This marks the third post of our outdoor exercise series, and this one is about biking. A future post will go into mountain biking, but today the focus is simply road biking for those of you not yet ready to go off road. I personally prefer to bike in rural areas due to less traffic which breaks down to less stops to interrupt your flow, but it’s a personal preference. If you live in the San Diego area, Performance Bicycle is hard to beat. I have found over the years that they not only offer the best prices by far, but their customer service is excellent. They are located in La Mesa, California at 8706 La Mesa Blvd. Before I discovered them I purchased a bike from another company that later went out of business and Performance bought them out. Believe it or not, Performance stood behind the previous company’s lifetime service policy and still services my bike for free to this day even though I’ve owned it for probably 8 years or so. Wow! Now that’s good customer service!
Depending on where you ride and whether it’s level, has gradual inclines or lots of uphill, a 175 person can burn anywhere from 310 calories in an hour when pedaling along at less than 10 mph, and up to 972 calories an hour when keeping a pace of 16-19 mph. San Diego offers many routes with biking lanes to keep you separated somewhat from passing cars. You’ll get lots of fresh air, a great escape outdoors for some exercise, and you can even work in a nice lunch and take in some great views if you plan it right. If you’re not yet ready to take the plunge and purchase a bike, renting one will allow you to see what you’re comfortable with and what fits you best. Make it a point to step outside your comfort zone and try something new!
Melissa Allen, BS, CPT, CES. Please visit my website at http://www.optimumcondition.org/fitness-center/mission.html
