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

[Nigelnaturist]

Well, completed the Challenge this morning by going a nice scenic run from Crieff up through Comrie, St Fillans and round Loch Earn. The south road is a narrow single track road with passing places and getting very rough and broken up in places. I was glad of the Durano Plus tyres.

As usual, got a bit let down by saddle and lower back pain after around the 25 mile mark. Back almost starts to spasm the longer I go on. It's a pity because the legs actually felt not too bad.

Here's the route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/50900192

Well done, you are so far the highest female on the challenge from cyclechat (but you knew this already).

 

[SWSteve]

Well, completed the Challenge this morning by going a nice scenic run from Crieff up through Comrie, St Fillans and round Loch Earn. The south road is a narrow single track road with passing places and getting very rough and broken up in places. I was glad of the Durano Plus tyres.

As usual, got a bit let down by saddle and lower back pain after around the 25 mile mark. Back almost starts to spasm the longer I go on. It's a pity because the legs actually felt not too bad.

Here's the route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/50900192

Great ride, and congratulations on getting the challenge! Do you ever sleep? Because you must be up very early to have done this in the morning

 

[Mo1959]

Well done, you are so far the highest female on the challenge from cyclechat (but you knew this already).

I am sure there will be several riders putting in big miles over the weekend who will probably go on to pass me but I am not bothered. At the start of the month I didn't actually think I would even complete it so I am happy with what I have done. Probably have at least a couple of days off now I think.

 

[Mo1959]

Great ride, and congratulations on getting the challenge! Do you ever sleep? Because you must be up very early to have done this in the morning

One of the side effects of being menopausal and older Steve Have been up around 5am most mornings this week.

 

[SWSteve]

One of the side effects of being menopausal and older Steve Have been up around 5am most mornings this week.

Blimey, I'm all for early mornings but 5am is horrible. I had to do that a couple of times for Ten Tors and it was not great

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I am sure there will be several riders putting in big miles over the weekend who will probably go on to pass me but I am not bothered. At the start of the month I didn't actually think I would even complete it so I am happy with what I have done. Probably have at least a couple of days off now I think.

You deserve a few rest days.
I didn't think I could do this sort of mileage in a month, let alone the day after day riding, when we were two weeks in I thought I was going to do it easily, then the wheels, I thought it over especially after 5 days off, but this last week as surprised me really.

 

[Lowcliff]

Well i finally managed to get out on the bike for the first time last weekend,the bike was bought in january (mekk poggio 2g), the last time i was on a bike was back in October. The ride was from near Selby to York and back a total of 36.03 miles, i found the return leg difficult but managed to complete it. Next weekend we are doing Morcambe to Bridlington over the 3 day Bank holiday , i think i just like punishment, i will report back next week

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Well, completed the Challenge this morning by going a nice scenic run from Crieff up through Comrie, St Fillans and round Loch Earn. The south road is a narrow single track road with passing places and getting very rough and broken up in places. I was glad of the Durano Plus tyres.

As usual, got a bit let down by saddle and lower back pain after around the 25 mile mark. Back almost starts to spasm the longer I go on. It's a pity because the legs actually felt not too bad.

Here's the route.

http://app.strava.com/activities/50900192

3 days to spare as well, means three days rest before it all starts again!

 

[Pip Edgecombe]

Hi Typhon, great thread.I am a noobie fat bloke on a bike...

Fat Bloke? Yes, that's me; Hello!
I'm Pip and I have signed up to Cycle Chat so I can get back into cycling, learn from you guys, get fit and not be such a fat bloke any more.
I haven't ridden competitvely since I was 15 - that was cyclocross in the late 70's on my Raleigh Transit, long before we'd even heard of mountain biking, and I was an OK rider. So 30 years have passed and I have had a bike (a Specialized Rock Hopper) for the past few years but aside from a few months of cycling to work on it (102 miles per week) it sits in the garage and I haven't been on it for about a year. Until today... I have decided that it is now or never and the only way I am going to get fit is to get out their and do it so I have written my training plan, got my bike serviced, and jumped in the saddle.
I downloaded an app called MapMyFitness and set off.
My route was a mixture of tarmac road right through to boggy mud (including getting stuck). I did 9.45 miles in 54 minutes which seems very slow at 10.5mph however I am strugglling with a damaged knee and I did have a couple of rests; once when my legs were really hurting on a big hill and once when I felt sick on the level after going for it for a few minutes. A rest day tomorrow then 45 minutes of hill work on Monday - I am dreading it but know it will get easier.
My target is to lose two or three stone and be fit enough to compete in Muddy Hell in October.
I need to learn the mechanics of modern bikes rather than rely on my local shop - does anyone have any ideas of the best way start? - I'll be joining a local CC in a month or so which should help. In the mean time I have a squeak from my front wheel (I think) so will take a look and start there.
Cheers Guys - Happy Cycling!​

 

[Typhon]

Welcome Pip and thank you! That's a good first ride as you've been off the bike for so long. I think most people in this thread have lost significant weight since starting so I'm sure you will too.

I bought a bike maintenance book but it confused the hell out of me. Youtube is a godsend. It's so much easier to see a video of someone actually doing the thing you need to do, rather than reading a 2 page explanation!

 

[Typhon]

Well I seem to have perfected the first Western version of a rain dance. And it's really very simple - I just get my bike sorted for a ride, get changed et voilà!

Hopefully it'll clear up soon...

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Just to echo James, welcome Pip, my first ride I averaged about the same speed, but on the road (off road as never interested me) so I reckon thats good going, and as you say it will get easier. As for noises try and and note if there is a regularity to them, but your front wheel, wheel catching on brakes, either recentre brakes or check for trueness of the wheel, or bearings and spoke tension.
Brakes and spokes will happen each revolution bearings possible most of the time, but again could be each revolution.

Now I know who to blame to for getting hailed on James, thanks.
Well another 50Km ticked off, less than 100Km left, barring anything else going wrong.
New shorts well what can I say, I was no more uncomfortable at the end of the ride as I was when I set off, if anything I was more comfortable, and for once the 50km didn't seem far enough even given the conditions, and guess what the Sun is trying to shine, one other thing, though a little tight round the waist ( I measured 33" the other so got a medium, even having read reviews and to get a larger size), the legs were fine and even kept my leg warmers in place unlike my other shorts, so maybe it's just people not being used to how tight cycling shorts are meant to be, maybe someone can correct me.
I have lost track of how many p.b's I have got since the new wheels (sorry to mention them again, but I can't believe the difference)
http://app.strava.com/activities/50928642

 

[MaxInc]

Second week of cycling almost finished, on my short 4mile training route I have increased my PB by a good 5 minutes, dropping under 20minutes now. Also Strava seems to report an increase in average power output on the same route every time I go out, not sure how accurate it is but delta is there and there's enough trips to exclude logging errors so I will take that as progress. Today managed get a nice average of 195W on my first longer trip of 22km to a friend. Never noticed the hills while driving or riding the motorbike but boy they felt steep and infinitely long while cycling ... haha. Eyes did not pop out but I was getting concerned at some point

Nevertheless the high speed descents on the bumpy pavements and trails were pure fun, and the occasional skid and jump brought huge smiles on my face. Had a very brief (and pointless) challenge uphill with a road biker, even managed to narrow the gap ever so slightly until the guy began pedalling upright and quickly gaining speed, leaving me (almost screaming in pain) behind ... amazing fun though.

Bottom line, biking is fun and is getting more exciting every day, can't wait to find my better form and have a look behind at the end of summer. Until then I'll keep celebrating the baby steps and enjoy the process.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Second week of cycling almost finished, on my short 4mile training route I have increased my PB by a good 5 minutes, dropping under 20minutes now. Also Strava seems to report an increase in average power output on the same route every time I go out, not sure how accurate it is but delta is there and there's enough trips to exclude logging errors so I will take that as progress. Today managed get a nice average of 195W on my first longer trip of 22km to a friend. Never noticed the hills while driving or riding the motorbike but boy they felt steep and infinitely long while cycling ... haha. Eyes did not pop out but I was getting concerned at some point

Nevertheless the high speed descents on the bumpy pavements and trails were pure fun, and the occasional skid and jump brought huge smiles on my face. Had a very brief (and pointless) challenge uphill with a road biker, even managed to narrow the gap ever so slightly until the guy began pedalling upright and quickly gaining speed, leaving me (almost screaming in pain) behind ... amazing fun though.

Bottom line, biking is fun and is getting more exciting every day, can't wait to find my better form and have a look behind at the end of summer. Until then I'll keep celebrating the baby steps and enjoy the process.

Well done on he decreased times, it gives you an aim trying to catch someone, even if you don't.

 

[philinmerthyr]

Another 50 miles for me today. Quite windy in South West Wales but a great day for a ride.

http://app.strava.com/activities/50937972