# Cycling / Bike Riding



## lonesomeboy (Aug 29, 2005)

Anyone into bike riding? Recently bought myself a second hand mountain bike an have been taking it out the local parks and trails. Mostly as a form of exercise and to lose weight. Its amazing how unfit you realize you are after you start riding. Currently, running some crappy knobby tyres but will be replacing it with road semi slick tyres soon.
Would be great to chat to like minded people...


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## minddrips (Oct 17, 2011)

I LOVE riding my bike. I had started riding with a mountain bike too!! Actually had a period where I only went out to ride my bike and that's it. Made walking in the street feel awkward for a while0_o

I still prefer riding to walking( funner and faster). I refuse to pay for a license until its really necessary, which is getting closer and closer...
My bike now is a Univega track bike, got it at a bargain at a swampmeet!! I gotta replace the gears soon, so worn out.


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## billyho (Apr 12, 2010)

lonesomeboy said:


> Anyone into bike riding? Recently bought myself a second hand mountain bike an have been taking it out the local parks and trails. Mostly as a form of exercise and to lose weight. Its amazing how unfit you realize you are after you start riding. Currently, running some crappy knobby tyres but will be replacing it with road semi slick tyres soon.
> Would be great to chat to like minded people...


I do a little mountain biking along with some road riding.. If you plan using the mountain bike off road, i would stick with the nobby tires. The slicks are primarily used for road riding.


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## stewartoo7 (Mar 6, 2013)

just started to get back into it brought me a new bike and i love it


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## visualkeirockstar (Aug 5, 2012)

Yes. I love it. I don't do it like other people where they just speed through. I like to just cruse and look around.


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## lonesomeboy (Aug 29, 2005)

I am still doing it. Went from MTB to a Flat Bar Road bike. Longest I've ridden is 3 hours, about 60 kms. Now itching to get a proper bike lol 

Oh also lost about 15 pounds since I've started.


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## Acton (Mar 26, 2013)

Well!!Cycling for 30 minutes just 2-3 times a week will help with all other aerobic exercise too and reduce the chances of you having to stop your activity to get your breath back and again improve your weight loss.So i like the cycling work for keep fitness of the body...


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## Donnie in the Dark (Mar 15, 2011)

I do a reasonable amount of road biking. To be honest I'd do more if/when I live somewhere warmer....


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## Carrick01 (Mar 27, 2013)

Well I am cycle rider... But not do this for exercise because I use cycle for going college... but I daily ride cycle about 10 miles and I think its enough for exercises...What do you think guys. But i feel like strong legs.. and feel good after riding.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

Finally had good weather yesterday. So, i got out my road bike and spun out 30 miles. Letting the legs stretch and get back in cycling shape!


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## lonelyjew (Jan 20, 2010)

metamorphosis said:


> Finally had good weather yesterday. So, i got out my road bike and spun out 30 miles. Letting the legs stretch and get back in cycling shape!


Felt the same way today (first nice day this year) and went on a short (5 mile) ride with my mountain bike. Man oh man am I out of shape lol. The first leg of ride was great, even though I was just on sidewalks, but the last couple of miles were pretty demotivating in how far I've fallen in terms of fitness. I have pretty nice single track trails within riding distance, and even nicer ones that I prefer driving, but sadly I'll be moving away for about a year come July...

I have a question for you guys, how well do you pace yourselves? Whenever I ride with people (not usually), I do fine maintaining a reasonable pace, where I can just keep going, and going, and don't get tired, but when I'm by myself I always seem to have trouble doing this for whatever reason. I push myself harder, and find myself having to gradually downshift my bike as I continue the ride and start losing steam. It's not a massive issue, but it really sucks when I'll go for what's a pretty long ride for me, turn around when I realize I'm getting tired, and by the last few miles, I'm so tired that I can only bike at a painful slow pace, which isn't fun.


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

lonelyjew said:


> Felt the same way today (first nice day this year) and went on a short (5 mile) ride with my mountain bike. Man oh man am I out of shape lol. The first leg of ride was great, even though I was just on sidewalks, but the last couple of miles were pretty demotivating in how far I've fallen in terms of fitness. I have pretty nice single track trails within riding distance, and even nicer ones that I prefer driving, but sadly I'll be moving away for about a year come July...
> 
> I have a question for you guys, how well do you pace yourselves? Whenever I ride with people (not usually), I do fine maintaining a reasonable pace, where I can just keep going, and going, and don't get tired, but when I'm by myself I always seem to have trouble doing this for whatever reason. I push myself harder, and find myself having to gradually downshift my bike as I continue the ride and start losing steam. It's not a massive issue, but it really sucks when I'll go for what's a pretty long ride for me, turn around when I realize I'm getting tired, and by the last few miles, I'm so tired that I can only bike at a painful slow pace, which isn't fun.


Thats one of the great dilemmas of riding alone. It's in most of our DNA to want to take it up a notch, when we are out by ourselves with no pacing, convo etc. I have a heart rate monitor. So, I can guage how far in the red I am going. If I want an easier spinning day, I try to keep avg. h.b. around 125-135 max. But even then soloing, I pop off sometimes and then just try to get the h.r. back down. I mean I too am still in need of losing some weight. So, i need some longer endurance rides where I am not blowing out my legs and hitting anaerobic threshold at 160 bpm. Sometimes there is a climb and thats.But I will spin and try get my HR. down after the climb.

A heart rate monitor is a really good way to assess where you are at any time. You can go by your breathing as a really general rule but it won't show how fast you can recover after hitting anaerobic threshold. They are cheap and you can get one with a cycling computer that shows speed, distance, time, and HR etc. People who want to take it a step further will get a power meter. Which measures your pwr output- your horse power, but they are more expensive and really not necessary when starting out.
HR monitor invaluable!!!


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## epic (Aug 9, 2007)

I love cycling, started 4.5 years ago and haven't stopped. I have 2 road bikes and a time trial bike. Today I rode 114 km (70 mi) riding in the hills. Climbed a total of 1235m (4051ft). Legs were nice and tired towards the end. Took me just over 4 hours.

Monday I have an 80 km (49 mi) time trial, this one is going to hurt!


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## metamorphosis (Dec 18, 2008)

epic said:


> I love cycling, started 4.5 years ago and haven't stopped. I have 2 road bikes and a time trial bike. Today I rode 114 km (70 mi) riding in the hills. Climbed a total of 1235m (4051ft). Legs were nice and tired towards the end. Took me just over 4 hours.
> 
> Monday I have an 80 km (49 mi) time trial, this one is going to hurt!


Nice, I have a Trek Madone road bike and my old Centurion. I converted that one into a single speed, not a fixie. When I come up with the funds, I really want a cyclocross and finally my last would be a mammoth all weather mountain bike! ;D 
I think you mentioned 3 bikes?
What type of bikes and basic componentry do you have on them?


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## General Specific (Mar 4, 2008)

I rode the St Kilda/South Melbourne bike trail today with a friend and it was a lot of fun. I hadn't rode my bike in ages and definitely want to get back into it. I will need to buy a new bike though as I have outgrown my current one.


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## epic (Aug 9, 2007)

metamorphosis said:


> Nice, I have a Trek Madone road bike and my old Centurion. I converted that one into a single speed, not a fixie. When I come up with the funds, I really want a cyclocross and finally my last would be a mammoth all weather mountain bike! ;D
> I think you mentioned 3 bikes?
> What type of bikes and basic componentry do you have on them?


First road bike is a 2009 Giant Defy 3 with a mix of Shimano 2200 and Sora components. I bought an entry level aluminium frame bike just to see if I would stick to cycling.

After about 11,000 km (6800 mi) I upgraded to a 2011 Giant TCR Advanced 2, it has complete Shimano 105 components and carbon fibre frame. Love it. I use this the most. Group riding, commuting, hill climbing etc.

Third bike is my much loved time trial bike, it's super fast! 2012 Giant Trinity Advanced SL1 with Shimano Dura-Ace components. This is only used for time trials and triathlons.

I'd love a mountain bike for trails but not prepared to buy another bike just yet. It wouldn't get used much as I ride mostly on the road.


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## Dr Hobo Scratch MD (Jun 24, 2011)

been meaning for awhile now to get a road bike for morning cardio sessions instead of using my squeaky exercise bike but building a huge fish tank that i and another person could substitute for a jacuzzi is my current project at the moment.

hate to change the flow of such a positive thread but feel i should bring awareness on the dangers of bike riding for men that i remember 1st hearing about while watching the news years back about a problem they discovered with daily cyclists from the competitive pros to police officers. its the standard bike seat and how its construction does not have the health & safety of men ( maybe women ) in mind and how over a period of time damage can be caused.

Serious Riders, Your Bicycle Seat May Affect Your Love Life
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/04/health/nutrition/04bike.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0

Men Riding Bicycles - The Unseen Danger
http://www.derriair.com/health-issues/unseen-danger.htm

the 2nd link sells safer replacement bike seats just for this problem if you havent noticed. about a year or so ago when i started getting seriously committed with using daily 1st thing in the morning cardio sessions to help with depression & anxiety i bought one from these guys. they are a tad pricey but why let a few bills stop you from getting the great benefits from cycling minus the health concern.

the book that inspired me.








the research & studies on how we operate as humans and the effects that movement specifically cardio can have on our brains and body for the short and long term contained in the 3 chapters on stress anxiety and depression are worth twice the price of the whole book. looking back on it i would glady have given amazon.com or the author of this book $100 dollars for info that i can quickly apply and get relief then forking that money over to therapists in the past for 1 hour sessions. especially with the therapist who revealed she herself was seeing a therapist and taking medication.

another good tool to checkout is a tool called powerbreathe. think resistance training for your breathing muscles.
http://www.powerbreathe.com/

i 1st came across it while watching the worlds dumbest show on true tv. 









the subject matter on that show was worlds dumbest inventions. they had nothing but jokes on it for obvious reasons.








but in between the jokes from what i was hearing it sounded pretty legit. i figured since iam going to be running my heart rate up every morning why not do things to strengthen all thats going on in terms of breathing conditioning so i spent the $70 or $80 something dollars on it. it works. check it out if interested. theres reviews on it on youtube.


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