just cycled 35 miles

[Jane Smart]

Are you sure that's what the bloke wasn't trying to do? Playing hard to get maybe

One look at him, before he opened his big gob, would be enough to end the human population

 

[Lisa21]

After the bee stung me, another tried to jump on my handlebars about half an hour later, you would have heard me screaming in Wales no doubt

So that WAS you I heard!!!!!!!!! thought so

As for the one on your handlebars...he was prob hitching a lift

 

[Jane Smart]

Cycling Scotland is the body which accredits cycling instructors in Scotland, they will hold a register of all the qualified instructors in Scotland, you could ask them who there is in your area.

Thank you

 

[Sittingduck]

Oh and SD..... it was a good 6 inches Im sure.

Sounds like a sizeable beast

 

[Breedon]

Well done you for your first 35 miles just forget about the bloke and you will just feel better.
As for the roads you just need to get on them more, it's down to confidence the more you use them the more you will enjoy them and then the fantastic country side will beckon

Keep at it

 

[Banjo]

"bet he would have hidden in a tree had it been a guy instead of a yourself ... how brave of him ...NOT!"

+1 to that. What a lovely man.....

Dont let one dickhead put you off.Well done on the ride, 35 miles is a substantial ride for a beginner.

I have made a conscious decision not to get into dialogue with anyone showing any form of aggression while I am out cycling theres no point,they have no brain so cannot be reasoned with.

For the first few months of returning to cycling I was extremely nervous of cars etc.Im still a cautious rider but not nervous.

A few friends have said that they gave me a friendly toot and wave when seeing me on the bike but I didnt look.I explain that not all horn tooters are friendly so I ignore them all and concentrate on enjoying the ride :-)

 

[Jane Smart]

Thank you again all of you for your support.

I am really pleased with my 35 miles, I never knew I had it in me. I felt a personal sense of achievement today doing that

I have no intention of giving up cycling, I am loving it too much

 

[Ben M]

Are you cycling on a pavement or on a cycle path? As your post reads as if you are riding on the pavement =

 

[Jane Smart]

Ben I am cycling on cycle paths, but today, rather than drive to it, I cycled to it on the pavement, albeit a wide pavement with grassy verges

 

[Jane Smart]

Well I just discovered a friends son has just qualified as a mountain bike instructor, how handy is that?

He goes on his honeymoon tomorrow though and by the time he comes back we will be away, but I am certainly going to ask him to give me a few lessons, I can't wait

Oh and my face feels like someone has punched me after that sting yesterday

 

[Rollon]

Jane,
You are not on your own in not being confident on the roads. I recently turned to cycling as a way of additional excercise. I have over 50 years experience of mountaineering and climbing as well as Fell running etc and have no problems at all, but at the moment anyway I feel defo unsafe when cycling on the roads. I too hope this will fade as the confidence grows, however I too will looking into getting some help.
Dave.

 

[Arch]

If you haven't already, get a copy of cyclecraft, but I think lessons would be much better.

Keep it up

it's not one or the other you need it's both - like reading the highway code when you are learning to drive.

Jane, I would recommend Cyclecraft the book, really. You don't have to take it in all in one go, but it really helps to know the things to look out for and how to ride defensively. And just check your friend's son's qualification - mountain bike instructing might all be about hopping over logs and stuff, whereas road training covers different stuff - it might be like getting a Rally driver to give you lessons in town centre traffic.... Of course, he might also be a very competent road cyclist as well, in which case it could be handy to get him to give you some advice, and buddy you on a few rides.

Failing that, is there a local Cyclechatter prepared to go and buddy Jane on some road rides?

Anyway, well done for the distance, and keeping going! Especially after the sting - bad luck! But the sooner we have you off the pavement, the better....

 

[Jane Smart]

Hi Arch

Very uselful post thanks, I will check with my friends son and make sure he is "what I need" so to speak.

I am hoping to get together at the first chance with some of the central "bunch" but unfortunately cannot make the next one they are going on. They have no idea what they have let themselves in for.

A buddy would be quite nice to go out with, as so far, every ride I have had has been alone.

I had no choice but to go on after the bee sting, as I was homeward bound then anway, with still around 16 miles to go. Today it just feels like someone has punched me in the face

 

[xpc316e]

Arch's comments about the mtb instructor are spot-on. I would search out someone who is a National Standards Accredited Instructor. It is done on three separate levels and covers exactly what you need which seems to be the practical advice on keeping safe so that your confidence can build. The mtb chap may be able to help, but a NS instructor will be capable of getting you sorted. Get yourself a copy of Cyclecraft and devour it before going out with anyone, so that you will be able to reference what they say to you about certain aspects of your bike riding.

Congratulations on your achievements thus far, by the way.

 

[Lisa21]

Jane, Im not sure how qualified I am to offer you any advice,being quite a newbie to the cycling addiction myselfbut when i started cycling-towards the end of January this year(crikey, feels like longer...)I didnt have much confidence and was much happier sticking to cycle paths and *cough*pavements.
Now I dont know what these are like for you where you are compared to here in Wales but you can never seem to go more than a couple of miles at a time on the cycle paths and have to battle through all manner of peds..some nice,some notAnd to be honest, now that my confidence has grown slightly I actually feel a heck of a lot SAFER on the ROAD
I just treat everyone else as a complete numpty who hasnt seen me,I keep my position in the road instead of skulking by the kerb,and at least ACT confident even when im not
Mind you,unless im commuting 99%of my ride is on country lanes with grass growing in the middle and so hilly im either trying to get to the top without spontaniously combustingor whizzing down them fighting a VERY strong urge to scream "weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee" but knowing if I did it would be the one and only time id meet someone!!!!!
Cant remember the point of this now and doubt iv been much help but confidence will come in its own time,enjoying it is the main thing