Best way to build

[nickAKA]

Tbh I don't know what average speed, elevation etc is good and not good. As many say on here my target is to get out as many times as possible and clock up a few miles even to after Christmas. Then I should have a really good idea what I'm actually looking to do. I feel great, legs bit like jelly and knees sore. But 1st time and as I said I done a 8k run last night so can be too disappointed

It's all relative, average speed will depend on other factors outside your own fitness - the surface you're on, the gradient, your bike, the weather, the traffic etc etc etc so the only metric worth measuring it against is your own previous rides on the same route in the same traffic & weather
By all means keep track of your average speed to get a general idea of your improvement, but it's not the be-all and end-all, there are far too many variables to look at it as a meaningful short-term measure. Pub bore bit - for a better measure, if you want to approach it a bit more seriously, wear a heartrate monitor and track that data in strava - it's a far better guide to performance / fitness improvement without having to spend big money on something like a powermeter.
Ride the same route and see how your average heart rate changes over time in relation to average speed, but don't discount the influence of other variables - riding into a stiff headwind can be harder than going uphill!

 

[Johnnylewis]

It's all relative, average speed will depend on other factors outside your own fitness - the surface you're on, the gradient, your bike, the weather, the traffic etc etc etc so the only metric worth measuring it against is your own previous rides on the same route in the same traffic & weather
By all means keep track of your average speed to get a general idea of your improvement, but it's not the be-all and end-all, there are far too many variables to look at it as a meaningful short-term measure. Pub bore bit - for a better measure, if you want to approach it a bit more seriously, wear a heartrate monitor and track that data in strava - it's a far better guide to performance / fitness improvement without having to spend big money on something like a powermeter.
Ride the same route and see how your average heart rate changes over time in relation to average speed, but don't discount the influence of other variables - riding into a stiff headwind can be harder than going uphill!

Makes alot of sense that. I'll just keep riding and see after new year how far I'm on and then miby look at taking more serious. Can't spend anymore money on things this side of santa coming.

 

[I like Skol]

The single thing i monitor is distance travelled. I usually do 3-4 thousand miles a year, that's all i know.

 

[Johnnylewis]

Getting there slowly. Rain and wind and I still had a smile

 

[tom73]

That’s what it’s all about. Way to go ​

 

[Alan O]

I agree with most of what has been said here, and it's good to see how quickly you're getting into it.

When you're just starting out, you really don't need any kind of structured plan - just go for a bike ride whenever you fancy it, ride for as long as feels right, and it'll all come good. When I got back on my bike a couple of years ago after a 20-year gap, my first ride of 4 miles was a killer! And if someone had presented a structured plan to me then, only my innate good manners would have prevented me telling them where to stick it.

As for tyres, I reckon they can make a big difference to your cycling pleasure. My MTB came with knobblies, but I only use them when I'm deliberately out in muddy conditions (which is fun). On firm ground or tarmac they're a real drag. This summer I've mostly been riding on near-slick tyres, and that's been a lot more fun - I'm faster with them, but more importantly, as they're a lot lighter they just feel a lot more comfortable. They're still fairly fat tyres though, and I get maximum comfort at a higher pressure.

Anyway, the important thing is that you just ride for maximum fun, and be sure to get enough recovery time in between rides (as that's when your muscles are responding by building up).

 

[Johnnylewis]

Wee 19.3mile Monday spin before work later. 1hr 40mins. Lots of hills and a few very steep and hard ones that definitely tested me. Annoying thing is strava stopped working or I turned it off by accident When I stopped for a water break. So mapped it out to see Whe I got over strava not recording.

 

[nickAKA]

Lovely part of the world to cycle, I did some miles around Tyrone & Fermanagh at the end of the summer. Not many cyclists around to be honest, if I passed half a dozen over a week that was it! Most road users were looking at me like I had 2 heads...

 

[Johnnylewis]

Wee spin to check out times for work plus a few extra. My ass is still burning from Mondays spin. Any advice on anything to help this. PS and strava worked lol

 

[the stupid one]

My ass is still burning from Mondays spin. Any advice on anything to help this.

It's going to hurt until you get used to it, but a few things to bear in mind:

Is the saddle horizontal, or very nearly so? I started with mine flat then tilted it forward a notch at a time until I got it most comfortable. Carry an allen key on a ride to make adjustments as you go.

If you're getting perineal pain or numbness you might want to consider a saddle with a cutout.

Saddle preference is extremely personal - no end of threads about saddle choice here, but there are some models that crop up regularly.

As your legs and core muscles get stronger, you'll be altering the proportion of your weight taken by feet/arse/hands (you may even lose weight overall with the running and cycling).

 

[Alan O]

It's going to hurt until you get used to it, but a few things to bear in mind:

Is the saddle horizontal, or very nearly so? I started with mine flat then tilted it forward a notch at a time until I got it most comfortable. Carry an allen key on a ride to make adjustments as you go.

If you're getting perineal pain or numbness you might want to consider a saddle with a cutout.

Saddle preference is extremely personal - no end of threads about saddle choice here, but there are some models that crop up regularly.

As your legs and core muscles get stronger, you'll be altering the proportion of your weight taken by feet/arse/hands (you may even lose weight overall with the running and cycling).

Yep, and I think the majority of early sore bum problems are due to bike fit and saddle position rather than the saddle itself. So get your saddle at the right height, right fore/aft position and right angle before you think about spending money on a different one. There are plenty of discussions about saddle position on the forum (even if I can't put my finger on one right now).

And definitely the thing about getting used to it.

 

[nickAKA]

It's a slightly contentious issue, alleviating a sore a*rse, but assuming your saddle is fit for purpose and set correctly a pair of decent cycling shorts / bib shorts / tights plus some chamois creme will definitely help with chafing until you get more used to it.
As regards the saddle itself, there are as many opinions as there are a*ses, but a reasonable place to start is the charge spoon - worth a try if you really can't get comfortable on the one you're using at the moment.

 

[si_c]

Looks like you're settling into this now, with both distance and speed rising.

In terms of backside related pain, try to make sure that the surface of your saddle is relatively level, and then it's just a matter of acclimatising to the bike. Also worth bearing in mind is that if your saddle is particularly soft and squishy, this may be contributing to the pain as you aren't resting the weight of your body on the harder parts, but on the softer parts, which will cause more aches and pains.

 

[SkipdiverJohn]

15 miles @12mph average is not too shabby. That's typical of the distance and speed I will do when I take my hybrid out for a morning spin if I'm not working that day. You shouldn't really still be getting a sore backside once you've done a handful of rides at that distance. The body adapts pretty quickly to the saddle, of at least in my case it did.
I'm not a believer in special padded shorts and arse creams. If you want to toughen up, you have to endure a bit of discomfort at first. I don't believe that expensive saddles are necessarily any better than cheapo ones either - there is little relationship between price and comfort. I have several saddles that have come off scrap bikes or with bikes I've bought, and a couple are pretty decent "anatomic" designs originally supplied on quality bikes. However, my most comfortable saddle is actually off an old Apollo MTB, was ripped and had lost some padding, and was "refurbished" by me placing some thin foam packing material around the bare bits and then binding it up with duct tape. You can imagine what it looks like, but it never gives me a sore backside no matter how many miles I ride on it. Experiment with saddle height & tilt before even thinking about changing it. A new saddle could just as easily make things worse not better.

 

[Johnnylewis]

Went for spin this morning. Average speed up and time down. Think it's more to do with figuring out the gearing etc. Enjoyed it this morning.