Riding a bike - is it resistance training or cardio?

SolidGoaled

I know from experience that riding a bike doesn't wind me very much - this year, I will wear my HRM and find out for sure how much cardio I am actually getting. I thought it would be fun to incorporate a 3 mile ride into my workout routine, but, is it enough to replace a day of cardio? Or should I use it as a leg resistance workout instead?

Is 3 miles enough? I run 3 miles now, maybe I need more mileage on a bike? Interested in hearing from other bikers.

hyper_stitch

I do 6 miles twice a day for my commute, I don't find it gets me enough as cardio. I too am planning on picking up a HRM this month to see what exactly I'm burning. I wouldn't rely on it totally for your cardio.

mrcheerios

I'm by no means an expert on these sort of things, but I have been using a stationary bike as my primary form of exercise for the last 6 months and I have found it to be very effective. I have lost around 15 pounds and have noticed a big increase in my stamina during my weekly soccer games. From what I have read it seems to be good cardio for the first 20 minutes of riding, and from then on you are primarily just building leg muscle.

Also with a bike you get a way more effective workout if you vary your speeds, rather than just staying at a moderate pace the whole time. Go a little slower for a few minutes, then do a good sprint to get your HR up and the sweat flowing.