Been riding a bike lately..

[jadizm]

and it's been great. I got some tips from some peeps in here about alternatives to running due to massive shin splints and some suggested riding a bike and it's working great. I'm not getting the full intensity out of it that I would if I ran (sweating and such) but it still gets my heart pumping and my breath going.

Also been riding on a bmx bike not a mountain bike so uphill I really get to burn my legs peddling. Eventually I plan to slowly work back into running.

thanks all for the help!

[FatTire]

glad that you are riding (im a cyclist myself), the real advantage to riding a bike with gears (mountain or road) as regards fitness is being able to push a bigger gear than you have on a bmx bike, thus the ability to keep up the intensity for longer periods of time.

[jadizm]

Couldn't agree more. I eventually want to get a decent mountain bike for many reasons, one of them being what you said.

[FatTire]

well, if you want advice when you get ready to get one, let me know, im happy to help (i may not know all the answers, but i can point you in the right direction)

[ronin0352]

FatTire, is Raleigh still a pretty decent brand?

[Fozzy]

Originally Posted by jadizm

and it's been great. I got some tips from some peeps in here about alternatives to running due to massive shin splints and some suggested riding a bike and it's working great. I'm not getting the full intensity out of it that I would if I ran (sweating and such) but it still gets my heart pumping and my breath going.

Also been riding on a bmx bike not a mountain bike so uphill I really get to burn my legs peddling. Eventually I plan to slowly work back into running.

thanks all for the help!

you're not doing it hard enough then.

you do need a mountain bike.

~Foz

[SnowMongoose]

bikes ftw!
(though my having four may be a little overkill)

ronin: they're decent, though not a brand I would go out of my way to shoot for.
current timing isn't great for it, but Craigslist is an excellent place to find gently used bikes
(closing in on summer means more demand, so prices rise : P )

[FatTire]

Originally Posted by ronin0352

FatTire, is Raleigh still a pretty decent brand?

not particularly, but, the more important things to consider are fit and function. does the bike fit you well, and will it do what you want it to do? will it be a valuable tool to help you achieve your personal goals? bike fit is fairly important, and gets more important the more riding you want to do, and the more you are using it as a fitness tool rather than to just ride back and forth to school. that being said, Jamis is an excellent brand in terms of the quality of bike you get for the money.