[update] Bike riding and other ??s

cassiet2001

New member
Update to:


While I mainly asked about health benefits and water needs, I was worried about pain from riding every day and worried I'd either overheat or just fall apart from riding that far in the sun.



So. We started off the year riding bikes to school. I brought a bottle of water and we stopped about halfway to have a drink. I did the same heading home each day. By the time I went to school and back (2 miles in the morning and again after school) my legs felt like Jell-O and I could hardly walk. I was exhausted.



I'm short. 5'1. When my daughter started kindergarten, I purchased a bike with 24 in tires because I could reach the floor with my feet while sitting on the seat (with the seat in the lowest position) Figured it was the right option for me. Spoiler: it wasn't.



I noticed when we were at Walmart that the bikes had height ranges. Academy, where I bought my bike, did not have that info displayed. I looked, and a bike very close to the one I had, had a height ranges for 5"2 to 5"10. Hmm.



A different style had a range of 5"0 to 5"8. This one had speeds, but was a otherwise basic bike. Wheels we're 27.5in, but due to the design, the seat was lower. I tried it.



Y'all. I bought the bike. I am no longer dead tired or in pain after bike rides. I can do the 4 miles in a day EASY. In fact, Saturday we rode to the gas station for snacks and back, about 3 miles round trip. I was a little tired, but no leg or neck pain, I could walk without my legs feeling like Jell-O.



Thanks to all who replied! Because of the heat, I'm definitely drinking more water, but just getting a different bike has made a world of difference. I got a bike rack, too, for my car, so as soon as I get that to work, we're going to start taking the bikes on our road trips out going to paved trails. I can't wait!!
 
@cassiet2001 I went through the same process. 5'0 here. Bought a youth bike first, since I'm the size of a 12 year old, but the proportions were just wrong. Then got a standard ladies bike, but that wasn't right either. Having everything at the lowest height just made it uncomfortable. Finally, last year I saved up and went to a proper bike shop and got fitted and it was so much more comfortable.
 
@deborah137 Thank you! I would have never imagined bigger wheels would be ok, because the seat is positioned lower. It was a bit more expensive than I wanted to spend, but it'll last me years, so I'm ok with that.
 
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