I belong to an outdoor club that is based in the Dales and is mainly a Caving Club. We are well established and have a hostel in Ribblesdale.
Several older members no longer go underground but have a passion for cycling and hill walking.
We have both a monthly walk and cycle ride and it is a very interesting comparison.
My own fitness has been a real problem since Covid so much that walking is okay, but a knee problem and balance issues have slowed me down and made traversing and steep descents quite challenging.
I'm happy over undulating terrain like we have in the Dales, but have had to forego steep Lakeland Ascents.
Personally, I find cycling much less taxing. I confess to having ridden an E bike since Covid, because of struggling with Polymyalgia for three years. I ride a flat bar ATB with a crank motor and a light Kinesis with a Boost motor and drops.
The Boost is great because I can pedal nicely, unassisted in my lower gears.
I am not a lightweight and do not walk at much of a social pace. I am always off the back.
The secret is to try to engage in a chat!!
I do wear good boots and have really benefitted from Superfit Green insoles.
I get over the balance problem using two telescopic poles.
One ritual I can recommend is a good stretch before either a walk or a ride.
You need to stretch both Hamstrings and Quadrecepts.
It's weird how walking and cycling are so different
- Traction_man
- Posts: 413
- Joined: 10 Jan 2020, 5:30pm
- Location: Bangor NI
Re: It's weird how walking and cycling are so different
All power to you @arnsider -- basically we've gotta keep on moving, whatever the pace, whatever the distance, whatever the means, and enjoy the great outdoors 
Re: It's weird how walking and cycling are so different
I don't think it's anything to do with weight-bearing. It's more being used to the activity. I do a lot of mountaineering/hill walking, and find that if I haven't been hill walking for a few weeks, I suffer from DOMS for a few days when I do go. But once that wears off I am fine to do, say, a week's walking holiday without any problems. It's simply conditioning the muscles to different activities.