bike riding

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toomuchsweetness
toomuchsweetness Posts: 168 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Just curious if anyone else rides bikes as their form of cardio? I ride at least 3 miles a day with my kids. I enjoy it because we spend time together. I make sure to stay at 10 mph or more and coast as little as possible. When I log it an amount burned comes up but I am unsure about it being a good form of exercise.. any thoughts?

Replies

  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I do sometimes. I ride 25-30 miles on the weekend with my hubby,
    And I often commute 3+ miles each way to work. I count those as cardio.
  • secondchance82
    secondchance82 Posts: 66
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    On my xtraining day only.
  • taratam83
    taratam83 Posts: 88 Member
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    I would love to but my kiddos are a little too young. My son would need a seat to ride with me or my husband and my daughter (though she is good on her bike...training wheels) is still too little for a long bike ride. I was just telling my husband the other day I would like to start riding with him, he used to be a good mountain biker before the kids and I was too scared to go with him... I'd love to do it now.
  • dqderrick
    dqderrick Posts: 2 Member
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    I mountain bike and use a bluetooth HRM that connects to my iPhone using Digifit to compute everything (speed, distance, gps, elevation climb, heart rate max/avg, calories). Love the feedback and it pushes me. I find eliminating as much of the "unknowns" by getting all that feedback helps motivate me to continue and improve.

    However, riding with your kids is very hard to replace.

    As for good form of exercise... 3 miles every day at 10mph... about 20 minutes seems to compute to be about 180 calories for a 200 lb person (my old weight). That doesn't count any hills of course. To answer your question, YES! Biking is low impact and is a great form. However, 20 minutes at that rate, at a minimum, should probably be supplemented with something extra 2 or 3 times a week. It all depends on how much you want to do. If biking is all you do, it is 100 times better than nothing!

    Have fun biking!
  • 007bondage
    007bondage Posts: 631 Member
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    Yep, I do regularly - both Road and Mountainbike. I'm training for Ironman NZ so time on the bike is essential.
  • BrianSharpe
    BrianSharpe Posts: 9,248 Member
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    Cycling is a great low impact cardio workout. I can appreciate your desire to ride with your kids, it's hard to find ways to spend quality time with them as it is and something that adds in an element of exercise for you and them is a bonus.

    Having said that, you may want to (occasionally) be a little more selfish and ride a bit longer and at a higher intensity (which I appreciate you can't do it with the kids - I'm lucky, mine are teenagers now and when we run together I'm the one struggling to keep up to them) to give you a higher calorie burn but, moreover, to give your ticker a better workout.
  • Giraffe33991
    Giraffe33991 Posts: 434 Member
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    I alternate my running and biking. I do between 10-18 miles and try to keep my pace up around 14-15 mph. Its so fun too!
    Oh and I use the ENDOMONDO app on my phone (which has GPS) to track my rides(and runs) and gives you an accurate breakdown of your pace!
  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    I have been cycling for almost a year now. I was doing it almost everyday for at least 10 miles, usually more like 16-25 miles. I lost weight and kept it off by cycling, but bear in mind, where I live involves a lot of hilly terrain and I am pedalling a fairly heavy bike. I go at between 10-12mph usually, sometimes a little more, and finally got round to wearing my polar ft4 during it today. Came out at 659 calories for 80 minutes, and I am only 126Ibs. I know I am burning a lot because I am almost constantly having to put in leg effort, and having to push myself to keep going. I rarely stop during my cycling, so generally do a solid 1-3 hours, depending on the weather.
  • sweetybird09
    sweetybird09 Posts: 70 Member
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    I just started biking a little over a week ago, me and my husband ride 4-5 times a week, but I also do Pilates, Aqua fitness, and treadmill. I was riding a recumbent bike at the gym for a few years and loved it, but getting the mountain bikes is so fun to be actually moving...I think it may be a good idea if in addition to riding with the kids (I did that when my kids were little) going alone or with your husband like some of the others have mentioned. This way you can increase the intensity of your work outs.
  • toomuchsweetness
    toomuchsweetness Posts: 168 Member
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    I mountain bike and use a bluetooth HRM that connects to my iPhone using Digifit to compute everything (speed, distance, gps, elevation climb, heart rate max/avg, calories). Love the feedback and it pushes me. I find eliminating as much of the "unknowns" by getting all that feedback helps motivate me to continue and improve.

    However, riding with your kids is very hard to replace.

    As for good form of exercise... 3 miles every day at 10mph... about 20 minutes seems to compute to be about 180 calories for a 200 lb person (my old weight). That doesn't count any hills of course. To answer your question, YES! Biking is low impact and is a great form. However, 20 minutes at that rate, at a minimum, should probably be supplemented with something extra 2 or 3 times a week. It all depends on how much you want to do. If biking is all you do, it is 100 times better than nothing!

    Have fun biking!
    TYTYTY!
  • toomuchsweetness
    toomuchsweetness Posts: 168 Member
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    thank you everyone for the feedback.. My kids are 9 and 11. they do keep up and we ride back and forth to their school and yes, it does have hills. I unfortunately have a few ailments... an achilles tendon replacement for starters and riding the bike hurts waaaaay less than walking and we find that more fun.
  • beccaboo0713
    beccaboo0713 Posts: 74
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    I am planning on getting a hybrid bike with a kid trailer (for my 1.5 yo and my 3 yo). I have problems in my left knee so I think this is going to be great! Since my kids will be in the trailer I can set the pace which is a pro!

    Does anyone know if pulling 50+ pounds on a bike burns more?

    I am also doing 30 ds and swimming. I think that biking is a great thing to add into your weekly work outs!

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