Bicyclist I have a question.

[Silverlsinva]

I plan on getting back into riding a bike for losing a lil bit of weight and keeping in shape But i dont want to break the bank on a bike something within the 150 to 250 range would be good and i dont want the bikes with the really skinny tires nor a full mountain bike but something in between. Any recommendations are welcomed.!!!

[2ndgenz28]

bike tech has advanced so much, a $99 kmart special has decents parts on it now that would make the bike cost $300 5 years ago. Just make sure its full suspension, front n rear if you like your backside.

[Funny ha ha; I just joined the roadies sucks group on FP tonight ]

[TOMS1SS]

Run. Each mile you run on foot is 3.5 miles on a bike. For an average adult male you burn 100-150 calories per 1 mile on foot or 3.5 miles on a bike. So if you go 3 miles on foot or 10.5 on a bike you're talking burning 300 to 450 calories each time. Do that 4 times a week and keep your calorie intake at slight deficit you'll be in business. Don't go crazy though, start out slow either way and work up your speed and distance. Don't forget to build your lean body mass also by lifting at least three times a week for 30 minutes. Muscle burns far more calories than fat does and it turn helps burn off fat.

[2ndgenz28]

Originally Posted by TOMS1SS

Run. Each mile you run on foot is 3.5 miles on a bike. For an average adult male you burn 100-150 calories per 1 mile on foot or 3.5 miles on a bike. So if you go 3 miles on foot or 10.5 on a bike you're talking burning 300 to 450 calories each time. Do that 4 times a week and keep your calorie intake at slight deficit you'll be in business. Don't go crazy though, start out slow either way and work up your speed and distance. Don't forget to build your lean body mass also by lifting at least three times a week for 30 minutes. Muscle burns far more calories than fat does and it turn helps burn off fat.

The stresses to your joints from running isn't worth it when your heavy, wait till you slim down. The forces on them from running are crazy. [why most fatties are told to walk, away from the donuts ]

[nukemustang]

They make hybrids, bikes that have tires that are fatter than road tires, but not nobby like mountain bike tires.. I love Felt bikes (I have two, a F5 Garmin Team edition and a B16 Tri bike) but trek has these:http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/town/fitness/fx. you can probably find one on Craigslist for a couple hundred. I would go to a bike shop and have them tell you what size you need and then look for one on CL.

not sure where you are in Va, but a quick check in Richmond gave me like 5 bikes and this: http://richmond.craigslist.org/bik/2352760956.html

[midnighter]

Huffy

[TOMS1SS]

Originally Posted by 2ndgenz28

The stresses to your joints from running isn't worth it when your heavy, wait till you slim down. The forces on them from running are crazy. [why most fatties are told to walk, away from the donuts ]

True but the OP didn't say he was fat rather just out of shape. I think a 4.0 to 4.5 MPH pace would be reasonable even for someone 50lbs overweight to start out at.

[11BEE]

Originally Posted by 2ndgenz28

Funny ha ha; I just joined the roadies sucks group on FP tonight

HEY!!!! I am a roadie! We ROCK!

As for cycling, I initially got into riding to loose some weight and used the same logic that running is too high impact. At the time I was riding 6 days a week and saw great results for about two months, then I toped out. No more weight loss, but I did continue to improve my cardio endurance. So start with cycling, but then add other exercises to continue towards your fitness goals.

Here is what I do now. I ride 4 days a week. 20 miles on each of the 3 days where I end at the gym and do 30 minutes of weights mostly on upper body. On Saturday or Sunday, I make a longer ride of about 50 - 75 miles. Two days a week I either fast walk or jog about 2 miles. This confuses the body just enough to get your metabolism up and keeps the other workouts effective. This is a great routine that some trainers put me on and I really like it.

I personally ride Cannondale bikes. I have a road with 23mm tires and a hybrid with 35mm tires. I ride the hybrid throughout the week because I can ride the sidewalks and some light trails if I want to. The road bike is exactly that, for riding on the roads ONLY. You will pop a tire in no time trying to ride on the uneven pavement of the sidewalks.

Here is a great starter bike: Click Here It does not have suspension, but it is really not needed if you are riding on pavement. Suspension adds weight and makes the bike a bit harder to ride since it absorbs some of your energy. You can also shop around on Craigs list and maybe get a Trek, Cannondale or Giant in your price range.

Good Luck!

[Stingr69]

I have purchased 3 Giant bikes in the past few years. They are a little less $$$ than a Trek for about the same quality/performance IMO. I bought one for the Wife first and she just loves it. The teenager would grab hers and horse around on it frequently so we got one for him now. The 11 yr old inherited his older brothers Giant Stiletto (chopper style) bike. Now I have one for everyone in the family except me. I am still on my Schwin hybrid from the late 80's. It is one of the original Schwin bikes before the company sold out and it still performs great so I just keep riding it. Gum wall tires and all.

Giant is worth a look.

-Mark.

[2ndgenz28]

The only good thing a roadie is good for is passing.
You think you own the road and purposely get in folks way for kicks.

I can do anything you can do, but in the dirt and mud straight up a hill without making a nuisance of myself like an ass. Roadies suck.

[11BEE]

I agree that the Giant is a great bike. They manufacture the Trek bikes now, but at a better price point.

Originally Posted by 2ndgenz28

The only good thing a roadie is good for is passing.
You think you own the road and purposely get in folks way for kicks.

I can do anything you can do, but in the dirt and mud straight up a hill without making a nuisance of myself like an ass. Roadies suck.

Please don't be rude. We each have our preference of bikes. As I stated clearly, I purchased a hybrid so that I can ride on the sidewalks and not take up road space during the busy part of the day. and for the record, I have NEVER purposely taken up the road. I live in Texas and the trucks would just as soon hit you than to move over. I work hard to be very mindful of all on the road.

[brandotron]

Originally Posted by Silverlsinva

I plan on getting back into riding a bike for losing a lil bit of weight and keeping in shape But i dont want to break the bank on a bike something within the 150 to 250 range would be good and i dont want the bikes with the really skinny tires nor a full mountain bike but something in between. Any recommendations are welcomed.!!!

I have one of these badboys: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-Cl..._fb_revshr_001

It's a WalMart special, but it's great for my purposes. A surf accident when I was 21 messed my back up, so I chose to get a cruiser because it allows me to sit in a more upright position than a roadie or a mountain bike. I ride 4-5 days a week on mostly level ground at the beach. I do have a few small hills to and from, but the seven speed really comes in handy for that. Plus it's nice to have hand brakes. Most cruisers only have the foot break and one speed.

Also, parts are super cheap for cruisers. I've upgraded the handlebars and pedals. New seat is up next.

[Silverlsinva]

Thanks for everyones advice and i will look into those links and prolly decide on what bike i like the best. Runnin is out of the question cause i am on my feet all day long and running after work would not be any fun and i dont think im in the cardio range to run long enough to actually do anything i prolly could barely run a mile or two i know i can ride for longer than that and ill also do doin mostly roads but with a small bit of unpaved road.

[tadams72]

Watch Craigs List and local ads. A high percentage of people who decide to get into biking for the first time go out and spend a million bucks then ride a couple of times and put the bike in the garage for dust collection. Bottom line is you can get a great bike for much less money. Stay away from Huffy and the rest of the Wal-Mart brands. You will be rewarded with a less than great ride. Giant makes great bikes for the money and are probably the largest volume brand so generally cheaper for same quality as others. Highly recommend you go to a bike shop and test ride a few defferent brands/models/styles. You have to resist the sales pressure but then you will have a better idea what works for you. Get fitted so you know what size is most appropriate as you look around. Don't worry, you can burn plenty of calories when you get into it. I typically burn 1200 or so an hour on my bike and it is much lower impact than running which I gave up when age started to catch up.

To the other guy, roadie and mountain rider here. Started out on BMX over 30 years ago. Biking is biking and there are definitely arrogant road guys but the same can be said for the mtn riders (uh hmm). bottom line, enjoy what works best for you and be respectful regardless.

Good luck.