 minutes of that cool down, you're so ready for a cool down!! It's a tough workout.

avole

daoswald

Over the winter months I use spin bikes and other forms of stationary bikes, as well as endless stairs. Mostly things with pedals though. I use the stairs when I want to keep my HR pegged for longer durations.

What works for me is to either set the equipment to interval modes or to set it to a target heart rate. You're going for two weeks. Getting into the 80-90% HR zone most days with intervals a couple times a week will keep you fit and bike-fit even though it's not the same as biking, for a couple weeks.

Seat height and if available fore/aft position are most important. Go for a similar leg extension to what you get on your bike.

Noonievut

exmechanic89

My advice is use a recumbent exercise bike if possible, they're much better for gym style workouts, imo.

Also, if no bike available, use an eliptical machine. Most people use them incorrectly and therefore get a joke of a workout, but used correctly they are a great workout very similar to spinning the cranks. I ride daily but if I can't, I do an hour in the morning and an hour in the evening on the eliptical, and it keeps me in really good shape.

Wattsup

You need to retain fitness for only 12 days? HIIT is the obvious answer. Keep it simple: do 30 second Wingates. Adjust the spin bike the best you can, warmup well, then go ALL OUT for 30 secs. Easy recovery for 4 minutes. Repeat 3 more times. That's it. Enjoy your vacation!

DaveLeeNC

I have only been on an elliptical once, but I am curious. How do you 'mis-use' one of these devices?

Thanks.

dave

exmechanic89

People misuse elipticals the same way they misuse stationary bikes - by not setting any/enough resistance when using the device. You want to be able to not easily hold a conversation when doing it right, vs the people that just sit or step onto the machine, set the resistance at 3 out of 20 and dink around while they text their friends. Total waste of time, imo. If you're gonna do it, why not do it right?

DaveLeeNC

Thanks. I just wondered if there was something unique to an elliptical to be worried about.

dave

Machka 

Personally I find the foot placement on the few I've tried to be way too far apart ... kind of like trying to run with snowshoes on.

Noonievut

50PlusCycling

Just walk, and walk a lot, especially if you are going somewhere scenic. The very last thing in the world I want to do, other then being hospitalized, is waste my vacation time sitting on a spinning bike sweating. You are not going to lose any real amount of fitness in 12 days, and if you are fretting over losing that little time in the saddle, you are riding too much. I used to be a competitive racer, and this time of year I did very little riding, perhaps 2 days a week, yet still found time to get into shape for the spring classics in Europe.

There was a time when I trained every day, doing around 500 miles per week. I loved it, but I did it mainly because it was my job. Mental fitness is just as important as physical fitness, and to keep yourself sane, sometimes you need to sit down and relax. That is what vacations are for.

Machka 

Or jog ... I've actually found jogging to be a quick and easy way to get some exercise in. Even just a 3-5 km run (< 30 min) is good. And all you need to bring is a good pair of shoes and some basic running clothes.