New member. Going to buy one, will it help me lose weight?

[russmcp]

All I can say is I cannot believe how great these bikes look. My MIL had one years ago, it was a twist and go and was a strange looking contraption.

I've always enjoyed cycling, however middle age has taken over, or rather copious bottles of red have brought about a man who needs to lose 3 stone!

I'm trying to watch what I eat, I do go to the gym but I'm one of those who once has been to work finds it hard to get back out.

So reading up on all I can about ebikes I believe using one to commute 18 miles each way will give me the impetuous to get going again.

I could use my old bike, but the hills for my route are killers so I want the assistance of an ebike.

It used to take me about an hour and 5 each way, hoping the ebike will do it in about and hour and 15 but without getting in drenched in sweat.

I was initially thinking tourer, but seen some reviews of hard tails with panniers so getting the best of road and off road are pursuading me.....

Will an ebike help with weight loss? (as well as diet of course).

Popping to the ebikeshop in Farnham on Thursday......

Look forward to hearing from you.

 

[D8ve]

It makes it easier so you cycle more. More excersise and less food equals thinner you. Enjoy.

 

[Wander]

Will an ebike help with weight loss? (as well as diet of course).

Bit like Gym membership. I found that buying Gym membership didn't make me lose weight. I had to actually go there & sweat it out ... which I didn't

e-bike was a different matter, lost a stone in the first few months of ownership, mainly because It wasn't a chore but something really enjoyable.

If you are going to use the e-bike for a regular commute the pounds should drop off.

 

[JuicyBike]

18 miles each way is an ambitious commute to start, from scratch.

You may want to work up to that, perhaps as a goal to achieve after a few weeks.
Maybe starting with the aim of completing it both ways just on one day a week will give you a good start, then increasing from there.

Or doing some miles over a few days off before you commit to the full commute to build up your fitness level. Which will certainly happen!

Hats off to you - I'm sure you'll get the bug!

 

[anotherkiwi]

4 kg loss in the first month. That was all I had to lose though.

 

[Angelnorth]

Hello, welcome!

I saw plenty of case studies around when I was looking into buying an ebike where people described their weight loss so yes, it should help (as Wander says - providing you actually use the thing!).

Try as many different bikes as you can when you visit the shop in Farnham and explain how you want to use the bike so they can advise on what might work well for you. Have fun!

 

[russmcp]

Thanks for the comments

 

[russmcp]

So I went to Farnham, had a look at a range, was split as I'd seen the Giant Road E+1. Spoke to Martin and I decided on something that will do a mixture of things. I've some lovely off road stuff round where I live so went for a hard tail. Can use it for going off road but comfy and while not as nippy as a road I can still make good speed.

So I bought a Haibike. Pic attached. I picked it up this morning, cycled home in less than 20 mins, back out up some steep hills and a mixture of road and trail and I have to say wow!

Smiling like a Cheshire Cat! I really still worked though as a lot of the time I was above the 15 mph cut out but when those steep hills came it was so nice being able to spin out my legs and get to the top without having a heart attack!

Cycled 20 miles in a hour and 15, sweaty but not drenched! This I think will be a real catalyst for me to build on my fitness and lose 3 bloody stone!

Had a nice bit of cake and a cuppa at a local tea shop to celebrate.

Onwards and upwards.

 

[Wander]

Lovely looking bike!

 

[anotherkiwi]

Cycled 20 miles in a hour and 15, sweaty but not drenched! This I think will be a real catalyst for me to build on my fitness and lose 3 bloody stone!

Had a nice bit of cake and a cuppa at a local tea shop to celebrate.

Onwards and upwards.

Have to start cutting back on the cake then...

 

[RobF]

Have to start cutting back on the cake then...

Said in jest, but true.

Twenty miles on an ebike will not burn enough calories to 'earn' a slice of cake.

Weight loss is 90 per cent plus about diet, although the relatively gentle exercise of ebiking will help as you will be attacking the problem at both ends.

You may also appear smaller because the cycling will convert some fat to muscle.

Muscle is much denser and less bulky than fat.

The rugby player Jeremy Guscott weighed 16 stone odd, but got work as a male model because much of his weight was muscle so he looked slim.

 

[russmcp]

Said in jest, but true.

Twenty miles on an ebike will not burn enough calories to 'earn' a slice of cake.

Weight loss is 90 per cent plus about diet, although the relatively gentle exercise of ebiking will help as you will be attacking the problem at both ends.

You may also appear smaller because the cycling will convert some fat to muscle.

Muscle is much denser and less bulky than fat.

The rugby player Jeremy Guscott weight 16 stone odd, but got work as a male model because much of his weight was muscle so he looked slim.

Very aware of the above.

Very aware of the cake will not burn enough calories, just a reward for getting off my arse and going out for a ride and as I said celebrating my new purchase. And it certainly wasn't a relatively gentle ride.

5 foot 10, my BMI (rubbish formula) states I should be about 12 stone.

Well thats not ever going to happen, nor do I want to be that weeny. When I was at my fittest, muscly younger self I was between 14 and 14.5 stone. I look back at those photos and cannot believe how fit and trimmed I looked.

Very easy to become a lard arse, allowing other things to get in the way.
Am watching what I eat, my problem has been enjoying too many glasses of red of which consumption has been severely reduced, in fact so much so that last weekend I ended up having a bottle and I had the hangover from hell and the after taste the next morning was horrendous.

I should add I now walk about 5 miles a day plus am using the gym. Its going to take ages to right the inactive lifestyle over the past few years but I'll give it a good go.

 

[anotherkiwi]

My form weight = about 76 kg for a 1.80 m male. At the moment I am about 78 kg (working 6 nights a week so not getting enough exercise) and before the bike I was up to about 81-82 kg at which point I felt uncomfortable.

When I was unemployed I went rowing 60-70 km every week and brought home fish most days. Eating fish with rice, walking the 3.6 km to the boat (with my gear on my back), rowing 10-11 km then walking back home I got down to 76 kg with very few grams of fat tissue at just under 60 years old. That is a very serious workout, not everyone has the leisure to do that. I recommend the fish and rice diet, especially if the fish is fresh and self caught!

 

[russmcp]

I've cut back on bread and starchy refined carbs (pasta, rice, potatoes). Eating lots more fish, protein and lots of veg. Tuna salad for breakfast isn't a bad choice at all.

I have loved bread and pasta since a child but strangely I don't miss it at all.

 

[RobF]

Very aware of the above.

Very aware of the cake will not burn enough calories, just a reward for getting off my arse and going out for a ride and as I said celebrating my new purchase. And it certainly wasn't a relatively gentle ride.

5 foot 10, my BMI (rubbish formula) states I should be about 12 stone.

Well thats not ever going to happen, nor do I want to be that weeny. When I was at my fittest, muscly younger self I was between 14 and 14.5 stone. I look back at those photos and cannot believe how fit and trimmed I looked.

Very easy to become a lard arse, allowing other things to get in the way.
Am watching what I eat, my problem has been enjoying too many glasses of red of which consumption has been severely reduced, in fact so much so that last weekend I ended up having a bottle and I had the hangover from hell and the after taste the next morning was horrendous.

I should add I now walk about 5 miles a day plus am using the gym. Its going to take ages to right the inactive lifestyle over the past few years but I'll give it a good go.

Looks like you have a good handle on it.

Wise move to buy a quality ebike straight away.

It's the same as buying a push bike, tempting to buy cheap and nasty first in case you don't get on with cycling, but such a contraption can put you off riding altogether.

 

[Artstu]

Nice bike, I wouldn't lean my new bike against the corner of a brick wall on the top tube though.

 

[russmcp]

It was just for a minute Artstu.

I've literally knackered myself out on it since Saturday.

Been right off road, thrones, nettles, cuts, sore bits all over.

I am thoroughly enjoying myself, and the sweat dripping off my clothes indicates I'm not taking it easy by a long chalk.

Very happy I decided on this purchase.

 

[Benjahmin]

May the force and the e bike grin be with you.

 

[russmcp]

33 mile ride today. Utterly loved it. Had it 10 days and been out on it 5.

I know I'm working out, pushing myself however those real steep hills the assist is fantastic,

2 pounds lost this week so going in the right direction!

 

[LeighPing]

I was told by my better half today, that several family members commented on how fit I was looking last Sunday, whilst getting hammered at my grandson's 5th birthday bash.

Now, I'm not your typical type 2 diabetic. The more sweet stuff I eat, the more I lose weight. Although, I never go below 65 kg. Using the ebike helps to control my sugar levels. So, my weight goes up to 70 kg. I gain weight by eating less crap, but not more food. Of course, muscle is heavier than fat. I'm sure you all knew that anyhow.

I'm finding myself let the bike do less than I'm doing just lately. That can only be a good thing I'm sure.

So Russ, you could lose a lot of fat and then gain some weight with muscle in the long run.