I can run a 5K in around 17:00, what are the chances that I can be a good biker?

Question

I'm toying with the idea of training for a triathlon in the near future. I have never biked much, just a bit on the stationary. But I've been a runner for 9 years now, and when I'm in good shape my time can go under 17-flat in the 5K. Would I be a good road race biker, or is that a completely different skill set?

Answer 1

Because you are in shape and have a good cardio-vascular conditioning you have a good basis.

However, The muscle set and movements are not the same so you would have to develop the muscles, especially quadricep muscles more.  also consider that alot of road racing events are longer events so you would need to build your conditioning to extend to longer periods.

If you are truly considering cycling and are a good runner, you should consider dualthlon events (run - cycle - run).  Duathlons would maximize your strength in running and allow you to see how well you do at cycling.  Plus duathlon cycling distances (30-40K) are not as long as a most road races.

Answer 2

It means you have a jump on the cardiovascular end of the game, but swimming and cycling require quite different skills and equipement.    

You'll likely be better than average, but there are plenty of people who run a LOT faster than me, but never catch me because I've put too much time on them in the water and on the bike.

It comes down to how much time and effort you put into catching up on the other disciplines.    Triathlon is a very leveling sport.  Someone who is pretty good at all three usually wins over someone who is really good at just one.

P.S.  At typical triathlon distances, the bike requires the most time to complete, and thus is the most important skill.

Answer 3

Most people that have good health with knees good enough to run and don't have a bad back can be a decent bicyclist. I have been competing in tri's for since the late eighties when I won a weekend tri camp certificate at a drawing.  I had been a swimmer through school and not much of a runner and even less of a cyclist. I fell in love with tri's and cycling became my best leg.  Last year I did more bike races than tri's and this year will probably be the same.

The biggest sacrifice for working on your cycling skills is...time. It takes a more training time to become a good cyclist than a runner or a swimmer. Especially if you need to travel to get to a decent place to ride. You'll need to do sprints, long rides and short rides with intervals to become a competitive cyclist. Running and swimming only use your body part for propulsion. They're difficult sports, don't get me wrong. But no additional mechanical leverage is involved. Cycling changes that and that is where more quad, hip, glute, and calf musculature comes in. You'll need the high anerobic threshold you built up as a runner but you'll also need be able to work through some real lactic acid pain. If you ask any dedicated cyclist what is the biggest part of training and competing on bikes and you'll probably get the same answer. Being able to pedal through the pain of hills and sprints.

There is a great benefit, though. You know how perfect everything seems when you hit that great runner's high on a quiet back road? Well add to that the quiet, near noiseless whispering of a well-tuned bike under you and a real sense of speed as you fly along that same back road. Believe me, it adds a new dimension to those endorphins.

Answer 4

Maybe you can run that because you have a light bodyweight however cycling requires that you carry some condition on your quadruceps- thigh muscles- so there's nothing to say that a good runner would automatically be a proficient cyclist. You'd probably need to put in a lot of hours cycling and perhaps do some squats and leg presses in the gym to build up a bit of muscle condition.