Where have you really come from...??

[Lucheni]

In the space of a year I've gone from genuinely believing that riding all the way to town, ten reasonably flat miles, is a ridiculously difficult journey and nigh on impossible for me. I might never have gotten over that mental block if it wasn't for a mate insisting it wasn't just possible but easy. I've gone from walking every hill on that route, to powering up most of the hills in 3rd.

I've gone from never using the big ring to almost never using the big ring.
I've ridden up hills that I still complain about when walking.

Sadly, I seem to have reached a plateau, averaging about 10mph on most of my rides and no discernible improvement over the past few months. Perhaps it's all the heat and ice creams.

 

[Alan Whicker]

I followed the usual trajectory... steel 'racers' as a kid, then using one as a student. When I moved to London we lived in Zone 1 so a bike was my primary mode of transport - even if it was a BSO. From that I went onto a low-end 'proper' MTB, then a good one (Spesh Hardrock which I still own). I've never been fitter than I was then. Used the MTBs on and off road, but being skint could only run to knobbly tyres (on which i rode to Brighton!). After that I moved onto classic scooters, a lifelong obsession but I couldn't afford to buy one until ten years ago. The Vespa was my main transport until I realised that it was turning me into a tub of lard. About three years ago I started to commute on the Hardrock - at first, after riding the five or so miles, I could barely manage the steps to my office from where I parked the bike.

After about three weeks I was wishing I had a longer commute.

A few months later, I bought a Trek 7.3FX and never looked back - in fact, i'm at the stage where a bicycle is so integrated into my life I don't think of myself as a 'cyclist', in the way that anyone who uses a washing machine doesn't think of themselves as a 'washing machinerist'. I've also built up a singlespeed, which I use when i think my fitness levels are falling off. I know I'm doing alright if i'm ravenously hungry all the time.

(and I'm still obsessed with scooters, but i'm no longer a tub of lard)

 

[teletext45]

In the space of a year I've gone from genuinely believing that riding all the way to town, ten reasonably flat miles, is a ridiculously difficult journey and nigh on impossible for me. I might never have gotten over that mental block if it wasn't for a mate insisting it wasn't just possible but easy. I've gone from walking every hill on that route, to powering up most of the hills in 3rd.

I've gone from never using the big ring to almost never using the big ring.
I've ridden up hills that I still complain about when walking.

Sadly, I seem to have reached a plateau, averaging about 10mph on most of my rides and no discernible improvement over the past few months. Perhaps it's all the heat and ice creams.

are you a member of a club? i was in your situation a few months back and felt i wasn't progressing in the slightest but since I've joined a club I've got plans to start racing next year

 

[GrasB]

...Just over a month ago I went on a club run with a local racing club, this was a serious shock to the system and I lasted 10 miles before having to head off at my own pace. After feeling hugely disheartened I picked myself up and and trained towards my impending sportive; 'The Big G' with training and hard work I completed this 1 hour and 15 minutes quicker then my previous sportive...

See this is what happens -

• you develop & see your speed increasing & you overtake everyone so you think you're a strong rider...
• one day you find Mr. R. Strong who is faster than you...
• you to train & get stronger so you're stronger that Mr. R. Strong....
• repeat cycle

this works up until you never seem to find anyone that's faster than you which actually pi$$es you off big time because you no longer have an obtainable target to beat... or you win the TdF

 

[teletext45]

thanks for the advice! I've really putting the work in these days and its starting to pay off!

andy

 

[gaz]

wait you've injured yourself on top of the collarbone?

I was injured at the start of the year, I believe the original question was where were you 6 months ago and where are you now.

 

[Lucheni]

are you a member of a club? i was in your situation a few months back and felt i wasn't progressing in the slightest but since I've joined a club I've got plans to start racing next year

I'm not yet but I've seriously been thinking about joining one. There were only two things really putting me off, the certain knowledge that joining a club will be the start of a slippery slope to N+1 (I may be in denial about already being on that slope), and the worry that I might end up ruining someone's sunday ride every single time I show up. Reckon I'll give it a go though, thanks!

 

[teletext45]

most clubs generally are really welcoming and encourage you, however just be careful as some clubs 'social ride' is really competitive so just make sure you check average speeds etc. You'll find you ride alot better with a group of people and you may hold people up as you expect


andy

 

[Hip Priest]

I started back in Spring. Total cycling n00b. I was sick of the bus, and sick of being unfit, so decided to buy a cheap bike to make the 9 mile round trip to work and back. Like others on here, the first few commutes knackered me - I remember riding home into a headwind thinking "I'm never going to make it." Now, the commute is a breeze and I've bought a roadbike for weekend rides, currently around 20 miles. I've also got into cycle racing and have read a few books about the Tour de France. I'm also gradually losing weight - despite eating like a pig all the time due to my increased appetite - and my performances at football have improved as a result of the increased fitness.

So yeah, there's only one downside really - I've spent a bloody fortune on cycling stuff!