Originally Posted by
BlazingPedals
I know this is a bicycling forum, so this isn't exactly PC; but... walking is probably a better activity for weight loss. What I'd do is encourage him to get some nice shoes and go for an hour walk 4 times a week. Along with that advice, give him a Performance Bike and/or Nashbar catalog. Who knows... he may lose weight and even come around on his attitude toward bikes.
This is very true and a bike being a very efficient machine there are better ways of gaining fitness or weight loss.
It is sad, but the majority of new, cheap bikes are bought on impulse and used only once or twice. The Bike charity I set up had up to 250 bikes per week donated during the summer and the vast majority were barely used.