Beginner Training

[Yorkshire Lad]

OK, I have recently taken on a very large urge to get back on the bike after a couple of years out. I was a promising climber but i'm sure that i've ruined any potential that I had by missing out on probably the key years of my progress.

I have a decent road bike/ odometer so all it is really is matter of getting back on the bike. Sharpish.

Quite a lot of you on here will probably say that there is nothing quite like the feeling of feeling strong on a steep hill, especially if it is the second or third of the ride. Anyone who has rode in the Yorkshire Dales will understand the nature of the hills in question.

But how should I go about it? I have just sorted out my diet; cut the crap and split meals into 4/5 smaller portions for a better metabolism. My cardio strength has suffered with the years off but luckily I don't have to lump around excess weight which would require a weight-loss diet. I have also heard good things about weight training, leg extentions and such. More leg muscle must surely help.

For my first couple of rides should I keep it slow and steady, just get a few miles in my legs or see where I am at physically? One thing to note is that I recently had flu so I may not be at even my current optimun fitness.

Any tips/ experience on anything would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

Well, I seem to be pretty much over my flu now so i'll use today to nip into uni and hand my work in so i'm done for crimbo then.

Today should be fine to keep up to my 'diet' then i may be able to get out for a short ride tomorrow morning, not best pleased at having to work saturday evenings but that's another story. Sunday will be a struggle for both eating properly and riding -7am - 5pm shift.

 

[Bill Gates]

Build up gradually and avoid the temptation to go out very hard each time you ride and you'll be fine. Keep us informed on the health fitness training forum.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

Thanks for that Bill. I have arranged a short ride with a guy I work with for wednesday, going around the Mirfield way if anyone knows it. It's only going to be around 10 mile or so so nothing major. Looking forward to it very much so.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

I'm sorry Bill, I succumbed to temptation! The distance was easy, ~13 mile, but the terrain was challenging. I just had to see where I was at physically and mentally. The good news is I survived.. just.. so I can fight another day. Gonna tackle the same route in a couple of weeks, probably two. Before then though i'm going to try to get out as much as possible and hopefully couple that with some dedicated leg strengthening excercises. One thing I did notice on the climbs though was how quickly I found myself in first gear, would you suggest a change of gearing to give me a bit of lee-way up the climbs?

 

[aka0019]

Thanks for that Bill. I have arranged a short ride with a guy I work with for wednesday, going around the Mirfield way if anyone knows it. It's only going to be around 10 mile or so so nothing major. Looking forward to it very much so.

Totally off topic but my sister lives in Mirfield and i'm off there for xmas. Gonna be out on my bike while i'm there as I want to keep my legs spinning. I'm a member of Greens gym so giong to try and find the one down there and use it.

Anyway, totally of topic I know! Good luck with the training!

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

There's some absolutely stunning rides around that area aka, your probably much fitter than me aswell so you'll enjoy it a lot. Old road to Sheffield from Huddersfield is supposed to be a very fun ride, I know it's one road but it's up and down both ways. From what I saw of Heaton Hill today, dry conditions should see some amazing downhill and of course, you have to get to the top of the hill to go downhill

 

[Bill Gates]

I'm sorry Bill, I succumbed to temptation! The distance was easy, ~13 mile, but the terrain was challenging. I just had to see where I was at physically and mentally. The good news is I survived.. just.. so I can fight another day. Gonna tackle the same route in a couple of weeks, probably two. Before then though i'm going to try to get out as much as possible and hopefully couple that with some dedicated leg strengthening excercises. One thing I did notice on the climbs though was how quickly I found myself in first gear, would you suggest a change of gearing to give me a bit of lee-way up the climbs?

Yes I'm very disappointed with you.

I presume you mean the lowest gear, and your question is whether or not you should keep the lowest gear in reserve and use those gears that are one or two higher?

Well that's a diificult one as the gear you choose is relative to your fitness, level of effort and steepness of incline. You could use a pedalling technique with a relatively high cadence around 80 rpm or a higher gear and use your upper body as leverage getting out of the saddle every so often.

Count the number of teeth on your chainring and those on the rear wheel cassette and an idea of the length and severity of the climbs and the let us know how fast you are pedalling in those gears.

 

[Banjo]

I am only a beginner here but wouldnt rush to fit different gears. If your getting up the hills now in lowest gear I would guess that give it a month or two and you will get up the same hills with one or two gear changes left in reserve.

I know that hills I went up in lowest gear 6 months ago I now go up in 3d or even 4th . Good Luck with the training.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

Just to make it clear, I am not going to purchase any other gears, sorry for any confusion.

The only other hing is to get some miles in my legs, it has been a while since I have rode consistantly.

Now.. ahem.. time to wow you with my terminology..

I have a total of 16 gears split into 8 on my small ring and 8 on my big ring. Is that what you asked me for?
As for the climb in question, the one I tackled today, I forgot to check my odometer before I started it but I have a rough idea of what I was on. I think the climb is around two miles, if anyone knows the area it stretches from mirfield up to the tops around Heaton through Hopten.
My speed.. it was a long hard struggle, I just ground my way up. 5/6/7 mph were showing on my odo. Very steep and quite long.

 

[Bill Gates]

J

I have a total of 16 gears split into 8 on my small ring and 8 on my big ring. Is that what you asked me for?
As for the climb in question, the one I tackled today, I forgot to check my odometer before I started it but I have a rough idea of what I was on. I think the climb is around two miles, if anyone knows the area it stretches from mirfield up to the tops around Heaton through Hopten.
My speed.. it was a long hard struggle, I just ground my way up. 5/6/7 mph were showing on my odo. Very steep and quite long.

Right a brief description of gearing might help for starters.

Gearing is about ratios and these make the wheel turn faster (or slower) according to the ratio of front chain ring divided by the rear sprocket. A gear ratio of 48 by 16 for example, makes the wheel turn three times for one turn of the pedals. The effect is the same as if the pedals were fixed directly to a wheel three times as big, making a 26 inch wheel equivalent to one of 78 inch diameter.

So IOW when you see a gear described as 78 inches then that's when the chain is on the front ring (chainring) 48 teeth and on the rear wheel ring 16 teeth and the diameter of the wheel is 26 inches (road bike). A gearing of 42 teeth front and 14 teeth same size (26 inches) rear wheel would be the same ratio and therefore the same gear 78 inches.

So what I was asking was what is the the number of teeth on your chain ring and on your rear wheel lowest gear (highest number of teeth)

Like I said earlier your speed is relative to the severity of the climb and fitness levels and effort. So we know you are riding hard and the climb is tough. Also that you are grinding up it which suggests a low cadence unless you correct me.

Therefore (phew) you are probably in the right gear for the hill. Just forthe hell of it what is the gear ratio on your lowest gear?

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

I'd like to see myself as quite a bright lad but that is like a foreign language, and not the ones I can speak.

To tell you something though, quite surprised i'm not aching bad today. Shame I can't get out tomorrow though, stupid overtime!

 

[Bill Gates]

I'd like to see myself as quite a bright lad but that is like a foreign language, and not the ones I can speak.

To tell you something though, quite surprised i'm not aching bad today. Shame I can't get out tomorrow though, stupid overtime!

Right here's what you do in basic Englsh :-

1) Take the chain off the chain ring, you know the round one which has got the pedals attached.

2) Count the number of teeth

3) Count the number of teeth on the largest sprocket on the rear wheel

4) Let us know what they are.

I can go out tomorrow but the forecast is snow so I won't be. It's a rest day for me.

 

[Yorkshire Lad]

Ahhhh

48 on the big ring, 16 on the rear sprocket. Yep, weve got a covering up here, not gonna bother if it's still liike this tomorrow. Would like a spin before work though.

 

[Bill Gates]

Ahhhh

48 on the big ring, 16 on the rear sprocket. Yep, weve got a covering up here, not gonna bother if it's still liike this tomorrow. Would like a spin before work though.

48 teeth on the big ring and 16 on the sprocket, and this is your lowest gear. Are you sure about that?

I have a total of 16 gears split into 8 on my small ring and 8 on my big ring.

If you have a big ring and a small ring then 48 seems rather a lot for your smallest ring. IMO 48 teeth is more likely to be your largest ring, and your small ring then might be 42 or lower.

If you have 8 sprockets on your rear wheel cassette then even if it was a straight through (racing wheel) cassette then the sprockets would be 12-13-14-15-16-17-18-19, and your lowest gear would have 19 teeth.

It is more likely your casette with 8 sprockets would be something like :
13 -14-15-17-19-21-23-25. On that basis I would guess that your lowest gear must be something like 42/25 or a 44 inch gear.

This would then make sense of your climb which @ 8mph and a 44 inch gear = 60 rpm cadence

P.S. Going on your figures 48 x 16 @ 5/6/7 mph then your cadence would be 21/25 or 30 rpm. and that would be grinding away indeed.