(stationary) BIKER CHICKS -- unite!!

I feel like there should be some secret biker chick greeting I can insert here, but I know of none.   (help me out?)     ( :

I like to have people to talk to about my new passions, to ask questions, get advice, revel in each other's successes, challenge each other, and otherwise just share in our common interest.

I have owned, for more than 12 years, a stationary bike that, before this last month, HATED and had maybe used a total of 15 minutes. 

Now, I LOVE IT....   I think, for me, a big part of my hatred for it was my total lack of cardio conditioning i.e. it was miserable, but WOO HOO now!!!!  It is fun, exhilarating, I can do it inside, rain or shine, and I can use tv or music to distract me from the fact that I am getting a kickass workout!!!  (how does one beat that???)

I run almost every day, between 2 and 4 miles.  That burns about 250 cals.   I can ride the bike 7-10 miles EASY for anywhere from 350-600 cals burned in not very much time.   I LIKE THAT!!!!!    It was my friend, makanosdelight, who I hope will join me here, who turned me onto the awesome weight loss and fun potential of biking, so ROCK ON, girl!

All you hot, biker babes -----  join me???   ( :

PS:  I made it sound like this was only for dorks like me who do not/can not/have not ridden on a real, "outdoor" bike since I was maybe 11, but that is tnot at all the case.  I would like to talk to anyone who rides a bike.   ( : 

I just restarted my stationary bike routine this morning

I love it too

I just set it up in front of the tv and pick a program and do it, it makes the time go by so much quicker

I havent ridden a real bike in a while either, I was never very good at it

I was a fat bookworm.  Why would I want to ride my bike somewhere?  lol, I never understood that....   Also, my balance and coordination leaves something to be desired still today, let alone as a kid.  ( :

I <3 my dvr for just that reason.  I love watching my fave TV shows or jamming out, singing at the top of my lungs while riding. 

OH -- and your butt does get used to being numb!   ( :

I enjoy my stationary bike for the reasons you stated and sicne I have a recumbent bike I will also pull it up to my computer at the desk and sometimes do something online.  Not a professional type of workout, but less intense exercise has a special place in m heart...lol

Lately I have been enjoying my mini-trampoline so the bike is just sitting lonely in the livingroom.. thanks to your post I am thinking of riding it today!

 

glad to hear it, beth!   I drag mine from the workout room into the living room to watch tv.   the bf laughed at me, but who cares?

I cannot do it without some noise to distract me because my knees pop and it drives me nuts! 

EDIT:  just finished 20 miles on the bike!!!  WOO HOO   : D

I looove cycling. Although I mainly do it outdoors on a road bike, I also have a trainer I set up inside in the winter or on a lazy day to be be cozy in front of the tv. Plus I have the hott cushioned spandex shorts so I can easily keep it up for a whole movie! 

I just did 80 miles around rural farmlands last week. The most I've EVER ridden! A piece of advice though... even if you've been riding for awhile make sure your muscles are trained up for that. On top of the long ride, intense strength training session, and 20 more miles, my legs are SHOT. Painful even for little boys to hug, which is hard cause I'm a nanny. "Ouch, ouch, ouch! You're hurting nanny!" Might get me some weird looks. 

Cycling rocks. On that ride I probably burned close to 3000 calories. Burn baby, burn!

 

 

I just started a spinning class at my gym a couple of weeks ago :)  I'm glad to see there's someone as enthusiastic about it as I am!

Hey Olivia! Awesome idea!! I've gotten the bike fever lately too! I absolutely love it. I pretty much ride outside but when it rains, like today, the stationary bike is my best friend.

You should try to ride outside... it is so much fun and a really rewarding experience. I haven't been riding for long and already my balance and coordination is getting much better... I still can't stand up very well but that's my next hurdle!

Anyways... biking in all its forms is awesome! Especially when its done by hot chicks like us!! :)

hot chicks, oh yeah!     ( :

I love riding.  

I need a real, street bike before I can ride outside, but man, I have really deep-rooted fears there.  LOL 

I need to get off my heinie and go rent a real bike for the day and just see if I can do it.    Riding in the comfort of my house, where I can pop off to pee or get a drink is nice, but I would like eventually to start really riding........  (blush)

Biker chick here!  I have an entry-level road bike that I love to take on long(ish) rides, and I have an indoor trainer device so I when its rainy I can spin inside.

Would love to hear about people's experiences and get to learn more about riding.  Sux that my local bike shop (LBS) doesn't take me very seriously (I think b/c I'm a woman)--they always try to talk to my husband about technical stuff, and he's like, "doh?!?" while I'm like, "talk to me!!!!!"

A few weeks ago I did a 61 mile ride in 90 degree heat.  Yikes, it was hard, but I burned 3100 calories. Lovin it!  I hope that with continued effort, I'll soon be able to do my first century ride, and will see the dress size continue to diminish...  :D

WOW!! Go Frog!! 61 miles!! What an accomplishment, you must be so proud! That sucks about your bike shop. My local shop is horrible too. I swear the owner is drunk whenever I go in there and I always leave feeling ripped off. I think next time I need something I'll just suck it up and drive the extra 30 minutes.

I have a Giant mountain bike that I bought off one of my friends sons, he just turned 16 so he's pre-occupied with cars not bike, and I love the thing. Its pretty light and easy to maneuver. Although yesterday I had a nice little run in with a root. My bike and I both went flying... luckily neither of us were severely injured!

Olivia, comfort of home is always good... you just need to learn to pee in the woods!! ;)

If I had a bigger place and more disposable income, I'd think about a stationary bike.  For now, I have a cruiser that I ride around on when my son is at his dad's.  When I was working, (before marriage, after marriage and a couple of years ago) I rode my bike to work and it's like accidental exercise.  I'd like to ride more often and when school starts up, I will. 

 

Unfortunately, I am far from an obsessive biker!!!! My family do however have a stationary bike, and I would like to start actually using it. I decided that this would be the best place to ask my questions!!

1.   When you were starting off, what speed and length would you cycle for?? I always find that I feel I'm not exercising hard enough when I cycle at a moderate rate, but I can never maintain a greater speed for much longer.
2. What resistance on the stationary bike do you use??? My goes from 1-15, 1 is very easy, 15 extremely difficult, should I go for around 5, as that seems to be around the resistance cycling outdoors.
3. I can never decide what is moderate intensity and what is vigorous intensity for calculating my calories on CC. My bike doesn't have any watts indicator. How do you do it????

Hopefully, at some time or another, I will be able to post in this thread as a fully fledged 'biker chick'!!!

 

hey mrs. d --  I wish I could cycle to work.  It's 25 miles though and I might die.    that is awesome though.  what a great way to wake up!

hi gurly!  I am just a wanna-be too.   I just started riding mine bike 3 or maybe 3 weeks ago.  I just like it a lot.    ( :      and I like the title.  LOL

• I guess I am lucky in that my bike calculates distance ridden, cals burned and time spent (even miles per hour) for me and displays it in a motivational manner, I just enter my info on the easy form vs. logging it with cc's info.  Could you use a heart monitor to see how moderate or vigorous it is?
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• My bike is also ancient.   My dial only goes from 1-8 so, here's my thing.   I live in Kansas.  Increased resistance is training replicating hills.  I have almost zero of those and my goal is serious cardio, so I do my miles on 2-3 resistance, maybe 4.  I like it to be easy on my knees.
  
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• Just like with walking, running,  and strength training, I set self goals.   The first time I just rode to see what speed I could maintain to see my average effort.  Then I try to beat it every day.   I also, depending on mood, ride for a goal like this:  30 minutes or 10 miles, whichever comes first.  Sometimes I am not tired after 10, so I do 12 or maybe 15.  Today was my first ever 20 mile total ride, but I took a break at the 10 mile mark and used the Bowflex in an effort to circuit and give my butt a break and then did 10 more miles. 

Hey Olivia77 I have a bike I purchased a few years ago and it has the built in programs or I can set my own.  I pulled it out about two months ago it was with the treadmill that has about ten miles on it, the eliptical trainer that has 3 miles on it, the must have rower that has about 10 miles on it. 

Anyway I started using my bike for 45 min plus I was walking for  1 1/2- hrs aday and I couldn't keep up the biking at night and walking in the morning so I thru the clothes back on it havent used it in three weeks

My question to you is do you really think the bike helps you to shed pds, do you see any changes in your body from using the bike the only thing I notice was my calves were getting define I didn't notice any weight loss I thought the walking out doors would be better.  I would prefer to ride my bike indoors but afraid I will do all that hard work and it won't amount to much I do see big changes in my body when I walk could you share any changes biking has done for you.   thanks

I wish I were a biker babe! My dad has a wall of mountain biking ribbons and even my aunts (with hordes of children) race often, and here I am, terrible at it!

I do have a stationary bike, however, and I plan to get better aquainted with it. Maybe someday I'll be here talking about how much I enjoy it. *crosses fingers*