Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[spooks]

I'm currently trying to persuade myself out of the front door. I can see little flakes of snow falling, not settling at all, but it's enough to make me want to spend the rest of the afternoon on the couch. I know I'll be fine when I'm out though and I need to go asap before evening traffic starts to build up.

 

[fatCyclist]

Brilliant news, well done that cyclist!!
One sorry note to sound though, was that the biscuits I was carrying in my jacket were unavoidably crushed in the fall. I am weeping for their loss as I write. Ride strong, ride safe my friends.

Dude, I'm sorry for your loss (of biscuits). Sounds like a scary moment though. I'll bear this in mind if I ever see some 'fresh' snow.

 

[fatCyclist]

Well done, the hardest ride is now out of the way. Give it a few months time and you will be posting details of 50km rides (30 miles for us old 'uns!)

Thanks I used to ride for miles back in my yoof, so I'm looking forward to eventually getting back to that level. Still, a little bit at a time is the name of the game for me at the moment.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Fair enough, you'll easily hit that then! I easily hit my goal target of losing 1lb a week if I cycle my goal of 80 miles a week and I only really care about going faster not further so I don't have much motivation to go out for longer. Especially when it's so miserable outside. If it was 20C and sunny I might go out because I actually enjoy it



I hit 12st 7 lbs for the first time today after starting cycling at 14st 12 lbs. I was originally aiming for exactly 12 stone but I think I'm going to have to go further. People keep telling me I'm looking very slim though, I hope I haven't got cycling related anorexia!

Thats what I was, last time I weighed early Feb I think and I look thinner since then.
Weighed the bike the other day 13Kg with mudguards, rack pump, water bottle and saddle bag.

I'm starting from scratch today and thought it would be a good idea to join in with this thread.

I only rode for 10mins today because I need to slowly build up my comfort on the bike (soft sit bones!). Also I'm incredibly unfit and 250lbs. Still, it was nice to get out and test out my new bike. For this short ride I averaged 13km/h and got it up to 35km/h for a brief section. Although it didn't feel it at the time. The bike is deceptively fast.

In this spirit of sharing, here's my first ride on Strava: http://app.strava.com/activities/46025380
I intend to add a few minutes every day and continue to build slowly.

Ditto what Chris said.

 

[RWright]

Since I started riding again this past August I have lost the weight equivalent to twice that of my drop bar bike...including lights, tools, tubes and so on. Stick with it, the pounds will start coming off.

...only three more bikes to go!!! maybe only two, I haven't decided how far down I want to take it.

 

[Typhon]

Well I went for a ride

It was brutally cold and extremely windy, those NE winds just cut right through me and seem to make my training loop so much harder than if they're coming in any other direction. I had my avg spoiled by school run mums in their 4x4s blocking the road, double parking, barging their way on the wrong side of the road etc. Must have been an Easter event at the school or something as it wasn't home time yet.

Worst of all the road was closed so I had to turn around and come back. Hope it's not closed for long, that's my favourite route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/46050945

 

[RWright]

The wind here has been annoying, every day 10 to 20 mph, seems like it has been weeks too. I never remember it being this windy for so long. Of course I never paid as much attention to wind before but I am pretty sure it has been unusually windy for this length of time. I want to get out on the drop bar bike more but I don't like the way the front wheel whips in the cross winds.

 

[Mo1959]

Got back from my dog walk just before 3pm and gave myself a good talking to and went out for a quick 14 miles. Ended up quite enjoying it once I got going. Headwind to start so behind me coming home which is always better.

 

[Typhon]

The wind here has been annoying, every day 10 to 20 mph, seems like it has been weeks too. I never remember it being this windy for so long. Of course I never paid as much attention to wind before but I am pretty sure it has been unusually windy for this length of time. I want to get out on the drop bar bike more but I don't like the way the front wheel whips in the cross winds.

It's been the same here the last few weeks, constant winds. Like you I never paid any attention to the winds before I started cycling so I don't know whether it's just our imagination that it's worse or whether it really is. It doesn't seem that windy sitting here looking out the window, but it sure felt it on the bike!

Got back from my dog walk just before 3pm and gave myself a good talking to and went out for a quick 14 miles. Ended up quite enjoying it once I got going. Headwind to start so behind me coming home which is always better.

Well done for getting out again. Don't know how you could enjoy it in this weather though - it must be really freezing up there!

 

[Mo1959]

It's been the same here the last few weeks, constant winds. Like you I never paid any attention to the winds before I started cycling so I don't know whether it's just our imagination that it's worse or whether it really is. It doesn't seem that windy sitting here looking out the window, but it sure felt it on the bike!



Well done for getting out again. Don't know how you could enjoy it in this weather though - it must be really freezing up there!

Not too bad by afternoon. Couple of gusts of wind tugged at the bike a bit when I was passing entrances to fields but, other than that and a little flurry of snow it was actually reasonably pleasant.

 

[spooks]

Really chilly today. Windy and snow flakes in the air, none settling though thank goodness.School home time is not a fun time to cycle though. Too many buses and pushy parents in big cars.
Did the same 20km loop that I did on sunday and increased my av speed by a few kmph. I'd like to get a cadence sensor but don't think I can afford any more bits and pieces at the moment. I went a little wild last month!

 

[Typhon]

Yep school run time is definitely the scariest time to be on the roads. Before I started cycling I thought it would be rush hour but that's lovely - the Audis and BMWs that race along all get onto the other side of the road to pass you. Probably because they have a bike too and cycle on the weekends. The school run mums are terrifying though, partly because they almost certainly don't cycle and partly because they don't have the spatial awareness to match the size of the chelsea tractor they're driving. I avoid home time like the plague but got caught in it today as there must be some kind of Easter event going on. It was terrifying at times. The schools break up tomorrow so be very careful tomorrow, then we have 2 1/2 weeks of being able to cycle in (relative) safety!

 

[spooks]

I don't finish work until 7pm most nights so traffic isn't something I usually have to contend with (i drive to and from work) so it always suprises me how bad it gets! My next free afternoon is friday and I think that will be bad from the easter traffic. School holidays are generally lovely though and this time might tempt me to try cycling to work instead since it's actually only 4miles away, albeit with a huge hill in the way.

 

[Leescfc79]

No real progress for me recently due to the weather but decided that I need to invest in some decent lights ( I tried to be a tight arse when ordered lights and regret it now), some decent gloves and a nice jacket so I've got no excuse next winter as I'm getting really bored with the turbo - it's ok as a tool to shed some weight but that's about it.

I had a funny turn coming back from work today though, decided I was going to go for a run later tonight, last time I attempted one I did less than a mile and nearly cried, I'm hoping the weight I've lost since and an increase in my general fitness will help....I'm only planning on a short one but might help me get a bit fitter and I've always fancied a triathlon ;-)

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Yep school run time is definitely the scariest time to be on the roads. Before I started cycling I thought it would be rush hour but that's lovely - the Audis and BMWs that race along all get onto the other side of the road to pass you. Probably because they have a bike too and cycle on the weekends. The school run mums are terrifying though, partly because they almost certainly don't cycle and partly because they don't have the spatial awareness to match the size of the chelsea tractor they're driving. I avoid home time like the plague but got caught in it today as there must be some kind of Easter event going on. It was terrifying at times. The schools break up tomorrow so be very careful tomorrow, then we have 2 1/2 weeks of being able to cycle in (relative) safety!

Ride straight at them with the cree T6 light on full they tend to shift.