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

[flatflr]

Jealous of you all, away with work and not even had time to get to the bikes in the gym But will get a few days off in lieu to make up for it

 

[DaveyM]

Having been on deaths door with the highly deadly 'Man Flu' ....but like all men just struggled on without a word
I felt a load better so went out for 12.8 miles tonight, just a little low on energy but otherwise fine.

 

[morebiggins_lesswiggins]

Did 10 miles for the first time yesterday (10.7 to be precise ) In the first 6 weeks of trying this cycling lark out I managed 12 miles in total. In the last 10 days I have done over 40 miles. Something seems to have clicked. A few weeks ago I would do 4 miles and be in agony at the end. So much so that it was putting me off. When I finished my ride yesterday I felt ok. Next target, 15 miles!!

 

[NickJ95GB]

Did 10 miles for the first time yesterday (10.7 to be precise ) In the first 6 weeks of trying this cycling lark out I managed 12 miles in total. In the last 10 days I have done over 40 miles. Something seems to have clicked. A few weeks ago I would do 4 miles and be in agony at the end. So much so that it was putting me off. When I finished my ride yesterday I felt ok. Next target, 15 miles!!

i went straight from 15 to 42, and i felt okay after that from a reasonable pace, try something a step above what you think you feel comfortable doing

 

[beeblemaster]

I've noticed that a lot of the threads in this 'beginners' section are from people who can do 50 miles easily or average 20mph over long distances. .....

I was thinking the same.... I felt like I wasn't even the standard of a beginner!

Bought myself an old (maybe 12-16 years old) Diamondback rigid mountain bike off ebay for a bargain price, just over a month ago. Seems to be put together with some nice Shimano components and while well used, it's been very well looked after.

Living on a hill, it means wherever I go it's going to be hard work getting back, hauling my 18st frame up... but started off doing a few 3 milers, building myself up steadily and last Sunday did a good 17 miler, that I felt really proud about. On Monday in my lunch hour did an 8 mile non-stop and felt good about that too! Feeling good about it all.

Hoping to get some longer distances and try for a 30 miler, and attend events...

Loving it!

 

[Brandane]

Hoping to get some longer distances and try for a 30 miler, and attend events...

Loving it!

Well done the Beeblemaster, and welcome to the errrrm, wonderful world of CycleChat. I feel like I know you from somewhere .

 

[Reece]

Nice one.

Did 10 miles for the first time yesterday (10.7 to be precise ) In the first 6 weeks of trying this cycling lark out I managed 12 miles in total. In the last 10 days I have done over 40 miles. Something seems to have clicked. A few weeks ago I would do 4 miles and be in agony at the end. So much so that it was putting me off. When I finished my ride yesterday I felt ok. Next target, 15 miles!!

I completed my first 50miler last weekend after 6 weeks proper riding. I've realised mileage markers are not that bad as long as you keep energy and hydration up. Just go at a nice pace you can keep up without overdoing it and the miles fly by. Even better if you're in a group.

 

[Mo1959]

Nice one.

I completed my first 50miler last weekend after 6 weeks proper riding. I've realised mileage markers are not that bad as long as you keep energy and hydration up. Just go at a nice pace you can keep up without overdoing it and the miles fly by. Even better if you're in a group.

That's mighty impressive in such a short time. I think I'll have to leave such distances for next year.

 

[Nosaj]

When I first started, I was an overweight ex smoker circa 15.5 stone (I am around 11 1/2 now). I picked up my Bike got on the train to Sarfend on Sea to meet the missus and the Kids, rode along the sea front and felt great so rode all the way home (total 11.5miles) I am sure when I got in I did something stupid like ate a whole packet of biscuits as I was so hungry. This gave me the confidence and the following week I went along to a CTC ride they had a special event on which consisted of 10, 30 & 40 mile rides. I plomped for the ten miles but said I would ride the 7.5 miles to and from the venue 25 miles done. I was brimming with confidence so the next week I felt confident enough to go along to their normal ride.

Unfortunately every normal ride they do consists of a long drag up a hill. I was the last one up out of breath and gasping thinking what the hell have I done. Naturally as soon I reached the summit put my foot down and was congratulated by a lady not for making it to the top but for taking her place as the normal last person to the top, the ride leader said right everyone ready and off they all went. Luckily the rest of the ride was fairly flat. I ended up with 28 miles that week and very sore. I went along the next week and did 36 miles again last person to the top of the hill. I have never looked back since I am now the one up at the front and normally one of the first to reach the top of that hill.

When I first got my bike I concentrated on upping the distances to get to 50-60miles and couldn't give a stuff whether it took all day and I stopped 3 or 4 times as long as I came home with that mileage on the computer, that was all that I cared about. In fact it was only after about 2 or 3 months that I found out my CTC group ride at an average of between 12.5 and 14.5 (depending on the group) that showed how much I cared about average speed.

Once you get that base level of fitness it doesn't take you long to get quicker. I got itchy feet with the CTC as I wanted to try one season of racing so I joined a local club and went along on their training rides. I have done my season of racing (a little) and time trialling (a lot) enjoyed it immensly but have gone back to the CTC rides, although these are slower and steadier they are far more fun and there are always a few in the group on the way back who are not adverse to sprinting to a lampost or playing last one up the hill.

In conclusion it doesn't matter what you do, how you do it, what you do it on, who you do it with, how fast or slow you do it as long as you are having fun.

 

[Mo1959]

Great post Nosaj. Your last sentence just sums things up perfectly.

 

[Reece]

When I first started, I was an overweight ex smoker circa 15.5 stone (I am around 11 1/2 now). I picked up my Bike got on the train to Sarfend on Sea to meet the missus and the Kids, rode along the sea front and felt great so rode all the way home (total 11.5miles) I am sure when I got in I did something stupid like ate a whole packet of biscuits as I was so hungry. This gave me the confidence and the following week I went along to a CTC ride they had a special event on which consisted of 10, 30 & 40 mile rides. I plomped for the ten miles but said I would ride the 7.5 miles to and from the venue 25 miles done. I was brimming with confidence so the next week I felt confident enough to go along to their normal ride.

Unfortunately every normal ride they do consists of a long drag up a hill. I was the last one up out of breath and gasping thinking what the hell have I done. Naturally as soon I reached the summit put my foot down and was congratulated by a lady not for making it to the top but for taking her place as the normal last person to the top, the ride leader said right everyone ready and off they all went. Luckily the rest of the ride was fairly flat. I ended up with 28 miles that week and very sore. I went along the next week and did 36 miles again last person to the top of the hill. I have never looked back since I am now the one up at the front and normally one of the first to reach the top of that hill.

When I first got my bike I concentrated on upping the distances to get to 50-60miles and couldn't give a stuff whether it took all day and I stopped 3 or 4 times as long as I came home with that mileage on the computer, that was all that I cared about. In fact it was only after about 2 or 3 months that I found out my CTC group ride at an average of between 12.5 and 14.5 (depending on the group) that showed how much I cared about average speed.

Once you get that base level of fitness it doesn't take you long to get quicker. I got itchy feet with the CTC as I wanted to try one season of racing so I joined a local club and went along on their training rides. I have done my season of racing (a little) and time trialling (a lot) enjoyed it immensly but have gone back to the CTC rides, although these are slower and steadier they are far more fun and there are always a few in the group on the way back who are not adverse to sprinting to a lampost or playing last one up the hill.

In conclusion it doesn't matter what you do, how you do it, what you do it on, who you do it with, how fast or slow you do it as long as you are having fun.

Great post and should definantly be motivational for others.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just want to say well done to everyone, I will tomorrow if I get out pass 2000 miles since I started on the 23rd of June, and whilst my avg speed as been down this month from 14 mph to 13.6 I have ridden on avg 1 mile further and climbed an extra 14ft per mile (up from 31 ft per mile to 45 ft) for each days riding, I know not great improvements but it does explain the slower speed., of all the rides I have done using this formula (avg sp)*(ft climbed per mile)*distance then divide the answer by a 1000 for a meaningful number, todays ride was the most difficult to date, though to be far it didn't feel like it (must be the conditions). A total of 45 miles 2211ft elevation gained at an avg of 13.1mph.
Friday 19th

 

[marshmella]

I was thinking the same.... I felt like I wasn't even the standard of a beginner!

Bought myself an old (maybe 12-16 years old) Diamondback rigid mountain bike off ebay for a bargain price, just over a month ago. Seems to be put together with some nice Shimano components and while well used, it's been very well looked after.

Living on a hill, it means wherever I go it's going to be hard work getting back, hauling my 18st frame up... but started off doing a few 3 milers, building myself up steadily and last Sunday did a good 17 miler, that I felt really proud about. On Monday in my lunch hour did an 8 mile non-stop and felt good about that too! Feeling good about it all.

Hoping to get some longer distances and try for a 30 miler, and attend events...

Loving it!

Hi beeblemaster, just noticed another walsall member on here, Never saw a post in the welcome mat, but nevertheless good to have you along.

 

[Devonshiredave]

I got on my old (1995) Specialized M3000 MTB again in July after a 17 year absence from cycling. It had been stored in the garage all that time having covered less than 100 miles from new. I was going to flog it to raise a bit of cash for a new camera body. The tires were shot so I replaced them along with new tubes only to find the crankset was on a recall from Shimano. They honoured the warranty (15 years old!) and I got her serviced.
Having spent anything I might have raised from the sale, I decided to jump on and go for a ride, after all, it was like new again!
My first ride out saw me adjust the saddle 5 times, raising it each time. For the first time since I'd bought it in 1995, it felt "right". I'd always felt cramped on it. I probably covered 4 miles on undulating rural roads before arriving home with jelly legs!
The second ride was 8.5 miles, gradually extending the route each time I went out. The next was 12, then 13.2, then 14.6 miles. My confidence was growing and I began to contemplate commuting to work.
One Sunday morning I gave it a go. I got about 5 miles in (of the 12 miles one way) battling a head wind, and felt pretty tired. This was not the right bike to be commuting on. I felt now was time for a change.
My boss agreed to sign up to the cycle 2 work scheme and I am taking delivery of a Moda Bolero on Monday so I can start commuting and also enjoying some extended rides at weekends.
I like so many others have been well and truly bitten by the cycling bug, (although I used to cycle everywhere as a teenager on my Raleigh Royal 10 tourer). My wife saw the enthusiasm with which I looked forward to my rides and suggested she could get a bike and join me. She now has a new hybrid and we have a new interest that we can share.
I've lost over 5 kg since taking to the bike again. I rarely drop onto the second chain ring now and the hills aren't so daunting so I really feel like I've made progress.
My only regret? Not making use of the bike for the last 17 years!

 

[Black Lightning]

Hi All another newbie joining here, ive been cycling for around a month now can only go out at weekends due to work restrictions however this morning did 11.15 miles in 59 mins. i was quite pleased with this but not sure if his is any good.
oh just a bit of back ground im nearing the 50 mark pretty fast and just given up smoking. im no couch potatoe and dont need to lose weight just doing this as i want to do something with my life.