First Couple of Rides and....

[Manguish]

I still feel i'm riding the road bike with clipless like an MTB.

I feel i'm only pushing the pedals on the way down? Will i actually be using the upstroke or is there some secret technique i don't know about?

Performance feels good for a newbie though - last ride was 6.5 miles, average 13.5 mph, top speed 25 mph.

Are these average beginner figures?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I still feel i'm riding the road bike with clipless like an MTB.

I feel i'm only pushing the pedals on the way down? Will i actually be using the upstroke or is there some secret technique i don't know about?

Performance feels good for a newbie though - last ride was 6.5 miles, average 13.5 mph, top speed 25 mph.

Are these average beginner figures?

I cant comment on the clipless, but my first rides averaged 10-11mph but distances were greater @ about 20 miles, even now 7 months later my average is only 13.3 for this year, though I have had weeks when it was 14.28 this week its 12.69mph but the rides are tougher for me.and avg diast of 10-30miles, depends which week it was.
So i would say a good starting speed to build on well done.

 

[Manguish]

Thanks. What maked me wonder is i'm in the process of recovering (and being treated for) my a trauma to my neck. I've had (and will be having more) nerves turned off from my spine in my neck. Great fun having huge needle like things pushed into your spine while fully awake!

I'm hoping due to a really bad health year last year, buying this supersix will spur me on to get some fitness back and recover more quickly.

At only 35, if i were a horse i'd have been shot!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

I still feel i'm riding the road bike with clipless like an MTB.

I feel i'm only pushing the pedals on the way down? Will i actually be using the upstroke or is there some secret technique i don't know about?

Performance feels good for a newbie though - last ride was 6.5 miles, average 13.5 mph, top speed 25 mph.

Are these average beginner figures?

Everyone will be different as levels of fitness, terrain and the type of bike you have will affect your speed. I average around 15 miles an hour but I have pretty flat terrain to ride on.

I wouldn't worry to much about your speed for now, just get out and enjoy yourself, as you do more miles you will get fitter and more confident on the bike, both will lead to an increase in average speed.

 

[Peter Armstrong]

Push down, slide back, pull up, slide forward, push down...... You can try training with one leg clipped and one and alternate. your leg muscles will get used to this and use the full range of muscles. You pedel stroke will be smooth and over time your average will be higher.

 

[Rob3rt]

You won't pull up on the pedals other than when sprinting, under big accelerations and on some very steep climbs. Just ride the bike.

 

[Manguish]

Cheers. I have been one foot pedaling while trying to get the other foot clipped in lol.

My success during todays ride was the one instance i managed to clip in, first time, without looking down. Small victory!

Only once during the ride though!

 

[DougieAB]

Regarding your avatar, if your roads are as filthy as the ones around here that will be the one and only time you will want to lean your bike against the sofa

 

[Manguish]

Haha. It's hung in the garage currently.

Roads weren't too bad. Couple of small puddles, nothing catastrophic.

 

[Easytigers]

Don't know if this will help but I read somewhere (or someone once told me...not sure which), pretend that you're cycling on an egg shell, so light pressure all the way around the pedal stroke...try it and see. Must say that even now I occasionally take time to see if I'm doing it and it makes for much smoother pedaling (I also tend to go a bit faster!)

 

[Boon 51]

Enjoy your bike get yourself fit then worry about speed or times...

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Don't know if this will help but I read somewhere (or someone once told me...not sure which), pretend that you're cycling on an egg shell, so light pressure all the way around the pedal stroke...try it and see. Must say that even now I occasionally take time to see if I'm doing it and it makes for much smoother pedaling (I also tend to go a bit faster!)

Using a lower gear but a higher cadence.

 

[Part time cyclist]

As previously said don't pay to much attention to speed and times, get out there and just ride with a smile, push yourself a little each ride, but the main thing is to rnjoy it, it will keep you coming back for more. The fitness levels come up fairly quickly

 

[Nigelnaturist]

As previously said don't pay to much attention to speed and times, get out there and just ride with a smile, push yourself a little each ride, but the main thing is to rnjoy it, it will keep you coming back for more. The fitness levels come up fairly quickly

It took me 7 months, but enjoy it and its worth it, though I still think some times "what the f*** am I doing this for"

 

[Part time cyclist]

I sat on my fat lazy arse until I was 30 thinking why the hell would anyone want to get all sweaty and take up this exercise stuff. Dad then got cancer and beat it . That changed my outlook on life and I took up running for about 12 years, but I got complacent and lazy again and gave up running because it was too hard. So I took up cycling as i thought it would be easier..... I t wasn't..... At first but I persevered and got fit again lost three and a half stone thanks to diet and cycling... Now I am back running and competing in my first marathon in April .... All thanks to cycling.....