10mile trip just to keep my hand in!!

[deano-1970]

Evening all im new to the site so hello to the ones i havent said that to yet!..right ive just started cycling to work an bk after a few years off a bike,,been doing it now for three weeks its a 20mile round trip!..im off work now for 2 weeks for the summer shut down,,so i thought i better keep my hand in cus didnt want to get lazy while i was off but its only been 4days since i was on the saddle!!..and the 10 mile trip was bloody hard work so my question is will this get easier??...thanks alot...dean,,,,

 

[Hill Wimp]

Yes, do a little bit every day and every day go a little bit further, take a good look whats around you and enjoy the view. Its all about enjoyment how ever you do it.

 

[deano-1970]

Yes, do a little bit every day and every day go a little bit further, take a good look whats around you and enjoy the view. Its all about enjoyment how ever you do it.

 

[deano-1970]

yes i must say its hard work but i am enjoying it,,and yes ur right i suppose need to get out everyday!!,,cheers

 

[Hill Wimp]

yes i must say its hard work but i am enjoying it,,and yes ur right i suppose need to get out everyday!!,,cheers

The weather is supposed to be good for a few days. Don't make it a chore though. If you don't do as much tomorrow as you did today don't beat yourself up, its not a race.

As we women say and some men don't quite get, its quality not quantity.

 

[Kies]

Are we still talking about bikes/cycling :blush

 

[fossyant]

Yes. Keep at it. Doesn't get easier, you get faster.

 

[StuartG]

Finding it hard?

If its you then you are going to get better pretty fast. My dear lady went from 5 miles to 50 in 3 months (and she is no spring chicken).

If its the bike then you need to fix it first. Biggest mistake is not having the tyres pumped up fully. Best investment you can make is a track pump (about £20). Check what it says on the outside of the tyre something like 80psi, 110psi depending on whether they are thick and knobbly or thin. Proper pressure dramatically reduces resistance and punctures. Also is your seat post high enough? Google for guides on how to set it. Are your gears working OK? If not pop down to your LBS.

As for riding at the optimum cadence - watch other cyclists. Some glide along with no apparent effort whilst others are spinning wildly. Try matching those who appear to be doing it best. Then move up and down a gear. Which is better? Iterate towards the optimum style for you.

Check out Sky Rides. There are usually easy 5/10 mile trips. Its more fun and easier to cycle as a group and you can move up the distances. Some local authorities offer free training on your work route. Really helpful to have an expert show you the best line to take and point out any unhelpful habits. I had been cycling 50 years so I had a lot to unlearn!

Good luck - you are on the start of a wonderful journey to fun, fitness and when ale and cake fail to register on the waistline. What could be better?

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Yes it will get much easier: soon your commute will seem too short, you'll want to extend it for the fun of being on the bike.

 

[AndyRM]

All this talk of it getting "easier" is nonsense. It doesn't, you just get faster.

 

[TheSpence]

Keep at it matey!

I do a 18 mile round trip for work and have done for the past year or so. When I first started, I ended up with massive pumps in my legs making me struggle to climb stairs for an hour or two, and general tiredness. But now, I get into work, deep breath, gulp of water and recover much quicker.

The more you ride the more you will love it and be able to enjoy the route, the fresh air and the freedom!

 

[ComedyPilot]

OP - It's not a race, take it easy, ride so that you could comfortably hold a conversation, and maintain that level for a month. Then once your base fitness is there you can start increasing the effort. Soon you'll be interval training by putting effort in to climb over the railway bridge, sprinting between telegraph poles and then recovering, and doing it again. Some days you won't feel like it - fine - don't ride. Most of all enjoy it. Spread the word to friends and family, and before long you'll be leading rides out into the country to a local cafe or pub.

 

[LeeOsborne]

Hi Deano, It will get easier. I only started cycling in January this year, not been on a bike since I was a kid. My commute is only about 5 miles each way. At first it tired me but now it's a breeze & I very often take a longer route, 10 - 15 miles.
Back in June I rode coast to coast, St. Bee's in Cumbria to Robin Hood's Bay, 192 miles which included taking in the Tanhill Inn and some leg stinging climbs in Yorkshire.
I'm loving it now, in fact I did a PB yesterday to & from work, both sub 17 mins which included getting stuck behind traffic on the way home
Back in Jan I went to Cannock Chase on the MTB with a few mates and really struggled. I went with the same guys on Monday night and left them behind on every climb. I just need to learn how to stay on the thing on the downhill bits now.
The best thing is my waistline, a good 2" gone plus a stone and a half in weight.
Just enjoy riding and take care. Good luck too if you have to go across Bunt Tree traffic lights. I went through there the other day, first time since they finished it, way too many lanes to choose from

 

[MickL]

It does get easier Deano and living in Dudley you no doubt found out how hilly it all is :-)

 

[Black Country Ste]

I thought I was fit until getting a bike. My first 6-mile ride saw me getting off and pushing on the last hill. I was exhausted. That was 11 months ago. Four weeks ago I did Birmingham to Oxford - 85 miles and a 35 mile ride the day before.

It gets so much easier.