Just discovered bicycling....duh.

I always thought walking at a brisk pace was the bomb, but I just recently started riding my bike.  For some reason I always thought it would burn less calories because it seemed "easier" or more "fun" I don't know.

So I have this Old School Broadway Bianchi that I bought brand new back in 1988 when I first entered the work force.  It was sort of my big purchase for having graduated and gotten a job.  I think I rode it a total of 15 miles and then my Dad borrowed it for a while and put on maybe 25 more miles.  The bike is still in great shape but sat around for so long and looked sad. 

My friend who road bikes faithfully recently overhauled the bike with all new tires (road vs mountain) and cables, new tubes, etc.  Just the basic stuff  I had not been riding it all these years.  Plus, the seat was kind of high and too small for my large ass, it kind of hurt.  So he also put on somewhat of a modified cruiser seat that we found at Target.  Now the bike is really comfy and plush and fun to ride.

So I look up on CC the calories burned for Moderate Bicycling vs Brisk Walking and I was amazed at the incredible difference!!! 

Its over 900+ and hour for the bike and about 400+ an hour for walking.

WOW!

hi, sorry, I thought because you were buddies with mykonos maybe you were in the bay area.  Are there bike shops that have road riding classes, that can help you get more comfortable riding outside?  Are there bike maps that suggest routes that are safer for bicycles?

alevin -- and I was not at all being sarcastic -- I would LOVE to be in that area!  ( :

I do know about classes or a bike map, but I think google might! thanks for the tip!!!!!

I wish I could rent someone;s bike for a week and see if I like it enough to buy my own.......    : D

Are there bike shops in your area that rent?  It's possible to rent a bike for a day or a week. I do this often when on vacation.

as a matter of fact.,.....YES!!!  I just might do that after a week of riding to see how the real deal feels!!!!!

Yeah, that would be better than taking BART.  I'll wear clean ones too!  Hee hee!  How does your schedule look the next few weeks?

 love my bike, started last summer and still like doing it, feel like i miss out if i skip a night. But (not to be a wet blanket) I'm reading 10 miles in 30 minutes,  isnt that 20mph? Or is this stationary stuff and setting that are "equivelent" to riding 10 miles? I know with a Mountina bike 12-15 is a real burn, well for the average person. Only reason Im asking is i have a calorie (heatrate) thing and i avg about 12-14 for an hour and after doing this for a year+ its a huge workout for me and it takes me 45 minutes to do 10 miles. I thought i was getting into chape, but maybe im not?

anyways, love to hear others are biking.. 40+ pounds in 4 months last summer for me and all i did was rode bike 1 hour 5-6 days a week and made sure i was under 2000 calories (male).

posting these deep biking thoughts for answering here......   

edit to add:  I have no idea clok, but I agree. I think the stationaryt boke maybe lies a little.....    I would like to know about accuracy too..... 

QUESTIONS FOR MY BIKER BUDDIES  (teehee)  --> 

1) J was very derisive at my biking excitement, asking how high did I have the resistance?   I keep it low, so that it is do-able, goes quickly and feels good (to me and my knees).   It goes up to 8.  I have been trying to do (in intervals) 2 miles at 4, a couple of half-miles at 5, and the rest at 2 or 3.     I know this is wussy, but the plan is to increase the resistance as it gets easier....... As is, I am SWEATY but not breathing super hard.  I can definitely feel it working my legs all over and my butt? and my abs.    I guess all that was a preface -----   is it better to A) keep doing what I am doing --- aiming for distance and cals burned OR B) up theresistance and do less miles, but more hard???????

2) How do you think my road experience would roll out???   Like I see a huge difference between people who run on a treadmill and people who run outside --- SO   if I can do 15 miles inside, am I likely to be miserable after 1 mile on the real road????    I am starting to get excited about doing so..... even if I only ride in a 10 block circle around my house as many times as I can manage........ 

Did 40 minutes, 15 miles, and 515 cals burned today after running!!!  

Hi, Olivia,

I find there to be less difficulty difference in biking outside, and so much more *interest* because you're outdoors in the scenery instead of inside staring at the wall or a television. 

I guess resistance on the stationary bike is analogous to hills; is your area hilly, flat, or a combination?

Building up slowly is really really good for you - much better than doing too much and getting injured. Keep it up, add slowly, and you'll make great progress.

 

yay!  thanks for reassuring me.  I live in Kansas, so I would have to go somewhere on purpose to even see a real hill, so it should not be too terrible, and I will keep trucking at what I have been doing. 

I am excited about finding a spin video too......or making a playlist that I can make myself sprint and stand up and junk to, you know?  ( :

Olivia, I totally go for the bike/walk/dog paths and stay clear of the city streets and all that exhaust fume and stop lights.  I love the peacefulness of the bike paths and the nature around me.   We have a lot of these here in the Bay Area, so I assumed you had them too.  I don't know what I'd do in your snow though, you even wog/jog in the snow, so my hats off to you. 

I especially like this one path that meanders through a park and if I time it just right the sprinklers are on and I get all wet riding through them, its fun, like when you were a kid.  And now I'm starting to see these same junior high kids on their BMX style pushy's so they alway say "Hi Lady!!" hahahah!!

clok1966, that's pretty awesome what you did with that 40 lbs there!

HI LADY!!!!

: D

I rode 30+ minutes, 440 cals and 12 miles today.  I love that thing.  I got out to run and just......counldn't.  Wasn't feeling it at all.  Went like 5 blocks and went home, but the music and midlessness of the bike worked today.  

I am totally blushing as I ask this.....   and no teasing if no one esle has the same issue, but......

while I always had a few, the proliferation of whiteheads on my butt and the backs of my legs freaks me out!!  WTH???  I change my sweaty clothes and shower after sweating,  YUCK!!!!   I use antibacterial soap, scrub and am at a loss....    What can I do to end that nonsense? 

End embarrassing question. 

I am totally digging this whole biker girl thing  ( :

You awesome biker chick you!!! 

I don't get that symptom you described, butt, I don't exactly ride my bike as many miles as you do girly!!!  Did you see my pun, hahahah!!!  I would suggest doing exactly what you are doing.  In the dirtbiking community, we call that "monkey butt" lol!!  Try using some powder to keep from creating heat friction.

SO, I did not ride my bike today but promise to do so in the ayem.  I worked kinda late today and I'm having a cocktail right now.  Cheers!!

"monkey butt"  -- nuff said!  lol   It does suck though...... (working against my sexiness factor is not cool)

I jogged my 4 miles this morning and did 10 on the bike.   ( :  

Have a fast rolling day!  

hey --  no more happy bicyclists out there? 

(just didn;t want this post to fall off my profile.  I like having people to ask questions!)

Did 12 miles in 30 minutes this morning.  SO FUN!

Just to add my 2c in, on the resistance vs pedalling speed thing, I think it is much better to peddle faster than to be pushing hard with a much slower pedal speed.

If the resistance is too hard, you risk damaging your knees more.  A good cycling cadence is between 80 to 100 rpm.  Hard to judge that on your bike unless you have a bike computer, but on a stationary bike it will usually give you that info, so you could get a feel for how fast that is.

I used to ride a lot, then sort of stopped for a few years, but have just recently got back into it myself.

good to know as that was me asking about speed vs. resistance.  thanks!

I am more about distance and cals burned than how hard  it was.  always have been (citing running and biking as examples)

Just have to remember that when J is teasing me about being a wuss.  LOL

You might try some of the bike creams to ease the saddle sores.  Something like Chamois Buttr or Butt Butter, etc.  They lessen the friction and some of them contain a microbiodical agent.

And I agree, work on maintainin a constant candence in the 80 to 100 ppm range and shift accordingly for increased endurance and speed.

thanks, tom!

I am willing to try!  ( :

Hey Olivia!  I have been traveling for work since the 13th and been way out of touch, but I am back!!  I had a lot of fun...Chicago, Orange County, Napa and San Francisco but ate out way too much and indulged a bit too much as usual on these trips.  Need to hop back on the bike!!  hope all is well, are you still riding?

but of course, nat!!!  ( :

I started a post you'll like "(stationary) BIKER CHICKS -- unite!"  

lol--  I was sad to see this post keep dropping, so I started my own. 

GOD -- sounds like an awesome trip.   I am on the second leg of my long ride today --  10 more miles, here I come!!!     : D