Before deciding what kind of bicycle to purchase or what kind of training program to engage in, one must decide what their purpose is in cycling. I can think of four main reasons for bicycling.
1. Exercise- Probably the most common reason for cycling. The purpose is to lose weight, improve cardiovascular health, tone muscles, etc. Bicycling is one of the best forms of exercise because it is low impact and typically very aerobic. Even someone a hundred pounds over weight can find a bicycling speed which will allow them to ride for quite a long period of time without losing their breath. Other exercises, such as running, have a level of fitness which is required before a person can even begin.
2. Touring- Touring is a rather generic term, and can indicate a person who is riding accross the entire country or just going for an evening ride. I will define touring as the act of bicycling for the shear fun of it with distance covered being of greater importance than the speed maintained.
3. Commuting- Compared to the number of people who drive a car or take a bus to work, this is a very small number. However, the numbers are growing steadily.
4. Racing- Likely the smallest number of riders fit this catagory. In order to race one needs to be in excellent shape to compete even at the lowest levels.
Many people probably fit into many catagories of riding. I have a family history of heart disease, so I decided to get into a sport that I could sustain into old age to keep my heart healthy. This then lead to my wanting to get into it seriously enough to race. On top of these, when the weather is good (and it hardly ever is in Minnesota. . .) I commute to work on an old beater. Finally, next year I hope to tour accross the US with the American Lung Association in