How is bike riding for exercise?

OLeoLionessO
OLeoLionessO Posts: 152
in Fitness and Exercise
I have a Fuji 10 Speed road bike (fairly old, wish I could find out the year) but it works great. I was wondering if it's an effective weight lose tool. I hate running because I feel pain and awkwardness with jogging or mild sprinting. Plus I smoke on occasion, which makes it hard to have a steady breath. Biking, even in a hurry has always been easier, funner, faster then jogging. Just need some advice and ways to achieve my weight goal while biking (if that's a good way to workout)

How to ride the bike for the maximum workout?
How long should I ride my bike?
Anything to watch out for?
What should I do if I don't feel motivated to ride?

Replies

  • alexisu96
    alexisu96 Posts: 103 Member
    Biking on no incline ( flat lands) vs hills or any incline is like night and day. I live in a hilly , low mountain area. I would rather JOG up a looong hill rather than ride a bike up it. Then again my bike sucks. Very heavy.
  • NaeNaeJanae
    NaeNaeJanae Posts: 261 Member
    Biking is an excellent workout. While it may not burn quite as many calories as running, it's lower (or no) impact. Go get a good pair of biking shorts, a good bike helmet and just ride! Just go ride as long as you can, then keep going just a little further every day. Just follow the rules, watch out for crazies in cars and enjoy!
  • majope
    majope Posts: 1,325 Member
    Biking is an excellent workout. While it may not burn quite as many calories as running, it's lower (or no) impact. Go get a good pair of biking shorts, a good bike helmet and just ride! Just go ride as long as you can, then keep going just a little further every day. Just follow the rules, watch out for crazies in cars and enjoy!
    This! Oh, and, two words: chamois cream. Thank me later.
  • OLeoLionessO
    OLeoLionessO Posts: 152
    Thanks for the suggestions! I don't use Chamois shorts or anything so do I need that cream? or is it just for bike riding in general?
  • omma_to_3
    omma_to_3 Posts: 3,265 Member
    I alternate my running and biking in warmer weather. I burn far less calories biking, but it's enjoyable and different. I typically bike slowly (with my kids and husband) for 40 minutes and then do another 30 to 40 minutes at a much faster pace by myself (they stop and go to the playground at the park).
  • Spatialized
    Spatialized Posts: 623 Member
    Biking is an excellent workout. While it may not burn quite as many calories as running, it's lower (or no) impact. Go get a good pair of biking shorts, a good bike helmet and just ride! Just go ride as long as you can, then keep going just a little further every day. Just follow the rules, watch out for crazies in cars and enjoy!

    ^^^this

    A bike helmet is a must, protect that melon! Road biking tends to minimize upper body strength to an extent, off-road riding forces you to work your arms and core more. It's a great workout and you can really build some good aerobic fitness doing so. But mostly, just have fun!
  • hansea47
    hansea47 Posts: 353 Member
    In the summer of 2011, I joined a biking challenge, and committed to biking as much as possible, including biking my kids to daycare and myself to work three days per week, for a total of 13.5 miles per day. 11 of those miles, I hauled my two children in a bike trailer with a total weight (trailer plus kids) of 80-100 lbs. I paid no attention to my diet in those days, and I still lost 20 lbs that summer from the sheer effort of biking as many miles as I could get in.

    Tips: The chafing stops after the first week.
    Haul something with your bike to add a challenge.
    WEAR A HELMET.
    Obey the rules of the road.
    Watch out for motor vehicle drivers who don't know the road is for bikes as well.
    Have FUN!
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
    How to ride the bike for the maximum workout?
    The biggest thing most people miss out on is sustained intensity. People get so excited about the latest Tabat, HIIT, or other short interval, they never really get faster on the bike. They just become slightly better sprinters. Getting faster on the bike, and building the ability to burn more calories on it, comes largely from longer efforts (10 to 30 minutes) at a sustained high pace.

    If you Google "sweet spot training" you will find paged and pages of articles about it. It's essentially an intensity hard enough to build fitness and burn calories that, if you work at it, you could sustain for several hours. The workout looks like this: 10 to 15 minute warmup, 10 minutes at sweet spot, 10 to 15 minute cool down. As you get fitter, you can extend the sweet spot section, either making it longer (12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minute), etc. or add more of them (two 10 minute sections with 5 minutes rest between, two 12 minute sections with 6 minutes between, etc). That way you can spend more time at that intensity.
    How long should I ride my bike?
    As long as you can :-) OK, that's not really true. Even if you plan to race, you don't need to ride more than an hour or two per day. I'm averaging around 10 hours a week right now and I've never been faster (though my training is pretty focused).

    If you are just getting into it, start slow. You don't need to ride 4 hours to get fit. Starting out at 30 minutes is OK. If you can build to an hour or more, that's better.

    Anything to watch out for?
    Potholes, rocks in the road, and loose gravel or sand can all ruin your day.

    As others have mentioned, a good pair of cycling shorts will go a long way. They are what make riding for longer than a few minutes or on consecutive days comfortable. I've never used chamois cream in my life and also never had a saddle sore. It's kind of optional for most rides (not to mention, one more expense in an already expensive sport).

    Personally, I never ride without sunglasses. You'd be amazed how much a rock kicked up off the road or a bee flying past can hurt if it hits you in the face, even worse if it's in the eye.
    What should I do if I don't feel motivated to ride?

    Ride anyway. The best way to trick yourself into it is to say you will just go out for a short 15 minute ride. Usually once you are out riding, it will turn into a longer ride.
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
    How to ride the bike for the maximum workout?
    The biggest thing most people miss out on is sustained intensity. People get so excited about the latest Tabat, HIIT, or other short interval, they never really get faster on the bike. They just become slightly better sprinters. Getting faster on the bike, and building the ability to burn more calories on it, comes largely from longer efforts (10 to 30 minutes) at a sustained high pace.

    If you Google "sweet spot training" you will find paged and pages of articles about it. It's essentially an intensity hard enough to build fitness and burn calories that, if you work at it, you could sustain for several hours. The workout looks like this: 10 to 15 minute warmup, 10 minutes at sweet spot, 10 to 15 minute cool down. As you get fitter, you can extend the sweet spot section, either making it longer (12 minutes, 15 minutes, 20 minute), etc. or add more of them (two 10 minute sections with 5 minutes rest between, two 12 minute sections with 6 minutes between, etc). That way you can spend more time at that intensity.
    How long should I ride my bike?
    As long as you can :-) OK, that's not really true. Even if you plan to race, you don't need to ride more than an hour or two per day. I'm averaging around 10 hours a week right now and I've never been faster (though my training is pretty focused).

    If you are just getting into it, start slow. You don't need to ride 4 hours to get fit. Starting out at 30 minutes is OK. If you can build to an hour or more, that's better.

    Anything to watch out for?
    Potholes, rocks in the road, and loose gravel or sand can all ruin your day.

    As others have mentioned, a good pair of cycling shorts will go a long way. They are what make riding for longer than a few minutes or on consecutive days comfortable. I've never used chamois cream in my life and also never had a saddle sore. It's kind of optional for most rides (not to mention, one more expense in an already expensive sport).

    Personally, I never ride without sunglasses. You'd be amazed how much a rock kicked up off the road or a bee flying past can hurt if it hits you in the face, even worse if it's in the eye.
    What should I do if I don't feel motivated to ride?

    Ride anyway. The best way to trick yourself into it is to say you will just go out for a short 15 minute ride. Usually once you are out riding, it will turn into a longer ride.

    ^^^Definitely this, my friends are so thorough, but Chamois Cream, may be a boy/girl thing.

    Without it I've had saddle sores, and ANYTHING to avoid that is worth the price. If you plan on riding more than an hour at a time I would invest in a few pairs of good bike shorts. I like Pearl Izumi because the fit of the chamois is snug and doesn't bunch (very bad). Honestly as long as they fit well any brand will do, try them on before you drop the cash. Oh, and with bike shorts, no undies, the leg seams can rub.

    Good luck
  • Ezwoldo
    Ezwoldo Posts: 369 Member
    [/quote]

    Definitely this, my friends are so thorough, but Chamois Cream, may be a boy/girl thing.



    [/quote]


    I use chamois cream and still suffer from sores, but then again I am on the bike most days to commute to work and train as well so I have a lot of saddle time my skin has never really harden up but I am getting more used to them now.

    In regards to OP just try it and see where it takes you I started riding to work and went from there now I do anything form 50 to 100 miles on a single ride just for fun, It takes time to build up to them extreme distances but the most important thing is having fun if you don't then it's not worth it.
  • trijoe
    trijoe Posts: 729 Member
    I'm a little confused why you'd think there's a "smoker friendly" form of working out. Cycling - good, hard, go-for-it style cycling - will mess with your smokers lungs just like any other form of hard exercise. So if you're looking to your bike for a smoker friendly workout? I just don't see it. But then again, I have lung problems without the help of smoking, and I've learned to expect the pain.

    With that said, I'm a big fellow, so I'm addicted to chamois butter. But I don't use it on my shorts; I apply it to my skin.

    Well, let's see:
    Everybody's mentioned helmet. A MUST. For Pete's sake, protect yourself out there! Truth is, safety should be your number one concern, period. There's a thing called a RoadID. It's this handy dandy little wrist strap that loaded with personal information in case you're in an accident and can't speak for yourself. Highly recommended. Keeping a phone with me is pretty important, too.

    I'd say your number 2 requirement (after safety) is fun. I have a motto: "If it's not fun, I'm not doing it." I find cycling to be endlessly fun. My bike can take me places I can't go otherwise. Trails I can't go down without it, roads I'd never run on, all sorts of cool places. I genuinely enjoy my bike rides.

    It seems like people are talking about lots of long rides. Looks like you've hit upon MFP's more cycling loving crowd. That sure didn't take you very long. SCORE!!! If you can make it an hour, that's great. GREAT! If you can't, well now you have a goal. Just get out there and enjoy your time on your trusty steed. Cycling really is great fun, great exercise, a great day indeed.

    OH! And be sure to take your trusty steed down to your local bike shop and get it inspected. Breaks work right, chain fits right, tires are at the right inflation (and you've got a good tire pump to make sure of this), everything's tight and snug, etc etc. Becoming a friend of your LBS attendant is one of the best cycling moves you can make.

    Enjoy!!!
  • mike_ny
    mike_ny Posts: 351 Member
    Biking is great exercise for the whole body if you do it seriously using good form. That means using lower gears to spin at a higher cadence to not put excess stress on your knees by pedaling too slowly. It also means using toes clips so you are pulling up on every stroke too and the pedaling is full circles and not just pushing down. It also means standing up on hills and using your arms and back to rock the bike and taking those hills at a good speed. If you live in a rolling area, those standing uphills are like sprints and will really get your heart rate up there.

    If you're going for long distance, use the first few miles as a warm up going really easy. Starting out too hard will wear you out much faster than working harder into the ride. I used to do a lot of regular long rides and definitely want to get back into that but you don't just decide to go out and ride 30, 50, or more miles. It takes a while building up to it.

    Also, a good seat is one that fits your body well. The shape, angle, and contours that give support in the right places and don't get in the way will do more than depending on just padding alone. A well made hard seat can be more comfortable in the long run than a not so great fitting padded one. Bike shorts are a necessity if you do go on longer rides. Wear them under very thin running shorts if you feel self conscious, but it's better to just use them alone. They cut the friction to your inner thighs with the seat to a minimum, slide easily on the seat for minor adjustments, and are made to wick away corrosive sweat.
  • lokidip
    lokidip Posts: 7
    I cycle out of necessity (my bus drops me four miles from work- not allowed to park there and it's the only bus that goes that way. And I'm not cycling 25 miles to work), so I'm not a lover but just the 50 miles a week I do dropped my weight by 6lbs in three monthsand I wasn't making any effort to diet.

    Helmets are a must (naturally) but apart from that I don't bother with anything else (though I keep a set of allen keys and a compact bike pump in my bag).

    If you're doing it at a high intensity for exercise then bike shorts and creams might be helpful but I do 10 miles an hour on my tiny foldup bike without getting short of breath (now!) and no sores.

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