Biking vs. Running

[Brandon Pattison]

If you were to do a ratio, what would it be?

5 miles biking = 1 mile running?



I cannot get my breathing up riding like I do when running.

 

[Ozz08]

I would guess that is pretty accurate. Biking doesn't do much for me either. I can get a decent workout on a stationary bike doing intervals but it is nothing compared to the workout I get from running intervals. Plus I get that workout in about a quarter of the time when running. I read somewhere years ago about a study on the most effective cardio workouts and best muscle building cardio workouts and all forms of running/jogging won out every time.

 

[Lawnboi]

depends what kind of biking, and what kind of running. treadmill and stationary machine?

I dont really like to bike or run at the gym. I enjoy trail running now, with that its constant up and down where i go, and i always throw in a few ski hills. It ends up being a very good workout.

For biking i enjoy single track mountain biking. I use a single speed bike and the trails i ride are pretty tough. Its a full body workout! nothing like a stationary bike.

 

[RosinBag]

I don't think there is a ratio. I think it is apples to oranges, or at least red apple vs. green apple. If your body can handle the pounding of running, running will win out every time if you are jogging vs. riding. If you are genuinely riding, sprints, hills, single track mountain bike, timed long rides, you can do wonders. Look at lance Armstrong who may be the most fittest athlete out there in his prime and he just rode his bike. But it was the way he rode it that gave him the fitness levels he achieved. I think with any type of exercise you get out what you put in, so train and go as hard as you can and push your self past where you want to quit and go a little extra.

 

[Brandon Pattison]

I don't do the gym scene. I am too cheap and live in the boondocks where it is flat. I have dip and pullup station, barbells and dumbells for the bench and do 8-count body builders and lunges and clean and jerk (low weight, high rep) and lunges and abs. Ha! That was the longest sentence ever. I only am biking because of plantar fasciitis. Otherwise I hate biking but I have been trying to push myself, as with anything I do.

 

[les welch]

Approximately 100 calories burned per mile run, and 30 per mile biked....so about 1:3.3 or so.

 

[Curtis C]

Hey Les is that 30cal per mile for road biking? I was just looking through some of my mountain bike rides and the data is showing about 65cal per mile. I am not sure how much faith I have in the system I use though.

Anybody tried jumprope? My daughters basketball trainer has them doing quite a bit of jumping in place of running sprints. If I remember correctly he thought jumping was more difficult than an equal amount of time doing sprints.

C

 

[les welch]

Hey Les is that 30cal per mile for road biking? I was just looking through some of my mountain bike rides and the data is showing about 65cal per mile. I am not sure how much faith I have in the system I use though.

Anybody tried jumprope? My daughters basketball trainer has them doing quite a bit of jumping in place of running sprints. If I remember correctly he thought jumping was more difficult than an equal amount of time doing sprints.

C

Yes roadbiking...Mtb'ing is much more physical.

 

[Lukem]

Hey Les is that 30cal per mile for road biking? I was just looking through some of my mountain bike rides and the data is showing about 65cal per mile. I am not sure how much faith I have in the system I use though.

I'd agree with that assessment. MTB isn't equal to running, but it's much more strenuous than road, per mile. I've thought that running:road is about 1:3 and running:MTB is about 1:2 or 2:3.

Those don't get the workout from riding, need to ride harder. Cycling is about what you put into it, if you ride easy, it really won't do much, but if you get your heartrate up for an extended period, you can get as much out of it as running per minute of exercise whether on the road or trail.

 

[Cluver]

Both exercise are effective for fitness, weight loss, weight management and for burning calories.
But the running is more effective and work rapidly than the cycling. Cycling take more time
to achieve to goal and less effective, and have to spend more time.

 

[RosinBag]

I don't think there is a magic ratio between the two. My calorie burning computer shows I burn about 140 jogging at about a 8:30 pace. Run slower burn less. Just like road vs. mountain biking. It ultimately depends on working hard and pushing yourself when you workout.

 

[strawman]

Just find a nice, long, steep hill and you'll find road biking to be pretty strenuous! It's also far less taxing on your body than running.

 

[hunting1]

Mountain bike on hills, it will get your lungs burning.

 

[Rent Outdoor Gear]

If you can get on some real steep stuff where you're doing sustained climbing out of the saddle I think it can replicate hiking fairly well on a bike. I bike a lot because it's low impact on my knees. I like steep paved climbs for a butt kicking workout, but riding single track on the mountain bike is more fun! I also love riding motocross for a full body workout. Most people have no idea how physical that can be. It blows running and biking away!

Coop

 

[Brandon Pattison]

Back when I had my Yamaha WR400 I used to race with the boys. My clothes were sopping wet when I was done. I second that and getting out what you put in. I live in 'bastard land' as my Oregon Jarhead buddy puts it where the ground is flat so I prefer to run. Like I stated earlier, I have plantar fasciitis. I have new Brooks Beast running shoes and ordered some Hoffman Lineman Hiker boots for work. Next on the list is Lathrop Synergies.

 

[G Posik]

Well for the next 2 weeks I get to test the biking theroy on the stationary bike. I had my knee scoped on the 17th of April. I had a tear in the mensicus and had it trimmed. Got the stitches out on the 25th and doc said two weeks of stationary bike only. I hate just sitting there peddeling and not going anywhere. I will have the I-Pod on with the Elknuts playbook and calling cds. I really look forward to my morning runs and have felt really sluggish over the last few weeks. So for the next few weeks I will have to add about 30 minutes of bike time after the weight workout at the gym. 30 minutes will be about all I can take on the stationary bike, I hope I can make that long.....the elk calling and play book should get me through it.

Glenn

 

[Vandal 44]

If you bike steep hills and go for a longer ride you can burn a lot of calories. I bike 27 miles one day and the next I will run 6 to 7 miles and I will swim a mile everyother day. When I bike my Heart Rate Monitor say 145 beats per minute for the full 27 miles I will averge 18.3 MPH and when I run my heart rate average 155 beats per minute, I average just under 8 minute miles for the full 6 to 7 miles. I think it depends on how much you push yourself.

 

[fire arrow]

Ok here is a thought. Do booth. You can go for long runs, and do intervals on your feet, or bike. Kinda cross training. When I really ramp up my miles when running season is in, I will sub in some miles on a bike to take a day of running away. Less impact. The goal is to hit the starting line, or opening day injury free as much as possible. Biking is obviously less impact. Remember this for running. Stay off concrete, asphalt is better. DG is better than asphalt. Dirt is better than DG. Go to a place that can watch how you run to get you in the right type of shoes for your stride, and ya buy the silly running socks, less blisters. Try this for a running routine. Tempo run= spacific distance at a certain pace. Intervals= run for a certain time at a high out put. 30/60/90 seconds. Run for that time then rest for that time. Try and hold intinsity for entire time. This type of running pays BIG REWARDS. Do this series 3 times then your done. As you adapt, do 60/90/120 or 2 min on 2 min off. Then a long run. Slower pace than tempo but longer. Bump up 1/2 to 1 mile a week. After 60 min bring water and food. Good luck.

 

[hodgeman]

The two are dissimilar...no real ratio between the two. Your HR monitor should be your guide as to how hard each activity is working your body.

For instance- I can run fast for a mile and be wiped out or bike an easy going 5 miles on paved level ground without even breaking a sweat. Or I can climb steep hills flat out for 5 miles on the MB and be hurting or I can jog a mile and not even be winded.

Just depends- too many variables.

 

[Titaniumman]

My lower back is fused (hence Titaniumman) which has made running a thing of the past for me. I have a recumbent exercise bike which works well. I just have to get my lazy carcass on the thing. I want to use my mountain bike a lot more this season so my hope, time allowing, I will be using both soon. I don't have a problem on long hikes and I use a game cart for retrieval. Regardless, I'm not in the shape I want to be in. Time to start....