file under: a little honesty

Before I built my first motorized bike, I walked three of four miles at a time twice a day. I also watched what I ate and lost about 65 pounds. Then I began building motorized bikes. At first I was skipping meals and hossing around bike parts, but then it got to be more riding and less building.

So when I went electric, I intentionally bought a 250 watt hub. Way underpowered but I thought I would get some exercise and get back into shape. So now I ride the hub motor now and then and I ride the pusher now and then. I gained ten or 12 pounds this winter so I decided I needed to walk again.

It should have been a snap since I have been riding a bike, one which is under powered. Well it wasn't a snap at all. Actually I chose to start with the one mile bike course. It is my basic course with all kinds of different features. A couple of serious hills ect. That one mile I had to stop twice to get some air;.. My back was killing me when I got home.

So now I have to think, who was I kidding. I have decided that the bike is for errands (which was the original plan anyway) Exercise is for exercise. So my advice is don't bother buy a small bike thinking you will get some exercise you won't. For every hill you pedal up, you coast down one. Even the uphill pull isn't very hard. I pulled bike killer hill today with the pusher and it was no more than a gentle pedal. Nothing gut wrenching about it.

So buy all the bike you need to have fun.. and run to the store ect. There is just no sense kidding ourselves, this is not a workout. Not that I'm giving up my bike, just being honest with myself.

I know it is awful for a fat man to try to get skinny. I still have fat genes and the fat mindset. I love krispy kreme donuts. I am tempted to ride my bike to the KK and tell myself it's okay.

I have a new plan. I am going to ride my bike to local walking trail through the woods. Then get off and walk it a mile or so, then get back on the bike and ride it home. Should be a pretty good bit of exercise and still have a little fun in it as well.

I think that bike I built for under a hundred bucks is the right one for that kind of plan. Save the hub motor just in case someone happens to have a bolt cutter and pickup to free it and haul it away.