Cycling for my Health - Which Bike?
#1
Junior Member
Thread Starter
Cycling for my Health - Which Bike?
Hi all. I am 60 years old and really enjoy everything about bikes and cycling. I have not been regular but I think it is an way of getting exercise that I enjoy and think I could really get into a routine.
I currently have a Giant Roam 1 hybrid and a vintage '80s Fuji Espree touring bike that is in great condition. My dilemma is should I concentrate on one bike and if so which one? The hybrid is newer and possibly a better bike but the Fuji is a real fun bike. Opinions and help are appreciated.
I currently have a Giant Roam 1 hybrid and a vintage '80s Fuji Espree touring bike that is in great condition. My dilemma is should I concentrate on one bike and if so which one? The hybrid is newer and possibly a better bike but the Fuji is a real fun bike. Opinions and help are appreciated.
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Formerly Los Angeles, CA)
Posts: 1,145
Bikes: 2008 Cannondale Synapse -- 2014 Cannondale Quick CX
Mentioned: 5 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 212 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 83 Times
in
54 Posts
I don't see a good reason to avoid one or the other so long as they fit and are comfortable enough for the riding you use them for. I have a road bike and take it on my fitness rides as well as my distance/endurance rides. I use my hybrid on shorter rides, family outings, errands, commuting sometimes... they fill different purposes but are both accumulating healthy miles.
#3
Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 27
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
I started riding with a Fuji hybrid and an early 80's Cannondale touring bike 9 years. Around town and in higher traffic areas with more "stop and go" intersections I prefer flat bars. In open areas with longer stretches of pedaling I prefer the Cannondale for harder exercise. I find use both types as part of my "lifestyle."
P.S I'm 73. Now have 2 flat bar bikes, 1 cruiser bike and 2 drop bar bikes. It's contagious.
P.S I'm 73. Now have 2 flat bar bikes, 1 cruiser bike and 2 drop bar bikes. It's contagious.
#5
Junior Member
Thread Starter
I started riding with a Fuji hybrid and an early 80's Cannondale touring bike 9 years. Around town and in higher traffic areas with more "stop and go" intersections I prefer flat bars. In open areas with longer stretches of pedaling I prefer the Cannondale for harder exercise. I find use both types as part of my "lifestyle."
P.S I'm 73. Now have 2 flat bar bikes, 1 cruiser bike and 2 drop bar bikes. It's contagious.
P.S I'm 73. Now have 2 flat bar bikes, 1 cruiser bike and 2 drop bar bikes. It's contagious.
#6
Junior Member
Thread Starter
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Up
Posts: 4,695
Bikes: Masi, Giant TCR, Eisentraut (retired), Jamis Aurora Elite, Zullo, Cannondale, 84 & 93 Stumpjumpers, Waterford, Tern D8, Bianchi, Gunner Roadie, Serotta, Serotta Duette, was gifted a Diamond Back
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 305 Post(s)
Liked 2,038 Times
in
604 Posts
Why decide, ride both, it's called cross training.
#8
What happened?
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: Around here somewhere
Posts: 7,927
Bikes: 3 Rollfasts, 3 Schwinns, a Shelby and a Higgins Flightliner in a pear tree!
Mentioned: 57 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1835 Post(s)
Liked 292 Times
in
255 Posts
Working ones.
__________________
I don't know nothing, and I memorized it in school and got this here paper I'm proud of to show it.
#9
Cycleway town
What health? The body needs the mind. Cycling should be enjoyable, you should love being out there. It's not a competition unless that's what you love.
Me, I'm more for the scenery and comfort. I sit quite upright and i explore. Think about what you want from your cycling.
Me, I'm more for the scenery and comfort. I sit quite upright and i explore. Think about what you want from your cycling.
#10
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,481
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7649 Post(s)
Liked 3,465 Times
in
1,831 Posts
You should concentrate on riding one ---at a time. Don't try to ride both at once unless you are exceedingly talented.
#11
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,546
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5223 Post(s)
Liked 3,579 Times
in
2,341 Posts
find some long unpaved rail trails for the roam
#12
Senior Member
If you're in it for fitness, just ride whatever you feel like that day. Cycling more frequently is better for your health than stressing about which bike to ride. Most of us have several bikes we ride and as long as your fit on all of them us comfortable, all is good.
If it were me between those two, I'd be on the Fuji because I'm a drop bar fan and not really comfortable on flat bars, but that's just me and YMMV.
Just listen to the all time best cyclist Eddy Merckx: "Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride."
If it were me between those two, I'd be on the Fuji because I'm a drop bar fan and not really comfortable on flat bars, but that's just me and YMMV.
Just listen to the all time best cyclist Eddy Merckx: "Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride."
#13
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 3,893
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1062 Post(s)
Liked 665 Times
in
421 Posts
Hi all. I am 60 years old and really enjoy everything about bikes and cycling. I have not been regular but I think it is an way of getting exercise that I enjoy and think I could really get into a routine.
I currently have a Giant Roam 1 hybrid and a vintage '80s Fuji Espree touring bike that is in great condition. My dilemma is should I concentrate on one bike and if so which one? The hybrid is newer and possibly a better bike but the Fuji is a real fun bike. Opinions and help are appreciated.
I currently have a Giant Roam 1 hybrid and a vintage '80s Fuji Espree touring bike that is in great condition. My dilemma is should I concentrate on one bike and if so which one? The hybrid is newer and possibly a better bike but the Fuji is a real fun bike. Opinions and help are appreciated.
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Location: 961' 42.28° N, 83.78° W (A2)
Posts: 2,344
Bikes: Mongoose Selous, Trek DS
Mentioned: 8 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 941 Post(s)
Liked 319 Times
in
189 Posts
If you're in it for fitness, just ride whatever you feel like that day. Cycling more frequently is better for your health than stressing about which bike to ride. Most of us have several bikes we ride and as long as your fit on all of them us comfortable, all is good.
If it were me between those two, I'd be on the Fuji because I'm a drop bar fan and not really comfortable on flat bars, but that's just me and YMMV.
Just listen to the all time best cyclist Eddy Merckx: "Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride."
If it were me between those two, I'd be on the Fuji because I'm a drop bar fan and not really comfortable on flat bars, but that's just me and YMMV.
Just listen to the all time best cyclist Eddy Merckx: "Ride as much or as little, or as long or as short as you feel. But ride."
I ride two, a gravel bike with drops and a Trek dual sport. In warm months I sort of alternate. In winter, the gravel bike is used on the trainer. I still have the hybrid for outside on passable winter days, which for me is no ice, snow and minimal winds. Two bikes give you options. I usually quit riding outside once temps were below 40F. I've done a recent ride in the upper 20's and liked it. So, I say stay with two ride whichever you feel like riding that day.
#15
Senior Member
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 25 miles northwest of Boston
Posts: 29,546
Bikes: Bottecchia Sprint, GT Timberline 29r, Marin Muirwoods 29er, Trek FX Alpha 7.0
Mentioned: 112 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5223 Post(s)
Liked 3,579 Times
in
2,341 Posts
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: northern Deep South
Posts: 8,895
Bikes: Fuji Touring, Novara Randonee
Mentioned: 36 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2599 Post(s)
Liked 1,924 Times
in
1,208 Posts
Ride the one you like to ride the most.
The most expensive bike (no matter what it cost) is the bike sitting in your garage, unridden.
The best exercise you get from riding a bike is riding the bike.
So pick one out, and go ride it. Today. Repeat tomorrow. Then the day after.
The most expensive bike (no matter what it cost) is the bike sitting in your garage, unridden.
The best exercise you get from riding a bike is riding the bike.
So pick one out, and go ride it. Today. Repeat tomorrow. Then the day after.
#18
Tragically Ignorant
Join Date: Jun 2018
Location: New England
Posts: 15,613
Bikes: Serotta Atlanta; 1994 Specialized Allez Pro; Giant OCR A1; SOMA Double Cross Disc; 2022 Allez Elite mit der SRAM
Mentioned: 62 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 8186 Post(s)
Liked 9,098 Times
in
5,054 Posts
You are the expert on you. Ride whichever you like when you feel like riding it. I have two bikes and I alternate between them a lot depending on what roads I'm riding, weather, and whether I'm carrying stuff, or sometimes just whim. The positions are different enough that I can feel some slight difference of which leg muscles get the most intense workout, and I figure the variety is probably good for me.
TL/DR: It's all good.
TL/DR: It's all good.
#19
Senior Member
#21
Senior Member
For your health you want frequent moderate activity, not so much less frequent hard activity. Two to four 10-60 minutes bits spread throughout each and every day is about ideal (along with 2-3 minutes of at least walking around each hr). That said, if your thing is a 1-2 hr sweatfest every other day then that's much better than doing nothing.
And as said above, the best bike is the one you'll ride.
For me the best is riding to a local café each morning for porridge and a cappuccino (about 10-15 minutes each way). I work on my laptop for an hour or two and then ride back home or to somewhere else. We'll also ride to the grocery, pharmacy and other nearby places. This gets us about 70% of our activity goal with the other 30% filled out with gardening, water skiing or other stuff.
More: https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/
Nearly all of my daily riding is on my Dutch Opafiets (City Bikes | LocalMile) and my wife on her Workcycles Gr8. I also have a Bakfiets for larger grocery runs or other chores. During winter I'll stick studded tires on a couple of extra Omafiets that we keep for guests and we'll ride them if there's snow or ice on the bikeway*. Because they're comfortable and easy to ride any time in any clothes these bikes overwhelmingly get the most trips now. We do also have road and mountain bikes but the extra effort required to ride them and that they're much less comfortable means they get many fewer trips.
* Outside of the U.S. guys frequently ride step through omafiets style bikes and even though we're in the U.S. I do so and enjoy it. This fear of riding a 'womans' bike is really kind of silly.
And as said above, the best bike is the one you'll ride.
For me the best is riding to a local café each morning for porridge and a cappuccino (about 10-15 minutes each way). I work on my laptop for an hour or two and then ride back home or to somewhere else. We'll also ride to the grocery, pharmacy and other nearby places. This gets us about 70% of our activity goal with the other 30% filled out with gardening, water skiing or other stuff.
More: https://www.bluezones.com/2016/11/power-9/
Nearly all of my daily riding is on my Dutch Opafiets (City Bikes | LocalMile) and my wife on her Workcycles Gr8. I also have a Bakfiets for larger grocery runs or other chores. During winter I'll stick studded tires on a couple of extra Omafiets that we keep for guests and we'll ride them if there's snow or ice on the bikeway*. Because they're comfortable and easy to ride any time in any clothes these bikes overwhelmingly get the most trips now. We do also have road and mountain bikes but the extra effort required to ride them and that they're much less comfortable means they get many fewer trips.
* Outside of the U.S. guys frequently ride step through omafiets style bikes and even though we're in the U.S. I do so and enjoy it. This fear of riding a 'womans' bike is really kind of silly.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
Familygal
Hybrid Bicycles
16
09-24-15 12:39 PM
azforme
Hybrid Bicycles
48
06-24-12 07:40 PM