Up hill down dale

[sunrise65]

Hi all,

Just signed up as found the site whilst looking for youtube vids on adjusting front deraileurs Ok, so I have moved back up north to where I grew up after a rather sudden personal event and also leaving a very stressful job behind I was at 48 the classic overweight, over drinking, over smoking generally in bad shape kinda guy. A pic at a family gathering shocked me into action and over the last 18 months I have started to change things for the better starting off with a 1/2 mile walk a day. I'm now up to 5m a day @ 4mph but feel I am reaching the max I can achieve

So wots this got to do with cycling. Well over a decade ago I brought a Marin hybrid and having left it in a shed after going to London to find my fortune. I thought it would be good to get it out dust it off and start cycling again. I realise that this is no easy task as it is all up hill round where I live, but from small steps...... actually an taking the same approach as walking will start with a mile

Thanks for letting me in and looking forward to leaning and advancing

 

[uphillstruggler]

the up hill bit is the hard part, but once the hard bit is done, the down dale bit is fun.

more up hills you do, the more down dales you do - the more fun you have. what's not to like?

if the bike has been in the shed a good while, make sure all works well, cables are lubed, tyres and tubes aren't perished and the brake block do what they are suppose to - that way the down dale bit is fun, not dangerous

best of luck with the programme.

 

[arch684]

welcome and good luck with your cycling

 

[Bryony]

 

[raleighnut]

 

[paul04]

Hello

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi and

For the hills I recommend some low gears (which your Marin is very likely to have) and a good dollop of stubbornness. Works for me.

Make sure the bike is fettled as already suggested above and also make sure it's set up right for you (I have a bit of a thing about new riders setting their saddles too low which is bad for the knees and makes the bike feel much harder to ride).

 

[sunrise65]

Many thanks for all the welcomes and got back from a day out where I have left my bike for a check and new cables etc, taking vey seriously the points about brakes and going downhill! Could tell a funny story about me and brakes but won't to save the embarrassment. Read the thread on fixing ones own bike but I'd rather have it checked over before I go meddling with nuts and cables and 'stuff'. Looking forward to first ride.. now off to find out about saddle heights

 

[Yorksman]

I was at 48 the classic overweight, over drinking, over smoking generally in bad shape kinda guy. A pic at a family gathering shocked me into action and over the last 18 months I have started to change things for the better starting off with a 1/2 mile walk a day.

Positively silth like in comparison to my own sorry condition. I had a rare heart condition which sorted itself out but left me greatly overweight and unable to do much. Then things started to go downhill with things like balance and arthritis etc. I had difficulty walking to the car in a car park.

Cycling was very good for me as it is a low impact form of exercise. Within the year I was cycling in Swaledale. OK, even with very low gears I have to push up some hills but I do notice the improvement. I regularly cycle the greenways in the Pennines, using old railways lines they flatten out all those hills but I regularly try hills and am even managing to get up some, or at least, further up than I did before.

And cycling is so much more fun than walking.

 

[sunrise65]

Hi Yorksman, hmm Swaledale a tough starter I got some leaflets on local rides when TdF came through and am going to start small. Have to say I like walking too but looking for that extra bit of oomph to shift the weight. Anyway first test to come when I have bike back.

 

[Yorksman]

Hi Yorksman, hmm Swaledale a tough starter I got some leaflets on local rides when TdF came through and am going to start small. Have to say I like walking too but looking for that extra bit of oomph to shift the weight. Anyway first test to come when I have bike back.

I tend to do a lot of walking when out on the bike in the hills

 

[sunrise65]

Yes I shall be doing the same!

 

[Ganymede]

I got some leaflets on local rides when TdF came through and am going to start small. .

Yay! I started cycling regularly after Brad won in 2012. I nearly always cycle for utility purposes (visiting, getting to the station, shopping) but I crank up 20 - 40 miles in a week and the difference to my health is amazing. You will already have noticed this, having started walking, but there's something really and truly health-giving about outside exercise.

Welcome!

 

[Yorksman]

there's something really and truly health-giving about outside exercise.

Yes and whilst most people think about getting fitter, a stronger heart and lung function, getting in trim etc there are also major beneficial effects on the blood chemistry. You can literally see this in a centrifuged blood sample. Excercise releases certain hormones which trigger the production of certain enzymes which change the chemistry by lowering various lipids. They last for about 36 hours so daily exercise keeps them nicely topped up. Moreover, to get this benefit, you only need to do 200kcal to 250 kcal per day, doing more after that won't change much, although it will obviously still helps in fitness levels etc.

"The role of physical activity must be considered. Increased levels of daily activity bring about decreases in liver fat stores and a single bout of exercise substantially decreases both de novo lipogenesis and plasma VLDL."

Exercise can prevent certain things happening, such as fatty liver, which you don't see, as well as repairing some things that have happened.

 

[sunrise65]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. Although sunny its nippy here and pondering appropriate clothing for once I start on my journey! Off to start writing my letter to santa as I have seen mince pies in the shops!!