1 hour 15 mins for only 6 miles :(

[lazy]

Hi all
I am new at cycling. I live in barking and work in Canary wharf. It took me a disappointing 1 hour and 10 mins for just 6 miles. it is my second day and man my legs are killing me and even my bum is hurting :/
I have a crappy mountain bike which i bought from tescos for around 50 quid on sale.

I traveled from barking underground station to A124 Barking Road till i reached blackwell tunnel and from their i entered canary wharf.




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[summerdays]

Doesn't matter what time it takes now... just note it down and then in a few weeks/months look back and realise quite how far you have come.

 

[lazy]

Doesn't matter what time it takes now... just note it down and then in a few weeks/months look back and realise quite how far you have come.

Thanks for your kind words. I will keep trying but i think have to change my bike.

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[Deleted member 1258]

Hi all
I am new at cycling. I live in barking and work in Canary wharf. It took me a disappointing 1 hour and 10 mins for just 6 miles. it is my second day and man my legs are killing me and even my bum is hurting :/
I have a crappy mountain bike which i bought from tescos for around 50 quid on sale.

I traveled from barking underground station to A124 Barking Road till i reached blackwell tunnel and from their i entered canary wharf.

Sent from my GT-N7000 using Tapatalk

It takes time to build up the fitness and get used to cycling, you just need to keep at it and you will get better at it.

 

[byegad]

If you went straight into a 6 mile commute from no cycling it will take a little time but you will get a lot faster. Try riding every other day so your legs recover on your rest days, then move to two out of three days riding. Within a month you'll be much faster and riding every day.

 

[MattHB]

Don't worry about the time! I sometimes think cycle computers and stop watches are the cause of huge stress!

It's the miles that matter keep going but don't overdo it, a steady slow increase is better than burning yourself out. Listen to your body and respond, if you feel like a few more miles do them, if not, don't

 

[summerdays]

Thanks for your kind words. I will keep trying but i think have to change my bike.

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I agree a lighter bike might help ... but there is no point rushing out immediately to replace this one unless you have a clear idea of what you want to replace it with. So start looking around and taking a few test rides perhaps.

 

[gb155]

It matters not what others can do, but how much you can IMPROVE yourself on each ride !


Nail it mate

 

[numbnuts]

The first step to cycling is getting on a bike so a BIG well done

 

[Svendo]

When I first got a road bike, riding 3 miles left me gasping and aching. Now, several years later, I'm reasonably fit and find long rides no bother and really long rides a fun challenge, and people often tell me to eat more, I'm too thin. (I eat loads, usually 4 meals a day!). On the downside I've also spent a shedload of cash on bikes and kit and my GF thinks I love my Storck more than her (nearly true, but not quite!)
Some advice is to remember the '10% rule', which is to increase by no more than that much a week, in time or distance. Allow time to rest and recover.
With your bike, if it has suspension when cycling on the road lock it out if you can, or make it as stiff as possible if adjustable. You waste effort bouncing unecessarily, and it makes it more uncomfortable. The tyres will slow you down if knobbly, so that might be a first upgrade. You can get intermediate tyres, with smooth centres for road and a bit of knobbly on the sides for canal paths and light off road.
Lots of riders wear padded shorts to aid comfort, although your bum getting used to the small area of the saddle is a large part of it. You can get padded under shorts if you want to avoid lycra.

Main thing is to keep at it,and come back here for advice when you need it (i'm thinking when your tesco bike needs fixing etc. etc.) there are lots of friendly people with years of experience in all aspects of cycling who enjoy encouraging and helping others. We were all novices once!

Check out gb155's blog in his signature if you really want some inspiration.

 

[lazy]

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

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[deptfordmarmoset]

There's a good chance that when you start out your muscles will be tensing up and fighting each other, making forward progress much more painful. The more you cycle, and fiddle and fettle your riding position though, the more you'll find ways to use those muscles together not against each other and the more you'll find out how to relax and rest when you're riding.

 

[Mike!]

The bum will get better too...

 

[ianrauk]

6 years ago I couldn't even ride 1 mile let alone 6.

I have done a few miles this year as shows in my ticker below.

Keep at it mate, it get's easier, you get faster and you get fitter.

Welcome to Cycle Chat BTW!

 

[gavroche]

Change your bike asap and your time will improve greatly. At present, with your cheap MTB, it is like trying to run a mile with heavy work boots on. Having the right bike will make it easier on your legs (less weight) and more pleasurable. Good luck and keep at it.