Fit To Travel

Spin Cycle

Two-wheeled workouts can put you on the road to better health

Running has long been the gold standard for traveling fitness buffs, and for good reason: it has a time/benefit ratio that few activities can equal. But running isn’t for everyone. Many travelers, like engineer Jonathan Salt, prefer to bike their way to a better body. “There was a period when I took up running, due to business travel,” Salt says. “But I like riding a lot more than running.”

Salt, 51, has taken his portable bicycle, a collapsible BikeFriday, on numerous business trips — including jaunts to New Zealand, Mexico, Poland, China, Great Britain, Iceland, and the Czech Republic. The Massachusetts native says he’s never had a problem and he always gets a good workout. “After I put my bike together, I’ll ride to the office or the factory I’m working at that day,” he says. “I do it to maintain the rhythm of my day.”

Riding a bike for your daily commute is just one way to get in better shape with cycling. Enthusiasts range from fierce outdoor competitors to occasional gym practitioners, but no matter how intensely you approach cycling, there are some distinct health benefits to be had.

Form and Function

Cycling offers a superb cardiovascular workout, exercising your heart, lungs, and the large muscle groups — particularly the legs and backside. This builds both strength and endurance, says Selene Yeager, author of Every Woman’s Guide to Cycling. The result is a turbo-charged metabolism pouring oxygen through your body, keeping you mentally alert while you shed excess pounds. And it’s something you can do even if you’re already stiff and sore. “It’s very, very easy to get on a bike and spin your legs out,” Yeager says.

The reason is simple: the fluid motion of pedaling is easier on your joints than a lot of other exercises, especially running. “The biggest difference between cycling and running is that when you’re on a bike, there’s no impact to your body,” explains Wil Ashley, a Schwinn-certified spin instructor at Equinox Fitness Club in New York. “It’s not as harmful to your knees or your hips as running.”

But it’s key, Yeager adds, to get the right size bike. The seat, or saddle, should be set so that your knee is bent just slightly (about 30 degrees) at the bottom of your pedal stroke; when the cranks are parallel to the ground, the kneecap of your forward leg should line up right above the ball of your foot, where the toe strap comes across. “Your hips should not rock at all in the saddle,” says Yeager, a USA Cycling–certified coach. “If they are, the saddle is too high.”

Wheels in Motion

Form is important, but establishing a routine is also crucial for preventing common injuries, Yeager explains. “The biggest problem for cyclists is just going at it too fast, too soon, too hard,” she says. “There’s even a term for it — spring knee. That’s the cyclist who comes out and just hammers the first nice day of spring. But the weekend warriors are always in that position — it’s always spring to them because they don’t ride a whole lot during the week.”

Traveling with your bike to keep up with your routine is surprisingly convenient. Most folding bicycles — such as Salt’s BikeFriday — have 20-inch wheels and fit into a standard-size suitcase. However, almost any bicycle is portable, if you’re handy with a wrench and have a solid bike case.

Spin classes are another alternative for people who prefer pedaling to pounding the pavement, especially when the weather isn’t cooperating. “Spin is a great workout,” says Judy DiRubio, a Johnny G–certified spin instructor. “With the advancement of the new spin bikes, and more importantly, spin bike seats, all you need is a pair of sneakers, T-shirt, shorts, and a bottle of water.”

With multiple resistance settings, spin bikes allow participants to customize their workout. More resistance generally equates to strength training, while less resistance means faster pedaling, providing a cardio workout. Standing on the pedals also encourages more of a full-body workout. “You can learn in a few minutes and, with the right introduction, have a great and safe first experience,” DiRubio says. “But you can get a really intense workout on a spin bike too. The classes used to be just 40 minutes, but now we’re stretching them out to 70 to 75 minutes. And it goes by so fast. It’s not monotonous. The music is exhilarating and you’re constantly moving, in and out of the saddle.”

Click here for larger map of London

To combine a great run with a mini sightseeing tour of London, look no further than one of the city’s biggest and most centrally located green spaces, Hyde Park, and the adjacent Kensington Gardens. The area is steeped in history, and perfect for a morning jog.

Runners love the straightforward, 4.3-mile loop around the 360-acre park on a wide, easy-to-navigate dirt path. Start your jog at Marble Arch, the Roman-inspired structure designed by John Nash in 1827, and run west, alongside Bayswater Road on your right, for just over a mile. On this stretch you’ll pass Long Water, the narrowest part of the Serpentine River — an artificial lake built in 1730 — and the spot where poet Percy Bysshe Shelley’s first wife, Harriet Westbrook, drowned herself in 1816. (Word to the wise: stay pathbound.)

Just past Black Lion Gate, you’ll turn left, toward Kensington Palace. Go through a black metal pedestrian gate, about three feet high, and pass the Orangery, built in 1704 for Queen Anne, on the left. Turn right at another pedestrian gate and you’re back on the wide trail; the Round Pond will be on your left. After you pass the statue of Victoria on your right, the path turns right, and you’ll see Kensington Palace. Once you’ve passed the palace, turn left at the gateway and follow the path along the brick wall. Now you’re nearly halfway around the loop.

After turning at the gateway, you’ll soon see a sign for the Albert Memorial. When you see the bronze statue of a dog, veer right when the path forks. Soon, you’ll come to an intersection of running paths, where you’ll take a right, and then a left to get onto the wide path. You’ll pass between the Albert Memorial and the Royal Albert Hall. The wide path runs parallel to the horse-riding track. On your right, the rebuilt Hyde Park Barracks, originally constructed in 1795 and now home of the Royal Household Calvary Mounted Regiment, serves as your three-mile marker.

Stay on the path to the right, and bear left on South Carriage Drive. As you run, you’ll see the Serpentine River on your left, and soon you’ll pass the stainless steel and bronze Queen Elizabeth Gate, erected in 1993 to celebrate the Queen Mother’s 93rd birthday. After this, turn left up Park Lane for about 30 yards, and look out for the statue of Achilles on your left.

After you pass the Joy of Life fountain, stop at Speaker’s Corner, where the likes of Karl Marx, Lenin, and George Orwell pontificated about their ideas and beliefs. Thirsty? Now you’ve earned a trip to the pub.

— Ellise Pierce

Getting There: Continental offers daily nonstop service to London Heathrow from its hubs in Houston and New York/Newark, and daily nonstop service to London Gatwick from its hubs in Houston and New York/Newark, with seasonal summer service from Cleveland.

1

Cycling’s sole. Sidi’s most popular off-road cycling shoe, the Dominator 5, can be worn anywhere. Lightweight and durable, with a stiff sole that puts your power into the pedals, the Dominator comes in men’s and women’s versions and in wide, medium, and narrow widths, so a perfect fit is almost guaranteed. ($246.99; sidiusa.com)

2

Mobile monitor. How do you find that coveted space between overtraining and undertraining? The Suunto t6c, complete with heart rate monitor, altimeter, and optional GPS, is specifically designed for elite athletes, helping you customize your workouts so you can train both effectively and safely. It’s a training lab worn on your wrist. ($429; suunto.com)

3

Deep breathing. The Higher Peak Mountain Air Generator produces a stream of filtered “mountain air” to simulate altitudes up to 20,000 feet, which will increase your aerobic capacity and red blood cell density (that’s a good thing). ($2,799; higherpeak.com)

4

No-skid lid. Cool, light, comfortable, and attractive, the Bell Sweep R helmet has 20 vents that direct airflow to keep your noggin from overheating. Bell’s signature GPS Fit System ensures a true fit right out of the box, and it won’t loosen during your ride. ($130; bellbikehelmets.com)

5

Pack and pedal. The New World Tourist is the most popular all-purpose model in Bike Friday’s collection of portable two-wheelers. These made-in-the-USA rigs are sturdy, and they’ll fly as fast as your legs can take them. ($845 and up; bikefriday.com)

— Brion O’Connor