Many road bike riders have a smart image.

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

Road bikes are highly fashionable

Road bikes are highly fashionable and cool.

I hear that many people start riding road bikes because they admire them.

Once you actually start riding, road bikes are fast and fun, so you ride a lot and your exercise volume increases.

As a result, some people gradually become slimmer.

Moreover, it seems that many people also start dieting as an afterthought and become strict about their eating habits.

While there's no data on how many road bike riders are dieting, many of the road bike riders 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 of road bike racers is said to be 5-7%.

Unnecessary fat may be easy to lose.

Many people are also careful about their diet

While not a direct reason for riding a road bike, but rather a secondary one, it seems that many people also combine dietary changes to enhance the effect of their diet.

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

Also known as a carb-cutting diet, it's a method where you don't eat rice or bread.

Carbohydrates are a general term for sugars and dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is good for health and has no calories, so it's better to consume it actively even while dieting.

People on a sugar-free diet seem to focus on eating chicken and soy products.

Since sugars are easily converted into energy, cutting them out can lead to energy depletion.

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

Since a decrease in muscle reduces the effectiveness of a diet, it seems that actively consuming protein during a low-carb diet yields better results.

Come to think of it, not just people who train, but also people who are dieting drink protein supplements, right?

There was a proper reason for it.

Road bikes allow for long, light exercise

Moving quickly over short distances, like in keirin, builds large muscles, and muscles become bulky like those of a bodybuilder.

Track sprinters are like that, aren't they?

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

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

It's best to run at about 60% to 70% of your full speed, if 100% is your maximum.

Comparing the amount of exercise and calories burned in one hour, we get the following:

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

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

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

(Revised Edition of the METs Table for Physical Activity, National Institute of Health and Nutrition)

If it's for the same hour, road biking might be more effective for weight loss than walking or running because it burns more calories.

Moreover, since the travel distance is longer, it's enjoyable to ride, which has the positive effect of making it easier to continue.

Summary

Many people get into road biking for its stylishness, and it seems that many also take up dieting to complement it.

I believe that not just the bikes, but also the riders themselves tend to become smarter and cooler.

Compared to walking and running, road biking has a higher effect on dieting, so it can be said to be an excellent form of exercise.

Also, the ability to ride long distances, enjoy the scenery, and find it enjoyable enough to continue exercising can be said to be a benefit of road biking.