Cycling!

[TerminalVelocity]

I need to raise my hearts endurance as well as loose some weight. I was thinking of riding before I start running again. What do yall think? Just pushing myself hard on the bike for an hour every day gonna do it?

[Gohan Ryu]

Do intervals - warm up with about 10-20 minutes of moderate riding then start the intervals:

1 minute of pedalling hard (about 90-100 rpm) followed by 1 1/2 minutes of "recovery" (about 50-60 rpm)...then another minute at 100 rpm followed by 1 1/2 minutes of recovery...keep repeating for 5-10 intervals. Stay in a gear low enough so that 1 minute of hard pedalling won't burn you out - you'll have to experiment to find which gear is best for you, as you progress use a higher gear. If you want to push yourself harder shorten the recovery time to 1 minute.

This is pretty difficult if you're not conditioned...you may have to start with light intervals:

After warming up do 30-40 seconds at 90-100 rpm followed by 60 seconds of recovery at 60 rpm...repeat for about 5-10 intervals (as many as you can do).

It's a great endurance-builder. It also helps to have a heart-rate monitor so you can tell exactly how hard your heart is working at any given exertion level.

[TerminalVelocity]

where would I get a heard rate moniter...and how the hell would that work?

[Nicole8188]

I hate jogging and running and all that. But I need to exercise. I've really been looking into buying a bike...

What's a good, cheap bike to buy for just riding around?

[jon@af]

your local department store. If you dont want something that terribly cheap (85-130) you could check for a local Dick's Sporting Goods, they usually have decent prices on decent hardware.

[cody_e]

Make sure to get out of the car's ways. I live out in the coutnry and nothing pisses me off more than me going 60 and then a cycler is in the middle of the road and there's oncoming traffic and I have to slow down to 15mph.

[TerminalVelocity]

I got mine from target...great except I have gone through 2 innertubes in 3 times riding...the second one was an offroading one that is pretty good...makes me think that I need a new rim on my new bike

[Gohan Ryu]

Here's a pretty good site for heart rate monitors:

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...tegory_id=4115

...and this might help with the flat tires...

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/...TOKEN=91129114

They work pretty good unless you're getting pinch flats - where the innertube gets pinched between the rim and whatever you ran over (curb, rock...). If you're getting pinch flats you need more air in your tires.

I'm sure you've all heard about the numerous lawsuits against some dept. stores (such as Walmart, Target, etc...) that sell poorly constructed bikes. Being an avid cyclist I don't want to scare anyone away from the sport, but I advise you to research some of those lawsuits...

http://www.timesnews.net/article.dna?_StoryID=3590584

[TerminalVelocity]

awesome!

I was all...300! DAMNIT! Then I looked and saw cheeper ones. I mean, I would love a better one, but I am poor

[Gohan Ryu]

Yeah the expensive ones give way too much info - too much to look at while you're riding. All I need to know is my heart rate so I bought a cheap one.

[2strokebloke]

If you're looking for cheap bikes try a thrift store for a used one. I bought an excellent Fuji Sport 10 for $25 (original price twenty years ago over $130) really good deal. I got the 3-speed that I usually ride for $18 and it's worked fine for me everyday. You can save alot buying used from a good bike shop too.

[tenguzero]

You can indeed get some excellent deals at used bike stores -- also try yard sales (it's amazing what people are willing to part with pretty nice bikes for.) Another idea if you want to buy new is to check in at bike stores for last year's models, or during the wintertime (if weather concerns apply to your locale) when demand drops off -- many store owners are understandably more open to cutting a deal.

As far as dept. store bikes, the price can definitely be easier on the wallet. That being said, I'm of the opinion that, when it comes to shopping for a new bike, you get what you pay for. Most of us have had a box store Schwinn or Huffy in the garage at some point or another, and while it may have served well for a while, ultimately it got replaced with a Trek or a Cannondale or whatnot. I've had my Trek for 11 or 12 years now, and (aside from the several years it spent stored away after I got my driver's license) I've otherwise put the thing through hell. And after I rediscovered my enjoyment of cycling last year, a quick $60 for a tuneup and new tires has seen me right back on the trails pounding on the thing once again -- not bad for a $380 bike (the cost at the time of purchase in '94 or '95.) I keep telling myself I'd like to get a new bike (since they've come out with some really awesome stuff in the past decade) but then I stop and ask myself Why? Why spend the money when this one treats me so well?

So my suggestion for those looking to get into biking, is to invest a little more in a bike that you'll probably get a lot more out of in the long run (why not put some of that tax return money towards it? ) And to anyone else, no matter what you might have access to, few exercises are as enjoyable AND productive as cycling -- so if it's got pedals, you fit on it, (and it's safe,) throw on a helmet and take a ride.

[-Davo]

Originally Posted by TerminalVelocity

I need to raise my hearts endurance as well as loose some weight. I was thinking of riding before I start running again. What do yall think? Just pushing myself hard on the bike for an hour every day gonna do it?

riding is good, I do it all the time.

a 20 minute hard ride can be like running for an hour, you get fucked!

I try to ride as much as I know my body can take it, I injured my self a few weeks ago not stretching properly then riding my bike hard and heavy then played footy, I couldn't walk for 3 days after that.

They say an hour, but always aim for more.