Bike Riding

Glamour60Xtreme

Has anyone had success with bike riding? I love bike riding, but haven't done it in a really long time. So my dad and I decided that starting this weekend we're going to ride for 14 miles everyday. I'm also doing strength training and some other cardio, so I'm just curious if anyone else has had good results with bike riding for cardio?

TubbsMcGee

It's been my cardio of choice at the gym (both stationary and recumbent) since I decided to get fit again, as well as one of my favourite things to do as a kid! My dad and I always used to go bike riding together around town, hours at a time at a liesurely pace. It's such a great burn and you're having so much fun that you don't even realize you're exercising.

It gets your heart rate up and you can burn a crazy amount of calories just peddling around for half an hour.

On warm sunny days, I'm either biking or swimming

So yes, I've definitely had success bike riding!

fypspirit

Was wondering the same thing. Just got my bike back up and ready for summer this wk so between walk/jog and biking on every sunny day (or at least no rain ones) I am gonna be out there so hopefully biking works off the calories.

love2cycle

I have ALWAYS loved bike riding, and try to ride 20 miles every time I go out. I ride a lot of hills, so I think that is an added bonus. And it's fun!!! I feel better if I skip a day, though, so I walk 3 - 4 miles alternately. Hope you enjoy it!

melissainez85

i just started up again after years and years and years LOL im finding i have more of a burn in my legs from the peddling and i don't think i could do 14miles in one day im doing about 5-6miles but i know i need to build up cause im really enjoying it more then walking

RichEiler

Hey guys KRAZY cal burn on a bike..... 20miles for me... burn baby burn

Elizabeth_M

I'm seriously scared to bike ride (although I love the feeling of freedom) for all the crazy-*kitten* drivers out there. :embarassed:

bluestocking06

I have definitely had success with biking as my cardio. My legs have become much stronger and changed shape. I train for long distance riding and I highly recommend it for motivation.

feistyhorsegal

I ride my bike on a stationary trainer in front of TV. Is my main source of cardio really. I was getting around a 0.5 to 1kg weight loss per week, sometimes more, with about 5 sessions on the bike a week and a calorie controlled diet.

I was doing the 5 sessions and the distance travelled would range from 5 - 15 kilometres.

rlodin

australia is a terrible place for bike riding (unless you live right next to a bike track) but I ride around 4 days a week to my judo class for an hour and its great cardio. The first few weeks I thought my thighs were going to kill me, but I rode through it and now I am much more used to it.

If you are very sensible and safe on the roads (even if this means giving more than your fair share of curtosey) then I think you can significantly reduce your risk of an accident.

Plus, if you keep thinking of new places you can ride to, or change your shopping habits etc. to be somehwere that is a good ride away, you can burn more calories, save on fuel, and the extra weight from the shoppnig can give you a bit more resistance. its a win win situation!

Tisha247

Yes I've just moved to a small town and they have this fabulous bike track that is huge. I've been riding it and at first I used the mfp calorie burn estimate at moderate but I wasn't sure if that was accurate. So anyway I bought a heart rate monitor and turns out it was accurate and I even burned 50 more than I thought. I think bike riding is a great way to exercise, I find jogging hard because my butt or fat jiggles to the point of it actually hurting in the momentum, that doesn't happen on a bike and also you ride so far, then you have to ride home again.

work4it777

I use cycling as a cross training to my running as it is very low impact and I really enjoy it and gain great benefits from it!

naprestsleep

I love riding. I rode many 30+ rides last summer and commuted to work often(8 miles RT). My issue is I don't push myself hard enough and ride at a comfortable speed/hear rate. I have added the c25k program to get my HR up while jogging to hopefully help with my riding.

suztheq

I love riding! It burns a ton of calories and it's easier on your joints than running. You'll be surprised how far you can go if you push yourself. I rode in my first century last year. Constantly set new goals -whether it's mileage or speed goals and see what you can achieve.

MiloBloom83

Biking is the ****! I bought a road bike in 2009 and have never looked back. Most of my rides are 15-25 miles with longer rides on the weekends, averaging 15-21 miles per hour. Work at a high cadence to get a great burn.

greyt2bfit

oh yeah! great calorie burn and fun!

jmo3688

i ride alot. mostly rail to trails. nice out in middle of no where.

iamlottiebee

I love bike riding! I hadn't done it for years until I met my BF and he got me into Mountain Bike racing. I have a MTB track only 5km from my house, and they run weekly summer series races and in winter they do night races where you spotlight with a lamp (I haven't done those yet! Bit scared!!). I'm not really that competitive, but just the fact it's a RACE makes me push myself each week to try and get a better time. Plus, my BF used to MTB ride competitively, so he rides with me to encourage me, but also to call out different riding tips along the way, so my bike skills have improved beyond belief!

On top of all that, I've had some really good muscle definition come out of it. My legs have toned up all over, and because I've primarily been riding on trails (although I am doing some road riding too) my arms have also benefitted from it too, because you're kind of using your arms as shock absorbers when going over tree roots, and lifting the bike (and yourself) up steep inclines, etc...

It's great, I'm loving it!

Kissybiz

The last time I lost 80 lbs, it was because I rode my bike all the time. I eventually included some pilates videos and that sort of thing to my workout, but I started riding harder and further every day. I'm not a cyclist by anyone's standards (big girl), but I got to where my routine ride was 25 miles and if it wasn't for getting "saddle sore," I could have easily done twice that with a few rests in between. (Secretly always wanted to get a "real women's" cycling team together called the Hooters, Huffers and Puffers to do event rides, etc..)

I just started cycling again at the gym.. usually an hour at a time depending on if I work with my trainer that day on weights or not. Definitely a great part of my cardio routine.

SoozeE512

I love bike riding! I especially love to challenge myself with lots of uphill routes (though I guess I don't really have much option where I live anyway). Bike season only just started back up again for me but I know it's helped me in the past so I'm certain it will help again now. To me, 14 miles sounds a bit too ambitious to start though, unless you're riding around a flat track or something. Regardless, good luck to you! Enjoy!

toffolo

Cycling has rehabilitated my body and my mind. Itis an amazing workout, safe for your joints and burns amazing calories and gives you a great butt and legs . I am hooked.

atjays

I added cycling (stationary) to my cardio days when I had shin splints really bad, even though they've gone away I still spend a good 30 minutes cycling on my cardio days, approx. 8-10 miles but it's fun. Maybe when it gets a bit warmer I can buy a bicycle and find some nice parks

adalychee

I like biking, but it's hard - I'm not used to those muscles! I've started riding about three miles up some mild hills, and it makes my legs burn. I can run for miles hardly breaking a sweat--5/10k is a normal day of running for me, and I'm preparing for a half marathon race now--but even a short stretch of biking hurts still.

zoom2

I like biking, but it's hard - I'm not used to those muscles! I've started riding about three miles up some mild hills, and it makes my legs burn. I can run for miles hardly breaking a sweat--5/10k is a normal day of running for me, and I'm preparing for a half marathon race now--but even a short stretch of biking hurts still.

If a 3 mile ride is hurting and you're an otherwise fit person you're doing something wrong. My first guess is mashing way too hard a gear. The best gadget a person can have on a bike is a cadence sensor. Anything much lower than 70-80rpm for very long is a recipe for sore knees and quads. My magic cruising cadence is 90-95.

ishallnotwant

Love it! My husband bought me a mountain bike for Valentine's Day ans we've been having so much fun! We do a short ride almost every evening, we're working on finishing a 5 mile hiking/biking loop up up near the local mountains (we've finished it but we had to hike some while pushing our bikes because it was so steep) and we got to do a 13 mile ride on the Route 66 trail by my house a few weeks ago! It's a really great workout.

dinos

Cycling is the most pleasant aerobic exercise by far. I'll agree with Soozee that 14 miles daily might be a little ambitious to start with. Give it a try and if it's too much try a shorter route.

Frannybobs

I used to cycle everywhere, until I passed my driving test in 2004 and then I pretty much never used it. Last year I got back into cycling and dug out my old basic hybrid bike. My journey to work is just over 6 miles so I decided to give that a go a couple of times a week. I then signed up to do a 60 mile bike ride for charity and then started cycling longer routes at weekends.

Then my company signed up to the national UK "Cycle to Work" scheme, which meant I could get a new bike, tax free, paid for over 12 months out of my monthly salary before tax and National Insurance. I jumped at the chance and bought myself a lovely Specialized hybrid. I'm not keen on cycling in the dark as I don't trust motorists, but I'm back on the bike now it's light in the mornings and early evenings and am loving it.

In terms of results, I have an HRM which I use when I exercise. When I do Zumba or the machines when my heart rate gets approaching 160 that's about the maximum, but I find my heart rate is generally higher whilst cycling and consistently so, but I don't feel like I have to slack off, therefore it burns more calories. I think I read something that said similar that the heart needs to pump faster to get oxygen to the muscles to keep those legs pumping.

So - I'd say - go for it and enjoy :-D

TheJustPull

Use to be a big biker. This thread makes me want
To get my bike tuned up.. In fact, I think I will.

yankeedownsouth

Love biking! I have both a road bike and a mountain bike. I started with the road bike and averaged 30 miles per ride, but then I got my mountain bike, and that is SO MUCH MORE FUN! I find I get a much better full body workout when I mountain bike off road. Unfortunately, we had tons of rain this week, so the mountain bike trail will be closed for about 6 weeks until things are dried out and the trail is repaired. Back to the road bike, I guess... (Although, after one too many close calls with cars, I no longer ride it on the road; paved trails only!)

lizzycomp

Make sure your seat is high enough...A seat too low puts strain on your knees.