Exercise bike or Bike

**BustOfPallas** · 05-21-2020, 10:26 AM

I was inspired by Marshall Yanda's massive weight loss. I'm not as overweight as him, but I could stand to lose at least 10 stubborn pounds and 15 would be even better.

I had a mountain bike and enjoyed it quite a bit in the mid 90's. I used it a lot for about 3 years, logging a lot of miles on it. Then bought house and got married and never used it much. I would love to have one again. I also wouldn't mind an exercise bike to work the quads and get my metabolism up every night. The thighs/legs are a large muscle group and there is a lot of bang for the buck in working them hard.

Any bikers, exercise bikers have any recommendations.

I'm not a guy that spends 1000s on a bike. I know you can spend as much as you want on them.

I just want something that doesn't completely suck and gets the job done.

**ravensfan7716** · 05-21-2020, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I was inspired by Marshall Yanda's massive weight loss. I'm not as overweight as him, but I could stand to lose at least 10 stubborn pounds and 15 would be even better.

I had a mountain bike and enjoyed it quite a bit in the mid 90's. I used it a lot for about 3 years, logging a lot of miles on it. Then bought house and got married and never used it much. I would love to have one again. I also wouldn't mind an exercise bike to work the quads and get my metabolism up every night. The thighs/legs are a large muscle group and there is a lot of bang for the buck in working them hard.

Any bikers, exercise bikers have any recommendations.

I'm not a guy that spends 1000s on a bike. I know you can spend as much as you want on them.

I just want something that doesn't completely suck and gets the job done.

I used to ride and race alot as a kid. I recently about two weeks got a brand new mountain bike. Someone hired me to do a dump run for them, paid me $50 to haul away a brand new bike simply because they lost a nut for the crank arm bolt and were too lazy to fix it. Beautiful all aluminum suspension mountain bike. Literally cost me $1.50 to fix it. Just bought my son and wife new bikes last week and we are all taking rides. Both their bikes came shipping in boxes, and brought back memories as I was a kid me and my friends had our own bike shop we used to take apart everyones bikes and change parts and fix them up.

Regarding an exercise bike I personally like the ones with no arm movements. I could ride those things for hours.

**wickedsolo** · 05-21-2020, 10:46 AM

I dont have a bike...we have an elliptical, but my wife primarily uses that.

Everyone seems to be on the Pellotan (sp?) kick these days, but man those things are expensive.

I too have been sniffing around exercise bikes. I'd like to get an actual bike, but the problem is out where I am it is a lot of country roads that don't really have a good spot to ride on without interfering in traffic.

**BustOfPallas** · 05-21-2020, 10:49 AM

Originally Posted by ravensfan7716

I used to ride and race alot as a kid. I recently about two weeks got a brand new mountain bike. Someone hired me to do a dump run for them, paid me $50 to haul away a brand new bike simply because they lost a nut for the crank arm bolt and were too lazy to fix it. Beautiful all aluminum suspension mountain bike. Literally cost me $1.50 to fix it. Just bought my son and wife new bikes last week and we are all taking rides. Both their bikes came shipping in boxes, and brought back memories as I was a kid me and my friends had our own bike shop we used to take apart everyones bikes and change parts and fix them up.

Regarding an exercise bike I personally like the ones with no arm movements. I could ride those things for hours.

It's crazy what people throw away. I see lot's of decent bikes at the waste transfer station but they don't let you take them out.

I am 6' 2" and a lot of it is legs (35" inseam) so bike reuse is problematic for me because I have to have big frame bike which are harder to come by.

Good for you getting a cheap bike. I bet a lot of people throw stationary bikes away too. I have no feel for that market and I'm the type of person that likes to research things to death before buying, thus asking here for a point in the right direction.

**BustOfPallas** · 05-21-2020, 10:50 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

I dont have a bike...we have an elliptical, but my wife primarily uses that.

Everyone seems to be on the Pellotan (sp?) kick these days, but man those things are expensive.

I too have been sniffing around exercise bikes. I'd like to get an actual bike, but the problem is out where I am it is a lot of country roads that don't really have a good spot to ride on without interfering in traffic.

Pellotan. That's what my wife said... I can't see spending that much for a bike. They are crazy expensive.

**ERey** · 05-21-2020, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I was inspired by Marshall Yanda's massive weight loss. I'm not as overweight as him, but I could stand to lose at least 10 stubborn pounds and 15 would be even better.

I had a mountain bike and enjoyed it quite a bit in the mid 90's. I used it a lot for about 3 years, logging a lot of miles on it. Then bought house and got married and never used it much. I would love to have one again. I also wouldn't mind an exercise bike to work the quads and get my metabolism up every night. The thighs/legs are a large muscle group and there is a lot of bang for the buck in working them hard.

Any bikers, exercise bikers have any recommendations.

I'm not a guy that spends 1000s on a bike. I know you can spend as much as you want on them.

I just want something that doesn't completely suck and gets the job done.

I bought a nice cyclocross bike for roughly $1600 or so a few years ago. Aluminium frame and carbon fork. I put road tires on it (28 width). It seems like a lot of $$$$ and my friends/family think it's to much, but it's well worth the $$$$. In fact I like it so much I'm thinking of upgrading to a full road bike soon for even more $$$$. I can cover a lot of miles in a short period of time on that bike and get a nice workout in. I much prefer riding outside as opposed to riding a stationary bike. Especially in times like this when you're already stuck in the house. If you go the bike route, get a Garmin bike computer so you can track your rides (mileage, calories, routes, etc). Do daily rides of any from 10, 20, 30 or even 40 miles with a reasonable diet and the pounds will start dropping off.

**wickedsolo** · 05-21-2020, 11:02 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

Pellotan. That's what my wife said... I can't see spending that much for a bike. They are crazy expensive.

From what I understand, they're top notch in terms of quality and they have a nice LCD screen that allows you to access and visualize maps, spinning classes that are hosted online, etc.

**wickedsolo** · 05-21-2020, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by ERey

I bought a nice performance cyclocross bike for roughly $1600 or so a few years ago. Aluminium frame and carbon fork. I put road tires on it (28 width). It seems like a lot of $$$$ and my friends/family think it's to much, but it's well worth the $$$$. In fact I like it so much I'm thinking of upgrading to a full road bike soon for even more $$$$. I can cover a lot of miles in a short period of time on that bike and get a nice workout in. I much prefer riding outside as opposed to riding a stationary bike. Especially in times like this when you're already stuck in the house. If you go the bike route, get a Garmin bike computer so you can track your rides (mileage, calories, routes, etc). Do daily rides of any from 10, 20, 30 or even 40 miles with a reasonable diet and the pounds will start dropping off.

Are those cyclocross bikes built for bigger guys? I'm not a tall guy, but I'm a solid 230-235lbs. Sometimes I feel like some of those bikes aren't good for bigger guys.

**ERey** · 05-21-2020, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by wickedsolo

Are those cyclocross bikes built for bigger guys? I'm not a tall guy, but I'm a solid 230-235lbs. Sometimes I feel like some of those bikes aren't good for bigger guys.

I would think so. They come in many sizes. When I bought mine the store made sure the bike fit me properly before I bought it. Then they adjusted the bike ever further before I left the store. The guy watched me ride the bike on a stationary device and kept adjusting until I was at peak performance. Although, with COVID-19 I can't imagine how that would work right now. I like cyclocross because road tires work great on them, and I can always go back to tires for off road.

**Laxdad24** · 05-21-2020, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

Pellotan. That's what my wife said... I can't see spending that much for a bike. They are crazy expensive.

Peloton is also a subscription to the service. Bike is one cost then it’s like $80 (?)? A month to join the streaming classes.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**Vlad the lad** · 05-21-2020, 11:20 AM

Ok. Here is my cheap perspective

A little background. I grew up in the 80’s. Used to race BMX bikes (was nationally ranked, but it wasn’t very popular). Transitioned into mountain biking and started racing them. Eventually ended up just recreational biking at Loch raven and patapsco. Then I had a bad wreck. (Showing off, trying to go down a hill that wasn’t on the trail). Ended up flipping several times, tore up my knee, rotator cuff, broke my forearm. After that, the old cannondale Hung on the rack for 10 years.
I also had an excercise rack for the bike (allowed me to ride it in the house)

After the wreck, I struggled to run. For the last 15 years I haven’t found a workout routine I could stick to.
I Recently got an elliptical. I now use it everyday and walk a two mile loop in the neighborhood. Since the beginning of lockdown (mid March) I have dropped from 170 to 161.
I pulled the bike out last week and went for a ride behind the local school trails.

For me, the elliptical burns more calories. Unless you can find a big hill to climb, biking is half workout, half coasting.

The excercise rack was a good workout, but boring.
Peloton has a free 90 trail for the app. It’s nice to have people motivating you while you workout. But after the 90days, you have to pay $12/mo

I also got an Apple Watch. I used to laugh at people with them. But the excercise circles are motivating. I have closed my rings every single day since I got it a month ago.

I read the story about yanda. He said he cut calories and walks a few miles a day. You don’t need a $3500 peloton bike to get in shape.

But hey, what ever motivates you to get off the couch, is probably worth the money you save in health care cost.

**BustOfPallas** · 05-21-2020, 11:42 AM

Originally Posted by Vlad the lad

Ok. Here is my cheap perspective

A little background. I grew up in the 80’s. Used to race BMX bikes (was nationally ranked, but it wasn’t very popular). Transitioned into mountain biking and started racing them. Eventually ended up just recreational biking at Loch raven and patapsco. Then I had a bad wreck. (Showing off, trying to go down a hill that wasn’t on the trail). Ended up flipping several times, tore up my knee, rotator cuff, broke my forearm. After that, the old cannondale Hung on the rack for 10 years.
I also had an excercise rack for the bike (allowed me to ride it in the house)

After the wreck, I struggled to run. For the last 15 years I haven’t found a workout routine I could stick to.
I Recently got an elliptical. I now use it everyday and walk a two mile loop in the neighborhood. Since the beginning of lockdown (mid March) I have dropped from 170 to 161.
I pulled the bike out last week and went for a ride behind the local school trails.

For me, the elliptical burns more calories. Unless you can find a big hill to climb, biking is half workout, half coasting.

The excercise rack was a good workout, but boring.
Peloton has a free 90 trail for the app. It’s nice to have people motivating you while you workout. But after the 90days, you have to pay $12/mo

I also got an Apple Watch. I used to laugh at people with them. But the excercise circles are motivating. I have closed my rings every single day since I got it a month ago.

I read the story about yanda. He said he cut calories and walks a few miles a day. You don’t need a $3500 peloton bike to get in shape.

But hey, what ever motivates you to get off the couch, is probably worth the money you save in health care cost.

I usually walk a lot but have been working morning til nite on big projects at the house on weekends for last 2 1/2 months. Then I'm recovering for 2 days during the week. I also want to find a higher intensity exercise that is convenient and joint friendly. Sometimes you don't want to walk for 1 1/2 hours to get exercise. For that reason I started running last Summer and enjoyed it but found that my hips would ache in bed at night after big runs which sucks. I think rather than grind out a lot of miles I would be better off doing shorter high intensity workouts more frequently just to get my heart jackhammering. I may end up just doing mile runs/walks with intervals of sprinting, walking and jogging. Bike is just something that really works the large muscle groups in your legs and that's where you get more fat burning bang for your buck, the large muscle groups. You can also crank up the resistance and increase RPMs and get that HIIT benefit.