If you want to lose some pounds, then biking is a great way to start. Jumping on your bike and taking a long and easy ride will bring many benefits to your life.
Again, it helps you to lose weight even without abandoning your favorite foods.Â
The USÂ Department of Health and Human Services recommends cycling for a minimum of 300 minutes a week. This gives you the maximum weight loss benefit.
But as to the weight you will lose, this depends on the level of intensity of your exercises, not to mention how you tweak your diet for maximum weight loss.
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Factors to Consider
To arrive at the exact time you need to ride your bike to lose weight, you need to take into account several factors. These include the following expert tips:
What are Your Weight-Loss Goals?
In determining the number of minutes or hours you need to ride, you need to have clear weight loss targets. To lose one pound, you need to torch 3,500 calories. Therefore, if your weight loss goal is to lose one pound per week, then you just need to fry 500 calories every day for 7 days.
To do this, you need to combine exercise and diet to have a caloric deficit every day. For instance, you can reduce your daily caloric intake by 300 calories and combine this with burning 200 calories every day.
 The time you want to shed the pounds will help you to figure out the number of calories you require burning by biking. This will, in turn, affect what your bike needs should be.
Types and Benefits of Biking
You need to understand that all bikes are not created equal and some have more benefits than others. To get maximum weight loss, it is important to choose a bike that is best designed for your weight loss goals and fitness levels.
One option is to exercise at the gym on a stationary bike. This will allow you to work out even when the weather isn’t at its finest. More importantly, you get to monitor your speed better.Â
A recumbent bike has the advantage of supporting your lower back, which is of great benefit for people who are just starting at exercising or people that have back problems.
And if you jump on your two-wheeler and go outdoors for a ride, you get the benefit of grabbing some much-needed fresh air. It also allows you to choose different routes and avoid being killed by boredom.
Calories Burned
To get the perfect amount of calories to burn, it helps to change your speed and length of routines. For instance, a person that weighs 155 pounds can burn up to 260 calories when on a stationary bike at a standard pace for thirty minutes.
If the person goes to a vigorous pace, they burn 391 calories working in the same period. The same person can burn 316 calories when riding on a mountain for 30 minutes, or 446 calories in thirty minutes when on a paved road at a rate of 16-19 mph.Â
What is the Best Bike for Weight Loss?
When looking for the best two-wheeler for weight loss, you should go for the one you are going to ride regularly. You need to try several bikes and styles to identify the best bike for weight loss. Here are some of the bikes and how they fare as far as weight loss is concerned.
Road Bike
Some riders swear by road bikes especially those that contain a sleeker frame and thin tires. A road bike tends to be comparatively lighter and also requires less amount of effort when riding fast.
These types of bikes are most suitable for paved surfaces and if you are riding on a long and uninterrupted stretch of road.
Mountain, Cruiser, or Cross Bike
Mountain or cruiser bike with thick, heavy tires give you the ease of use and great comfort. These bikes also give you some cushioning and suspension to make your trip more comfortable.
As an added benefit, these bikes enable you to ride at a upright posture even when biking in style. With thicker tires, you have more stability, which lets you feel safer when on these types of bikes.
Electric Bike
An electric bike referred to also as simply an e-bike, is a great option for those who want to ride their bikes for long commutes or those that are new to cycling.
 Brands such as Trek manufacture bicycles that act as a standard bike. However, it gives you a greater assistance boost when you require it.
A good example is the Super Commuter from the same company. This bike provides you a comfortable upright posture and also has the option of using up to 8 different speeds.
If you require taking a break from pedaling, you only need to turn to the Bosch pedal-assist. This system helps you to maintain speeds of up to 45 km/hr (27 mph).Â
Recumbent Bike
For some exercisers, recumbent bikes are great at the gym. These people would rather have the reclined body position as opposed to the upright position that characterizes typical standard cycles.Â
But for other riders, the biggest appeal of recumbent bikes is their ability to allow you to sit much more closely to the ground.
These bikes have a wider saddle, which makes them accommodate riders who have back problems. But due to these bikes’ low profile, they can be more difficult as well as less safe when in traffic. Therefore, before purchasing this bike, you need to know where you will be riding it.Â
Conclusion
There is no doubt that riding a bike is a great way to lose weight. Irrespective of the bike type you choose, you should always go for at least 30 minutes of moderate speed in each session.
Another thing you will want to do is to adjust your routine to include other types of aerobic exercises, for instance, dancing, swimming, and the choice of varying routes.
This also avoids a situation where you overwork your muscles when you perform the same kind of exercises every day. You may also want to include strength training into your routine to improve stamina and muscles.
