My first commute...

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dmdrummond

New Member
Just got back from uni. After having my hybrid for over a year now, I decided it would be good to actually ride it in. When I say ride, I mean push it a lot of the way :-)

Wow, what a great way to find out I am completely out of shape. I was fine downhill, fine across the flat, but when I hit the hills my thighs started to burn like crazy, and I had to stop. For the first couple of minutes my legs could barely hold me up. After I recovered I jumped back on, and was great until the next hill.

The way back was a little better, although I did have to push the bike most of the way up one hill.

Unfortunately living in Wales means hills are a part of life. I really am shocked when I visit in England and see the flatness.

I feel great for having done it, I'm just wondering if anyone has any tips for getting through the burn. I've been going to the gym a couple of times a week to work on my cardio fitness, for the last 6 weeks. I have an exercise bike in the house, but I'm not sure whether I should do long periods with a light resistance, or a shorter time on a higher resistance. How can I build hill-busting thigh muscles?
 

WeeE

New Member
dmdrummond said:
..When I say ride, I mean push it a lot of the way :-)
..when I hit the hills my thighs started to burn like crazy, and I had to stop. For the first couple of minutes my legs could barely hold me up. ...
..The way back ... I did have to push the bike most of the way up one hill.

Hiya. I empathise; could've written that myself, except it would be about nipping down the local shops, not a commute. I think I'll keep an eye on this thread in the hopes of picking up some magic tip.

My (atrocious) fitness is beginning to be not quite so atrocious. Every now and then when I pass a spot where before I absolutely had to get off or fall off :biggrin:, it gives me a big morale boost - :smile: even if the stop-or-keel-over spot has only moved a few hundred yards, or even if there's only one less than a few days ago.

Advice as a fellow wobbly-legger...not exactly technical - just, um...keep on keepin' on! ;)
 

rh100

Well-Known Member
Hi, well done on the first commute and welcome.

I started a short while ago, and just could not do hills at all. Took some advice from here about getting the gears right, ie keep a low gear and let your legs spin more instead of mashing the gears. What I had to do was make a target on the hill, such as the bus stop or something, stop and rest and drink water, then carry on when ready. Next time pick a target further up. My local hill used to make me stop 3 times completely out of breath before I reached the top, now I can just about do it in one go. So practice is the key IMO. I still walk up bits of hills sometimes, but prefer to cycle all of it regardless how slowly or how often I stop.

Keep at it, it wont take long. I've noticed aswell that if I tackle a hill cold I really struggle, but if I've done a few miles already they are easier as the legs have warmed up.
 

Inertia

I feel like I could... TAKE ON THE WORLD!!
Having recently been through this I can offer some comfort, it does get easier. ;)

My advice would be to go into as low a gear as you need and don't try to rush up. I used to stand up on the bike and really try to power my way up and end up knackered halfway up. Now I take my time, keep seated and don't tire myself.

Its recently become a lot easier so I guess thats progress:biggrin:
 

MGBLemonrider

Active Member
Location
Stevenage, Herts
It does get easier with practice. My 11 mile commute 55 minutes first attempt on MTB, 45 on an old racer, and after 1/2 a dozen journeys and a new bike down to 42 and a month later 37 1/2 At this rate by 20011 I'll be there before I've left.
Though I've noticed some days I can fly into a hill at speed and keep the high gear and fly up it, and other days it's change down and crawl up. My hills will also be a lot smaller than yours aswell
 
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