fell walking vs cycling

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jawaka
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fell walking vs cycling

Post by jawaka »

I did the Tourmalet 3 weeks ago, and last week went fell walking up Blencathra via Bannerdale crags and Sharp Edge in the Lakes, about 8.5 miles and a lot of ascending.
I noticed that I seemed to be breathing a lot harder when walking uphill than on the bike, but also that moving the legs didn't seem an effort, whereas on the Tourmalet I was aware of making effort on pedal strokes. Walking uphill felt less challenging and being able to see the summit a long way off wasn't disheartening. I also noticed that though although we were out for 6 hours a sandwich, energy bar and crisps seemed enough food. I'd worry on the bike if I hadn't more than that in six hours.
I was a bit surprised to find that I had some aching at just the top of my thighs at the end of the walk, but the big difference was how unrecovered I felt the next day after the walk, I really wouldn't have wanted to do another. I think that is probably due to biking being low impact whereas walking puts more stress on your body and shakes up your internal organs. Unless "For Goodness Shakes" which I used after biking is a miracle recovery drink.
Flinders
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by Flinders »

You use different muscles, to some extent, going up steeper hills like the ones you were on, even than when cycling. The only thing that really gets you fit for walking up really steep gradients is walking up steep gradients, believe me. (I spent the earlier part of this year getting fir for a trip to the hills on Skye). Cycling helps with some muscles, even helps more than walking only on the flat, and of course is good for general fitness, but the steeper hills can easily find muscles I don't use for anything else. :(

Bannerdale crags is a lovely route up Blencathra- though I go on to the summit from there avoiding Sharp Edge myself, as I have no head for ridges. You can do a nice loop back over Bowscale Fell and Bowscale Tarn.
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Mick F
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by Mick F »

jawaka wrote:.... that though although we were out for 6 hours a sandwich, energy bar and crisps seemed enough food. I'd worry on the bike if I hadn't more than that in six hours.
That's you, not me.
I can go out for 6hrs and not eat a thing, and only perhaps drink a bottle of water.

Eat enough before you go, make sue you are well hydrated before and perhaps during, and get home nice and hungry.
It's only six hours.
Mick F. Cornwall
ChrisButch
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by ChrisButch »

Having spent about equal amounts of time on the two disciplines over many decades, the one generalisation I'd make is that cycling fitness usually made me fit for walking, but hillwalking fitness didn't make me fit for cycling.
orangebiker
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by orangebiker »

I always get painful legs (thighs mainly) after even a short hilly walk, for example last week did 2 hour walk partway up skiddaw. I don't do long hill walks that often, perhaps every few months, but do go running a couple of times per week. Conversely I have never had sore legs the day after cycling even after long or hilly rides, even when I haven't cycled for ages. Have always wondered why this is! However, I'd expect to be more tired the next day after an 80 mile hilly cycle versus a 20 mile hilly walk...
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feefee8
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by feefee8 »

The muscles you use on steep downhill walking are the ones you feel a lot the next day if you haven't been in the habit of hillwalking. I wonder if this is a weight thing! I find walking much more of an effort than cycling. An 11 mile walk will have me feeling it the next day. 40 miles on the bike - feel nothing the next day (could easily do more)
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ArMoRothair
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by ArMoRothair »

Yup. I did a ski season in the Alps several years ago and was keen not to waste too much of it by being out of shape; I therefore trained on my bike every day come rain or hail all the previous summer and autumn leading into that season.

The first week of hard skiing still hurt like hell. At least my cardiovascular fitness was better than it would have been.
karlt
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by karlt »

ChrisButch wrote:Having spent about equal amounts of time on the two disciplines over many decades, the one generalisation I'd make is that cycling fitness usually made me fit for walking, but hillwalking fitness didn't make me fit for cycling.


This. I also would say that the best antidote to misery slogging up a steep slope when fellwalking is to think how much harder it'd be on a bike.
Flinders
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by Flinders »

feefee8 wrote:The muscles you use on steep downhill walking are the ones you feel a lot the next day if you haven't been in the habit of hillwalking. I wonder if this is a weight thing! I find walking much more of an effort than cycling. An 11 mile walk will have me feeling it the next day. 40 miles on the bike - feel nothing the next day (could easily do more)


Agreed. But I spent time getting walking fit earlier this year, and at the end of it could do 3500+ feet and 15 miles carrying about 20 lbs in the rucksack without feeling tired at the end of the day, or stiff in days after. (I generally find that I'm stiffest not the following day, but the one after that.)

The older you get, the more a very steep downhill hurts more than a very steep uphill. :?
I have found taking gluscosamine helps the knee joints. And walking poles help on eroded scree.
Vorpal
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by Vorpal »

Mr. V gets most of his exercise by walking and I get most of mine by cycling.

When we do hill walking together, he's faster on the flat bits and I'm faster on the hilly bits. I also don't get as puffed on the hilly bits. That's got to be the muscle and fitness developed from cycling :)
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Flinders
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by Flinders »

Vorpal wrote:Mr. V gets most of his exercise by walking and I get most of mine by cycling.

When we do hill walking together, he's faster on the flat bits and I'm faster on the hilly bits. I also don't get as puffed on the hilly bits. That's got to be the muscle and fitness developed from cycling :)


If he practices on flatter terrain, that makes sense. I find if walking the only practice for steep gradients is steep gradients. Mates in Keswick who ran a B&B used to get guests from flat parts of the UK who could do very long walks in their own area but were shocked to find how much they struggled with the steep gradients in the Lakes even on short walks.
For steep walking, muscles-wise I think cycling is better practice than walking on the flat. But walking up hills is even better, as there are some subtle muscle differences. As for getting puffed, I'd say cycling practice was just as good as steep hill practice.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: fell walking vs cycling

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
ChrisButch wrote:Having spent about equal amounts of time on the two disciplines over many decades, the one generalisation I'd make is that cycling fitness usually made me fit for walking, but hillwalking fitness didn't make me fit for cycling.

+ 1
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
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