Mind over estimated physical ability!

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HumbleHubby

New Member
Hi all,

New to the forum and wanted to talk to like minded people about cycling.

I wanted your opinion please :-)

I signed up Deliveroo but I enjoyed cycling when I was younger, just got a cycle to work scheme bike and gear, mrs wasn't impressed with all the cost.

I tried my first shift today and I could only do 2 miles / 4.8km and as there were alot of elavation, I had to stop on a number of occasions. Is this normal?, I feel exceptionally unfit.

I was planning everyday to go and cycle around 10km to get used to cycling and to let my legs get used to it for say two weeks before starting Deliveroo.

What is your opinion? Would you just do day on and day off? and push yourself to do 10km.

I am currently 6ft, 103.3kg / 16.2 stone, classed as Obese and when there was no lockdown did 1 hour cardio single day. At present since December's lockdown have not been doing any exercise. However, my diet is pretty clean and I have lost 7kgish in the last 2 months.

Thanks all

Damian
 

mjr

Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
How much is a lot of elevation? But it's certainly not unknown, especially if you are the sort of rider who goes as hard as they can and doesn't like freewheeling. Once you get over the initial hurdle, I'm a fan of trying to find what I call your "forever pace" which is where you feel you could ride forever, except that you would need to stop for food and drink at some point... and sleep... As you get fitter, that should become faster.

If you're cycling for the first time in ages, on a new bike, is it set up right for you? For example, if you've got the saddle so low that you can get both feet flat to the floor, that's going to make pedalling very inefficient and so wear you out sooner. There's a bike set up guide on https://www.wheel-easy.org.uk/bike-set-up/ but if your leg is roughly straight when your heel is on the pedal at the bottom of its travel, you're probably not far off.

I'm a fan of riding every day and increasing the distance once you don't feel wiped out by the previous distance. Take a day off if you're feeling like that's the best idea. I wouldn't push yourself to do what feels too far more than once a week.

Good luck and keep rolling! And don't get too discouraged if one of the usual curmudgeons comes along to tell you that you're mad, your plan is mad or your bike is bad...
 

Jonjay

Über Member
Location
Surrey & Suffolk
I started in November having hardly sat on a bike for 20 ish years. First couple of rides were enjoyable but way tougher than I expected and only a few miles. I can now manage 50k and that’s with only really being able to get out a couple of times a week.

As said above make sure the bike is set up somewhere close to right and you’ll be suprised how quickly you can add distance.
 

HMS_Dave

Grand Old Lady
I'm not far off your weight now. I started at around 27 stone. Even throughout my 20+ stone range my fitness increased dramatically where I could ride miles. Hills were always a chore, still is on my heavy bikes but doable. Just keep hacking away, you'll get there. You're going to need to rest up a bit, especially at first so don't overdo the shifts...
 

Rikolet

Regular
Location
Wirral
I still remember, with the first bike my husband bought me, I went to the local store to buy a hi-viz jacket... It felt too far away... (less than a mile ;) ) Every time you get on the bike you will feel better and stronger. Don't discourage yourself. All come with experience. Good luck!
 
Location
España
Good advice up above.
I'd suggest to focus on time on the bike rather than distance on the assumption that you're getting back into cycling. There's a lot of "roadcraft" you'll want to pick up along with fitness. Look to enjoy the ride and the fitness will come.

I can imagine that a Deliveroo job coupled with a lack of fitness could be an unpleasant experience if the boss reckons that you're taking too long! I'm of the opinion that the mental side of things is as important as the physical - at least when it comes to enjoyment. If the Deliveroo side of things is causing you to not enjoy the cycling that may be down to Deliveroo - not the cycling!

I'd imagine a lot of Deliveroo riding will be urban with lots of stopping and starting so maybe look for some decent cycle routes close to you to build up some stamina first. https://cycle.travel/ is pretty good at picking decent routes. It even plans circular routes.

Perhaps I'm just paranoid but a shiny new bike could be pretty tempting for bike thieves and getting you to a specific location is easily done, so mind your new bike!

How are you for fixing a puncture?

We've all started somewhere. In my case a flat 6km nearly killed me as an adult returning to a bike. A little and often I found was the best way to increase my range.

Best of luck!
 

Lovacott

Über Member
I tried my first shift today and I could only do 2 miles / 4.8km and as there were alot of elavation, I had to stop on a number of occasions. Is this normal?, I feel exceptionally unfit.
Hills are your friend if you are looking to get fit. If there are hills you can't make it up, note how far up you get, walk the rest and then next day see if you can push on for another lamppost or two.

A year ago, I was doing the same (get so far up, get off, walk the rest). Within a month, I was cycling all the way up all of them.

You improve your fitness and strength when you make your body work a bit harder, so some hill work on your ride will give you some pretty rapid results compared to just plodding along on the flat.
 

weareHKR

Senior Member
Ok. So, you are obese, don't do any exercise at all, presumably haven't been on a bike in years, maybe decades. And you ask why you can't make it up hills? Really?
A bit harsh!
Surely its perfectly acceptable for a new member to join the forum & ask for advice, is that not what people are here for?
I would say "You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined"
Good luck on your journey... :okay:
 

Lovacott

Über Member
Ok. So, you are obese, don't do any exercise at all, presumably haven't been on a bike in years, maybe decades. And you ask why you can't make it up hills? Really?
Most adults returning to cycling will never have experienced how hard a hill can actually be. Their only recollection of cycling is from when they were kids riding bikes for hours on end without breaking into a sweat.

But childhood "natural" fitness soon goes away if we don't maintain it. Even maintained fitness diminishes fairly quickly between 20 and 30.

That's why there are so many new bikes languishing in sheds. People go out and buy them thinking it's a fun and easy way to get fit (compared to doing press ups in the living room). First ride out and they soon learn that it's actually bloody hard work if you haven't done it for a while.

On the plus side, cycling is low impact compared to running and it can be incorporated into daily life (commuting). It's also something most people can do without any special training and nowadays, if they need any help or feedback, they can join a forum like this one.

Don't put the bloke off.
 

Lovacott

Über Member
I'm a fan of riding every day and increasing the distance once you don't feel wiped out by the previous distance.
I struggle when I ride daily. The legs tire, the stamina seems to go away. My Friday commute home takes 10% longer than the Monday commute home.

A day off the bike or away from the big hills and I find the climbs a lot easier.

I'm having a day off the bike today because I need to replace my front disc pads and I don't have spares in the box. Tomorrow, I'll whizz up the hills with ease.
 
Ok. So, you are obese, don't do any exercise at all, presumably haven't been on a bike in years, maybe decades. And you ask why you can't make it up hills? Really?
Says he did 1 hour of cardio everyday so maybe his expectations for the bike where higher and is just asking peoples thoughts and looking for advice, support, inspiration. Way to go to make someone feel welcome
 

RoadRider400

Some bloke that likes cycling alone
I think perhaps in your situation if doing day on day off, you don;t want to be pushing it to the extent where you cannot continue cycling. If you are inclined to cycle every other day try and keep the rides fairly gentle. Recovery is extremely important for those just starting off with cycling.
 
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