Many road bike riders project a smart image.

I used to think that smart people rode road bikes, but it seems there's more to it than that.

Road Bikes Are Highly Fashionable

▲ICAN A9 Road Bike

Road bikes are highly fashionable and cool.

I hear many people start riding road bikes because they admire this aspect.

Once they start riding, road bikes are fast and enjoyable, leading to frequent rides and increased physical activity.

As a result, it seems they gradually become leaner.

Furthermore, it seems many take the opportunity to start a diet, becoming quite strict about their eating habits.

While there's no data on how many road bike riders are dieting, many of the road cyclists around me fit this description.

The ideal body fat percentage set by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare is 15-20% for men and 20-25% for women.

The average body fat percentage for road bike racers is said to be 5-7%.

Unnecessary fat may be easy to lose.

Many Are Also Careful About Their Diet

While it's a secondary reason rather than a direct one for riding a road bike, it seems many combine their riding with dietary changes to enhance the weight loss effect.

Among those around me, the most effective diet method seems to be a low-carb diet.

Also known as a carbohydrate-free diet, it involves avoiding rice and bread.

Carbohydrates are a general term for sugars and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is good for health and has no calories, so it's best to consume plenty of it even when dieting.

People on a sugar-free diet seem to focus their meals around chicken and soy products.

Since sugar is easily converted into energy, cutting it out can lead to energy depletion.

Therefore, if you don't consume enough protein, your body will break down muscle protein for energy.

Since muscle loss reduces the effectiveness of a diet, it seems that actively consuming protein alongside a low-carb diet is highly effective.

Come to think of it, not just people doing strength training, but also those on a diet drink protein, don't they?

There was a proper reason for it.

Road Biking Allows for Light, Long-Duration Exercise

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If you perform short, fast movements like in keirin, your muscles will grow large and bulky, like a bodybuilder.

Sprinters in track and field are like that, right?

However, the recent trend is "lean and muscular."

By pacing yourself and riding long distances, you can become "lean and muscular" with developed muscles but a slender physique, like a marathon runner.

If 100% is your full speed, then riding at about 60-70% of your maximum effort is ideal.

Comparing exercise volume and calorie consumption for one hour:

Walking (approx. 3.5 km/h) - 176 kcal consumed

Running (approx. 8 km/h) - 522 kcal consumed

Road biking (20 km/h to 30 km/h) - 756 kcal consumed

(From "Revised Physical Activity METs Table," National Institute of Health and Nutrition)

For the same duration of one hour, road biking burns more calories compared to walking or running, so it might be easier to lose weight.

Moreover, since you cover longer distances, it's enjoyable to ride, which has the positive effect of making it easier to continue.

Summary

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Many people get into road biking because of its stylishness, and it seems many also take up dieting in conjunction with it.

It seems that not only the bicycle, but also the riders themselves tend to become leaner and cooler.

Compared to walking or running, road biking has a higher weight loss effect, making it an excellent form of exercise.

Furthermore, the ability to ride long distances, enjoy the scenery, and find pleasure in it, making it easier to continue as an exercise, can also be considered a benefit of road biking.

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