billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
Well done fella, that's the 1st step out of the way.
Larger beginner giving a wave from the North West.
- Thread starter biglad
- Start date
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skudupnorth
Cycling Skoda lover
- Location
- Astley,Manchester
Great news 
Now enjoy the fun of riding and soon you will be out with us lot on a Sunday ride.If you are near the Trans Pennine Trail that would be a good place to ride traffic free,just don't ride it at night like i do because you are either dodging critters on the path or ducking from Owls and Bats in the air !
Now enjoy the fun of riding and soon you will be out with us lot on a Sunday ride.If you are near the Trans Pennine Trail that would be a good place to ride traffic free,just don't ride it at night like i do because you are either dodging critters on the path or ducking from Owls and Bats in the air !
snorri
Legendary Member
- Location
- East coast, up a bit.
Welcome biglad
. Tip for today, try to get out for short trips on a regular basis, even just 10 or 20 minutes every day will get you used to the bike without causing lasting pain. You will find your time on the bike can be increased gradually without ill effect.
!I'm a wee bit concerned about having sore knees after 10mins, though.
Did the bike shop set the saddle height properly for you ? Have a search around on CC for 'saddle height' or similar and see if you can eliminate the knee pains
WELL DONE and
Congratulations on the new bike and the start of your new life as a cyclist!
(& a belated welcome to CC!
)
I hope the knee ache is just a temporary thing. Do check out saddle height as Scoosh says.
And on being out of breath - that should get better very soon.
But do take it easy to start with, don't try and go as fast as you can go, try and figure out a sustainable pace that you can keep up for a while. It'll be easier on your body until you get a little more used to exercise. You can pick up the speed later .
And most of all - have fun!
Good luck
T
(& a belated welcome to CC!
)I hope the knee ache is just a temporary thing. Do check out saddle height as Scoosh says.
And on being out of breath - that should get better very soon.
But do take it easy to start with, don't try and go as fast as you can go, try and figure out a sustainable pace that you can keep up for a while. It'll be easier on your body until you get a little more used to exercise. You can pick up the speed later
.And most of all - have fun!
Good luck
T
crisscross
Senior Member
Welcome biglad, one of the most pleasing aspect about your post is seeing you actually take the plunge - from thinking about it to actually doing it - you're heading in the right direction, now get on that bike and enjoy!
The other interesting thing was seeing how many of us larger chaps and chapesses frequent the forum.
I got the impression it was all beanpole- thin superfit lycra-wrapped athletes on here when I joined.
I'm about the same weight and pretty damn unfit but even managed London to Paris last year with the family.
There are some lovely rides near you and it's relatively flat ( probably won't seem that way at first!)
The Liverpool to Leeds canal towpath is great, traffic free and flat - if that is handy for you.
We tried some skyride locals last year and they were a good way of meeting other non fit cyclists.
Most of all, enjoy it, don't worry what anyone else thinks and see how much fitter you get this spring.
The other interesting thing was seeing how many of us larger chaps and chapesses frequent the forum.
I got the impression it was all beanpole- thin superfit lycra-wrapped athletes on here when I joined.
I'm about the same weight and pretty damn unfit but even managed London to Paris last year with the family.
There are some lovely rides near you and it's relatively flat ( probably won't seem that way at first!)
The Liverpool to Leeds canal towpath is great, traffic free and flat - if that is handy for you.
We tried some skyride locals last year and they were a good way of meeting other non fit cyclists.
Most of all, enjoy it, don't worry what anyone else thinks and see how much fitter you get this spring.
Thelma
New Member
- Location
- Manchester
Snap really, except I'm a girl! I joined this place about 3 weeks ago, also without a bike. I've since bought one and been out a few times, even at 6ish before work!
OP
OP
biglad
New Member
- Location
- Liverpool, UK.
Scoosh, Tele,
Thank you so much for the advice regarding seat height. I had a look throughout CycleChat, as well as a brief Google, and I think you guys might be onto something. I'm away from home atm, but I've just watched a few Youtubes explaining how to amend saddle heights and will have a go of changing it round tomorrow.
I haven't cycled today, but I did swim for the first time in over 10 years. I missed swimming very much and am hoping to make use of both activities in my quest to one day be able to touch my toes.
Crisscross, thanks so much for the support mate. I'm not far from a nice enough stretch of the Leeds Liverpool, I've been planning for a while to have a ride along it when I build my stamina up a little.
Thelma, are you enjoying it mate? I do hope so. Your post in this section of the forum really made me smile, I love that you're hiding from your sports-dad!
Thank you so much for the advice regarding seat height. I had a look throughout CycleChat, as well as a brief Google, and I think you guys might be onto something. I'm away from home atm, but I've just watched a few Youtubes explaining how to amend saddle heights and will have a go of changing it round tomorrow.
I haven't cycled today, but I did swim for the first time in over 10 years. I missed swimming very much and am hoping to make use of both activities in my quest to one day be able to touch my toes.
Crisscross, thanks so much for the support mate. I'm not far from a nice enough stretch of the Leeds Liverpool, I've been planning for a while to have a ride along it when I build my stamina up a little.
Thelma, are you enjoying it mate? I do hope so. Your post in this section of the forum really made me smile, I love that you're hiding from your sports-dad!
Thelma
New Member
- Location
- Manchester
I have loved (almost) every moment I've spent on my bike so far. I didn't much enjoy the look-over-shoulder/wobble/almost hit kerb/whack shin with pedal moment earlier, although the bruise is spectacular.
I'm not hiding from my dad! I'm respecting his privacy!! Seriously, I spoke to him for advice a while ago, and have updated him now I've got a bike. I'm looking forward to sharing bike-related chats, but I didn't think he'd want me cramping his style
MrHappyCyclist
Riding the Devil's HIghway
- Location
- Bolton, England
Hi Biglad. Well done getting started. I got back into it a year ago and have lost 2.5 stones since then.
Regarding the knees, I found (after reading advice) that increasing my speed of pedalling helps a lot. I try to ensure that pedalling is not a big effort, even going up hills, by pedalling faster and lighter. Your cadence (how fast you pedal) should never be less than about 60 revolutions per minute. As soon as pedalling becomes an effort, I change down, and I try always to pedal at between 60 and 90 rpm. Even that is not fast compared to the racers (120rpm is not unusual for them).
Doing this puts less strain on the muscles and (especially) the joints, including the knees and the hips. It helps me particularly because I have quite bad osteoarthritis in my left hip, but still manage to cycle about 100 miles per week.
Regarding the knees, I found (after reading advice) that increasing my speed of pedalling helps a lot. I try to ensure that pedalling is not a big effort, even going up hills, by pedalling faster and lighter. Your cadence (how fast you pedal) should never be less than about 60 revolutions per minute. As soon as pedalling becomes an effort, I change down, and I try always to pedal at between 60 and 90 rpm. Even that is not fast compared to the racers (120rpm is not unusual for them).
Doing this puts less strain on the muscles and (especially) the joints, including the knees and the hips. It helps me particularly because I have quite bad osteoarthritis in my left hip, but still manage to cycle about 100 miles per week.
OP
OP
biglad
New Member
- Location
- Liverpool, UK.
Hiya MrGrumpy,
Thanks for the tips mate. I've been out every single day since I bought the bike, apart form Friday. At this point my knees are starting to hurt less as I develop more of a feel for the right gears for me and things like that (The saddle has also been ajusted to better fit my legs). All I need to do now is overcome the pain in my hind parts and I'll be sorted!
Thanks for the tips mate. I've been out every single day since I bought the bike, apart form Friday. At this point my knees are starting to hurt less as I develop more of a feel for the right gears for me and things like that (The saddle has also been ajusted to better fit my legs). All I need to do now is overcome the pain in my hind parts and I'll be sorted!
billy1561
BB wrecker
- Location
- North west England
@biglad
Regarding saddle soreness i had the same issue for quite a while until someone kindly posted an article advising seat position. Can't think who it was or find it now but the crux of it was to move the saddle BACK and it really helped i found.
Keep up the good work.
Regarding saddle soreness i had the same issue for quite a while until someone kindly posted an article advising seat position. Can't think who it was or find it now but the crux of it was to move the saddle BACK and it really helped i found.
Keep up the good work.
This is great news! Hope you are enjoying the freedom of the road! The thing about backsides & saddles is that we and they are all different
...Some just fit naturally, sometimes it's a case of toughening up the backside and getting used to time in the saddle (especially when starting up), sometimes moving the saddle back/forwards or changing the tilt angle helps, but sometimes no amount of tweaking works... in which case the backside & saddle are incompatible
. If it doesn't get better soon, try some shifting/tilting - it may take a few goes back & forth, followed by test rides.
If that still doesn't help, there are several existing threads on CC that explain what to look for in a new saddle.... if you can't find them or are confused, just ask! Hopefully you'll be able to sort out the existing saddle, though!
T
MrHappyCyclist
Riding the Devil's HIghway
- Location
- Bolton, England
The thing about backsides & saddles is that we and they are all different
Good point about saddles. Apparently Specialized provide to some of their shops a device called an "assometer", which is used to measure the derriere to allow the right saddle to be chosen. It's just a piece of wood with a gel pad and a ruler on it. You sit on the gel pad and they measure the distance between the indentations made by your seat bones (Ischeal Tuberosities to be correct).
When I got my new bike (did I mention I got a new bike?), I was a bit concerned about the saddle. Compared to my old one, it looked far too narrow and felt far too hard, but having done the first 150 miles on it, I love it!
