Hot answers tagged

60 votes
Accepted

Is commuting 10 km on an empty stomach harmful?

As far as I can tell, no. I've been riding 30 minutes or more every workday before breakfast for more than 10 years with no detectable ill effects. When I was riding an hour to work I'd sometimes have ...
Móż's user avatar
  • 23.3k
25 votes
Accepted

Might biking lower forehead temp readings at destination?

The body controls its core temperature, not the skin temperature. Skin temperatures will vary significantly, to the point they are generally considered an unreliable way to measure core temperature, ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 49k
24 votes
Accepted

I get dizzy when I dismount. Causes?

It sounds like you over-exerted yourself and "bonked" – your body ran out of sugar so you fainted. In that case, you reduce the risk by eating more while you ride* and by listening to your ...
David Richerby's user avatar
24 votes

Is cycling an aerobic or anaerobic exercise? What is the effect of cycling on weight loss?

The answer to the Title question, "Is cycling an aerobic or anaerobic exercise?", is yes. Aerobic exercises are endurance-type exercises that increase a person’s heart rate and breathing ...
Ray Butterworth's user avatar
20 votes

Is commuting 10 km on an empty stomach harmful?

The myosin heads of muscle fibres move using the energy produced by converting ATP to ADP. The energy extracted is about 30.5 kJ/mol of ATP. Muscle tissue has limited ATP storage. Your muscles' ...
Emyr's user avatar
  • 3,906
19 votes

How can I learn cycling with polio in my right leg?

I think the consensus in recent years has been to not use any kind of training wheels when learning to ride a bike. For young children there are balance bikes which don’t have any pedals or drivetrain ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 26k
18 votes

Stiff but short daily commute leading to "heavy" legs

How hard do you ride? If you ride hard and in hard gears it could be that your legs are accumulating fatigue and simply don’t have enough time to recover from one day to the next even though it’s only ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 26k
16 votes
Accepted

What are the disadvantages of bicycle saddles with cut-outs?

The primary consideration in finding a saddle is how well it suits your sit bone shape and groin tissue. Some people do best with saddles that have massive cutouts (heck, even those ones that look U ...
MaplePanda's user avatar
  • 15.5k
14 votes

How to avoid the road bike physique

This would be a great problem to have for most of us roadies. Simply eat more if you find yourself losing more weight than you care to lose. You can alternatively balance with more strength based ...
sjakubowski's user avatar
  • 1,313
14 votes

What's the proper science-driven way to treat mild scrapes/abrasions (that have a bit of dirt in them) from a mountain biking crash?

Briefly, a quick rinse with clean water, and possibly dressing it, are probably all you need to do on the trail. This assumes a day visit to a typical trail centre or cross country riding near to ...
Chris H's user avatar
  • 57.2k
14 votes

How long should one wear a backpack while cycling

This is an impossible question to answer without a physical examination by a medical expert, which I highly recommend. Enduring back pain and poor posture are not things you want to take lightly, as ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 49k
13 votes

Is commuting 10 km on an empty stomach harmful?

Here in the UK on BBC TV last night was a program 'Trust me I'm a Doctor' in which they examined the effect of exercise in men and women and whether to eat before exercising or after. On average most ...
GLWDay's user avatar
  • 131
13 votes

Is cycling an aerobic or anaerobic exercise? What is the effect of cycling on weight loss?

Cycling at moderate intensity is mostly an aerobic cardio exercise. How many calories you burn in an hour depends on your power output. A heavy professional cyclist (90kg, 6W/kg 5W/kg) can probably ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 26k
12 votes
Accepted

Daily commuter - stamina got worse after saddle height adjustment

A change of saddle height won't change your stamina. 'Stamina' is a crude term that reflects many processes within the body which contribute to powering the bike forward. At a very basic level, we ...
Andy P's user avatar
  • 18.3k
12 votes

How can I keep riding with bad knees?

I think you really have to see a professional (or several) for this. The first priority would be to make sure your seating position is not causing or aggravating the issue. A physiotherapist who’s ...
Michael's user avatar
  • 26k
11 votes

cyclist's palsy: how long does it last

"Cyclist's Palsy" shouldn't happen at all. Find someone competent to help you fit your bike. My first suggestion is the nose of your saddle it too low causing you to lean forward and put ...
Ron Jensen's user avatar
11 votes
Accepted

Does a build-up of CO2 in the lungs make you out of breath?

This is a huge topic. It is true that the breathing reflex is controlled by CO2 in your body (not just in the lungs). The key is the acidity of the cerebrospinal fluid. If you reduce your CO2 level, ...
Vladimir F Героям слава's user avatar
11 votes

What are the disadvantages of bicycle saddles with cut-outs?

Saddles are the most personal contact point on the bike. If you prefer a cutout, or specifically don't like cutouts, then you have the option of either. Gender and differences come into it as well, ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 121k
10 votes
Accepted

How do you keep from coasting too much on a bicycle?

You are correct - keeping the bike in the appropriate gear is important. Generally, you should have a preferred pedaling rpm, or cadence that you try to keep constant. Change to lower gears on uphill ...
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar
10 votes

False hrm results

Try replacing the battery, it could be running flat. Make sure you're getting proper contact with your HRM to your chest - try adding some conductive gel. Try a different soft strap, they wear out ...
Scottmeup's user avatar
  • 1,357
10 votes

How can I learn cycling with polio in my right leg?

In many countries there are groups that have an interest in helping people with disabilities get into cycling - e.g. https://wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/ . I would suggest such an organization if you ...
mattnz's user avatar
  • 49k
9 votes
Accepted

Minor but persistent saddle sore - Safe to continue riding?

I'd perhaps look at your saddle again. Padding isn't everything and there is a lot to be said for fit/sit bone width. Consider getting measured/fitted. I know what width fits me in the brand I buy. ...
Deleted User's user avatar
  • 9,938
9 votes

Stiff but short daily commute leading to "heavy" legs

Find an alternate route When commuting, we tend to gravitate to the shortest route, which is rarely the most fun or picturesque. You know you can ride 4.5 km, so look out for some 5-8 km routes. ...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 121k
9 votes

Might biking lower forehead temp readings at destination?

One factor could be the lower emissivity of sweat compared to human skin. At a given temperature, different materials emit different amounts of infrared radiation for the thermometer to detect. Skin ...
Henry A. Kissinger's user avatar
9 votes

Is cycling an aerobic or anaerobic exercise? What is the effect of cycling on weight loss?

You have several questions mixed into one here. You're asking about "losing calories", and about losing weight. Those are two different things. You also ask if cycling is aerobic or ...
Mithical's user avatar
  • 677
8 votes

Is commuting 10 km on an empty stomach harmful?

I've been reading a couple of questions on weight loss lately, and cycling or jogging before breakfast was one of the tips. The justification is it kick starts the body's metabolism into "make energy"...
Criggie's user avatar
  • 121k
8 votes

Bicycle design for a crooked hip

Similar to the other answers it would be worthwhile getting a professional to assess your current bike fit (and potential modifications that may be required). If possible I would suggest a sports ...
Rider_X's user avatar
  • 30.4k
8 votes
Accepted

Cycling into tunnels

Will you be in Hokkaido? We toured there extensively this summer and cycled through several dozen tunnels: here our findings. They might apply to other parts of Japan. Newest tunnels on big roads ...
SalM's user avatar
  • 96
8 votes

How do you keep from coasting too much on a bicycle?

Your speed on any kind of bike is limited by the power you can put through the pedals to overcome air resistance. Air resistance increases with speed so, if you pedal with a level of effort that's ...
David Richerby's user avatar
8 votes

What exactly do seats with a cut out in the middle achieve?

The depressed channel running down the middle of the saddle is what is taking pressure off the perineum, not the actual hole in the middle. Some saddles merely have the channel with no actual hole.
Argenti Apparatus's user avatar

Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible