Why was I running all these years one week on a bike I'm hooked

[Anonymous]

Did the 3 mile runs 4-6 times weekly for 8 years, competed, finished a marathon, got runners high, check check. Also had plantar in both feet, IT band injury, other aches was never that lean but running helped control a few pounds. Then a road bike came into my life..for starters I can ride it hard for over an hour if not two hours so calorie wise its nearly triple vs run ( I could only run about 30-40 min). One week down i've done 110 miles! Don't feel my IT band! Legs look different, skin too I sweated out tons of water. I'm not tossing the running shoes out but they can have a break for a while. Wish I had gotten on a bike a loong time ago

[Anonymous]

Isn’t it great? I quit running years ago in favor of the bike. But only outside - I just can’t get into biking at the gym or spinning.

[Anonymous]

Love the bike and agree outside only. I’d rather die than ride an exercise bike. My only issue with the bike is carpal tunnel and de Quervains. I have to have good gloves.

[Anonymous]

I run also and just rode a bike 25 miles while on vacation and loved it. Did you all go somewhere to learn basic maintenance?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I run also and just rode a bike 25 miles while on vacation and loved it. Did you all go somewhere to learn basic maintenance?

A lot of bike shops wil teach you basic maintenance, if you are interested.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I run also and just rode a bike 25 miles while on vacation and loved it. Did you all go somewhere to learn basic maintenance?

A lot of bike shops wil teach you basic maintenance, if you are interested.

Thanks - I'm not as much interested as assuming I'd need to know.

[Anonymous]

Taint punishment. No thanks.

[Anonymous]

"for starters I can ride it hard for over an hour if not two hours so calorie wise its nearly triple vs run ( I could only run about 30-40 min)"

OP, that's great you found a new activity you enjoy. But the calorie expenditure is not what you think it is, either minute for minute or mile for mile (unless you're cycling hills). Running is much more efficient in calorie/minute burn, despite you cling longer or farther. By all means enjoy it (but be respectful to others on trails!), and the other benefits you get from it.

[Anonymous]

Most of your running injuries are your body trying to tell you that you are out of shape.

Now that you are riding some of those running injuries won't be nagging you any more.

But if you only ride, you will soon have the same problem with a different set of injuries.

Right now you are coasting on the muscles you built up running.

If you take what I am saying seriously, you will start lifting and swimming to break things up even more.

For me I only "ride" on the stationary bike because a buddy of mine had a big crash off the side of the road.

[Anonymous]

Remember though you need to integrate some weights into your workout routine. Bike riding is NOT weight bearing like running, there are pros but the con is unless you do other exercise, you risk bone issues as you age.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I run also and just rode a bike 25 miles while on vacation and loved it. Did you all go somewhere to learn basic maintenance?

A lot of bike shops wil teach you basic maintenance, if you are interested.

Thanks - I'm not as much interested as assuming I'd need to know.

You really don't need anything beyond pumping your tires. I didn't learn to fix a flat till I had been riding a couple of years - worst came to worst I would walk the bike to a shop, or put it on a rack on a bus, or you could uber to pick you up I suppose (if you are riding a road bike on narrow tires you may get more flats than I did though). Lubing the chain will extend chain and cassette life by a lot, but if you are not riding much, and esp not riding in the rain, you can probably getting away with not needing to know how.

I mean you can do almost zero maintenance - or you can "be your own wrench". In the long run its easier keep your bike in better shape if you can do routine maintenance (which will save on repairs) plus you can avoid spending money on repairs at bike shops - plus you learn alot about how the bike works - but almost none of it is absolutely necessary.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:"for starters I can ride it hard for over an hour if not two hours so calorie wise its nearly triple vs run ( I could only run about 30-40 min)"

OP, that's great you found a new activity you enjoy. But the calorie expenditure is not what you think it is, either minute for minute or mile for mile (unless you're cycling hills). Running is much more efficient in calorie/minute burn, despite you cling longer or farther. By all means enjoy it (but be respectful to others on trails!), and the other benefits you get from it.

I assume OP is in metro DC. If they go any distance, hills are inevitable!

The other thing is, its very easy to combine riding with other life activities - you can do errands, go shopping, even commute by bike. I am sure some runners do that, but my impression is its much fewer than proportion of riders.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Taint punishment. No thanks.

Upgrade your saddle, if needed.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:"for starters I can ride it hard for over an hour if not two hours so calorie wise its nearly triple vs run ( I could only run about 30-40 min)"

OP, that's great you found a new activity you enjoy. But the calorie expenditure is not what you think it is, either minute for minute or mile for mile (unless you're cycling hills). Running is much more efficient in calorie/minute burn, despite you cling longer or farther. By all means enjoy it (but be respectful to others on trails!), and the other benefits you get from it.

I assume OP is in metro DC. If they go any distance, hills are inevitable!

The other thing is, its very easy to combine riding with other life activities - you can do errands, go shopping, even commute by bike. I am sure some runners do that, but my impression is its much fewer than proportion of riders.

NP: Sure, but the point is still that biking burns significantly fewer calories than running. And you're also then working out for twice as long, which just isn't tenable for most people.

[Anonymous]

OP: If you had an IT band injury from running, be careful about overdoing it with the bike because that can aggravate IT bands as well. The repetitive motion of pedaling can be similar to the repetitive motion of running for purposes of the IT band. I had a few IT band injuries when I was running a lot and after switching to the bike, I notice the same pain if I bike several days in a row.