First 'long' trip today. :)

[forwater]

For those of you who don't know, I'm a complete cycling beginner. I got my bike on Mar. 13th, and it's my first (since childhood, at least) bike. I'm pretty horribly out of shape, but have decided that I'm going to commute place by bicycle!

I rode 6 miles (maybe a little more, but around 6 or 7 total) today. I can't believe how difficult it was! I had to stop and push my bike up the big hill which was halfway to my destination. I really look forward to seeing how much easier the trip will become over time.

I'm sore but in a good mood. This was totally worthwhile.


How about you? What was your first long/big trip? How far was it? How difficult was it? When you look back on that day, what do you remember now?

 

[corshamjim]

Mine on returning to cycling after 8 years ago was the 6 miles or so from the bike shop to home! That finishes with a long hill - nearly killed me but I was glad to have done it and learned to pace myself and feed myself better after that. It was only a few weeks until I was doing rides of 20 miles or so and somehow the hills are a lot less steep than they were. The ride to the bike shop & back seems like just a quick jaunt now.

 

[PoweredByVeg]

Well done there

Got a new MTB couple of years ago, started with 5 miles and thought wow that's a whole 5 miles!

Then on to 10, 20 etc up to 50!

Now got another 2 road bikes, have done 105 miles in a day!

Sounds like you're gonna be hooked like us all.

BTW what bike did you get?

 

[the snail]

I rode home from the bike shop when I bought my bike last year, about 20 miles. The last few miles I could barely turn the pedals, my legs were still hurting 3 days later. It was a great ride though, in lovely sunshine along the canal from Bath, even my first 'clipless moment' didn't take the grin off my face

 

[LosingFocus]

Awesome stuff, bet you feel absolutely pumped now yeah? Great feeling isnt it?

 

[david1701]

I remember having to push up the hill when I started, then I could ride up it but had to stop, then ride up it without stopping till the top, now I can ride all the way home without stopping

I rode 40 miles last week and have my eye n a few 65k, 100k and 100m rides

 

[LosingFocus]

I remember having to push up the hill when I started, then I could ride up it but had to stop, then ride up it without stopping till the top, now I can ride all the way home without stopping

I rode 40 miles last week and have my eye n a few 65k, 100k and 100m rides

Nice, where do you ride on Bude? My folks live there and Im planning to take my bike down this summer. Preferably offroadish. (sorry for the thread hijack)

 

[sparty69]

My first ride was a 5 miler, with a couple of (what I thought of at the time) big hills. Nearly killed me. That was July last year, I've just done my first 50 miler this week, so if you stick at it you'll be surprised how quickly your fitness improves. All the best.

 

[Panter]

My first ride, about 3 or 4 Years ago, was a planned mile or so. I managed just a few Hundred yards before admitting defeat and walking (gingerly) home with legs like jelly

Things are slightly better now

 

[twozeronine]

I remember my first "long" ride several years ago. I was doing a dummy run for my 10 mile ride to work, and had to stop about half way. I remember it being quite windy though!

So far my longest ride has been just over 40 miles. Not a huge distance compared to some others, but I could easily do more if I took a comfort break.

 

[biglad]

Yes! nice one lads! It's good to know I'm not alone in being a complete beginner. This is my 8th day as a bike owner. Still feeling like its the best investment I've made in a long time.

 

[Paulus]

For a start, remember to build up your mileage week by week. Adding a few miles each week will soon bring you up to riding 20+ miles without realising it. My first longish ride of the year was last sunday, 72 miles through Herts. and Essex. This is easily attainable if you build up slowly and keep at it.

 

[ramses]

A few years back I got back on a bike to cycle to work, which was 3 miles there and 3 miles back, with a few hills, which now I laugh at, but at the time used to knacker me out.
Slowly but surely the hills got easier. I hadn't had the bike more than about 2 months, when a group of lads at work wanted to go on a nice long evening ride through the New Forest. I agreed to join in. I hadn't cycled more than about 5 miles at this point, still getting into it.

We covered 32 miles that evening, and I was F**ked! to say the least. Proud of myself for doing it, and actually not being left behind. My competitive streak and sheer determination kept me going.

Once I did recover, about 2 to 3 days I did notice a benefit from it, but I wouldn't recommend doing it that way. Build it up sensibly.

These days I cycle further, 50 miles last weekend, and about 60 miles this weekend to do. I am looking forward to a 100 mile event later this year, and whilst training for this I expect to cover 110 miles.

So when I look back now I can't believe how far I have come and how much the bug has caught me

I just love going out for a nice long ride.

Hills don't seem half as bad, even at the end of of a 50+ mile ride.

It all gets easier, just stick with it and build it up.

 

[forwater]

Well done there

Got a new MTB couple of years ago, started with 5 miles and thought wow that's a whole 5 miles!

Then on to 10, 20 etc up to 50!

Now got another 2 road bikes, have done 105 miles in a day!

Sounds like you're gonna be hooked like us all.

BTW what bike did you get?

I got a hand-me-down Huffy MTB from my folks. I love this thing. It's sturdy and doesn't seem to afraid of anything.

I hope I end up 'hooked'. It's too much fun to just give up, you know?

 

[coffeejo]

I bought my bike at the end of January and set off for the 7 mile bike ride home. About three quarters of a mile out of town (uphill all the way), I sat on a bench, exhausted, and tried to work out how much I could get for the bike on eBay.

The rest of the ride was stop and start in much the same manner, but the first downhill stretch put a huge smile on my face and more than made up for every agonising mile.

As the days and weeks passed, I got fitter and fitter and now I laugh as I cruise up the same hills that defeated me not so long ago.

The longest I've done in one go is 17 miles, which was fantastic as the last 3 miles were downhill all the way