are there more complete beginners?

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

mrsbaggins

New Member
Location
West Midlands
after reading a few of the posts in the beginners section I realised that compared to those I am not even at the starting post! Until a few months ago I had never even ridden or owned a bike. I have bought a cheap one to get me started and to see how I like it and i have loved it! my longest ride so far has only been about 18 miles and that off road. I have even had a couple of road safety lessons to give me some confidence on the roads and to show me where I should be riding and such like and have enjoyed those too. I consider my self a fairly fit person as I am at gym 3-4 times a week but I just get so exhausted while riding but am hoping this will get better.- to be honest I dont think I could get any worse!

If there are any other completly new riders there it would be nice to see how you are getting along as well!
 
I took a whole family of beginners out for some instruction on Monday night, so you are by no means the only one. Well done for riding 18 miles off road - that's a considerable distance.
 

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
18 miles is very respectable, and off-road makes it harder!
Dont' worry, fitness will come if you keep at it. It won't be long before you think 18 miles is a warm-up!
:thumbsup:
 

Arch

Married to Night Train
Location
Salford, UK
18 miles is good! Millions of people couldn't or wouldn't ride that far. Well done, and keep it up. You will find it easier and, as importantly, you'll find you recover more quickly after rides.

You're doing exactly the right things too - finding out if you like it, what sort of cycling you like best, having some tuition. Perfect!

One warning. You do know about N+1 don't you? The perfect number of bikes to own is N+1, where N is the number of bikes currently owned..... ;)
 

BenScoobert

Senior Member
Location
Halifax
after reading a few of the posts in the beginners section I realised that compared to those I am not even at the starting post! Until a few months ago I had never even ridden or owned a bike. I have bought a cheap one to get me started and to see how I like it and i have loved it! my longest ride so far has only been about 18 miles and that off road. I have even had a couple of road safety lessons to give me some confidence on the roads and to show me where I should be riding and such like and have enjoyed those too. I consider my self a fairly fit person as I am at gym 3-4 times a week but I just get so exhausted while riding but am hoping this will get better.- to be honest I dont think I could get any worse!

If there are any other completly new riders there it would be nice to see how you are getting along as well!

Whilst I had bikes as a kid, nothing since I was 17, I think that makes me a "complete born-again beginner"

I managed 2.5 miles gentle uphill on a mountian bike on my1st outing, 4 mile circuit on my 2nd and 3 miles offroad until i fell off on my 3rd.

New bike coming today, my brother has been doing a 15.8mile circuit, my 1st goal is to be able to complete that, about 8 miles fairly tough climb and 7 miles freewheel home.

18 miles is good, don't do yourself down, building your fitness and stamina is a side effect of riding, just keep enjoying the ride.
 

BrumJim

Forum Stalwart (won't take the hint and leave...)
18? Not bad. The best thing is that next time you try 18 it will feel a whole load easier. Unless you push it a whole load faster, of course!!
 

Chris S

Legendary Member
Location
Birmingham
I only learned to ride a bike a few weeks ago. After three decades of motoring I was surprised by the amount of freedom cyclists have got.

You did not to fill in any paperwork - you just get on your bike and go, almost anywhere!
 

BenScoobert

Senior Member
Location
Halifax
I only learned to ride a bike a few weeks ago. After three decades of motoring I was surprised by the amount of freedom cyclists have got.

You did not to fill in any paperwork - you just get on your bike and go, almost anywhere!

shush, you'll be giving them ideas for another tax to help support the unemployable
 

slugonabike

New Member
Location
Bournemouth
Hi Chris. I learned to cycle for the first time, aged 50, less than 2 years ago. So, I'm not an absolute beginner now but I'm far from experienced.

Learning to ride was possibly one of the most difficult things I have done, certainly as an adult. I'm getting more confident but am still not good going through gates, barriers etc. Just the other week I came off whilst stationary - tried to put my foot down but the path was steeply cambered and I toppled over sideways :blush:. I cycle the couple of miles to w*rk when I can and I'm gaining confidence in traffic.

I love the freedom of off-road - but roads are certainly easier! My longest ride to date is 24 miles, mostly along the prom.

As to the N+1, I've already mentioned 'my next bike' to Mr Slug (although he's first in the queue really)!
 

soulful dog

Veteran
Location
Glasgow
 Just a few months riding and you've already done 18 miles, that's good going! I was a complete beginner (well apart from cycling as a kid - we were taught at primary school!)  when I started cycling about 3 years ago and it took me a lot longer than a few months to reach double figures   :blush:
 

Ranger

New Member
Location
Fife borders
. Just the other week I came off whilst stationary - tried to put my foot down but the path was steeply cambered and I toppled over sideways :blush:.

I was a complete beginner and did something similar and then did exactly the same about 5 years later when I went clipless. Nothing to worry about, just look around and act as though you meant to do it :thumbsup:
 
OP
OP
mrsbaggins

mrsbaggins

New Member
Location
West Midlands
its really nice to know there are others similar to me! I dont know why I didnt do it ages ago. Although I havent told anyone at work I am having lessons-it feels a bit embarassing !
 

kevcampbell

New Member
Location
London
its really nice to know there are others similar to me! I dont know why I didnt do it ages ago. Although I havent told anyone at work I am having lessons-it feels a bit embarassing !

i have been riding different types of bikes almost all my life (had a 5 or 6 break though, but that break will soon be coming to an end this or next month when i get my new bike)

there is nothing wrong with taking courses or falling off a bike, i would say teach yourself rather than let someone else, but i guess that has its disadvantages and advantages, but the main thing is you learners and learning, the more people that learn and start to cycle the better, so keep up the great work
 

slugonabike

New Member
Location
Bournemouth
Kevin, I wouldn't have had the confidence to try and teach myself (nor the bike on which to do it). I started off, just like a kid, learning to balance with no pedals on the bike. However, it still took me weeks to actually be able to get both feet on the pedals - one foot on, push down, wacked on the calf by the other pedal and repeat! LOL
 
after reading a few of the posts in the beginners section I realised that compared to those I am not even at the starting post! Until a few months ago I had never even ridden or owned a bike. I have bought a cheap one to get me started and to see how I like it and i have loved it! my longest ride so far has only been about 18 miles and that off road. I have even had a couple of road safety lessons to give me some confidence on the roads and to show me where I should be riding and such like and have enjoyed those too. I consider my self a fairly fit person as I am at gym 3-4 times a week but I just get so exhausted while riding but am hoping this will get better.- to be honest I dont think I could get any worse!

If there are any other completly new riders there it would be nice to see how you are getting along as well!

As Peps have said 18 miles off road is quite a fair distance, indeed I cannot recall when I last managed to do that, apart from tracks along the North and South Downs, so it a big well done. However it would be nice to know how long it took to complete the 18 miles, and if your route it had its fair share of hills, that would give some idea as to your fitness. Going to the gym can be a different form of exercise, more so if you don’t have a set training regime, whereas cycling is very cardio-vascular in the form of exercise it provides, maybe you should get one of the many cycle training books from your local library and see if you can find a programme that would suit your needs and so leave you less knackered.
 
Top Bottom