When it comes to losing weight from riding a bike it is more about diet and what you eat than the actual workout you do to lose weight.
Losing weight depends on how you ride your bike, how much your body weight, your bike weight, the terrain you ride, and most importantly what type of food you consume.
Gear bikes are known to burn more calories and lose weight faster than fixie bikes. However, the calories that are burned while riding a fixie bike are usually burned very quickly. This is because the rider is using their legs and muscles instead of their back and gears, which burns fewer calories. This is why fixie bikes are better for weight loss than geared bikes.
You can only start to see some real results when you start eating healthy food or by at least avoiding sugar, processed foods, and high-cholesterol foods.
Most people use the geared bike to ride long distances, tour, or run errands of short distances while riding a geared bike, and the one who uses fixed gear burns around the same amount of calories but since fixed gear has only one option means you have to pedal all the time fixed gear bikes tend to burn more calories and fat, which helps you to lose weight.
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Is a fixed-gear bike good for weight loss?
The short answer is yes, a fixed-gear bike is good for weight loss. The reason is that it forces you to work out more because the bike requires you to pedal at all times.
Fixed-gear bikes are great for weight loss because they force you to work out more. They require the rider to pedal at all times, which means that your heart rate stays elevated and your muscles are being used constantly. This will help to burn fat and calories faster than if you were on a regular bike or just walking or running.
Not only that, fixed gear is more fun to ride than compared to other geared bikes or single-speed bikes, when you can have fun while burning calories, what more can you ask for, fixed gear bikes give you that direct connection between you and the road.
When you ride a fixed-gear bike you will have full control over the speed of the bike, you can pedal fast if you want some speed or you can pedal slow to ride at a moderate pace, you can control your speed easily on a fixed gear.
Do single-speed bikes burn more calories?
There is no exact answer to this question as the number of calories burned will vary depending on the individual’s weight, speed, and riding style. However, according to the website calorieburner.com, riding a bike at a slow speed (less than 12 mph) will burn more calories than riding at a fast speed (more than 25 mph).
single-speed and fixed-speed bikes burn the same amount of calories. The fact that they are both bikes that have a single gear and the fact that they are both bikes that require you to pedal at all times makes them burn exactly the same amount of calories.
But in single-speed bikes you have a freewheel option which means when you stop pedaling the bike is still moving forward, when riding fixed gear bikes you can’t cruise like a single-speed bike because it is fixed gear if you stop pedaling your back wheel will also stop moving.
This is why fixed gear bikes burn more calories in less time than single-speed bikes, and it is fun to ride a fixie.
If you are starting out with losing weight from riding a bike, as a beginner single-speed bikes are better just because it allows you to cruise and rest your legs while the bike is still moving.
Which cycle is best for weight loss for beginner riders? fixie or gear bike!
I have read many articles stating that a fixed gear bike is better than a geared bike for weight loss. However, it is not always true. It depends on the place you leave, the experience you have, and which is the one to go to.
“Are fixed-gear bikes good for beginners?” click here to read
If you are new to riding bikes, and you want to lose some weight or see some results in the next few months, I suggest you go with geared bikes because when you have a gear option you can change to the comfortable gear you want to ride, which is good for beginners riders
Or if you choose to lose weight in a fixed-gear bike since you are a beginner to riding a fixie in the first place you will spend most of your workout time learning how to ride a fixed gear, it is hard to ride fixed-gear bikes compared to gear bikes for beginners.
The final answer, it is better to ride gear bikes to lose weight as for beginners, if you are an experienced bike rider you can choose any fixed gear.
Which one burns more calories in less time?
The short answer is that both types of bikes burn calories, but geared bikes tend to burn more calories per ride. This is mainly due to the fact that the rider is using more muscles to pedal the bike and because the bike is providing more resistance.
However, both types of bikes burn calories and are a great way to lose weight. The only difference is that fixie bikes are generally easier to pedal fast because you are not using any gears.
Single Gear bike
An individual weighing about 155 pounds and Riding a geared bike for 30 minutes at 13 mph a day can burn 210 to 400 calories, if you were to ride 3 or 4 times a week which sums up to 840 to 1200 burned calories per week, 3360 to 4800 burned calories per month.
Fixed gear bike
An individual weighing 155 pounds and riding a fixed gear bike for 30 minutes at 13 mph or more, in a day can burn 270 to 500 calories, if you ride 3 to 4 times a week, 1080 to 2000 per week, 4320 to 7000 calories per month.
In conclusion, fixed gear bikes burn more calories in less time because it has only one gear to ride on all types of roads and terrain, while riding fixie you will use more energy and muscles which results in burning more than gear bikes.
How many days or miles should you ride to lose weight?
If you do not have enough time or you do not have the required amount of weight to lose, you may not lose much. The ideal number of miles or days to lose weight is about 3 days per week, but if you are overweight or don’t exercise enough then a more realistic number would be 5-7 days a week.
Riding 10 miles per day can burn 400 to 600 calories, and if you ride 3 days a week you will be burning 1200 to 1800 calories, 4800 to 7200 calories per month.
If you ride 3 days per week for 10 miles a day, in a month you will burn around 5000 to 7000 calories. Trying to lose 1 or 2 pounds a week is a realistic and achievable goal to have.
It all depends on what you eat, your food type consumption defines your weight results. Just cycling isn’t enough to lose weight diet is important too.
“Are fixed-gear bikes good for long-distance riding?” click here to read
Foods to eat and not to eat
When trying to lose weight, there are many foods that you should eat and many that you should not eat. There are many foods that are good for weight loss and others that are not. While many experts say that white bread is bad for weight loss, it has many nutritional benefits.
You can eat whatever you want, but make sure that you are avoiding foods with saturated fats, sugar, and sodium. The following are some foods that you should avoid:
Frozen pizza
Regular soda
Processed meat
Sugar coffee drinks
Sugar cereal
French fries, potato chips
Sugar drinks
White bread
Candy bars
banana
Most fruit juices
Pastries, cookies, cakes, bakery items
Any type of alcohol
Ice cream
What to eat that helps you lose weight?
Beans
Soup
Vegetables
Yogurt and berries
Nuts
Apple, pineapple
Leafy green vegetables (spinach, letters, kale, chard)
Dark chocolate
Consuming a lot of minerals (water 3.7 liters per day)
The good news is that there are a variety of foods out there that are great for weight loss. One of the best things to eat when trying to lose weight is vegetables. Vegetables are filled with vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, which are all good for your health.
It is important to follow a strict and healthy diet, if you want to see some real results soon, it doesn’t matter how hard you work out on your bike if you don’t eat the right food.
Pros and cons of losing weight in geared vs fixie bikes
When it comes to losing weight, there are pros and cons to both geared and fixie bikes. Here are the key pros and cons of each:
Geared bikes are generally more efficient and faster when it comes to getting you up to speed. This is because they have gearing that ranges from small, low gears that help you move along more easily, to larger, higher gears that let you go faster.
On the other hand, fixies are generally more comfortable and less jarring when you are riding them. This is because they have no gears, so you are always spinning at the same speed. This makes them more efficient when it comes to using energy, and riding at a constant speed can help you burn more than geared bikes.
But the fixed gear is not beginner-friendly, if you have some experience then you can choose to ride fixed gear.
Conclusion
When you are looking to lose weight geared bikes and fixed-gear bike gives you the almost same effect, choosing to ride a bike depends on where you live, how much experience do you have, and the type of diet you maintain
Whether you want to lose weight or want to have fun riding gear or a fixie bike, you can choose any one bike for your weight loss, but it highly depends on your diet plan and your dedication.
If you are a beginner at riding bikes and you want to lose weight, for you the geared bike is a more reliable option and you can see some results, if you are dedicated and disciplined in your diet and workout you can see results in a month.
If you have some experience riding a bike you choose a fixed gear bike because the cog is attached to the back wheel of the bike you have to pedal constantly, this method of riding can be more effective than freewheel bikes.
In conclusion, you can choose any bike to lose weight on but the bike might not be suitable for you, the terrain you ride, or your body type, so choose which is more suitable and comfortable for you.
Key takeaways
- Fixed gear burns more calories than geared bikes
- If you are a beginner, go with a geared bike
- Riding 10 miles, 3 to 4 times a week is a good start
- Following a healthy diet is more important than a workout
- The single-speed bike is less effective in burning calories comparing to fixed gear and gear bikes