Imagonnabike

When you began biking what was your reasoning, your goals?

Were you apprehensive?

If you did it to lose weight were you successful?

Have you noticed a difference in your stamina, your build... I am a female and just wondering how this changed you. I walk stairs a lot in the course of my career and hate having to catch my breath in order to continue a conversation, wonder if bike riding will help with this.

cyclinfool

When I first went to road biking it was too loose weight - and I did, big time. I was 18 years old and I lost 70 lbs. I have sense used biking to stay in shape - more since I was over 40 when the weight seemed to want to come back. Even more now as I am over 50. Stamina is always better when you ride. Since I tend to carry my weight on my hips and rear this is where I see the big difference, the gut doesn't seem to change much.

chasm54

I went back to cycling at fifty after a fifteen year gap. Yes, I wanted to lose weight, but I was more interested in general health and avoiding a sedentary and unfit old age.

I wasn't apprehensive, no; I'd been pretty athletic in my youth. I did lose weight. Don't expect quick results, but in the course of a couple of years I lost about 12 kilos, close to two stones, without dieting.

My stamina improved dramatically. As for build, you'll put on a bit of muscle in the legs, obviously, but the main difference is in being generally more toned and losing fat. Cycling is pretty good exercise for the core muscles. It will help with your shortness of breath as long as you work reasonably hard. No need to kill yourself, but you do need to challenge yourself just a little bit. Aiming for a pace that you can maintain, but makes you breathe a little harder, is ideal.

And climbing stairs is great cycling training.

Good luck with it. Take it gradually and you'll have a lot of fun, get a lot of satisfaction and feel great.

stapfam

Initially I started riding just to retain the fitness I had from my youth. That was 20 years ago and I am still trying the walk up a lot of stairs without losing my breath

Have to admit that weight has never been a problem to me- Trying to get it to the right places though is. Have a bit of a belly that cycling will not help to decrease but I am too old now to worry about what I look like. But can hold my 150lbs without worrying about diets or what I eat.

Don't know what your goals are but if done right- Cycling can help- a lot. General fitness- cycling will improve it. Weight loss and if coupled with the right diet- you will lose weight.

10 Wheels

I started after being ill for 4 years, at age 65 years.
Bought a $15 road bike from Craiglist and started peddling.

Then I saw The Tour De Cure at the Indy Speedway was having a 100 mile ride on the track.
I grew up in Indiana and alway wanted to ride a bike on that track.
Met a group of retired riders that rode 6 days each week.
Trained for 6 months and took the ride.

Lost 25 lbs and rode 11,000 miles my first year.

kr32

Well I must be doing something wrong.
I started biking about two years ago and I have lost weight which is what I wanted along with general better health,I was 205 and now 185 but was down to 180. Most of my weight was/is around my waist and I have lost several inches there. I feel a lot better now and I think look better as well.
Anyway what I was referring to about being wrong is I too climb stairs in my job and if I walk up three flights I have to catch my breath before talking to someone or else have them think I am some sort of breather.
I can ride for hours and have no problems but stairs give me fits. Weird

Good luck with your riding, it is all good and can only help you.

10 Wheels

Sounds like asthma. I had trouble breathing after about 4 months of riding. Went to an allergy specialist. She tested my lungs.
I was only breathing 65%.
She put me on 5 meds and within two weeks I was up to 85%.
Get checked out.

kr32

Thanks, I never thought about that.

bjtesch

I used to be thin and could eat anything and everything and not gain weight. Then at about 28 I noticed that my clothes didn't fit anymore. I had a brother in law that was a cat2 racer so I thought I would give biking a try.

DnvrFox

I was 58 and saw an article in the Denver Post about a lady training to Ride the Rockies - an organized ride about 359-450 miles each year over CO passes. I figured if she could do it, so could I. That was in March, 1998. I bought a mountain bike - yeah, I know - to RTR, and started training. 1100 miles and 3 months later I did the RTR on my mtn bike.

I have never been apprehensive - not my style.

It tends to keep me in shape. I have lost some weight, but gained muscle. I also swim a lot, stretch and do vigorous resistance exercises.

doctor j

I started riding to reduce stress/stay sane. Long story short... I lost 65 lbs and quit smoking. I sing in two choirs and needed the wind, and it has improved. I have reduced stress. Whether or not my degree of sanity has improved depends upon whom you ask

cranky old dude

When you began biking what was your reasoning, your goals?

Well gee whiz, all the other kids had bikes. I wanted one too.

Were you apprehensive?

Not until they started taking those training wheels off.

If you did it to lose weight were you successful?

Have you noticed a difference in your stamina, your build... I am a female and just wondering how this changed you. I walk stairs a lot in the course of my career and hate having to catch my breath in order to continue a conversation, wonder if bike riding will help with this.

You betcha it will. Several times over the years I drifted away from cycling. Each time that I returned, cycling reinvigorated me, strengthened me, and did all those things to me that you're wondering about.

Try it and see for yourself, and be sure to report on your progress.

MinnMan

My goals keep changing as I go. I started out because I felt I needed some regular exercise to improve my physical and mental health. The more I rode, the more I wanted to ride. Later on it occurred to me that I was going to lose some weight in the process, and over the course of the 10 months since I began, I've lost about 25 pounds. Now I'm focussed on increasing my stamina, taking longer rides and gaining a little (but not much) speed.

From my experience, the best initial goal should be to ride often and enjoy it. The other benefits will come.

Wildwood 

I started my adult riding at age 34, 25 years ago.
Cycling was going to be my summer activity to complement winter skiing.
It has become my year round passion and consumes more time than ski patroling.
I've gained some weight over the 25 years but at 59 my aerobic endurance is better than before cycling.

A good hard 30 miles is a major stress reliever for me these days.
I like bike.
Life is gooood.