Too many options make finding a good bike increasingly difficult

I am a strong advocate for running as exercise for fitness and health benefits. But, there are some individuals that running is not necessarily the best option. This came to light from my own experience with running. When I ran marathons, I weighed 155 pounds. After some powerlifting years I decided to do a short three-mile run weighing 185 pounds. I am not sure which of the two running experiences was the hardest for me. After that three-mile run weighing 185 pounds, I said that I would never tell an obese or overweight person to start running as the best exercise. I thought the best option would be to try riding a bike so that the stress on the feet and knees would not be as harmful to them.

When I tried to advise overweight individuals that maybe bike riding would be a better option, a problem with this form of exercise became very evident. When you mention riding a bike, have you thought of the options you have in choosing which type of bike you will ride? It seems there are a lot of varieties of bikes. Bike riding is about a 4:1 ratio with running. You have to pedal four miles to equal one mile of running.

How about a stationary bike? You have stationary bikes where you sit upright and you have stationary bikes where you sit down. You have easy pedaling bikes and you have adjustable resistance bikes that simulate pedaling up hills. You have racks that support a regular bike that allows you to spin the wheels and not move. Stationary bikes can be expensive, very expensive, and low cost bargains. Riding a bike for exercise started to become complicated.

Then you move up to a bike that you can pedal around the neighborhood or out on a county road. Choosing a bike to ride can also get complicated. I bought a nice road bike from a junior high kid that came down with Osgood Slaughter’s disease in his knees and couldn’t ride for a year. It was in 1964 that I purchased the bike. I rode it for many years thinking it was a good bike. I started riding with friends here in San Marcos and several of them made the comment, “It is a little embarrassing to ride with you on that old bike.” I said, “It is the same shape and frame as yours. What is the difference?” I was told to pick my bike up. The difference in weight was about 12 pounds. So, I bought a lighter bike for about $700 back in 1995. I wanted to move up to a carbon fiber bike in 2005 thinking it would be better. I tried to use my old bike as a trade-in value. I was told that with the new advances in bikes, I would be lucky to get $100 for it. Talk about depreciation in value. I kept it for riding around town.

Then a person starts looking at other options. You have mountain bikes that are made for off-road riding and vary in price depending on how many options and gears you want in the bike. The 10 speed bike is a little misleading in that you only have 6 speeds that you can use. Three speeds with the small front sprocket and the three larger rear sprockets, one speed with the large front sprocket and the middle rear sprocket. Then you add the two remaining smaller back sprockets with the large front sprocket. If you learn the correct shifting technique and use the recommendations of being able to pedal with little pressure on the pedal, and maintaining revolutions between a minimum of 60 revs to 100 revolutions, you are set. Again, riding a bike just got more complicated.

Then you can look at road bikes for long trips on pavement and all the varieties of different gear shifts, weight, number of gears, and fit. The usual standard is can you straddle the top bar and still have a couple of inches clearance. And you need to choose the pedals for the bike. You can have the regular pedals, pedals with stirrups, or “clip ons” and the special shoes that are required. And then you get to the saddle. You have a “racing” type saddle that is narrow and hard and a softer, more comfortable saddle for the recreational rider. And if you are a woman, you need a wider saddle for comfort.

You might decide on a hybrid bike that is average for both riding around town and on shorter road trips out on county roads. It is more like a mountain bike with road bike tires.

Recumbent bikes might be an option. Do you want handle bars up high, or down by your side? Some are light, some are heavy, and some have three wheels like a big tricycle. A three speed or a multiple speed option is available. Choices are many. And if choosing the correct bike is too complicated you might think of giving roller blading a try as an option for exercise and fitness.