Question about exercising on a bike
- Thread starter cowboy728
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
BrianEvesham
Mask is gone!
- Location
- South Littleton, Evesham.
Before you rush out and buy a mountain bike, make sure it's what you need. Have a good look at hybrids or full on road bikes.
Whatever you go for I hope you enjoy it.
Whatever you go for I hope you enjoy it.
Just aim for as much time on the bike as possible. Don't worry about how hard or fast you ride. Time = Calories
As others have said - many people get a mtb then fairly quickly move to a hybrid and often then a road bike. What sort of riding do you plan to do?
As others have said - many people get a mtb then fairly quickly move to a hybrid and often then a road bike. What sort of riding do you plan to do?
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
It sounds like you are very keen to get started, which is good, but it might be a good idea to wait a few days and ask lots of questions here first to make sure that you buy a bike that fits you properly and which is best for the kind of riding that you will be doing.
Thanks for all the replies, A MTB is what I grew up with so I the most comfortable with for right now, maybe later I will move into a road bike, but seeing as i live in the mountains it just makes more sense to have something that can off road as well as on road. Will cycling improve my endurance? I am overweight.
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
I'm confused. If your aim is to burn calories, why bother with a bike? Just alternate between running and walking.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Why mountain bike?
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
I would suggest "riding around a little town" will have little effect on weight loss, you would need to cycle further to achieve results. Travelling longer distances on a mountain bike witll be less comfortable and few would want to continue doing that in the longer term. A hybrid bike will be more suited to your requirememnts IMV.
you say you're a complete beginner but you like riding around your little town? You want to loose weight by doing something you enjoy, how do you know you'll enjoy it if you're a 'complete beginner?' 
You wont enjoy riding on the roads with a MTB it may well put you off cycling, think about a hybrid at least then you can tootle around town on the roads or do the trails, it'll open up a few more possibilities for you...
You wont enjoy riding on the roads with a MTB it may well put you off cycling, think about a hybrid at least then you can tootle around town on the roads or do the trails, it'll open up a few more possibilities for you...chqshaitan
Guru
- Location
- Warringon
Most bikes(mtb, hybrid and cx) can perform fine both on and off road, just need to change the tyres accordingly.its when you get the to extremes of the bike types where you need to be more specific (ie dedicated roady for speed/comfort or mtb with suspension and fat knobbly tyres for proper off road).
A hybrid would be much more suited from the basic information you have provided than a mtb imo.
A hybrid would be much more suited from the basic information you have provided than a mtb imo.
I would suggest "riding around a little town" will have little effect on weight loss, you would need to cycle further to achieve results. Travelling longer distances on a mountain bike witll be less comfortable and few would want to continue doing that in the longer term. A hybrid bike will be more suited to your requirememnts IMV.
Its my day to disagree with Snorri - For the ordinary Joe like me I find typical mountain bike geometry very comfortable - particularly for utility riding around town - stout enough to load with shopping - upright position to give a good overall view of whats going on - easy to operate gearing and effective brakes - Knobbly tyres a disadvantage but can easily be changed for something easier rolling that could be used for gentle off road.
If you get into the habit of doing all those little trips on a bike where you might have taken the car it is is not long before you are doing 50-60 miles a week without thinking about it - add in a few little poodles to favourite places and its easy to be doing 100 miles a week - at the sort of speeds you would be expecting to attain on a mountain bike that's not an inconsiderable time on the bike and calories burnt - of course in the longer term N +1 will rear its ugly head
and the OP may want to graduate to a faster steed (I was going to say graduate to a full on road bike, however in my opinion that would be a retrograde step 
)
paul04
Über Member
I have been using my mountain bike to get to work, (during the winter months) Its ideal for the 4.5 mile journey, most days I do take the long way home, anything up to 10 miles.
I do find that I can pedal it out quite easy now (about 22 mph and my legs can't pedal any faster) as the gearing is not set up for speed.
Knowing what I know now, I would personally go for a hybrid.
You might be a beginner now, but just think, in a few months time you could be going on 20 plus mile bike rides, and thats when the hybrid will work best for you.
I do find that I can pedal it out quite easy now (about 22 mph and my legs can't pedal any faster) as the gearing is not set up for speed.
Knowing what I know now, I would personally go for a hybrid.
You might be a beginner now, but just think, in a few months time you could be going on 20 plus mile bike rides, and thats when the hybrid will work best for you.
marzjennings
Legendary Member
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
Firstly I'm biased as I consider mtbing way more fun the being stuck on a road bike. An mtb is a fine way to get back into cycling, generally a more comfortable riding position and more forgiving geometry. Plus you have the option to hit the dirt trails now and then which in general burns more calories than road riding.
For improving endurance, well that takes riding over longer distances and times. 30 mins a day will burn some calories, but won't do a lot for endurance. As you start to get fitter, plan on taking rides that last an hour or more.
A road bike will be more efficient on the road, but that actually mean burning less calories than a comparable ride on an mtb, so if burning calories is your reason for riding an mtb may be what you need.
Also for longer distances mountain bikes are not less comfortable than road bikes, it'll just take a few more minutes to complete the ride.
For improving endurance, well that takes riding over longer distances and times. 30 mins a day will burn some calories, but won't do a lot for endurance. As you start to get fitter, plan on taking rides that last an hour or more.
A road bike will be more efficient on the road, but that actually mean burning less calories than a comparable ride on an mtb, so if burning calories is your reason for riding an mtb may be what you need.
Also for longer distances mountain bikes are not less comfortable than road bikes, it'll just take a few more minutes to complete the ride.
