What changes do the body change when you regularly ride a bicycle?
#1
Newbie
Thread Starter
What changes do the body change when you regularly ride a bicycle?
There were a lot of cyclists around me, and in a small talk I asked them what changes their bodies had brought by riding a bike.
Some of them say that riding a bicycle has made him thinner.
Some people think that they have made their bodies better and become less susceptible to colds.
Some become depressed and irritable on the road, especially when the car is honking its horn behind you or when they drive to you.
I want to bring good or bad things to our bodies by cycling, but it maybe make our lives convenient and healthy. What about you, what does cycling bring to your body?
Some of them say that riding a bicycle has made him thinner.
Some people think that they have made their bodies better and become less susceptible to colds.
Some become depressed and irritable on the road, especially when the car is honking its horn behind you or when they drive to you.
I want to bring good or bad things to our bodies by cycling, but it maybe make our lives convenient and healthy. What about you, what does cycling bring to your body?
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,823
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2937 Post(s)
Liked 3,036 Times
in
1,389 Posts
I’m 55 and the same weight I was the day I graduated from high school, so in some ways, my body hasn’t changed at all.
Likes For caloso:
#3
climber has-been
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Palo Alto, CA
Posts: 5,035
Bikes: Scott Addict R1
Mentioned: 7 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1578 Post(s)
Liked 1,449 Times
in
776 Posts
My waist gets smaller. My quads, hamstrings, and glutes get bigger. I lose about 5 pounds. My body fat drops a few percentage points. I get a farmer tan. My resting heart rate drops from the mid-50s to the mid-40s.
Every year.
Every year.
__________________
Ride, Rest, Repeat
Ride, Rest, Repeat

Likes For terrymorse:
Likes For I_like_e_bike:
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: San Diego, California
Posts: 3,846
Bikes: Velo Orange Piolet
Mentioned: 27 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2069 Post(s)
Liked 1,685 Times
in
819 Posts
Your cardio will get better, your legs will get stronger, your upper body will get a little bit stronger, but your flabbiness will depend on how you eat.
Likes For tyrion:
#6
Newbie
Thread Starter
#7
Newbie
Thread Starter
#8
...
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Whitestone and Rensselaerville, New York
Posts: 733
Bikes: Bicycles? Yup.
Mentioned: 2 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 214 Post(s)
Liked 655 Times
in
331 Posts
Getting off the couch and onto a bike, the first big improvement was cardio. Once I could breathe then I could work and my legs and core got stronger. My flexibility is much better. With some muscle, my ankles, knees and lower back all complain less.
The part of my body most improved by cycling is my brain. I truly enjoy the riding/work and I'm better mentally all around. Better husband, better dad.
Us ectomorphs are genetically lucky with weight, skinny is how I be, so no bragging on that count.
The part of my body most improved by cycling is my brain. I truly enjoy the riding/work and I'm better mentally all around. Better husband, better dad.
Us ectomorphs are genetically lucky with weight, skinny is how I be, so no bragging on that count.
Likes For BTinNYC:
#9
Version 3.0
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: SoCal
Posts: 12,805
Bikes: Too Many
Mentioned: 296 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1123 Post(s)
Liked 1,781 Times
in
1,069 Posts
I became more aerobically fit. Factors that affect my weight and strength are determined in the kitchen and the gym.
Likes For Hermes:
#10
more daylight today!
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 12,225
Bikes: Tarmac Disc Comp Di2 - 2020
Mentioned: 43 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 5007 Post(s)
Liked 3,514 Times
in
2,439 Posts
Not so much a change to my body as much as it is that I wonder more about how a slightly older longtime friend is still doing as well as I and he has been obese to very obese most of his adult life. We both still muse about who is going to be at whose wake. And also the same for an Aunt that is now in her 90's. Though she hasn't gotten around too well for the last 10 years.
Certainly for every example of benefit to me that I can come up with I can also point to the opposites that suggest why bother.
However for me, cycling is enjoyable and I feel better when I cycle at least 90 - 120 miles a week.
Certainly for every example of benefit to me that I can come up with I can also point to the opposites that suggest why bother.
However for me, cycling is enjoyable and I feel better when I cycle at least 90 - 120 miles a week.
Likes For Iride01:
#11
Full Member
Well, I made it to 83 with just one cold and no flu or other contagious diseases the last 15 to 20 years. I have no idea if that's related to all the cardio and resistance exercises I do. It may be and probably is just luck.
Last edited by gobicycling; 09-15-22 at 08:43 PM.
Likes For gobicycling:
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: northern michigan
Posts: 13,282
Bikes: '77 Colnago Super, '76 Fuji The Finest, '88 Cannondale Criterium, '86 Trek 760, '87 Miyata 712
Mentioned: 19 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 652 Post(s)
Liked 548 Times
in
297 Posts
Overall body fitness. I’m 65 and can feel the muscle groups the next day or two. Cardio is enhanced so much so it is noticeable when I’m doing other tasks. Sense of well-being is enhanced, moods are elevated.
#13
Senior Member
I have far less sinus congestion when I ride and that happens even when the outside pollen count is high. My body's immune system is better regulated in this regards. Having a stronger back and stomach muscles and more stamina definitely helps with ones sex life.
#14
Sr Member on Sr bikes
I have been seeing a chiropractor on a monthly basis for five or six years. He performs routine back adjustments to keep me comfortable. At my very first appointment with him, we sat and looked at , and analyzed X-rays of every joint in my entire spine. He was curious, he said, at the angle of one of my upper cervical joints. In his words, it was as if I’d “spent hours standing and staring at the ceiling.” He said the angle of the vertebrae was like 10-12 degrees out of normal. I asked “would riding a road bike for 40 years cause that?” He said that is almost certainly the cause.
Dan
Dan
Likes For _ForceD_:
#15
feros ferio
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: www.ci.encinitas.ca.us
Posts: 21,277
Bikes: 1959 Capo Modell Campagnolo; 1960 Capo Sieger (2); 1962 Carlton Franco Suisse; 1970 Peugeot UO-8; 1982 Bianchi Campione d'Italia; 1988 Schwinn Project KOM-10;
Mentioned: 41 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1245 Post(s)
Liked 899 Times
in
607 Posts
Some of you have heard my story of how cycling changed my life. I started cycling late, at age 12, because I have always been "coordination-challenged." (In polar opposites contrast, our younger son is a natural athlete, instantly and instinctively adept at any sport he tries. My standing joke with my amateur ballerina wife is that "he gets it from me.") When I was a 22-year-old UCLA grad student working at a bike shop, one of my coworkers was a teenager who had grown up in the same neighborhood I had. When his father visited the store, he reintroduced us, and his father had trouble placing me in his memory, until he finally blurted out, "Oh ... you were that little round kid." He didn't recognize me at all because I had trimmed down after several years of serious cycling, including a double century and a Mount Wilson (Los Angeles) climb.
I owe much of my current state of robust health and fitness to cycling, complemented by weight lifting and fast walking or jogging. The sun is coming out -- time for my usual Saturday morning ride ... .
I owe much of my current state of robust health and fitness to cycling, complemented by weight lifting and fast walking or jogging. The sun is coming out -- time for my usual Saturday morning ride ... .
__________________
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
"Far and away the best prize that life offers is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." --Theodore Roosevelt
Capo: 1959 Modell Campagnolo, S/N 40324; 1960 Sieger (2), S/N 42624, 42597
Carlton: 1962 Franco Suisse, S/N K7911
Peugeot: 1970 UO-8, S/N 0010468
Bianchi: 1982 Campione d'Italia, S/N 1.M9914
Schwinn: 1988 Project KOM-10, S/N F804069
#17
Full Member
Join Date: Jul 2005
Posts: 402
Bikes: Kona Dew, Gary Fisher Paragon, Salsa Campeon
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 91 Post(s)
Liked 78 Times
in
47 Posts
My back pain fades away when I cycle regularly. It generally comes back in late winter after a few months off the bike. I try and mitigate this with yoga.
#18
Full Member
Been riding almost 50 years. And I can see definite changes:
Shorter now.
Hair is thin and all gray.
I need to pee more often.
I need to take a nap after a long ride and can only handle 1 or 2 beers now.
My vision is not as good, nor is my memory.
What was the question again?
Shorter now.
Hair is thin and all gray.
I need to pee more often.
I need to take a nap after a long ride and can only handle 1 or 2 beers now.
My vision is not as good, nor is my memory.
What was the question again?
Likes For bblair:
#19
Senior Member
Most here know my story. I started riding a bike and dieting at age 50. At that time I hadn't been on a bike since I was 10. In 2 years, I lost nearly 200 lbs. I no longer need 3 steroid shots a month and 4 pain pills a day to function. My high blood pressure went away and I got off all my bp meds. My second year,I rode 360 days. Some days it was only a couple miles in the snow with a MTB but I only missed 5 days that year. By the end of that second year, I was a very lean 6''2 - 170lbs and had more endurance than when I played football in high school. No surgery, no diet pills, just cycling and proper diet.
I have experienced all the benefits listed above, just to a larger degree.
I have experienced all the benefits listed above, just to a larger degree.
Likes For RH Clark:
#20
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 36,009
Mentioned: 204 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16566 Post(s)
Liked 11,499 Times
in
5,549 Posts
I once lost 90 lbs. in 9 months through diet change and cycling.
Interestingly, I put on some fat while riding across the country. That happened in the Midwest after starting out west. I was still riding the same amount, but I was conditioned to eat like I was still riding in the mountains. I think that goes to show you how important one's diet is when it comes to weight gain/loss. Once we hit the hills/mountains of the east, I lost the fat I had gained. One thing that I am sure helped was cutting down on the number of second breakfasts we grew accustomed to in the Midwest, where portion sizes were largest.
Interestingly, I put on some fat while riding across the country. That happened in the Midwest after starting out west. I was still riding the same amount, but I was conditioned to eat like I was still riding in the mountains. I think that goes to show you how important one's diet is when it comes to weight gain/loss. Once we hit the hills/mountains of the east, I lost the fat I had gained. One thing that I am sure helped was cutting down on the number of second breakfasts we grew accustomed to in the Midwest, where portion sizes were largest.
#21
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2010
Posts: 36,009
Mentioned: 204 Post(s)
Tagged: 1 Thread(s)
Quoted: 16566 Post(s)
Liked 11,499 Times
in
5,549 Posts
Se my posy directly above. I am also 6'2". I went from 265 to 173 solely through diet change and exercise. I doubt I would ever be that lite today because of increased muscle mass, but I could definitely lose fat.
Likes For indyfabz:
#22
Let's do a Century
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 8,309
Bikes: Cervelo R3 Disc, Pinarello Prince/Campy SR; Cervelo R3/Sram Red; Trek 5900/Duraace, Lynskey GR260 Ultegra
Mentioned: 58 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 648 Post(s)
Liked 866 Times
in
404 Posts
I once lost 90 lbs. in 9 months through diet change and cycling.
Interestingly, I put on some fat while riding across the country. That happened in the Midwest after starting out west. I was still riding the same amount, but I was conditioned to eat like I was still riding in the mountains. I think that goes to show you how important one's diet is when it comes to weight gain/loss. Once we hit the hills/mountains of the east, I lost the fat I had gained. One thing that I am sure helped was cutting down on the number of second breakfasts we grew accustomed to in the Midwest, where portion sizes were largest.
Interestingly, I put on some fat while riding across the country. That happened in the Midwest after starting out west. I was still riding the same amount, but I was conditioned to eat like I was still riding in the mountains. I think that goes to show you how important one's diet is when it comes to weight gain/loss. Once we hit the hills/mountains of the east, I lost the fat I had gained. One thing that I am sure helped was cutting down on the number of second breakfasts we grew accustomed to in the Midwest, where portion sizes were largest.
I found the same to be true. People ask me how much weight I lose doing weeklong rides and riding across the US. I actually put on a few pounds. Comes from consuming more and being less selective about what I eat……plus a lot more sodas with caffeine.
__________________
Ride your Ride!!
Ride your Ride!!
#23
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2021
Posts: 3,092
Mentioned: 4 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1813 Post(s)
Liked 1,492 Times
in
951 Posts
Cycling calms my limbic system down, perhaps like meditation or medication. I suffer from some bad trauma that happened to me. Cycling is like a safe respite. The change is invisible to the eye but is real nonetheless.
Likes For GhostRider62:
#24
Senior Member
Andrew Huberman, a neuroscientist, explains on his podcast the incredible effect faster movement through early sunlight has on the brain. It seems cycling is about the best way to achieve the effect which affects both sleep and mood.
#25
😵💫
Join Date: Sep 2020
Location: Seattle-ish
Posts: 3,763
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1453 Post(s)
Liked 2,698 Times
in
1,550 Posts
If you ride a bike for enough years, you will watch your legs muscles shrivel up.
__________________
Road and Mountain 🚴🏾♂️
Road and Mountain 🚴🏾♂️