Cycling For Weight Loss – Part 2
By The Continuation – Cycling For Weight Loss
As I said in the parent article “Cycling For Weight Loss” there is a lot more than what most of us know about the outdoor cycles. When it comes to Outdoor cycles, there are a lot of factors which need to be considered due to its wide ranges. So, here they are for you.
Image Credit: Pixabay
Types Of Outdoor Cycles:
Standard Bikes
The ones which are not in use much nowadays at least in India. These bikes are single speed bikes with coaster brakes where there will not be any brakes near the handlebar. The brakes are applied by pedaling backward.
Best suited for leisure rides focused on flat roads. Rarely found in India, but can be purchased online from Amazon.
BMX ( Bicycle Motocross ) Bikes
These are the bikes which people use when racing on off-roads and while performing stunts.
Best suited for stunt riding and for the rough roads with constructed obstacles.
Road Bikes
These are the ones that are used by professional cyclists during bike races. These are also the ones which are widely used by people who wanted to maintain their body weight. It can be used for covering longer distances as they are ergonomically designed and they are mostly geared bikes.
Road Bikes falls under two categories.
- Performance and Speed
- Touring
These high-speed bikes come with slim tires for greatest speed and they are of lightweight. The cost of this bike varies mainly based on the material used to build the bike. The rate of a very good performance plus comfort bike is expected to be greater than 20000 Indian Rupees. For example, brands like Firefox, Cannondale, Btwin, Montra and rock rider bikes fall into this category. But these brands have got Mountain and Hybrid bikes too.
Best suited for people who need a high-speed bike and wanted to cover more than 50 kilometers in a day.
Touring bikes are designed for more comfort and for carrying loads. They are heavier as they come with mounts for rack and fender attachments.
Mountain Bikes
The MTB (Mountain Bike) bikes are used for off-road cycling that covers landscapes that are not flat. These bikes come with broad and rugged tires and with suspensions to make the rider feel comfortable.
Best suited for people who do adventure trips on regular basis.
Hybrid Bikes
These are the ones which most of us had used and still using. As the name implies it is a combination of both road and terrain bikes. These are widely used and can be found among the school and college going teens in India. These bikes are suited for both flat and reasonable off-road rides. Just like road bikes, these bikes also come with various levels of Gears and Friction on the left and right handles, Double discs, and Double valve rims.
Best suited if your usage is just occasional rides and for lesser distances few times in a week.
Tandem Bikes
This kind of bike can be found in western countries more. In India, maybe in a circus. These bikes come with an extra seat and set of pedals for two people to ride together.
Recumbent Bikes
These are not regular bikes and not for city roads. These bikes come with a reclining seat and with pedals forward. Suited only for flat roads.
Unicycle
These are mainly used by performers and can also be found in a circus. Needs the skill to handle this kind of bike as they come with only one wheel. This bike is used in the unicycle hockey and in some of the other sports as well nowadays.
Points To Consider While Buying a Cycle To Maintain Weight Loss:
- Do you know cycling?
- What would be the frequency of you and the bike hitting the road or off-road?
- Your intention to buy a bike? Is it just for Fun rides or you are also planning to use it as your commute.
- What is your Budget?
Things To Consider:
If you would like to have a physical view of any bikes, hit the doors of Decathalon stores or similar to see it directly.
- Consider assembling the bike with a help of a professional especially if you are buying the product online.
- Do not stick to the Brand name. Discuss with friends and local bike store before you zero in on the bike. There are people who custom build their bikes with the help of professionals.
- Choose the bikes for which the spare parts availability is good. Btwin and Firefox users can be found in good numbers in India.
- Test drive the bikes to find the one which makes you feel very comfortable. Spending time on this now will help you not to feel bad later. Ensure that the distance between the handlebar, brakes are reachable easily while choosing the bike.
- Consider taking the finalized bike for rent from the nearby shop to experience the bike for more hours before you buy. You can hire the cycle for a certain number of hours for 500 rupees. Trust me, it’s worth to opt for.
- Do not buy expensive bikes if your intended purpose is just casual and occasional cycling. Going for an EMI is not a good choice instead check whether you can avail corporate discounts.
- Consider buying important accessories like stop lights, helmets, and other required gears. Some of them might not be required always but you are the best judge here.
- Buy well-fitted clothing for cycling. Uncomfortable clothes specifically the cycling shorts will make you hesitate to touch the bike later. There are people who had experienced worse scenarios due to improper clothing.
- Do not go for long distance cycling if you are not feeling well and if you had not slept properly.
My Cents:
– If you want to maintain your weight at a lower cost, you can also consider buying a used bike.
– The bike need not be a professional cycling bike instead it can just be a most commonly used hybrid bike.
– Save money and time by maintaining the bike well. Filling air once a week should do the trick besides other activities. A well-maintained bikes service cost should not exceed more than 500 rupees.
– Cycling can be Fun. Maintain your weight by doing the activity as a part of a group. Search for the cycling groups on Facebook and get yourself registered.
Remember this African proverb which is also relevant in this context.
If You Want To Go Fast, Go Alone. If You Want To Go Far, Go Together.
Great post Vinoth. Will be very helpful in deciding.
I bike once a week to lose weight. It’s a great exercise. You can really stay fit if you stick with it. Great post!
Thank You
Yes, you mentioned the right thing. Cycling loses weight. Thanks for sharing your post.
Good share, great article, very usefull for us! thanks.
You’ve got everything covered here Vinoth. I’ve always been a fan of mountain bikes myself but never really had one. Looking into hybrid bikes now, they are the trendy, multi-purpose bikes of today apparently.
Your bike review and its importance for weight lose is great. Everything you have covered ,nice.
I like Hybrid Bikes …epecially!
Hi Vinoth,
Awesome! Thanks for the great article. Looks like you are a real biking enthusiast. The level of detail here is very impressive! Thanks for the motivation, and I need your suggestion. What do you think about the Diamondback Trace: A dual-sport hybrid bike?
Waiting for your kind feedback.
Regards,
Rabbi Hossain
Hi Rabbi, Thank You for your comments. Diamondback Trace: A dual-sport hybrid bike is a sturdy hybrid bike that can handle rougher roads. It is good but some might feel its weight to be on the higher side. No major Cons in my opinion. You will find the bike really smooth during the ride.
Great Article Vinoth you’ve got everything covered here. Although I do not cycle for weight loss its part of my daily commute to work; a simple and effective way to stay fit and save lots of money by the end of the month.