better to run or cycle ?
Saab_2015
Posts: 277 Member
Rather than running is it better to cycle as long as you do the same amount of calories ?
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Replies
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Better in what way?0
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Better for what?
Getting somewhere - yes.
It really depends on your enjoyment and objectives.
I do both.
For weight loss - a calorie burn is a burn. Cycling is usually more efficient and it is harder for a novice to get the equivalent burn in the given time. YMMV - a hard climb on a bike is a long slow lovely death that I just can't get on a run.
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Your joints will say cycling I expect as long as you do not crash.
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Burn more calories running, your knees will hurt less if you cycle.0
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I find cycling easier but naturally need to cycle for longer to reach same calorie count. When I run feel like I have had a harder work out but then again its harder on the joints. I guess its the same if you walk up a hill or run around it 10 times if its the same calorie count does it just fall on preference ?0
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Rather than running is it better to cycle as long as you do the same amount of calories ?
Depends what you want to achieve.
Cycling burns about half the volume of calories by time, it's harder to get into the lactate threshold and anaerobic ranges. Subject to how you ride it can be either quad or hamstring dominant. It's lower impact.
Running is a very efficient way to burn energy, but it can be higher impact and is much more susceptible to poor form. The point upthread about harder on the joints is nonsense, but if your running form is poor then injury risk can be slightly higher.
Cycling involves a big investment in cash, and it's less adaptable to personal lifestyle like work travel and the like. Running is easy to do if you travel a lot.
Personally I predominantly run and use cycling as cross training. It's complementary and the quad/ hamstring work really helps my running a lot. Equally the running helps my cycling performance through increased aerobic capacity.0 -
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Six on one hand, half a dozen on the other.
Which one do you enjoy more?0 -
I find cycling easier but naturally need to cycle for longer to reach same calorie count. When I run feel like I have had a harder work out but then again its harder on the joints. I guess its the same if you walk up a hill or run around it 10 times if its the same calorie count does it just fall on preference ?
Yes, preference drives adherence.
Do what you like and do it (reasonably) often.
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Calorie burns for each will depend on your effort, time and distance. At a race pace, I burn close to a 1000 calories per hour cycling. I can top that easily running at a good clip. I still prefer cycling though I do both regularly.0
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Do both... and start swimming...0
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Cycling burns less calories in a given amount of time than running. That is because running is a weight bearing exercise and cycling is not.
However, the benefit of cycling is the lack of impact.
I do both but due to recurring injuries to my feet and ankles, I can only run 2 or 3 times per week. I fill in with cycling. I much prefer running but at 59 years of age, I can't take the pounding anymore.
Running is convenient in that it requires very little equipment and can be done about anywhere.
If you are only looking for exercise, you don't need an expensive bicycle. A Walmart cruiser will provide all the exercise you need. Eventually you may want to go faster and longer and will be tempted to buy a better bike.0 -
beemerphile1 wrote: »Cycling burns less calories in a given amount of time than running. That is because running is a weight bearing exercise and cycling is not.
I have a few years of recorded fitness data that disagree with this. Cycling and running are pretty much identical in their energy expenditure assuming similar efforts as measured by heart rate.
Now if you want to argue that you work harder while running, thus getting your heart rate higher, you might be on to something but that is an individual thing. However if you are training to hit specific power or heart rate targets, your energy expenditure will be similar for both types of efforts.0 -
Cycling for me - I enjoy it and it's kind to my damaged knees.
I have less knee discomfort from 100 mile cycle rides than I do from a 2 mile run.
Used to enjoy sprinting but anything over 100m I've always found dull and hateful. I only run once in a blue moon now for sporting performance reasons.
Did a few organised 5k runs (for free beer!) and did one 10k run for the challenge - finished with the thought that it was probably the dullest exercise I have ever endured. It's just not for me.
As for calorie burns you can hit maximal effort with either.0 -
Depends on which one you like better.
I personally like both.0 -
For burn - both the same, if you find you burn less calories on one or the other you're not pushing yourself to the same level.
As for your question, the 'better' one if burn is the same - pick the one you enjoy most. You could spend all day discussing the relative impact levels, muscle groups used, likelihood of injury etc but why go for one over the other if you just don't like it? If you don't enjoy your exercise you'll do less of it.
For me the bike wins every time, MTB or road I find it more enjoyable. I still go for the occasional run for cross-training and general fitness purposes though (also because I have a tendency to forget to charge my lights up). I'll never do a long run whereas 80-100 miles on the road bike is fine, and therefore the bike will always burn more calories for me.
Do the sport you enjoy most.0 -
I agree with above posts. The best thing to do is get a heart rate monitor and use an app like strava or map my ride. Anything that can show you your heart rate while you're riding. you'll probably find that its hard to get your heart rate up to the same level you do with running. Just find a hill to ride or a safe place to do sprints. Know your heart rate zones so you can tell when you're going hard enough.
It's a great way to recuperate from injured knees.
Once I started, I got hooked and began doing duathlons and now am trying triathlons.
You can keep the cost low if you start with an older or basic road bike.
I bought my first bike for $80 at a yard sale. An older Cannondale. They didn't know what they had. Then my brother upgraded his Trek so I bought his old one for $300. I put an aero bar on it and beat plenty of people riding tri bikes worth thousands.
Just make sure you know what you're doing out there riding on the road. It can be safe if you follow basic cycling rules of the road.0 -
Assuming you burn the same amount of calories, it doesn't much matter. Let your individual goals and personal preference be your guide.0
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Myth: cycling is easier on knees than running. I did serious damage to my right knee by pushing too tall a gear up a pass in the Cascades. OTOH, I can't run very far due to the effect of the impact on a back injury that never completely healed. So I cycle, but make sure I don't fall below 50 rpm. Spin, Spin, Spin.0
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