ShotokanKid Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 My father just got himself a commuter bicycle and plans on riding to and from work every day. It's 9 miles a day, 4.5 miles there, which is all downhill, 4.5 back, all uphill. The angle of the slopes are nearly 40 degrees on the way back. Do you think that this will be really good excercise for him? He started jump roping, but stopped and started walking the dog, but stopped. Maybe he's finally found something he will stick with. What are the benefits of bicycling on a commuter bicycle? "What we do in life, echoes in eternity.""We must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men."
cheeks Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 good points...- increase fitness- improve cardiovascular- used as part weight loss- works the quadraceps- strengthens the knee joints- low impact on joints- etc, etc....Bad points...um, dunno. If you have just read the above message and agree with it then you may worship me as the best thing since sliced bread. Of course if you don't agree then hey, i'm a crazed lunatic and you should ignore my insane ramblings.
Menjo Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 the only bad point i can see is falling off lol, "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst"William Penn
isshinryu5toforever Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 one bad thing is if he doesn't spin uphill in the right gear, he could hurt his knees. It will help his aerobic capacity. It will also help him improve his lactate threshold and overall physical endurance. He may develop more slow-twitch muscle fibers, which will keep him from being able to sprint with the best of them, but the benefit is that slow-twitch fibers work more efficiently thus giving him greater endurance. So all-in-all, yes it is a good activity for fitness. He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.- Tao Te Ching"Move as swift as a wind, stay as silent as forest, attack as fierce as fire, undefeatable defense like a mountain."- Sun Tzu, the Art of War
ShotokanKid Posted July 26, 2005 Author Posted July 26, 2005 the only bad point i can see is falling off lol,He scares me... yesterday, at the bike shop, which is the bike sellers home, my dad kept crashing into the guys plants and gates... and he has the pedals that you put your feet in to, he almost ate it trying to get into those. But he's getting excercise, and I'm making him wear a helmet. "What we do in life, echoes in eternity.""We must all fear evil men. But there is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men."
Aodhan Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 Bad points...um, dunno.Cars don't see you.Shortens your hamstrings (Stretch really well if you cycle a lot)Wrong type of seat can cause nerve damage to....ahem...sensitive areas (Usually with high mileage only, though)You breathe a lot of exhaust.It's embarrassing to come up to a stop sign, not get your foot out of your clips, and fall over in front of the cute girl in the MR2 next to you. (At least that's what I've heard! It didn't happen to me...really...it didn't....)Getting flats in the rain.Aodhan There are some people who live in a dream world, and there are some who face reality; and then there are those who turn one into the other.-Douglas Everett, American hockey player
Menjo Posted July 26, 2005 Posted July 26, 2005 dont know how you thought of those, you must be pretty miserable lol But to be serious i didnt know biking shortens the hamstrings, could you elaborate how? "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst"William Penn
Meguro Posted July 27, 2005 Posted July 27, 2005 Your dad may want to find a longer but somewhat flatter way home. Big hills might prove too discouraging for a beginning cyclist. Aodhan brings up some really good points. Up to 40% of traffic fatalities (in Japan), are when pedestrians and cars meet. With this in mind, your dad would want to be visible to car drivers and always wear a helmet.
isshinryu5toforever Posted July 27, 2005 Posted July 27, 2005 The pedaling motion especially when clipped in causes you to use your muscles in such a way that your hamstrings tighten up. This is true, but I have been cycling for a few years now and average around 50 miles a ride at least 5-6 days a week. I can still do the splits. The nerve damage happens to a small percentage of the population (crosses fingers its not me). And if your dad is only going back and forth to work, that's not high enough mileage to worry about nerve damage. He may catch the cycling bug though as many do, and then he will want to invest in a better bike, and yes a better saddle. Tell him to act like cars don't see him, because in reality they don't. Take it from someone whose been hit by a van. Always wear a helmet. Get some cycling gloves too, they help keep your hands from going numb and in the event an accident does happening can keep your hands from being scraped up. Any other questions, just ask it looks like we have at least a few people on here who cycle. He who knows others is wise. He who knows himself is enlightened.- Tao Te Ching"Move as swift as a wind, stay as silent as forest, attack as fierce as fire, undefeatable defense like a mountain."- Sun Tzu, the Art of War
Menjo Posted July 27, 2005 Posted July 27, 2005 The pedaling motion especially when clipped in causes you to use your muscles in such a way that your hamstrings tighten up. This is true, but I have been cycling for a few years now and average around 50 miles a ride at least 5-6 days a week. I can still do the splits. The nerve damage happens to a small percentage of the population (crosses fingers its not me). And if your dad is only going back and forth to work, that's not high enough mileage to worry about nerve damage. He may catch the cycling bug though as many do, and then he will want to invest in a better bike, and yes a better saddle. Tell him to act like cars don't see him, because in reality they don't. Take it from someone whose been hit by a van. Always wear a helmet. Get some cycling gloves too, they help keep your hands from going numb and in the event an accident does happening can keep your hands from being scraped up. Any other questions, just ask it looks like we have at least a few people on here who cycle.How did your bike fare in your van colision? "Time is what we want most, but what we use worst"William Penn
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