You have noticed that you’ve been gaining pounds over the past few months. And you know you’re not imagining things because even your friends and family have started noticing the changes. Although your weight is nowhere near obese, you’re determined to exercise to lose those excess pounds. You want to regain your self-confidence over time, and you think that looking and feeling good about yourself is one way of doing it. And you believe you can only experience those things once you sweat it out. Although there are countless types of exercise equipment available today, you still don’t know what to use to achieve your goal. If you don’t know where to start with your weight loss journey, using a bike might be the solution to your problems.
Bikes have been used by a lot of people to lose weight and to stay fit. Bikes can be very useful, especially if you’re particularly determined to rid yourself of the fat around your legs so that they appear to be more firm. But before you decide to include cycling in your exercise regimen, you should be able to determine the pros and cons of using a bicycle. This information will enable you to create a clearer picture of what you can expect once you use real bicycles for your exercise.
Here are some of the advantages you can enjoy once you decide to use a real bicycle for your exercise:
- Real bicycles give you impact: Unlike stationary bikes which only focus solely on your legs, real bikes can include every part of your body during the ride. Obviously, your legs play the biggest part when you use real bicycles, but your entire core is also getting a workout because you’re going to use your body in maintaining balance, streamlining yourself and even standing or sitting to gain or reduce speed. You can also get a mental workout once you use a real bike – you need to think about where you’re going and how you can avoid pedestrians on the road, right?
- Real bicycles fight boredom: Stationary bikes are usually found within the four corners of the gym, and while this kind of set-up works for some, other people would eventually get bored while just pedaling and staring at the walls – and you could be one of the latter. Once you decide to exercise using a real bike, your routine will never be a bore. You get to do everything outside which means that while you’re sweating those extra pounds off, you get to enjoy scenic landscapes and socialize with people you meet along the way.
- Real bicycles have replaceable seats: The standard bikes you use in the gym come with tiny and uncomfortable seats. And while manufacturers strive to produce newer models of these bikes every now and then, changing the seats has not been included in the innovation. If you’re using a stationary bike with an uncomfortable seat, you’re at higher risk for developing health-related problems. The good thing about real bikes is that you have the option to change your seat as often as you would want to. You can even personalize your designs! Once you’re using a real bike with a seat you’re comfortable with, exercising will come off easier for you.
- Real bicycles are cheaper: There are different models of mountain bikes and road bikes available on the market which are cheaper compared to stationary bikes. Aside from the cost of the product itself, you’d also need to purchase performance monitoring devices and stabilizing mechanisms for a stationary bike to run, and all of these will hurt your pocket. You’ll never worry about these things if you’re buying a real bike, you just have to pay for the bike itself, period. Once you have the bike with you, you can use it immediately as you’re not required to purchase any additional gizmos to keep it running.
However, using a real bicycle for your exercise can’t be all good. There are also some disadvantages associated when you use real bicycles, and some of these are listed below:
- Real bicycles can be inconvenient: Since you’ll be using real bikes outdoors, you’d be required to dress appropriately – something that you won’t think about when you’re using a stationary bike at home. Aside from thinking what to wear, you’ll also have to deal with the weather, tire blowouts, and the traffic, and these things greatly matter. For instance, if the weather is too cold to even step outside, you have no choice but skip your daily bicycle routine. And this can be bad news for you during wintertime (or when your area is prone to be hit by regular thunderstorms).
- Real bicycles require technical know-how: There are a lot of components in a bicycle which you should learn about. You have to know how certain knobs affect the speed of your bike or how weekly check-ups are important for your bike’s overall performance. Neglecting these things will put your life in danger. So if you don’t have the interest and the time to know all of these things, real bicycles might not be the best option for you.
- Real bicycles can be robbed: Bicycle theft is so prevalent in some areas in the US that it reaches almost 100 million dollars per year. If you’re eyeing to invest in an expensive type of bike or if you’re living in an overpopulated area, you might be vulnerable to bicycle theft. And since a real bike can be very lightweight, crooks can easily rob your bike – something which they can’t do when you’re using a stationary bike.
If you’re convinced that real bicycles are helpful for you to lose weight, go ahead and purchase one for yourself. Doing this will be worth it since you know now have an idea of how it will work for you and some of the possible disadvantages you may experience along the way. But regardless if a real bicycle comes with its own set of pros and cons, you have to make sure that you’re always cautious whenever you’re using one. These bicycles should keep you fit and healthy, not harm you in any way. If you’re involved in a bicycle accident while exercising, you can visit this website to learn more.
About Author- Joanne Reed
Joanne Reed has been writing about law and business for almost a decade, and is currently writing her next big law project. She is an avid sports fan and loves watching games if she has free time.
