Riding A Bike To Work To Lose Weight And Lower Stress - And How To Choose The Right Bike And Gear
Riding a bike to work is a great complement to your weight loss program. It reduces stress and can save you thousands of dollars a year in operating expenses for your car.
I love to ride bikes. One of my fondest memories was receiving a purple Royce Union "sting-ray" for Christmas one year when I was seven. I went across the street to a large park and rode all day until my dad came looking for me at dusk. I remember waking up the next day to aching legs but I was ready to do it all over again.
I fell into serious recreational riding almost thirty years ago and even raced for several years. I love bikes in general and see beauty and purpose in every bicycle. I've owned several very expensive bikes for both street and dirt but the one that I love the most, the one that takes me back to the joy of that long day in the park over 40 years ago, is one that my wife bought for me one Christmas. It's a simple, single speed cruiser. I stuck a huge basket on the handle bars and use it to run every errand I can make an excuse to do. I just can help but ride around with a big smile on my face!
I've always been romanced by the idea of commuting on my bike to work. My career in sales required me to cover scores if not hundreds of miles each day so I was never really a workable solution for me on a consistent basis.
Two Contrasting Examples
While driving around yesterday I saw a fellow cruising home from work. His bike was clearly set up, perfectly set up, for commuting. He rode in a relatively upright position on sturdy but narrow tires. He had lights front and back and his clothes were protected by fenders. He had a rack and saddle bags that were large enough for a change of clothes and small briefcase and laptop. He was wearing a properly fitting bright yellow windbreaker and close-fitting cycling slacks. It was the perfect commuter set up.
This morning as I rolled out to call on some customers I saw another rider who was clearly on his way to work. He was riding a nice bike but it was a "road bike" and set up to ride in a more tucked position. He was wearing a heavy jacket and baggy jeans. He was getting along just fine but he certainly didn't look comfortable.
Riding a bike is an excellent way to promote fitness and weight management. Exercise, like riding a bike, also lowers stress. Setting your bike up properly will make it much more fun and promote you to ride even more.
Choosing The Right Bike And Gear
For commuting you want to choose a bicycle that puts you in a comfortable position, slightly forward but not bent over the handlebars. To far over the bars and you'll end up with numb hands. Too upright will put a lot of pressure on your bum and make the bike a bit harder to control
You don't see fenders much on bikes these days but they are a must-have accessory for serious commuting. Even if you avoid riding in the rain, every wet spot in the road from snow melt to sprinkler overspray will throw dirty water up your back.
Mountain bikes are popular and lend themselves well to commuting. Choose a narrow tire without aggressive knobby tires for a smooth and solid ride on pavement. Keep the tires inflated to maximum pressure and your bike will roll smoother and require less effort to pedal.
If your commute means riding before dawn or after dark you'll want good quality lights. Many systems are now available with rechargeable batteries. Good lighting is as much for being seen as it is for seeing and in most cities it's required by law at dawn or dusk.
You'll need some way to carry your briefcase, laptop, lunch and maybe a change of clothes. You may try a back pack or bike bag but the very best way is to install a rack on your bike and use panniers, or 'saddlebags' for your gear. Using panniers is more comfortable than a back pack and make the bike easier and safer to ride by keeping the weight low.
One of the most common concerns of someone who is just starting to ride a bike is comfort on the seat. The truth is, and this is first-hand experience from someone who has ridden tens and tens of thousands of miles and owned dozens of saddles, it will take some getting used to. There are many high-quality special saddles but my advice is ride with what comes on your bike for a while. After a couple of weeks you should be fine.
Several bicycle companies such as Trek and Specialized now make bikes designed specifically for commuting and there is no better place to get good advice about setting your bike up than at your local bike shop. Prices range widely but a good, dependable bike that will serve your for years can be set up properly for under $500 and you can certainly get started for far less.
Riding a bike is an excellent low impact and fun way to both lose weight and save money. Setting yourself up properly is the key to making it work for you.
I love to ride bikes. One of my fondest memories was receiving a purple Royce Union "sting-ray" for Christmas one year when I was seven. I went across the street to a large park and rode all day until my dad came looking for me at dusk. I remember waking up the next day to aching legs but I was ready to do it all over again.
I fell into serious recreational riding almost thirty years ago and even raced for several years. I love bikes in general and see beauty and purpose in every bicycle. I've owned several very expensive bikes for both street and dirt but the one that I love the most, the one that takes me back to the joy of that long day in the park over 40 years ago, is one that my wife bought for me one Christmas. It's a simple, single speed cruiser. I stuck a huge basket on the handle bars and use it to run every errand I can make an excuse to do. I just can help but ride around with a big smile on my face!
I've always been romanced by the idea of commuting on my bike to work. My career in sales required me to cover scores if not hundreds of miles each day so I was never really a workable solution for me on a consistent basis.
Two Contrasting Examples
While driving around yesterday I saw a fellow cruising home from work. His bike was clearly set up, perfectly set up, for commuting. He rode in a relatively upright position on sturdy but narrow tires. He had lights front and back and his clothes were protected by fenders. He had a rack and saddle bags that were large enough for a change of clothes and small briefcase and laptop. He was wearing a properly fitting bright yellow windbreaker and close-fitting cycling slacks. It was the perfect commuter set up.
This morning as I rolled out to call on some customers I saw another rider who was clearly on his way to work. He was riding a nice bike but it was a "road bike" and set up to ride in a more tucked position. He was wearing a heavy jacket and baggy jeans. He was getting along just fine but he certainly didn't look comfortable.
Riding a bike is an excellent way to promote fitness and weight management. Exercise, like riding a bike, also lowers stress. Setting your bike up properly will make it much more fun and promote you to ride even more.
Choosing The Right Bike And Gear
For commuting you want to choose a bicycle that puts you in a comfortable position, slightly forward but not bent over the handlebars. To far over the bars and you'll end up with numb hands. Too upright will put a lot of pressure on your bum and make the bike a bit harder to control
You don't see fenders much on bikes these days but they are a must-have accessory for serious commuting. Even if you avoid riding in the rain, every wet spot in the road from snow melt to sprinkler overspray will throw dirty water up your back.
Mountain bikes are popular and lend themselves well to commuting. Choose a narrow tire without aggressive knobby tires for a smooth and solid ride on pavement. Keep the tires inflated to maximum pressure and your bike will roll smoother and require less effort to pedal.
If your commute means riding before dawn or after dark you'll want good quality lights. Many systems are now available with rechargeable batteries. Good lighting is as much for being seen as it is for seeing and in most cities it's required by law at dawn or dusk.
You'll need some way to carry your briefcase, laptop, lunch and maybe a change of clothes. You may try a back pack or bike bag but the very best way is to install a rack on your bike and use panniers, or 'saddlebags' for your gear. Using panniers is more comfortable than a back pack and make the bike easier and safer to ride by keeping the weight low.
One of the most common concerns of someone who is just starting to ride a bike is comfort on the seat. The truth is, and this is first-hand experience from someone who has ridden tens and tens of thousands of miles and owned dozens of saddles, it will take some getting used to. There are many high-quality special saddles but my advice is ride with what comes on your bike for a while. After a couple of weeks you should be fine.
Several bicycle companies such as Trek and Specialized now make bikes designed specifically for commuting and there is no better place to get good advice about setting your bike up than at your local bike shop. Prices range widely but a good, dependable bike that will serve your for years can be set up properly for under $500 and you can certainly get started for far less.
Riding a bike is an excellent low impact and fun way to both lose weight and save money. Setting yourself up properly is the key to making it work for you.
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