Which Equipment

congrats on your choice to modify your health.

you will find that the bike CAN burn those burgers IF you stay at it.
you will also likely find that the bike can be fun also.
in a year or so, as the kid grows, get a trailer.
fun for them, and even more calories burnt for you.

HR monitor, check the manuf sites such as POLAR for info.
most offer training tips that will be helpful for beginners.
if your goal is mainly to burn fat, you probably just need
a good steady effort at approx 60-70% or your max HR.

flats- yes, you need to carry tools to repair "on the road"
a spare tube and patch kit, levers, and air source (either pump or CO2)
you can get a full-sized frame pump such as a zefal HP-X
a bit heavier than a mini, but much easier to pump to hi-press.
replace with a new tube on the road, and patch at home on the couch.

by all means, add a cage and bottle, or two.
or carry a "camelback" or other type of hydration pack.
fluid intake is important. drinks lots even if not feeling thirsty.
the cooling effect in the wind and evap often "hides" fluid losses.

eating, just listen to your body.
i hardly ever eat right after coming off the bike. just not hungry.
but, fluid and electrolyte replacement IS an URGENT NEED.

best of luck, - ben in atlanta

Just start riding, you will see the pounds melt off if you ride REGULARLY, watch what you eat (no need to be a Taleban about it, just be careful) and keep working hard (as the other poster said, get even a basic Polar HRM and keep the heart rate in the 65-75% range).

Ride often!

And try to make it a family activity (when junior allows this 😉).

Eventually you may want to move up from a mountain bike (I doubt you will be riding the kinds of trails that make a dual suspension necessary - you are just carrying around extra weight, but that is fine for the initial stages of your fitness-oriented riding).

Any reputable shop will set you up with: a puncture repair kit, a pump (they usually attach to the water bottle mount), a water bottle mount and water bottle, and lights, if you need them.

Then ride away! The only things that I would recommend are: a quality HELMET (how much is your head worth to you, and more importantly, your family), a pair of riding shorts (lycra to prevent chafing, chamois insert and your tender parts will thank you) and if you are serious, a clipless pedal system with the correct shoes, which, once you get used to them, will make your riding much more efficient.

Happy riding!

hi chaps,

thanks for your advice, i bought yesterday a mini pump a water bottle and holder and also a lock, i already purchased a HRM, how do i know what my maximum HR is?

i intend in riding every night not sure how far just take it as it comes i guess, i also have a good friend who wants to 'shape' up to whats everyones opinion on riding with someone else, thought maybe distractions could cause loss of concentration on the task at hand, maybe a little company is good..

any opinions on the lights, thing is when the evenings start drawing in, i may not be back from work till gone 6 so if i want to ride its gonna be dark, i want a good front light, that will not only show my presence to other road users but also enable me to see where im going safely.

many thanks again.
scott

here is a writeup i did on lighting last year

click here

You're seriously going to love riding, so congrats on the new bike and congrats on being a soon to be dad.

Ok there are two ways Ive ever known to get your max. One is hard the other isnt.

For a more precise max HR find a steady climb thats about 3km in length. Then pedal as hard as you can as long as you can with your HR monitor. You'll find your max HR.

The generic max hr is determined by taking 220 minus your age. I'm also 27 so both of our max HR is 193.

Target zones are great to work with, especially when you first start out. You'll find out that you might be over exerting yourself when you could maintain a good hr zone and pedal longer and further. Just as mentioned above, keep between 60-70% of your max.

There are many options for lights. Personally, stay away from traditional halogen bulb lights, the burn time with batteries isnt too great and the bulb is more likely to blow on you if you happen to drop the light. Xenon are a great alternative, different hue, more blue than yellow light. People notice the blue more. Xenons are going to be quite a bit more expensive. Then you have the good alternative if you're looking to save money and get yourself noticed at night, and thats the LED.

LED lights give you a much much longer burn time than both halogens and xenon lights. Also, most LED lights give the same glow as Xenons, the ever so distinctive blue. So personally, if you're looking to save some money, go with the LEDs.

Also, make sure to get a light (whichever you choose) that has different functions, such as static light, blinking, or chase. Having a blinking light catches much more attention than a solid light.

Okay now to nutrition....

After a ride is the best time to eat, you're body's metabolism is in high gear and looking for more energy to burn. I'd say within half an hour to an hour is good. Also, eat something light before a ride.

Sorry for the long post but hopes this answers some of your questions.