Wouldn't you get a better workout with a heavier bike ?
Featherweight bike seems good for speed like if racing or Tour De France.
But, what if cubicle worker go for bike rides for exercise ? Not racing.
If it’s for exercise, is it counterproductive to have a light/fast bike.?
For exercise, won't a heavy $150 WalMart mountain bike give you a better workout ?
Better to ride the tank Huffy for 1 hour than to ride the AeroSpace bike for 6 hours to get the same calories burned ?
Less is more ? Or in this case, more is more ?
There are 2 very distinct use cases for a bicycle:
If I wanted to travel as far as I could (using bike to commute to work, or as a legitimate transportation vehicle), then I’d want the lightest bike I can get, to increase range.
But, for fitness and exercise, I’d want the heaviest bike I can get.
The only situation I can see a lighter bike yielding a better workout is when the hill is TOO steep to be traversed by a heavy bike, and you need to walk it.
Then a light bike works better since you can actually ride it up the hill.
Otherwise, it seems like its analogous to putting the treadmill on 3.0 At this speed, it takes very little effort, just like it takes less effort to move a light bike.
A light bike will be easier to pedal, thus yielding a less efficient workout.
So, to get the same workout on a 3.0, you’d have to jog for hours compared to putting the treadmill on 6.0 or 8.0 (riding a heavier bike)
Even for pro bikers who are training, it seems the most logical training bike would be the heaviest bike you can find.
Just like putting those donut weights on the baseball bat when you’re in the on deck circle.