Biking vs running for cardio

[zacattack]

Been running for several years and I really like it but damn it’s getting rough on my joints. Anybody bike for cardio instead of running? Just curious as to how and where I would start. I run between 3 and 5 miles 3 times a week. What would that equate to in biking?

 

[Werty]

Go till your tired!

 

[Catahoula]

Gave up trail running long ago. But have been on mountain bikes my whole adult life.

 

[*zap*]

If your running a hard surface I would think that 3x the distance on a bike on a hard surface would be a good start.

Keep at it!

 

[bigmo101]

Lately Ive been thinking about going the bike route also...

 

[AgentVenom]

Bike- go through less shoes as well. Then pack hikes (no running just long strides) if I’m going for distance/ cardio I run 25-35 lbs.

 

[manitou1]

I did the same. These old joints didn't much care for running any more. I run for a few weeks before a fitness test (military), but the remainder of the time I ride my mountain bike. A LOT less impact and wear. More fun too! About 70-80 miles a week is the most I can get in due to time constraints.

 

[tdot]

It's a difficult question to answer without knowing the terrain you'll be in or the type of riding. Hill climbing and sprints make alot more sense and are easier to incorporate into biking. So you can end up with a much more intense cardio workout in the same amount of time. Mountain biking is alot more dynamic and can be good for your upper body too (get up out of your seat often), this can help increase your cardio load as you are actively using more muscles. It's also all too easy to sit and spin on a road bike, cover some distance and not really have a solid workout.

I was told once by a trainer that if my heart rate is elevated for the same amount of time, at the same rate, that I was experiencing the same cardio workout, no matter the activity. Though the muscle workout could be vastly different. I've never fully bought into that theory, though I guess it does make some sense, but I just feel fatigue so differently across different sports, that it becomes hard to compare objectively.

 

[*zap*]

I believe that a lot of expanding aerobic capacity happens at the cellular level so if your not using those muscles your not expanding your aerobic capacity to use those muscles.....my understanding is that one of the primary things your improving is those cells ability to burn fat and produce atp by increasing the mitochondria and capillary density. Although you will be increasing your heart's ability by doing any cardio.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

Your lungs can’t tell the difference.

 

[Brendan]

I have to work a lot harder to get a cardio workout on a bike, or at least structure a ride a lot differently than running. That's based off of watching my pulse rate doing each. Running for me was always a better cardio workout, but biking a much, much better leg strength workout with lower pulse rate, probably just due to my natural cadence. What I do to make sure I do get an equal cardio workout are hill intervals on the bike.

I still need to work in a bunch of hiking with a pack leading up to the season as there are plenty of different leg muscles getting used. I actually like the stair climber, or running stairs and walking down for that - easier on the knees when you're staying on the balls of your feet and not pounding away miles.

My mountain bike has been the best investment I've made in a long time. Love it, zero regrets. But, I do have easy access to trails right from the house.

 

[FLAK]

Same here. When I jogged, I hurt all over, all the time.

 

[bozeman]

What bike model/brands are you using? (if i need to start another thread, i will).

 

[Desk Jockey]

Biking can be a deep hole if you want to go down it but you don’t need a $5k triathlon bike to get a good workout. Agree with the 3x mileage mentioned above. when I bike road, i think 10 miles is a good, normal fairly short workout at a 15mph pace. 20-25 is 90 mins for a mid length workout and long is 30-50. Lots of serious road bikers don’t think anything of doing a 3-5 hour weekend ride.

mountain biking is a different animal and your workout is going to depend on terrain and trails.

I have had good luck with Specialized bikes. Good value for the price.

as far as price goes, bikes are kind of like rifles. $500 will get you something that works. $1000 is a pretty good bike. $2000 is more bike than most people will ever need. Beyond that is for true enthusiasts. Most people use the $2k price point as their starting point. A bike at that level should suit you for 10+ years.

as a general rule, frames get stiffer and perform better as you go up the scale to a point. After that, it is mostly weight savings. Components will have a lot to do with function and up to a price point, say $500-1500 or so, that improve at each level. After a certain point, they also get lighter and more elegant but the cost May not be worth it to most and the performance improvements become increasingly marginal. Don’t get me wrong, a $5000 bike will feel and ride better than a $2000 bike And a $15k custom bike even more so, but for most people, they will never be riding at a level that they can utilize that added benefit.

if you end up riding a lot, you either need to learn how to tune them or find a good shop, like bows. Most shops will treat you better if you buy your bike from them.

 

[zacattack]

What bike model/brands are you using? (if i need to start another thread, i will).

Im curious myself. My problem is I don’t have manyoff-road trails close by. I’d have to do road work.
Edit: holy cow, I was going to get a used one off Facebook for a couple hundred bucks or less. Anything I should look for?

 

[LostArra]

Hilly/rolling terrain is my preferred bike route workout. Of course living in the plains I don't have any really big climbs but a long pull into a headwind will work. I base my rides on time rather than distance because of varying conditions.

If the purpose of riding is to get a workout then an ultralight weight (expensive) bike isn't necessary but it is important that it fits and is set up properly.

 

[kda082]

I went from mountain and road biking to running when kids got busy with sports. Stick to trails. gravel, dirt when running. It makes a difference. I enjoyed cycling but could never go back to road riding. I did really enjoy mountain biking but it all is friggin expensive compared to running.

 

[Timnterra]

I run and hurt like you do i figure pain is just part of the deal lol. I used to be into triathlons but don’t have time to train for hat stuff anymore. I sold my bike and run or ruck for cardio. It’s hard to get a cardio workout on a bike unless you are intentional about it. Just hopping on a bike and putting in miles will not give the same return and running. Of course the type of bike will make a difference, road bikes are easy to ride fast and long distances mountain bikes not as much. I have started thinking hard about buying a fat tire bike for fitness and winter rides. I’m sure the size of the tire would make a lot of resistance and a much better cardio workout than a road bike.

 

[zacattack]

I think I’ll just do like y’all and run through the pain. I went down a rabbit hole looking at bikes. I could buy a lifetime of good running shoes for the price of an okay bike. It’s kinda silly how expensive they are.

 

[hunt1up]

Don't dismiss looking for lightly used bikes. You can save a lot of money. Bikes depreciate like archery equipment. I bought a dedicated road bike a few years ago and was looking at Giant, Trek, Specialized, etc. I was going to buy a new low-mid grade Specialized in the $700-1000 range. That's more bike than I'd ever need really, aluminum frame, lesser quality components, but still functional.

I looked hard for used bikes on Marketplace and Ebay and bought a full carbon Specialized SL3 Expert off ebay. It was a few years old but really no different than the newer offerings. It retailed for $3800 and I bought it for $1200 shipped. It was pretty much new condition.

Here in flat IL I'll usually run 3 miles at a time. On a bike I'll usually go 15-20 miles.