Care about cycling's health benefits?
 

This occurred to me while reading some of the current posts, so I did a forum search...and came up with nothing .

Do you ride to reap the benefits of exercise? Or simply enjoy the riding? Or did you start for the former and get converted on the latter?

I started riding purely for the pleasure of it, but I sanctimoniously use the health angle as an excuse to dodge other activities and go on rides instead.
Don't tell on me, okay?

I started cycling because I needed some form of excercise I could do by myself or someone else. When I started it was a bit of a chore, now I love getting out on the bike. I would say its more for pleasure now than a pure workout.

I started for fun when I was a kid, then left it for a long time.

Last year I started again for exercise, but found myself enjoying it--a LOT. Much more than most any other form of exercise. The only thing that's ever come close for me is football and serious weightlifting.

Cycling is the first thing I really enjoyed solo. Then I went on a semi-organized century ride and realized that even this is more fun in a group.

I do it for a combination of enjoyment and exercise. Previously, I rode a bike for fitness in another sport, but now it is my main activity.

what he said!

(i like to eat.. therefore i have to ride!)

fun. fitness. food. fuel.

not necessarily in that order.

exercise. the friendly competition helps too.

I hate exercising. I'm very fortunate in that I enjoy riding my bike and that as a byproduct, it provides a certain level of fitness.

....and go shopping... :p

I started cycling as a kid for fun, then transportation, then a job (newsie). I picked it back up in my 20s as a cross-training exercise, which is what it remained to me for years. A few years ago, I started waking up to the possibilities.

Today, cycling is fun transportation that happens to be healthy.

Usually I get enough exercise between commuting and errands but if not, I'll hit the road and/or MTB trail for some quality cardio. NordicTrack, walking and running are my (less-enjoyed) cross-training activities these days.

i got back into cycling for fun, but i use exercise as an excuse to buy bikes and go on 4-5 hour rides. It seems like if you are enjoying it, you are a freak. But, if it's for exercise, then riding and buying more bikes and stuff is ok, just as long as it's hard work and you aren't supposed to be enjoying it because it's exercise right?

those fools don't know that I bike because it's fun, not because I'm exercising, or I don't have car! Soon I'll take over the world and then what will they say?!!! BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

Hey FlatTop:

Yeah, it's good exercise. . .it gets you out there under God's Own Sky. . .it gives you that incredible rhythmic kinetic feedback thing. . .makes ya' look better. . .makes the ticker go slower. . .all that, BUT. . .

. . .here's the dirty little secret. I've had a rich and full life to date filled with all kinds of "good things" [another thread; perhaps another FORUM], but I've yet to find a thrill that comapares to endorphin generated by a solo ride through hills. Hedonism? Guilty.

I started as a kid and rode like crazy, stopped during college, got in to touring in my 20's, then had kids in my 30's and stopped again. Now, in my 40's, I rediscovered biking once more. I ride for fun but the exercise aspect gives me an excuse to do it more often. And to buy more stuff. :)

I enjoy exercising and love cycling. It is a win win for me.

Eventually, I plan on expanding to other forms of exercise to keep me from burning out. Swimming will probably be the first item. I live under one mile from a large indoor rec center with a few pools.

I am 61 and have osteo arthritis, I rode for years and quit about eight years ago because of pain in my hips. I retired three years ago and needed to get some exercise, I started riding again and rode through the pain, 600 miles two years ago 620 last year and 3200 this year so far. I no longer take any medicine for my condition and have almost no pain even after riding as far as 32 miles on an off road bike trail.
I have always ridden for the enjoyment and now I am again.