Just beginning - some advice please

[Shut Up Legs]

HB2210: I'd recommend you get some advice on bike fit, i.e. adjusting all the bits and pieces of your bike to make cycling as comfortable as possible. Once it's properly adjusted, it will be easier to enjoy it. Higher speeds and better hill-climbing will come with time, so for now just keep cycling regularly and you will improve .

 

[ClaireSaud]

Hi and thanks,

Actually managed to fall off completely yesterday, my legs are skinned so I will need to be more careful I was going up a hill and my gears seemed to slip, I looked down to see what happened and steered into the kerb. Hitting it quite hard I managed to fall with some force I still had a 2 mile ride home. Typical that it was the first time I had worn shorts!! Never mind once the pain goes I'll be back out and just do a wee bit less until I can build up my stamina as I was starting to get a wee bit overtired after being out for an hour. Lesson learned

I had a similar accident but it was entirely my fault. First ride out and I looked over my right shoulder whilst approaching a junction and managed to steer into the kerb on my LHS! Grazed knee, leg and a severe look of embarrassment!

 

[RWright]

Hi and thanks,

Actually managed to fall off completely yesterday, my legs are skinned so I will need to be more careful I was going up a hill and my gears seemed to slip, I looked down to see what happened and steered into the kerb. Hitting it quite hard I managed to fall with some force I still had a 2 mile ride home. Typical that it was the first time I had worn shorts!! Never mind once the pain goes I'll be back out and just do a wee bit less until I can build up my stamina as I was starting to get a wee bit overtired after being out for an hour. Lesson learned

An hour is a long time starting out. Don't worry so much about burning fat to start with as getting used to riding and building up stamina, then you can go after burning calories. I started out doing like four or five miles I think it was. I would do it maybe in the morning and again in the evening some days and it was about half hour ride each time I guess. I would ride every day except when it rained and sometimes if it was warm and not too windy I would even ride in the rain.

Get yourself into a habit of riding every day and getting your body adjusted to riding. I think an hour a pop is a lot for someone just starting out that might be overweight and out of shape. For a fit runner or some other athletic person it is a different story. You will burn calories regardless of the time if you have been inactive, just by riding a half hour a day it is going to increase your metabolism some...assuming one is healthy. It won't be that long before you can do an hour, then you will want to get faster and then you will want to get more miles and it will keep adding. If you feel bad some days, don't ride, don't make yourself sick, but having said that. A lot of days, even now, I don't feel so much like riding but I do it anyway and feel better after I do.

 

[HB2210]

An hour is a long time starting out. Don't worry so much about burning fat to start with as getting used to riding and building up stamina, then you can go after burning calories. I started out doing like four or five miles I think it was. I would do it maybe in the morning and again in the evening some days and it was about half hour ride each time I guess. I would ride every day except when it rained and sometimes if it was warm and not too windy I would even ride in the rain.

Get yourself into a habit of riding every day and getting your body adjusted to riding. I think an hour a pop is a lot for someone just starting out that might be overweight and out of shape. For a fit runner or some other athletic person it is a different story. You will burn calories regardless of the time if you have been inactive, just by riding a half hour a day it is going to increase your metabolism some...assuming one is healthy. It won't be that long before you can do an hour, then you will want to get faster and then you will want to get more miles and it will keep adding. If you feel bad some days, don't ride, don't make yourself sick, but having said that. A lot of days, even now, I don't feel so much like riding but I do it anyway and feel better after I do.

Thanks so much

I think half an hour a night is achievable as I don't want to do too much too quickly, but I have no idea what too much is so thanks to everyone for the advice

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Thanks so much

I think half an hour a night is achievable as I don't want to do too much too quickly, but I have no idea what too much is so thanks to everyone for the advice

Is that your dog?

 

[jonny jeez]

An hour is a long time starting out. Don't worry so much about burning fat to start with as getting used to riding and building up stamina, then you can go after burning calories. I started out doing like four or five miles I think it was. I would do it maybe in the morning and again in the evening some days and it was about half hour ride each time I guess. I would ride every day except when it rained and sometimes if it was warm and not too windy I would even ride in the rain.

Get yourself into a habit of riding every day and getting your body adjusted to riding. I think an hour a pop is a lot for someone just starting out that might be overweight and out of shape. For a fit runner or some other athletic person it is a different story. You will burn calories regardless of the time if you have been inactive, just by riding a half hour a day it is going to increase your metabolism some...assuming one is healthy. It won't be that long before you can do an hour, then you will want to get faster and then you will want to get more miles and it will keep adding. If you feel bad some days, don't ride, don't make yourself sick, but having said that. A lot of days, even now, I don't feel so much like riding but I do it anyway and feel better after I do.

Great advice.

 

[HB2210]

Thanks everyone, much appreciated

 

[HB2210]

Is that your dog?

Yes, this is my pupster Mason

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Yes, this is my pupster Mason

He's a nice looking boy. My second favourite breed - my favourite being obvious from my avatar (my no longer with me best friend ).

 

[HB2210]

He's a nice looking boy. My second favourite breed - my favourite being obvious from my avatar (my no longer with me best friend ).

Ahhhh I'm so sorry, your dog was gorgeous. I swore after my last dog died ( a collie cross ) I would never get another. 4 years later (after the trauma of watching Marley and me) I got Mason, he is just lovely and helping me from the loss of his big brother <3

 

[Eribiste]

When I started 41/2 miles seemed epic. Two years later, and 20 miles is just an evening training ride, which is somewhere I never expected to be! Take it steady and enjoy the riding.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I was where you are this time last year, today I had an evening run of 42 miles @ 16mph, I hated hills with a passion, but kept at it through the winter, struggled with speeds through Feb and March and then finally in April my speeds and stamina really started to improve, my first ride was 8 miles @ 9.32mph.
Use an easier gear than you think you should be in (or two) and try and keep you pedalling speed higher, this makes it easier to actually pedal, the increase in the pedal rate (known as cadence) will help keep you speed up, this will take some time to achieve, but practice gets there.
Frequency of rides if your body legs ache, rest them till they dont (usually 2-3 days if really bad), this time allows the body to repair the damage done during exercise, when the body has repaired itself, you will be stronger and fitter, again it will take time to see an improvement, but keep at it, it gets better.

 

[Tango]

One little tip about hills....
Don't look at the top when you're riding up ithem! Your brain will tell you you're knackered before you actually are...
Look a few feet in front of the wheel (keeping safety in mind if you are on a road, obviously!) so you don't see the gradient.

& welcome HB2210

Wise words

 

[Tango]

When you first start and head out and do an epic 4-5 mile ride, it's hard to imagine how anyone other than a super hero could get to double figures

Your backside is hurting, your breathing is all over the place and legs feel like jelly. Then you question your own sanity. "Surely this is supposed to be enjoyable?" I asked myself

But little and often at your own pace and just stick at it

 

[HB2210]

When you first start and head out and do an epic 4-5 mile ride, it's hard to imagine how anyone other than a super hero could get to double figures

Your backside is hurting, your breathing is all over the place and legs feel like jelly. Then you question your own sanity. "Surely this is supposed to be enjoyable?" I asked myself

But little and often at your own pace and just stick at it

Yip, that's exactly how it is for me - first time out again last night after my fall and actually was passed by another cyclist ... Oh how effortless you all make it look.. Ah .... That'll be me someday