Nothing tempers the joy of coasting downhill...

[Firoz Taverbi]

... like knowing you have to cycle back up it again.

I took my bike out for the first time today, not having ridden a bike for several years previously. It was a lot harder work than I remembered (or maybe a summer of no exercise really is getting to me...). I managed to stay out and about for half an hour before I came to a steep hill and decided to walk home, my legs feeling like jelly.

With all this talk of riding 10, 20, + miles in one go, is anyone else out there like me, struggling to do even a few miles?

 

[Rural halfwit]

Hi Firoz, we all started somewhere.... that 4 miles will soon become 6 and so on and in a short space of time. I'm no sports person more like Hagred on a unicycle! I do a 13 ish mile commute (one way). I take my time and enjoy the sights, takes about 1 hr 15 mins. Stick at it and soon you'll be racking up the miles.
and yes the journey home is mainly downhill and that's the best bit

 

[RWright]

I stuggled to ride half an hour when I first started and hills were brutal. I walked my bike up hills that were too steep for me...and still do if I am in an area I am not familiar with and one sneaks up on me . It gets easier with more saddle time, just keep at it. You may want to start on a route that is not too hilly.

 

[Typhon]

Less than two months ago I could only do a 3 mile trip twice a day at about 8mph average. The other day I did 26.8 miles at 14.4mph average. Tomorrow I'm planning to do 34 miles. You'll be surprised how quickly your fitness improves if you just stick with it.

There are a lot of inspiring stories here about people's progress that are worth a read if you need motivation:

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/show-us-your-newbie-progress.110413/

 

[Pauluk]

If you have not been on a bike for several years you are almost certainly going to find it hard and as you say your legs feel like jelly. If you keep it up you will find you will improve.

If it doesn't get easier then its because you will be going faster and a lot further.

 

[BrumJim]

Looking at your other thread, the type of bike that you have could be a big part of the problem. Front and rear suspension destroy a lot of your pedalling effort in just bouncing you up and down, and the knobbly tyres give you a lot of rolling resistance. If you start doing 20+ miles you will need a different sort of bike.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Hey, you're a young soon to be uni student stick at this cycling malarky, within a week you'll be as fit as a fiddle, as fast as Wiggo

 

[Firoz Taverbi]

Wow, thanks for your comments, everybody!

Hi Firoz, we all started somewhere.... that 4 miles will soon become 6 and so on and in a short space of time. I'm no sports person more like Hagred on a unicycle! I do a 13 ish mile commute (one way). I take my time and enjoy the sights, takes about 1 hr 15 mins. Stick at it and soon you'll be racking up the miles.
and yes the journey home is mainly downhill and that's the best bit

I'm not planning to use my bike to be ultra-fit, I just want a way to get from A to B that's a bit quicker than walking (which I've always done before), especially when I move to university this weekend. Hopefully with a bit of practice I'll have improved enough to not be wobbling into my lectures every morning!

I stuggled to ride half an hour when I first started and hills were brutal. I walked my bike up hills that were too steep for me...and still do if I am in an area I am not familiar with and one sneaks up on me . It gets easier with more saddle time, just keep at it. You may want to start on a route that is not too hilly.

I'm afraid that where I live "a route that is not too hilly" is just too much to ask, unless I want to go on busy roads (I'm not that confident yet!) At first I started trying to go up hills "at a bit of a run", as it were, as though the momentum could carry me upwards - I quickly realised that this is not the best strategy! I think I just need the practice.

Less than two months ago I could only do a 3 mile trip twice a day at about 8mph average. The other day I did 26.8 miles at 14.4mph average. Tomorrow I'm planning to do 34 miles. You'll be surprised how quickly your fitness improves if you just stick with it.

There are a lot of inspiring stories here about people's progress that are worth a read if you need motivation:

http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/show-us-your-newbie-progress.110413/

As I said to Rural Halfwit, I'm not planning to use my bike for long distances, although the idea is extremely tempting with some of the nice cycle routes around York... Hopefully if I use my bike enough I'll get used to the extra strain!

Looking at your other thread, the type of bike that you have could be a big part of the problem. Front and rear suspension destroy a lot of your pedalling effort in just bouncing you up and down, and the knobbly tyres give you a lot of rolling resistance. If you start doing 20+ miles you will need a different sort of bike.

Oh, dear... I don't know anything about bikes so I really just chose the cheapest thing I could find (that way it would be less of a loss if it really wasn't the right thing), so if I get serious about cycling then maybe I will invest in a good, proper bike that fits me better. I'm not planning on doing huge distances on my bike, though, just campus trips and maybe the occasional shopping run (if I can get panniers!), but thanks a lot for the advice. For now I'll just have to work through that additional effort...

 

[HovR]

When I first got back on the bike (over a year ago now!), upon returning home from my 3 mile commute I had to lay down for half an hour to catch my breath! Within a few weeks I could feel the fitness gains and I was able to complete my commute without collapsing!

Within a few months I could "pop out" on a 20+ mile ride with no issues. Stick at it and it'll get easier soon - Promise!

 

[billy1561]

Hi Firoz, we all started somewhere.... that 4 miles will soon become 6 and so on and in a short space of time. I'm no sports person more like Hagred on a unicycle! I do a 13 ish mile commute (one way). I take my time and enjoy the sights, takes about 1 hr 15 mins. Stick at it and soon you'll be racking up the miles.
and yes the journey home is mainly downhill and that's the best bit

An hour and 15 for 13 miles on a unicycle is good going by anyones standard

 

[fossyant]

Stick with it, you will get there. You might even go searching for hills just because of the downhill section, or indeed riding up a particular way as the descent is better on that side !

 

[Kiwiavenger]

i used to struggle getting to work when it was 1 1/5 miles away from my home!!! just last night i had a small amount of free time so stretched my 5 mile commute to 10, after hitting some big hills!!

they do get easier and the more you cycle them the easier they get (he says after struggling up them every day for the last 6 months!!) next you'll be getting strava and a road bike and go out segment hunting!!!

 

[Eribiste]

Hiya Firoz, Like everybody else says, the more you do it, the easier it gets. you start to clock up more distance, get up those hills a bit easier, breathe a little easier and so on. One word of warning; it's addictive!

 

[User16625]

I actually spend more energy going down some hills than I do going up them. I cant be the only one that does this?

 

[Firoz Taverbi]

I went out again today (in the pouring rain! Am I one of you guys yet?) for a bit more practice. I think I managed better this time; I'm getting the hang of riding more smoothly and not wobbling about all over the place. I went into some busier roads - terrifying! I never want to be so close to a moving post van again in my life - and managed to hold up okay there, too. I'm not good with turning into oncoming traffic, though, so at the moment I'm dismounting and crossing on foot if I need to turn right on a busy road.
I still had jelly legs by the end of it and could hardly climb the stairs!

Thanks for the encouragement, everybody! I really enjoyed going out today, in spite of scary vans and terrible weather...

@Eribiste you're right, it is kind of addictive! I'm even hoping to go out again tomorrow... going out on the road is making me realise how much I still need to practice before I can cycle about where I like.

@Kiwiavenger I have no idea what half of those things are, but I'm sure I'll find out soon!