Exercise Bike v Getting on the Road?
- Thread starter Daniel Douglas
- Start date
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michaelcycle
Senior Member
- Location
- London
Oh I see, thanks for the heads up.
Yes, you are right and with spin bikes it seems the issue is more about the resistance used than a weighted flywheel.
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
Think about it... the inertia of a flywheel vs inertia of a forward moving mass. Both will carry on without input until other forces such as friction decelerate them!
michaelcycle
Senior Member
- Location
- London
True enough but wouldn't the increased weight of an exercise bike flywheel cause it to continue to spin for longer with less force being applied once pedalling has ceased - so in other words it would require less effort to keep the same momentum?
Rob3rt
Man or Moose!
- Location
- Manchester
It is unlikely a flywheel will have as much inertia as a cyclist riding down a road (which is actually why cycling on a turbo trainer etc can be more challenging)! The purpose of the flywheel is to smooth out small variances so it feels smooth and road like. It doesn't apply the resistance.
michaelcycle
Senior Member
- Location
- London
Cheers. That makes sense.
Don't knock it til you try it. I do cycle to the gym, then I have been known to use an exercise bike while in there instead of th real thing, I also run on a treadmill. Obviously if I did all that outside I wouldn't need to go to the gym, right?! Er, no, wrong.I always chuckle when I ride past a gym on an evening and all the people are coming and going in their cars ................ if they walked or cycled there they probably wouldn't need to go in
I tried that and didn't lose a pound, in fact I started to gain weight. It's a lot easier to put in a full hour in the nice warm gym than it is to slog it out in the rain and wind. And you can move from one discipline to another easily, with a few resistance weights in between.
Of course an exercise bike is not like the real thing, but there's really no need for all this gym bashing
I agree Sandra, although I do wonder why gym car parks are full near me, in an area with 8 gyms, most members will live within a 2 mile radius.
I have had 2 exercise bikes, IMO unless you are prepared to spend big money (several £100's) then forget them. My turbo trainer that I bought last year is currently on Ebay, it was much better than the machines, but I got bored, I tried videos, music, language learing but I still didn't like pedalling but not getting anywhere. I join the gym each Dec for 3 months, it costs a measly £69 and I go nearly every day and as well as the exercise, I find that a sauna has an uplifting psychological impact on me in the interminable drab grey winter days.
phil_hg_uk
I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!
I don't have a problem with people going to the gym but why drive there why not walk, run or cycle there.
I also have never lost any weight by cycling but at 49 I am currently the fittest I have ever been in my life and it wasn't from driving to a gym, I find that in order to lose weight by cycling or any other exercise method you need to eat less and that is the bit I and most other people have a problem with
I don't have a problem with people going to the gym but why drive there why not walk, run or cycle there.
I also have never lost any weight by cycling but at 49 I am currently the fittest I have ever been in my life and it wasn't from driving to a gym, I find that in order to lose weight by cycling or any other exercise method you need to eat less and that is the bit I and most other people have a problem with
Well I do drive to the gym each morning as it is on my way to work. If my workplace was nearer then commuting would be great but after my gym session (which by the way is normally a spin class) i have a 30 mile drive to work. Yes I know people do commute that far on a bike each day but needing to get home by a certain time at night so the missus can go out to work (so i have the kids to look after) means sadly for me i have to drive.
But come the weekends and it's out on the road bike on a Saturday for me and the occasional Sunday mountain bike ride too. Can't beat riding in the fresh air but indoor cycling/spinning at least keeps the legs ticking over for the weekend.
i use the gym down the road from were i work - its a mile from the office down a very busy dual carriageway - yes i could walk there (not allowed to run due to serious injury to left knee joint) but then that would mean 1 mile wa;k to gym - 2hr workout - 1 mile walk back to the car at work and then a 15 mile car journey back home.I don't have a problem with people going to the gym but why drive there why not walk, run or cycle there.
I also have never lost any weight by cycling but at 49 I am currently the fittest I have ever been in my life and it wasn't from driving to a gym, I find that in order to lose weight by cycling or any other exercise method you need to eat less and that is the bit I and most other people have a problem with
also your making a lot off assumptions about why people cant run, ride or walk to the gym
Widge
Baldy Go
Exercise bike/turbo-trainer/spin class are definitely the way to go ........
On my 'real' bike I find that it takes time away from my wife and family, DIY chores and daytime TV. I keep ending up in Pubs drinking beer with complete loonies I would otherwise never have met and eat a lot of bacon sarnies and CAKE!.......Also......the weather and scenery keeps changing, whereas on a stationary bike you can watch the Shoppers Channel in the familiar comfort of your own beautifully appointed spare room or garage. If you go to a spinning class you can just concentrate on the job in hand, without the distractions of sun sea and sky and nobody minds if you fancy a fag half way through.
Plus.....trainers tend not to require pesky new tyres and exciting spendy upgrades and you don't have to show it off to other roadies.
Nah.
Real bikes is a mugs game IMO.
w
On my 'real' bike I find that it takes time away from my wife and family, DIY chores and daytime TV. I keep ending up in Pubs drinking beer with complete loonies I would otherwise never have met and eat a lot of bacon sarnies and CAKE!.......Also......the weather and scenery keeps changing, whereas on a stationary bike you can watch the Shoppers Channel in the familiar comfort of your own beautifully appointed spare room or garage. If you go to a spinning class you can just concentrate on the job in hand, without the distractions of sun sea and sky and nobody minds if you fancy a fag half way through.
Plus.....trainers tend not to require pesky new tyres and exciting spendy upgrades and you don't have to show it off to other roadies.
Nah.
Real bikes is a mugs game IMO.
w
Each to their own IMO. I don't see why it has to be one or the other.
I'd love to have one. I have my little lad twice a week (he's 6) which means I cant get out on them nights - it would be cool to be able to pop on the TACX, and have a ride against others whilst he's asleep. Same at weekends when I have him.
I'd love to have one. I have my little lad twice a week (he's 6) which means I cant get out on them nights - it would be cool to be able to pop on the TACX, and have a ride against others whilst he's asleep. Same at weekends when I have him.
ayceejay
Guru
- Location
- Rural Quebec
Perhaps the answer is to get one of those Flintstone cars.
burndust
Parts unknown...baby
i started out on an excercise bike...but now do both...i use the excercise bike kinda like a turbo trainer...i think they compliment each other tbh....but there is no comparison road is def best....despite dealing with idiot motorists who think you should always been in the drains and pedestrians who cross the road without looking and go mental when you have to make them aware that a 20mph object is approaching them....still all worth it
