[jgfoot]

I have been bike commuting for nine years. The biggest things that change since the initial rush of delight?

First, as time goes on, you care a lot more about safety. Newbies may write about how they can meditate or listen to music while riding, but experienced riders know they must always stay alert. You shouldn't be meditating, you should be focused on potential dangers.

Second, the weight loss? Not as big a deal as time goes on. Don't ask me the medical reason why, maybe it's the same phenomenon as when people who haven't worked out for years start a program and quickly lose 10 pounds of water weight but then find the rest is harder to lose. Commuting usually doesn't involve the intense aerobic activity associated with road racing.

The 300 dollar bike you are satisfied with? I didn't stay satisfied after a few months. After trying many options (too many) I took Sheldon Brown's advice and ride a touring bike, with disc brakes, fenders, rack, and panniers.

[grecy]

> Don't ask me the medical reason why, maybe it's the same phenomenon as when people who haven't worked out for years start a program and quickly lose 10 pounds of water weight but then find the rest is harder to lose

It's because the body is extremely good at adapting to whatever you do to it. Even if you were riding for a hundred hours a week at maximum aerobic output, your body would slowly adapt and you would stop making gains (getting faster, losing weight).

Over a long period of exercise, you have to constantly vary what you are doing to your body so it won't adapt and plateau. Keep throwing different challenges at your body, and it will keep adapting in an attempt to deal with these new challenges.

Try sprinting home from work at max output a couple of days a week, then intentionally go for an extremely long ride on the weekend at a sustainable pace. Don't do the same thing day-in, day-out

Also, eat less calories if you want to lose weight.

[lelele]

Also, people struggle with weight loss because they approach it only from the side of burning excess calories with exercise, but as long as their caloric requirements stay the same, the moment they stop exercising, calories start piling up again. If you want to burn more fuel, there is longer lasting approach: grow a bigger engine. That means: gain some muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you will be burning, even while eating an ice-cream on a couch. Muscles will also make you look less flabby, because toned abs will keep your belly in check.

[ImprovedSilence]

"it never gets easier, you just go faster" - Greg LeMond

this is the reason elite athletes keep getting better, they keep up intensity, continuing to push the limits. Bike committing gets easier, and, like you said, your body adjusts to the level of output you need to get to work.

[ImprovedSilence]

Plus one million for the Sheldon Brown reference. Volumes of bike wisdom. I do all my maintenance myself thanks to that website.

[accoinstereo]

> Second, the weight loss? Not as big a deal as time goes on.

Sure, deciding to bike commute isn't a guarantee of sustainable weight loss. But no single activity is. Combine its caloric deficit with a sensible health plan and you'll reap its benefits.

[agumonkey]

The constant need for focus was my biggest misunderstanding. I thought it would be like running, where you can listen your inner self, breathing, or enjoying the sight.

    20km/h : human radar scanning hidden corners. no more looking at girls or you'll hug trees.
    30km/h+: better have swift brakes, any surprise feels like a threat.

Somehow it almost makes biking moot as a vehicle, since there's no speeding bike only roads there will always be obstacles nearby (mom/baby, slow biker/runner, soccer balls). I really wish there was large scale plans to build bike pathways as those for tramways.

[finnw]

I'm still riding the $300 bike to work that I bought 10 years ago and it still helps me control my weight (as I discovered when I stopped for 6 weeks.) The reason? My $300 bike is a lot heavier than your $3000 bike.