difference between bikes

I was just curious. I REALLY want a cruiser bike. My neighbor is offering to give me her road bike (the kind where the seat is the same height as the handle bars, and the handle bars are curled under).

Is there a difference in their impact on fitness? Or would be riding a cruiser bike for 45 minutes = me riding a road bike for 45 minutes.

those 2 styles of bike are designed for very different types of riding, so consider your acquisition carefully if you have limited funds &/or space for bikes. which is better for you (and whether a road bike will fit the bill instead of a cruiser) depends on what type of riding you want to do. road bikes are good for speed and distance, but the handling is a little more difficult and the position on the bike is less intuitive & less comfortable for some folks. the cruisers are nice for rolling around neighborhoods, but you probably wouldn't want to ride 40 or 50 miles on one.

it's a little like deciding between a Corvette and a VW Bug. or a sedan vs. an SUV. you definitely want something that suits your terrain & your riding style & your workout. no matter what though, only spend time on a bike if it fits you. it's nice of your neighbor to offer hers, but make sure it's the right size for you before you make plans to take hers.

calorie-wise though, in theory they burn the same calories based only on the amount of effort you put in. just look at the different bicycling options in the activity log on here and consider that you'll probably get into the higher speed, "vigorous effort" categories on a road bike more often than you would on a cruiser bike just due to the different 'feel' of the bikes.

mmm, thanks :] actually, the cruiser i want is pretty cheap for me. but my neighbor is offering her road bike for free.

i can really only ride around my neighborhood, but i would want to ride for 30-60 minutes for some exercise. there isn't really anywhere else to go around where i live.

i'm a really short girl, 5'2'', and i just feel like i'd fit better on a cruiser. i haven't sat on either yet, i'm going to look at the cruiser tomorrow. i've seen my neighbors though, and it looks intimidating.

also, i know nothing is about looks, but i just like the overall look of the cruiser better. i feel like i'd feel like an idiot on her rode bike in my neighborhood, which would keep me from riding it as much as i'd like.

if i do decide to buy my cruiser, there is nothing keeping me from using hers also :]

Having commuted 5 miles+ by bike using both cruiser and road bikes, I'd have to say that you'll probably get more exercise on the cruiser because they tend not to want to go(peddle-wise, no matter how much oil is on the chain) as easily as a road bike. But you might also feel more comfortable biking for exercise when you're leaning forward slightly, like on the road bike, than you would in the sitting position most cruisers force you into. It's also a lot easier on your forearms to ride a road bike, because the handles are right in front rather than off to the side. 

I'd choose the cruiser to do things like go to the store to buy a loaf of bread, but I feel dumb riding the cruiser when I'm trying to exercise. For me, it's more easier to get sweaty and feel as though I'm working out when I'm using my road bike.

Also, I'm only 5'4", so being short doesn't mean crusing bikes will be a better fit. 

If you have room for 2 bikes take the road bike and get the crusier as well. Like already metioned both bikes are very different.  I have  2 bikes. I have road bike that I commute to work on because it is fast. I also have a mountain bike that I run errands on and cruise around the neighborhood and tow the kids around in a trailer with it. The best kind of bike is one that you ride. :-)

Go with what makes you smile. If you thing you're going to look funny on the road bike then chances are your not going to use it and will feel bad for your friend when they ask you how the biking is going. Like gm said if room for two then take both. I have five bikes (Having a hard time justifiying over four ), that all do different things for me and when I use them for what they are designed for they make me smile and smiling bike riders is what we want.   -jiggles

FWIW I have 3 bikes.  My road bike, my old road by which is the indoor trainer bike, and a mountain bike.  I would like to have a hybride/cruiser that would have a basket or rack for errands.

As said, get the one you will ride or both if you have room.

Also, the road bike could be converted to a hybride by putting on wider tires and changing the stem and bars.  You might consider that if the frame fits you.

I have a novel idea for you--ride both bikes and then decide what you feel better on.  You said you haven't tried your neighbors yet so you don't even know if it fits you or if it is comfortable. 

Before you decide to go one way or the other give both bikes a shot.  You really can't judge a bike by it's looks. 

And a slightly differenct take: If somebody is going to give you a bike, take it.  You can give it away later, if it doesn't work out.  What you haven't said is how well the gift horse, er bike, fits.  Is your neighbor about the same height?

You want to be able to get on and off of the bike without too much trouble and your legs should be just about straight when the peddle is at the bottom of the stroke.  If you rock when you are peddlling, the seat is too high -- but you will need someone with experience to observe and tell you whether you are rocking or not.  You can lower the seat about an inch below the handle bars, which will give you a more erect riding position -- similar to a hybrid.  And you can move the saddle forward, which will also give you a more erect riding position.  But don't forget the fundamental mechanics of your peddling motion -- you don't want your legs cramped up under you or overextended.

Now personally, I want a mountain bike and a tandem.  I bought a touring bike, which is very similar to a road bike about a year and a half ago.  I do everything on that bike.  I commute.  I do road outings with the bike club.  I work out in my basement on the trainers.  There were two reasons for buying that bike.  First it was most like the 10 speed I was giving up as a lost cause and second it minimized the sticker shock.  A couple of people convinvced me that I needed a lighter weight road bike of the club rides.  So I bought one last Thanksgiving.  There are advantages to having two bikes.  But I have never been good with two of anything.  I am much more comfortable and confident on the touring bike.  And I haven't seen any improvement when I ride the "better" road bike.  So I would say that if you find a hybrid your happy with and you spend some time riding it, it will be the best bike you can get.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone for the input. I got my neighbors bike today and took it for a ride. I just need to lower the seat a tad. She is about 3 inches taller than me. Other than that, I love it. It's so much fun, I forgot how much I love riding a bike.

Anyway, I decided I will wait until the summer, and then I will get a cruiser, also. Mainly because I will ride a lot during the summer, leisurely, to my friends houses, to work, etc. I am only 16, so I can drive, but the places I want to work at are about 15 minutes walking, so I would love to leisurely walk there.

Thanks everyone :]