hi to all

[up hill struggle]

ive put a few posts on here this evening so thought id best pop in here & introduce my self.

my names stephen & im from county down in northern ireland, havnt rode a bike for 20 years but i bought a mountain bike a few weeks back with the intension of getting fit & saying buy buy to the belly, getting out & about & hopefully meet some people.

my first ride was a pityful 3 miles (possibly 3 1/2) ive changed the chunky rubber on the bike to something more suited to the surface im planning on spending my time & thats made things easier, best & longest ride to date has been last friday when i did 5.77 miles ok not much, but to me it was fantastic & knowing what my health & fitness has been like over the last few years i feel great about it.

over cooked things on monday when i thought i would try some hills but big mistake & lesson learnt! dont push myself to hard to quick, tuesday & wedensday this week i forced myself to go out & ride but today the pains in the legs was just to bad & i gave myself the day off (rather reluctantly i may add, but the legs needed to recover) but im back out tomorrow.

below is a link to where im riding, its the comber to belfast greenway, for the most part its a flat smooth ribben of tarmac which leads into belfast city i believe its around 7 miles long so im trying to slowly build may strength, speed & distance up so that i can eventually ride in to belfast & back without feeling that i need to pre-book an ambulance for the trip home i dont expect that to happen any time soon but i will get there. once i can do that i will move to the roads & may be get a new bike at that point, but for now im happy just to be back in the saddle taking things as they come & enjoying myself.

http://www.cycleni.com/37/comber-greenway/

 

[Shaun]

Welcome to CC.

Loads of great advice and encouragement here if you need it and your mileage will come up steadily as you build your fitness. Enjoy!

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[Keith Oates]

I've read your previous posts on the other thread and it seems that you have the correct attitude to get back into cycling and be able to enjoy it. Keep up the good work and include regular visits to CC both for cycling knowledge and also support when needed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[raleighnut]

 

[0lonerider]

good morning and welcome

 

[john59]

Welcome!

John

 

[welsh dragon]

Hello. Welcome from powys. Take things easy. Don't try to do too much at once. Have rest days. Slowly you can build uo your time in the saddle, but it's supposed to be fun, not a torture for you so just enjoy.

 

[toeknee]

Hello & welcome Steve

 

[Louch]

That's not far off a 100 % increase from first ride, don't be hard on yourself!

 

[MisterStan]

Welcome along!

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Hi Stephen and .

Just been looking at your other thread and there's some good advice on there - saddle height is something I'd have mentioned and changing the tyres was a good move as knobbly tyres create a lot of drag, especially the cheaper ones.

Keep at it. Many of the folk on here have been at the stage where 5 miles seemed a long tough ride (only yesterday while riding home it occurred to me how much the little climb at the end of my road used to hurt after cycling up my nearest hill) but you'd be surprised at what you can build up to when you get into it a bit more.

 

[Louch]

i agree with Phil, i remember being proud of 10 mile cycles, and a year later i done 400 yards short of 100 in two days. distance isnt as important as enjoying the time you spend on the bike.

 

[up hill struggle]

disappointed today, got up nice weather, got the girls ready for school & loaded the bike onto the car. Ive had problem will chain slipping on the rear cogs when i change down gear. Was taking bike back to shop for them to check it out and then planned on a ride.
got to shop, bike builder was there, great. Told to leave it for a half hour so went for a coffee.
called back and told hes still working on it and give him another half hour, had a walk before returning to be told there's a problem with the bike something not working the way it should & hes changing parts from another bike & i need to leave it with them for an hour or two.
long story short, phoned this afternoon and bike builders away home, my bikes still in bits, i will get a phone call when its ready, but no idea when hes coming back to finish it.

good news is that i knew that it wasn't right in the first place and its being fixed before it caused me to have an accident and at least if its the bike builder that sorts it out this time time & not shop staff then its probably going to be right when i get it back

 

[Dark46]

Hi and welcome to the forum

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Welcome to Cycle Chat, Stephen, and well done on your first rides.
I also have read your previous posts, follow the good advice, enjoy the rides!
Btw, it's a bike mechanic, not a bike builder
Hope you get your bike back soon!