Bike for fitness

Immune2you

Immune2you

Immune2you

Permabanned
Joined
17 Mar 2016
Posts
24
Evening everyone, I'm currently 20 years old and constantly gaining weight due to having a rather large appetite and working an office job which aren't a good combination.

I was never the fittest at school however was always talented at sport and played virtually every sport before I left school at 18 years of age since then I've basically lost all sort of body definition that I used to have and as the summer nears in 5-6 months I'm looking to return to being active.

I'm genuinely not eating bad foods it's just I'm consuming 3500 calories a day most likely I currently weight 15 stone 7 pounds nothing outrageous, however I was wondering on your suggestions on a new bike which I plan to use to go out on the evenings for 30-60 minutes to try and get my fitness/body back?

What bikes would you guys recommend my Dad is using a specialized and says it's rather good however I don't have £700-800 to spend on a bike unfortunately I own a specialized hardrock however feel it will hold me back massively?

Any input would you be great.
 
Ok maybe it's a laziness problem :P

But what I mean is the tyres on the bike are for offroading very wide and loads of tread to of course be gripy in offroad situations however looking to sell my old bike on or just buy a new one for this new venture, new bike new me something like that.
 
Have you thought about cycle commuting? Can be a good way to fit some exercise in if you have trouble finding the time or motivation. If your current bike is the right size and is set up correctly, especially with regards to saddle height, then that should probably be fine to ride for now. Put some lube on the chain and air in the tyres and it'll be great for some recreational rides. Maybe not the fastest or the lightest, but if your aim is fitness that doesn't have to be a bad thing, especially just starting out.

Also, you can get new tyres ;)
 
Thanks for comments, do you mean joining a cycle community for rides etc?

That's a decent idea however would feel a complete outsider and wouldn't want to embarrass myself I'm not massively overweight however I'm massively unfit and wouldn't want to start the cycle and stop after 10/20 minutes I need to gradually get into it before doing that I think.

Commuting to work is an option however with no shower facilities I wouldn't want to go through a whole day feeling sweaty :P
 
Immune2you said:
Thanks for comments, do you mean joining a cycle community for rides etc?

Commuting to work is an option however with no shower facilities I wouldn't want to go through a whole day feeling sweaty :P
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He meant commuting to work.
I see your point about being sweaty but I just go in the disabled bog and give myself a rub down with a cloth.
The heavier slower bike won't be enjoyable but will get you fitter quicker than any of my bikes.
 
I suppose you're right having it harder at the beginning will hopefully make it more pain free when I potentially upgrade my bike, I'm debating whether to cycle around the block morning or after work or potentially both if my body is able to do it (unlikely)

When I was at school apart from all of the exercise I used to do within sports I had a paper round getting up every morning and cycling for 30 minutes I feel as if this helped immensely as soon as I gave it up I was still doing activities at school however never felt as fresh mentally or physically maybe an hour cycle before work is probably the thing to do.
 
Being completely honest Permabanned, I know it sounds daft etc but I've only ridden a bike for journeys as a kid really never for leisure/fitness. I would like a comfortable bike which is able to ride on concrete smoothly without feeling every little bump etc.

I think you guys are right though ride my bike every morning for 40 minutes download map my ride or something to see my progress/progression.

And make my mind up thanks for your suggestions :D
 
SexyGreyFox said:
When I started cycling I was running half marathons so I was very fit.
My first proper ride was my 5 mile commute and I got into work more knackered than a 13 mile run :D
Different muscles apparently.
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Hahahaha that genuinely surprises me thought you'd be the other way around considering riding a bike isn't weight bearing at all.

But I guess you were used to running whereas you were completely alien to cycling such a distance :D
 
That's madness! Did you think sod it I'll go back to running? Or are you maintaining both?

Suppose Running to walk would just take far too long ?

Interesting to hear that though I genuinely am shocked with your outcome.
 
Immune2you said:
Ok maybe it's a laziness problem :P

But what I mean is the tyres on the bike are for offroading very wide and loads of tread to of course be gripy in offroad situations however looking to sell my old bike on or just buy a new one for this new venture, new bike new me something like that.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of tyre options out there that could make your current bike more suitable for solely road use, or a mix with light off-road use.;)

For example, Schwalbe Kojaks and Land Cruisers.
 
SexyGreyFox said:
When I started cycling I was running half marathons so I was very fit.
My first proper ride was my 5 mile commute and I got into work more knackered than a 13 mile run :D
Different muscles apparently.
Click to expand...

Same, got my new mountain bike and the first hill I found myself pushing up.

Last time I done the same hill, I must've done it 3 times without stoping. Could I do a half marathon now? Not a chance!
 
Immune2you said:
That's madness! Did you think sod it I'll go back to running? Or are you maintaining both?
Click to expand...

That was 4 years ago so I'm used to cycling but it did take a while to get to the point where I wasn't breathing heavily after a ride.
I couldn't do a half marathon now.

Funnily enough my Mum asked me to open up one of those plastic packing things they have been putting over a lot of products for the last few years.
By the time I had got her Ladyshave out I was lying on the settee out of breath :D
 
Immune2you said:
Hahahaha that genuinely surprises me thought you'd be the other way around considering riding a bike isn't weight bearing at all.

But I guess you were used to running whereas you were completely alien to cycling such a distance :D
Click to expand...
I can happily run 22miles but get shattered from an 18 mile bike ride. I have trained for marathons and have hardly so. Y muscles cope with running far better.
 
Immune2you said:
Ok maybe it's a laziness problem :P

But what I mean is the tyres on the bike are for offroading very wide and loads of tread to of course be gripy in offroad situations however looking to sell my old bike on or just buy a new one for this new venture, new bike new me something like that.
Click to expand...

Get youself one of the p90x / p90x30 dvds of amazon. Follow one of those plus their diet to the letter and you will see a transformation quicker than cycling. You will need a few cheap bits of gym equipment. I droped from your weight to 12.8st in 2 months last year and felt great doing it. Put some back on now as had a lazy xmas and start to the year along with a poor diet recently but started back on it and results within a week.

Then get yourseft a decent mountain bike and cycle off road for fun. Which is what i have just done. Still some good 2015 bargains about.

I may be old and cynical now but unless you are hugely dedicated and prepared to push very very hard and consistently its quite hard to get good results from cycling. Cycling is too easy to mince around and not actually get the benefits you hope. As you get your fitness and strength up your cycling efficiency improves and you don't find you burn the calories you need too.

You would need to be doing a decent 1-2 hour cross country ride 3 to 4 times per week or daily 10-20 mile road stint.
 
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