Just beginning - some advice please

[HB2210]

Hi there, I am a female who has recently taken up cycling for weight loss and fitness. If I'm being honest, I can't say I'm enjoying it yet and struggle on even the smallest hills, but I guess it will take time. I was wondering when you just start out, should I try to do a half hour a day, or go out every second day for an hour (giving my legs a break in between days). Any advice would be appreciated

 

[TonyEnjoyD]

Hi and welcome aboard HB2210.

Cycling "proper" will take time to build up to where you want/need/expect to be.

Just take it to your distance,speed and difficulty. You will get to where you want.
Give yourself a chance, choose easier routes to start with and at a pace just above tootling if necessary.
Build up your distance to get your body used to it ten start upping speed and taking on climbs.
Get the feel if your bike and tweak the setup (saddle etc).

Good luck

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Hi there, I am a female who has recently taken up cycling for weight loss and fitness. If I'm being honest, I can't say I'm enjoying it yet and struggle on even the smallest hills, but I guess it will take time. I was wondering when you just start out, should I try to do a half hour a day, or go out every second day for an hour (giving my legs a break in between days). Any advice would be appreciated

2 maybe 3 times a week for short stints - build up very slowly.

 

[vickster]

Perhaps try a group ride, like a Skyride, different levels and you'll meet some nice folk. Most include kids so the pace is pretty relaxed

 

[Saluki]

+1 here for the Skyrides. They are excellent. There are also Breeze rides (accessed via the skyride site) which are rides for ladies only. Nice and steady at about 6mph for up to an hour. People chat as they ride and the time goes and before you know it, 6 miles have gone by.

Welcome to the forums HB2210

 

[MikeW-71]

When I started riding again I had to stop to get my breath back every mile and a half, but the body will make quick progress once it knows you are serious

Start off on an easy circuit, about 5 miles. If you can ride it 2 or 3 times a week, that's great. Once you can complete it non-stop, you can make it a little longer, then longer again. Combined with a decent diet (cut out the junk food etc.) and you'll lose weight. It's hard to begin with, but you just wait and see.

I started with commuting to work. Took me 45 minutes for 5 miles to start with, then it became 35mins, then 30mins non-stop, now 18 mins

"Longer" for me is now about 60 miles, after only 9 months.

 

[HB2210]

I can do 6.7 miles in 27 minutes and 11 in 52 - had a bit of a fall today but keen to keep going. Thanks to everyone for the welcomes and support. My route is fairly flat with some slight inclines but still finding the slight inclines hard I just don't know if I should be resting in between or try to go out every day ? :s I read something on the internet(sorry I know I shouldn't listen) that said you don't eat into fat reserves till after 30 minutes leading me to try to go out longer each time. I just don't know what to think and hope the saddle soreness passes quickly - I'm into my second week

 

[HB2210]

2 maybe 3 times a week for short stints - build up very slowly.

Thanks

 

[HB2210]

When I started riding again I had to stop to get my breath back every mile and a half, but the body will make quick progress once it knows you are serious

Start off on an easy circuit, about 5 miles. If you can ride it 2 or 3 times a week, that's great. Once you can complete it non-stop, you can make it a little longer, then longer again. Combined with a decent diet (cut out the junk food etc.) and you'll lose weight. It's hard to begin with, but you just wait and see.


I started with commuting to work. Took me 45 minutes for 5 miles to start with, then it became 35mins, then 30mins non-stop, now 18 mins

Wow that's a lot, here's me pleased with 11miles
"Longer" for me is now about 60 miles, after only 9 months.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I started at 28 stone in 2006 on a bicycle I bought in a parish sale. You get to know your areas microtopography quite well on a bike just starting out. I think I was able to manage 3 miles. After a couple of weeks I managed to expand it to 6. I got a different used bike and another,used racing bike within a couple months. The reason I know this is that I've kept a journal, which is a nice source of information, and helps you track your progress, what works, and what does not.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

My LBS advice was to get out a couple of times every week and make cycling part of my life.

I aim for 2-3 rides a week even though as a semi-retired-not-working-very-hard-these-days person I could easily get out every day.

I'm keen but not obsessed/that focused tbh although we are all different.

I think that in the early days it is easy to get carried away with the 'get out every day' thing. Imo this may possibly lead to boredom or a sense of failure if you miss a couple of days.

If you are genuinely in it for the long haul then think about things longer term maybe eg 2-3 rides a week which is 100 - 150 a year. Even if you 'only' do 5 miles a ride that's a lot of miles by the end of the year.

 

[NicciT]

Maybe go out with a friend - that's what I do and there's a healthy bit of competitiveness too! Good luck

 

[PeteXXX]

One little tip about hills....
Don't look at the top when you're riding up ithem! Your brain will tell you you're knackered before you actually are...
Look a few feet in front of the wheel (keeping safety in mind if you are on a road, obviously!) so you don't see the gradient.

& welcome HB2210

 

[HB2210]

One little tip about hills....
Don't look at the top when you're riding up ithem! Your brain will tell you you're knackered before you actually are...
Look a few feet in front of the wheel (keeping safety in mind if you are on a road, obviously!) so you don't see the gradient.

& welcome HB2210

Hi and thanks,

Actually managed to fall off completely yesterday, my legs are skinned so I will need to be more careful I was going up a hill and my gears seemed to slip, I looked down to see what happened and steered into the kerb. Hitting it quite hard I managed to fall with some force I still had a 2 mile ride home. Typical that it was the first time I had worn shorts!! Never mind once the pain goes I'll be back out and just do a wee bit less until I can build up my stamina as I was starting to get a wee bit overtired after being out for an hour. Lesson learned

 

[hopless500]

I started up cycling (properly) 3 months ago. The first week I just did a 2 mile round trip every other day (my very first 2 miles I averaged about 7 mph and thought I was going to die!) Then increased the distance the next week. And again the next week. Can now quite happily cycle 30 odd miles without thinking about it, and 50 is fine if I take it a bit easier on the return leg. Have to say, no weight loss at all until 2 days ago - but now have lost a whole one and a half pounds . I'm kinda hoping that now it's started it'll keep dropping
Anyway, break yourself in gently, and enjoy it. It's not meant to be an unpleasant activity.
Edit/ forgot to say that for the first lot of excursions I preferred to be by myself. With the best wll in the world, you'll end up pushing too hard if you're out with someone else, and that isn't necessarily the way to start. Give it a few weeks first to get used to it all.