Fat bastard.

[gn2]

As the years advance there is more of me than there really should be.
So I have decided to re-live the joys of my childhood on a shiny new bicycle.
I don't think pedalling was this much work when I was ten.

[Steph]

Last year rode 600 miles on my bicycle. Since I got my scoot, lucky if I rode 50 miles.

[Mel46]

Just before getting our scooters we bought shiny new bicycles. We might have put 10 miles on them. They are on a bicycle rack in the basement now. The tires have gone flat, but otherwise, they are ready and waiting for use. Someday we may use them again, but right now the scooters are so much fun that we can't help but use them almost every day. :-)

[Duggle]

I ride 60 miles a week... forget it, the exercise just makes you hungrier.

On the other hand, it does make your heart stronger which is beneficial especially if you are heavier. My brother in law was having chest pains when we climbed hills. Got checked out and he had an artery (or arteries?) 80% blocked which was fixed with stents (a couple decades ago this was all open-heart stuff). The doctor said that his strong heart helped him a lot in the situation, plus the fact that he discovered the problem by stressing his system. Otherwise he may have eventually had a massive attack at some point. Since he never had an actual heart attack there was no damage done to his heart. Also, he is not really overweight, maybe just 10 lbs or so, AND they eat pretty healthy really. His is hereditary, his dad also had heart issues. Now we climb hills no problem, and with his fresh veins his heartbeat is usually about 5-10 bpm less than mine.

The bikes are what made us want to get scooters. We always say "wouldn't this be so much more fun if we didn't have to pedal". But the scooter won't make me stop doing my bike rides, it's just in-addition-to biking. The scootering is clearly much more fun, but the biking is for health.

[kramnala58]

Good for you GN2. In 2010 I was able to shed 50lbs (22.5 KGs / 3.6 stone) by biking 20-25 miles (32-45 kms) 4 or 5 days a week. My first trip out that year was about 2 miles and I thought I was going to die. Slow but steady progress paid off and I dropped the 50 pounds in about 6 months. Unfortunately I let life get in the way when I moved to Thailand in 2012 and got put the riding habit. As a result I put 80% of my weight loss back on but have got into the exercise habit here again and am about midway back to my goal. Keep at it and all the best to you.

[Duggle]

Wow, good for you. In a year and a half I've only been able to lose 15 lbs which is super slow and frustrating but better than gaining 15 lbs. Need to lose another 40 to be where I'd really love to weigh but it's so tough, wife is a good cook and I like to eat.

[kramnala58]

This next month will be a challenge as we are going to be back in the US for our daughters wedding. Break of routine + numerous restaurant meals = I better exercise before stepping on the scale when I get back home.

[kramnala58]

Hey GN2, I just noticed in your pic .... pedalling at any age is a lot harder when the pedal is missing.

[WhiteNoise]

Back to childhood full throttle heh gn2? I definitely understand

Is this your choice bicycle then? The one shown? Did you, or are you getting it? How many speeds are you after? I'm thinking three to seven most. Even a single if it becomes part of me comfort zone

I've been researching a few bicycles this past month myself. Right now I have two antiques in my garage that I putt around on from time to time. But, Oh! the newbies...they tempt me like ice cream! So many choices today! like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Diamondback, Raleigh .... List goes on. I'm watching YouTube vids to get some kind of idea of what's what for moi

How are you rounding down to a final choice? I'm thinking hybrid or comfort for this older body. Then there's still the Mighty Dollar to consider

Keep us posted...okay?

[Mel46]

We were realistic when looking for a bicycle and chose inexpensive, middle of the road, not too expensive bicycles because we figured that we would expect too much of ourselves if we spent a lot on the bikes.

[gn2]

The bike is the one in the picture (but with pedals fitted )
its a Revolution Trailfinder from the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative.
Bought it in their recent sale so got £44 off.
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... lfinder-14

[RusticCharm]

I use my bicycle for running errands under 20 miles round trip and as transportation to the gym and sometimes just for the fun of it. It gets me where I want to go and I count the trips as my aerobic workout for the day. The scooter is used primarily just for the fun of it and to quick trips to the grocery when I discover I need something while I am cooking. Sadly that will be coming to an end all too soon here in Wisconsin and I will have to give up both.

[GlassMan]

Used to ride my bicycle 20 mi round trip Every day to work. New job put me too far away, 60 mi round trip NO WAY! Scoot makes it great fun but I don't get the cardio ,so I joined a gym and still ride my trek as much as possible. 51 yrs young,6 ft 2 in, and 195lbs.

[kramnala58]

But, Oh! the newbies...they tempt me like ice cream! ...

... maybe that's why you need a bicycle ... too much ice cream.

So many choices today! like Specialized, Trek, Giant, Diamondback, Raleigh ....

I purchased a Trek Four-Series 4300 earlier this year. Unfortunately because of a shoulder injury a month after I bought it, I can't ride for exercise any more, just the occasional leisure ride. Back in the US I had a hybrid with thinner wheels but with the condition of the roads here in BKK, I wasn't comfortable with the thinner wheels so went for the mountain bike wheels. I had originally committed to buy the 4500 model but they didn't have a 19.5" frame available in the colour I wanted (white, of course), so I downgraded to the 4300 instead of upgrading to the 4700. After the fact I wished I had upgraded because I learned that the shifting mechanism on the 4300 is not the same as that of the 4500 and 4700. It probably doesn't matter in the end because I'm not able to use it as seriously as I had hoped, but I have always been one to purchase the best thing I can with the money have available. I had enough for the 4700, but chose not to this time.

[Steph]

Sadly that will be coming to an end all too soon here in Wisconsin and I will have to give up both.

It is a sad thing. Not looking forward to it.

[wilbur]

Sadly that will be coming to an end all too soon here in Wisconsin and I will have to give up both.

Friends of mine will tell you that winter riding is a blast! Easy to dress warm enough. I don't believe them, but they do ride everyday. And I see so many year-round commuters on the bike path behind our house. I just wish they didn't salt the roads... then we could scoot more.

[RusticCharm]

Sadly that will be coming to an end all too soon here in Wisconsin and I will have to give up both.

Friends of mine will tell you that winter riding is a blast! Easy to dress warm enough. I don't believe them, but they do ride everyday. And I see so many year-round commuters on the bike path behind our house. I just wish they didn't salt the roads... then we could scoot more.

Dressing warm enough is not the problem. Snow on the streets is the problem. The city does not plow unless 2 inches of snow have fallen. If only an inch and half is on the streets, it gets packed down to create a very slippery surface which remains until the next thaw or deicer is applied.
Also only the heavier traveled streets are plowed the day of the snow, some are not plowed for days even after very heavy snow storms creating 2 or 3 inch ruts in the packed snow where the cars have traveled. I live on a hill on street that is not a priority for snow removal or deicing. Sand is applied to the hill by a truck that makes two passes, once each side of the street. What gets me angry is that because this in not a snow priority street, the truck makes these passes with the snow blade up. Scooting is not an option once the snow starts.

[wilbur]

Try this


http://www.ridetowork.org/files/baronin ... index.html

[WhiteNoise]

The bike is the one in the picture (but with pedals fitted )
its a Revolution Trailfinder from the Edinburgh Bicycle Co-operative.
Bought it in their recent sale so got £44 off.
http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... lfinder-14

Very nice and priced right with the sale. I'm looking to spend about the same. Have fun gn2 and take it slowly (the first few outings). I have to remind myself of that each time a bike get pulled out for a spin. Next morning tells me if I behaved.

[WhiteNoise]

Nice bike kramnala58 and I like your color choice too Awful how aches and pains get in the way! We still can ride though, that's what counts. Keep on keeping on!! Me? I love ice cream! I blame that on my Dad who ate it steadily throughout his life. Luckily, I inherited his burning of the calories, so I maintain my weight within five lbs up or down. Not too bad. But.....that could change anytime with this aging process