1 hour 15 mins for only 6 miles :(

[Nearly there]

The fitness will come your body will get used to it weve all had the sore butt have u got padded shorts/leggings? they help some are saying change your bike will it help?perhaps but theres no point splashing out on a more expensive ride if you throw in the towel on cycling like many do,good luck

 

[byegad]

Good point that knobbly tyres are damn hard work. A pair of 1 1/2 " slicks will make a huge difference and still manage to cope with a soft or poor surface adequately.

 

[marinyork]

Good point that knobbly tyres are damn hard work. A pair of 1 1/2 " slicks will make a huge difference and still manage to cope with a soft or poor surface adequately.

Yeap, I finally persuaded a mate to get rid of knobblies on his 20kg MTB a while back. His speeds tended to be 6.5mph to 8.5mph (he's been riding years) and he was straight away posting a lot more 9mphs. 1mph difference give or take on specific days easily.

 

[Chris-H]

Check your tyre pressures too mate,pump em up to just below the maximum recomended pressure (shown on the tyre wall),that should help a fair bit,good for you at having a go mate and we're all behind you,keep us updated on your progress

 

[HLaB]

You got out there mate, that's the main thing IMHO and look on the positive it leaves room for improvement without hopefully too much effort; if you're first ride had been a sub 20 minutes ride it'd have been damn hard to improve You are making it hard work for yourself on a heavy mtb from a supermarket; the above tips are good ones, good luck

 

[PaulSecteur]

Just to echo everyone else. 2 years ago I couldnt do more than 2 miles, despite not thinking of myself as particularly unfit or unhealthy. Just signing up for the 112 miles fens ride now.

Keep chipping away at it, You will be suprised how fast the improvemnts will come.

Set youself a target of keeping at it for a few months, if you do then treat yourself to a new bike.

 

[WychwoodTrev]

It dont matter how quick or slow you are the most important thing is you get out and enjoy yourself and then you get fitter

 

[brokenflipflop]

Hi Lazy. 4 months ago I had not been on a bike for 20 years............did 36 miles on my first ride in just over 2 hours and felt fresh as a daisy afterwards.

 

[biggs682]

doing the ride is the first , 2nd is to enjoy it and the 3rd is doing it again , once happy and enjoying it then look at changing bike or components depending on budget and see differance they can all make

 

[lazy]

Thanks all you guys are so supportive. .today is the rest day..

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

 

[Melonfish]

KEEP GOING!!!

i spent ages doing a 5 mile stretch on a dodgy tesco's BSO (bike shaped object) it took me 40 mins!
since switching to a hybrid i cut that to 20 mins. combination of thinner tyres, lighter bike and proper setup/seating position and hight.

 

[Ethan]

Thank you all you guys are a great help.i will rest tomorrow.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

Keep at it, its pretty shite at first, but it becomes fun in no time at all!
Like others have said, take a note of how long its taken you each day, you'll soon see the improvement!
I used to get to uni looking like I just left the shower on the verge of having an asthma attack after my 10 mile round commute. I did a lot of country riding, but riding in Manchester was just so different and it really took it out of me!

If you are enjoying the ride, and its only the time its taking you to get to work thats putting you down then its well worth sticking with it!

For what its worth, I found that just going out for a ride helped a lot!
No set destination, just riding where ever the road takes me. Great way to build up fitness while having fun!
I still do it in fact, sometimes I average 20mph, sometimes I average 5. Doesn't really matter when you come home with a smile on your face

 

[fenlandpsychocyclist]

I was in exactly the same position back in March 2010 ... not been on a bike for 18 years, doctor telling me to "take some exercise to help my asthma".

My experiences:

Starting with a raleigh banana mountain bike (retrieved from the compost heap), riding 2 miles to/from work a day.
Then cycling to my lock up 6 miles from home, to get the car on a saturday.
Then using the car all week.
Then putting the car up the next saturday and biking 6 miles home.
Then used the bike for work all week.
Got stuck in that rut from march 2010 - may 2010 alternating from car to bike ... then one day just grabbed the bike and tried to
do wisbech-sandringham and back.
I did it, 54 miles, nearly killed my ar$e.
Then the next weekend, new gel seat, another long ride of 62 miles.
Ar$e ready to fall off and legs like jelly when i got home! (Gel seats = sweat, friction, heat, rash and pain)!

Then i fitted lightweight wheels and slick tyres, road bike seat, padded trousers and water bottles ... that helped!!
I quickly identified a decent 22 mile circuit around relatively safe fen roads, and did that at least twice a week until december 2010
on this "heavy" but "free running" sitty up bike (24kgs!!!) i then looked to buying a modern road bike.

I think you should do the same: Just make minor changes to sort out pressure points (seat/padded trousers) and maybe switch to
second hand "lightweight" wheels from ebay with slick tyres ..... then just ride and ride. Work at keeping your legs moving quickly
at any speed to reduce strain on muscles/knees.

You'll know when you're getting fit as you can taste the co2 in your breath when really pushing hard and you'll start seeing things
out the sides of your eyes due to your legs stealing all available glucose from you brain.

 

[The Brewer]

Hey Lazy, I was where you are twelve months ago.

Slowly it gets easier. Not saying what i cycle daily, but its now enjoyable.

Take your time, enjoy the good weather and blow a big raspberry at the top of hills

 

[Globalti]

When I started cycling again seven miles nearly killed me. Now 50 to 100 miles is achievable without too much trouble.

As others have written, just slick tyres pumped up to maximum will make a massive difference.