Cycling or Rowing?

[johnlvs2run]

If I remember correctly, the top center of the seat to bottom pedal axle is 1.08 times inseam.

The nose of the seat goes directly over the bottom bracket, though mine appears to be an inch or two behind it, then adjust for what works from here.

I always have a quick release on the seat to make adjustments more easily.

[Nosmo]

If I remember correctly, the top center of the seat to bottom pedal axle is 1.08 times inseam.

The nose of the seat goes directly over the bottom bracket, though mine appears to be an inch or two behind it, then adjust for what works from here.

I always have a quick release on the seat to make adjustments more easily.

These are "rules of thumb" which may or maynot work for the individual. Best advice is to find some one knowledgable to set up you position properly. Most people with experience will get you close enough for a decent fit. But it is tricky to get your position optimized. Occasionally I hear stories of very sucessfull racers changing their position and getting improvement. It costs a $100 and up to get a good professional fit--and different people don't always agree with each other.

[Dreadnought]

I don,t think it has anything to do with the brand. I have it on several occasions and differant brand's
In my track and field days I had the same, I could never do on a bike compared to what I could do running.
On a stepper though, I can get a higher output, higher then on the, C2 I mean.
With cycling my legs give in long before my hart and lungs do.[/quote]

One reason your legs tire more quickly on the bike is cycling requires more power than running, especially in higher gear ratios. And, as others have noted, positioning is critical for efficiency.[/quote]

For a given power output it is all concentrated in the legs over a relatively short range of motion on the bike. On the rower, the legs go through a longer range of motion, and other mucle groups are recruited such as the upper and lower back as well as the arms.

[johnlvs2run]

I've got an old touring bike ready to ride on the bike stand, and need a back tire and tube that won't keep getting flats.

What inexpensive tire or tube would you all recommend for this use, nothing fancy but just something that will stand up to this type of spinning and not keep getting flats.

[Orc]

Aside from unmeasured work, I see a study showing that the C2 consistently under-reports applied power by the rower. (pasted below)

So, perhaps 25W of power dissipated at the chain and another 50W or so unmeasured work on the slide. (depending on rowing size and acceleration)

I think the upshot is that you need to set training levels and goals independently on the bike and erg, and not try to correlate them in an direct way.

Marc




Training & Testing
Int J Sports Med 2006; 27: 830-833
DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-923774


Power Responses of a Rowing Ergometer: Mechanical Sensors vs. Concept2® Measurement System

S. Boyas1, A. Nordez1, C. Cornu1, A. Guével1
1 Laboratory “Motricité, Interactions, Performance” JE 2438, UFR STAPS, Université de Nantes, Nantes, France
Abstract

The aim of this study was to compare the power provided by a recent ergometer with the power developed by the rower determined using mechanical sensors set on the same apparatus. Six rowers and six non-rowers performed a power graded test and an all-out start on an instrumented ergometer (Concept2® system, model D, Morrisville, VT, USA). Power values displayed by the ergometer were recorded with a specific software. A strain gauge placed near the handle and a position sensor installed on the chain allowed the calculation of the power developed by the rower. Power values provided by the ergometer were strongly correlated to those determined with a direct measurement and calculation of power. However, power values given by the Concept2® system were lower (- 17.4 to - 72.4 W) than those calculated using mechanical sensors. This difference in power measurements was lower at a steady pace and for rowers. The Concept2® system underestimates the power produced by the rower by approximately 25 W. This difference in power seems to be independent of the level of power developed but increases with variations in intensity and pace. The deletion of the first strokes following changes in power production allows to limit this phenomenon. According to the use of the power parameter in the experimental design, it could be appropriate to correct values provided by the Concept2® ergometer.

[TurboCog]

Just a few observations - (generally speaking)
Cyclists train for longer than rowers and develop a better CV system and fat burning efficiency.
Cyclists upper body and core strength is crap - especially in older riders.
The magority of cyclists train for events of longer than 20 minutes endurance - probably 1.5 + hours average.
Indoor rowers trian for maybe an hour a day? - probably half the time of a cyclist - hence less efficiency and fat burning and a lower CV system.
The rower developes a more balanced fitness and greater upper body and core strength.
Most competitive indoor rowers train for the 2k event and from what I've read on the forums, their biggest problem is Cv related in the last 500m.
The two disceplines have got to be complementary. Specialising in one and using the other to overcome the inherent weaknesses in that discepline is the way to go.
Please understand that these are very generalised observations and there are athletes that do extremely well without resorting to another discepline, but for the magority cycling and rowing are very complementary.

[Dreadnought]

Just a few observations - (generally speaking)
Cyclists train for longer than rowers and develop a better CV system and fat burning efficiency.

.

Maybe it would make more sense to compare rowers to track cyclists. Events like the pursuit (i believe it's a 3K) may be more relevant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_pursuit

[Orc]

I think rowing and cycling training benefit each other.

And I think they can complement each other (cycling is easier on the body, allowing more mileage with less wear and tear, provides variety ) and rowing is a good strength-building all-body exercise.

I have seen some very good (typically lwt) rowers jump into cycling and do very well. And I found that with regular cyling and a modest amount of rowing I could match rowing performances from when I was rowing a lot.
So, the exercises have very high fitness transferance, IMHO.

I just don't think that direct comparisons can be made between the watts observed on the C2 vs the bike, for the reasons previously mentioned.

marc

Just a few observations - (generally speaking)
Cyclists train for longer than rowers and develop a better CV system and fat burning efficiency.

.

Maybe it would make more sense to compare rowers to track cyclists. Events like the pursuit (i believe it's a 3K) may be more relevant

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Individual_pursuit

[Jim Barry]

I'm a rower (4 years in college on the water and 5 years indoor rowing) and I've taken up cycling in recent years. Where, not too surprisingly as noted above, I do well (maybe even better). It's not a guarantee though. It seems to rowing prepared me to bike, but I'm not really all that sure. I've seen good LW rowers who are not really all that great at cycling and I'm not really sure why the transference is not there for them. I've seen the reverse too where very good cyclists are also very good rowers. And again, I find a few that are not. The specific demands of the sports are unique and as persons step into the sports the "blossoming" is hard to understand. You can be mid-pack in both sports fairly easily but that's not really transference (IMO). I'd examine moving from top 5-10% in one sport to top 5-10% in the other. That's quite possible (and you read about it) but I'd think its less than likely (i.e. less than 50% chance off hand).

I guess my bottom line is that successful transference from one sport to the other is something unpredictable even among similar body types. That sort of dampens the whole wattage cycling to rowing "link" because clearly some people are just better suited to produce power in one sport and for whatever reason they can not do so in the other (despite similar training efforts and body types).