Does biking build muscle?

[Iammotivated]

I have been biking for two weeks a hour a day and gained two lbs. My HR monitor says I am burning 400 calories in that hour. I do a lot of cardio so biking is not difficult for me to do. I think is this really exercise lol.

 

[victoria978]

Sounds like a question for Lance Armstrong. 'Cause I dunno. You would think so, to an extent. Depends on how hard you're pushing and for how long you're going. But even if I knew that info, I couldn't answer you intelligently. HEY! ANY CYCLISTS IN HERE?

 

[Iammotivated]

Well i wish Lance would answer.

Sounds like a question for Lance Armstrong. 'Cause I dunno. You would think so, to an extent. Depends on how hard you're pushing and for how long you're going. But even if I knew that info, I couldn't answer you intelligently. HEY! ANY CYCLISTS IN HERE?

 

[al420]

I don't think a cyclist is needed - it should be a yes if the intensity or duration goes up each workout - muscles grow based on load and stress, right?

A trainer at my gym does Ironmans and his quads are huge - looks like a middleweight BB

 

[Dial_tone]

You'll get stronger but its a different type of strength than you get from lifting. I guarantee you could take someone here capable of squattiing 500 lbs, ask them to wind a 53x11 gear up to 100 rpm and they probably couldn't do it.

 

[al420]

You'll get stronger but its a different type of strength than you get from lifting. I guarantee you could take someone here capable of squattiing 500 lbs, ask them to wind a 53x11 gear up to 100 rpm and they probably couldn't do it.

I don't think to many people on this site would want to as most cyclists look like skinny little girls - but one thing is for sure - they guy squatting 500lbs could work up to the bike thing a lot faster than the cyclist could squat 500 elbows!

 

[Synpax]

Cyclists are often more balanced than you think.

Yes, it builds muscle. Make sure you are working your hammies/calves, too, by LIFTING at least as much as you are pushing.

When I bike, I don't use my quads at all - gravity takes care of the downstroke. The upstroke is where all my effort goes. So when I hop off the bike and start to run, I literally bounce off of it with fresh quads (which you must use to run).

 

[Dial_tone]

I don't think to many people on this site would want to as most cyclists look like skinny little girls - but one thing is for sure - they guy squatting 500lbs could work up to the bike thing a lot faster than the cyclist could squat 500 elbows!

Actually most top track sprinters can do both, and they hardly look like girls.

Curt Harnett

Gary Neiwand

Marty Nothstein

 

[Synpax]

good pics DT. 'must spread karma....'

 

[mordy]

You'll definitly gain strength in the legs. Especially if you have a heavy bike and do any hills. Hills suck. But for lung strength climbing a hill on a bike is the bestest exercise ever.