Is Riding Exercise?

[KRS1]

Sitting at a bar talking with some friends and they were talking about how much they spend on drinking. I told them i dont spend much, but spend more on fuel than whiskey. Then one of them says "atleast your getting exercise"...

Then i thought about it and couldn't really figure out if it was really exercise or not. I mean you just sit and twist the throttle and flap your feet when riding casually/semi spirited and keep your eyes focused. Not like racing, when your throwing your body side to side, your breathing rate doesnt really go up.

So i think riding/touring is actually more like meditation, where nothing is on your mind other than whats ahead.

What do you think?

[stoneyboy]

You've been at the bar to long.

[SumetCycle]

According to this calculator, I burn 198 calories an hour when riding. ( http://www.caloriesperhour.com/index_burn.php ) I guess with enough time and the right riding situations, you are bound to lose weight.

[Kwasaki]

Motocross definitely exercise .

Edited January 24, 2012 by Kwasaki

[RED21]

263 calories in an hour for me...

[marcusb]

Totally meditation for me. After a rough week at work all is fine after a few hundred kilometers.

[KRS1]

You've been at the bar to long.

I actually need to start spending 'more' time at the bar !...man i been missing out on all the hotties.

[taichiplanet]

more like Tai Chi than Zen.

[SumetCycle]

On the right road, I think of it as sex and zen!

[Familyonthemove]

In Bangkok traffic it is definitely exercise!

[KRS1]

more like Tai Chi than Zen.

yeah tai chi !

[KRS1]

In Bangkok traffic it is definitely exercise!

True ! ive been spoiled up here in CNX and haven't had to deal with zig zag bumper tag like in BKK...hah thats funny i forgot all about that.

I guess the question in this case would be, who rides for 2 hours a day in BKK? In CNX i just get on and go and go and go until i just feel like turning around and coming back, usually 2-4 hours a day since its so pleasant up here right now.

[RED21]

In Bangkok traffic it is definitely exercise!

True ! ive been spoiled up here in CNX and haven't had to deal with zig zag bumper tag like in BKK...hah thats funny i forgot all about that.

I guess the question in this case would be, who rides for 2 hours a day in BKK? In CNX i just get on and go and go and go until i just feel like turning around and coming back, usually 2-4 hours a day since its so pleasant up here right now.

Ever try the Mae Rim stretch on rush hour Monday morning or Friday evening?

[ttakata]

If you had to go 60+ kilos in Bangkok, you'll definitely get 2+ hours on a bike. I often go only 12km from Phra Khanong into Chinatown on Rama 4 and it takes 45 minutes by day and 30 minutes at night.

All riding is excercise although it often doesn't seem that way. I've even read playing video games burns extra calories.

Edited January 24, 2012 by ttakata

[KRS1]

In Bangkok traffic it is definitely exercise!

True ! ive been spoiled up here in CNX and haven't had to deal with zig zag bumper tag like in BKK...hah thats funny i forgot all about that.

I guess the question in this case would be, who rides for 2 hours a day in BKK? In CNX i just get on and go and go and go until i just feel like turning around and coming back, usually 2-4 hours a day since its so pleasant up here right now.

Ever try the Mae Rim stretch on rush hour Monday morning or Friday evening?

Nope, ive been lucky to only go in that direction during non rush hour times. But seen it backed up from 1096 to the first light going inbound to CNX though. I was in a van at that time and the driver found a back route to escape

Huay Kaew road gets bad, but its only for 3 blocks and theres a a back route through Nimanheimin.

Im not missing BKK at all these days !

[KRS1]

If you had to go 60+ kilos in Bangkok, you'll definitely get 2+ hours on a bike. I often go only 12km from Phra Khanong into Chinatown on Rama 4 and it takes 45 minutes by day and 30 minutes at night.

All riding is excercise although it often doesn't seem that way. I've even read playing video games burns extra calories.

I use to enjoy riding to work every morning when i was in BKK, travelled from Bangkapi to the Victory monument area via rama 9. By car it would take about an hour, by bike 20 minutes ...aint nothing like extra sleep time.

And gave me a reason to wake up and look forward to the ride before getting to work. I remember getting to work with back all sweaty, BKK is such a sauna, CNX is heaven compared to that city.

[naboo]

According to this calculator, I burn 198 calories an hour when riding. ( http://www.caloriesp.../index_burn.php ) I guess with enough time and the right riding situations, you are bound to lose weight.

An average afternoon:

Walking - with dog

267 calories in 1 hr

Sexual Activity - moderate

116 calories in 1 hr

Computer Work (typing)

134 calories in 1 hr

Driving - light vehicle (e.g., car, pick-up)

178 calories in 1 hr

Driving - motor scooter or motorcycle

223 calories in 1 hr

So sex burns least calories and walking the dog the most, but driving a motorcycle is more tiring than driving a car or typing this on ThaiVisa. Sleeping burns 80 calories an hour.

[nikster]

No offense but this calculator is moronic... can't be taken seriously.

Both riding and sex are a good workout if you go to the limit...

[TongueThaied]

Meditation.

[monty1412]

without getting too highbrow we should define exercise... all us aware of the standard definition.. exertion/ physical effort/ increased heart rate etc etc but to me any activity that involves co-ordination of eye/ hand / body, mental alertness and awareness and generally transcends beyond activities such as TV watching is exercise.... just because its not straining of muscles and physical grunt stuff doesn't mean its not good exercise.

In fact study in US cited that motorcycle riders tended to have better peripheral vision and better up coming danger awareness than non motorcycle riders.

I always wear leather jacket and helmet when Im riding. Obviously that at times becomes hot but in sweating as you do this is also exercise as body is working to expel heat and sweating is good healthy thing... albeit perhaps a touch antisocial.

However good with the bad... sitting on Sukhumvit or the most road in CM and scooting down lane between cars in peak hour traffic which in case of Sukhumvit seems to be 24 hours per day.... good exercise or not.. certainly balance/ eye co-ordination and mental alertness is there and thats exercise however sheer volume of carbon monoxide and nitrous oxides and hydrocarbons that you are consuming probably neagtes any beneficial effect many time fold.

Christian Barnard the renown heary surgeon once commented that it was probably better to go to a massage parlour than take a run on a busy street.... it still amazes me how you see runners running down Sukhumvit amongst heavy traffic breathing in the exhaust fumes...

So my conclusion and addition to this thread is yes riding is good exercise depending where you do it.... if your in heavy traffic then environmental load probably negates any other benefit.

I do know that when I rode from CM to Pattaya i was absolutely physically buggered and apart from my butt protesting for a few days afterwards my shoulders were a bit sore and I felt like I had really given myself a work out.

Of course get me on Samoeng loop and that is true exercise.

cheers

[Traxster]

Pushbike.....yes

Motorbike....No

[newf]

Pushbike.....yes

Motorbike....No

Go to the track for a few laps and I think you'll change your mind.

[moe666]

Ride the CNX and MHS loop full circle and it is exercise.