New to riding

[adey12]

Hi Guys

I'm just looking for a bit of advice I decided that I wanted to start riding I did already own a Mountain bike its a Raleigh Attitude 18 Gears with front suspension so nothing special I think it was about £160 iv upgraded the saddle to something somewhat more comfortable I then purchased a cateye micro computer to track my progress and or course a set of lights ( Smart Lunar lux25 ) Then I hit the canal iv been riding 10-12 miles with an average speed of 12mph don't think I could do much more at the mo

My goals are improved fitness improved general health and weight loss ( I need to lose 2 stone )I'm currently 6 ft and 15st 10 all the extra weight is on my belly

any advise would be great i do have a couple of questions

Is 10mile at 12mph enough 4 or 5 times per week

Is there a face mask for those winter months as i used to run and the cold air kills me and i don't want to fall of the horse so to speak




Cheers in Advance

Ade

 

[Bobtoo]

Is 10mile at 12mph enough 4 or 5 times per week

Yes it is, I've shed a little over a stone and counting that way from a similar starting point. I've cut back on eating all the pies too though, I just eat some of the pies now.

The 10 miles is kind of my target but if it's going well I tend to do a bit more, and if it's a struggle I do a shorter run. I've got flat circuits and hilly circuits I do too, depending on how I feel. The most important thing is to enjoy it so you actually want to go out. Setting your sights too high too early might result in the bike being consigned to the shed.

I am lucky in that the local terrain allows me to get the uphills over with at the start and I gan finish off with a nice long downhill.

 

[superbadger]

..... Sounds like your doing fine to me. don't push yourself to much and you should maybe plan different routes so you don't get bored of the same old slog!!! The computers are brill as you can track your progress,etc.... Diet???... It don't matter what i eat coz i never put any weight on (pls dnt hate me?). Take some cereal bars on your longer runs and have a low fat meal when you get back on the odd day. pick a salad or pasta day!!! Whatever you like i guess! But still eat the stuff you do like because you will need all those calories and you don't want it to turn into some unhappy regime ... The milage and the speed sound fine. As to face masks? Just get a bandana around your face and after 2-3 miles i reckon you rip it off coz you have worked up a sweat. When i feel a chill i cycle harder..... Hope this is helpful to you...

 

[adey12]

Thanks guys

I also weight train so my diet is mainly 5 or 6 meals per day that consist of turkey /chicken with wholemeal pasta,sweat potato,veg or salad i was almost 19st when i started so i'm happy ish

I'm hoping that this becomes a hobby as i'm really loving it at the moment i even went out in the rain yday

i had that rocky balboa feeling as the day before i turned back at 4.5m instead of taking on the hill that was ahead of me but yesterday i decided i would not turn back when i got to the top i felt great just like rocky balboa

really pleased

 

[Seigi]

Haha, well done, it is a great feeling when you overcome something which you would otherwise squirm at. Shortly that hill will become just a ride in the park ;-)

I started out with cycling to lose weight (have so far lost 5st), and basically just altered my diet to take in no more than 2.5k kcal a day and cycling daily. I started out with 6mile runs (worked out as 500kcal burnt per ride), but now whenever I go out I 'plan' on doing 10mile and end up doing 20 which seems to burn around 1.8k kcal. ;p You'll become addicted, and every time you go out you'll get the feeling of "You know what, instead of turning right and doing the usual loop, I'll continue going and turn the next right!".

Keep working at it and you'll be at your desired weight in no time, and well done for losing so much so far!

 

[superbadger]

Love the 'ROCKY' quote ......... 'ADRIAN!!!!!!!!!' sounds like you got the bug...... Thats gd...

 

[adey12]

hey guys

OMG I'm Loving my bike

I love the canal i got to my usual 5mile spot where i normally turn back but this time i said to myself go on just 1 more mile i ended up at a junction left was 5 miles to Birmingham right was 8 miles to to Wolverhampton

I decided Wolverhampton on the way i passed a few more junctions that ill explore another day then though a long dark poorly maintained canal tunnel at a guess it was 1/2 mile long all i was thinking was this will kill my average speed

as it was too dangerous to ride through

Anyway i ended up with a 15mile ride with an average speed of 11mph ( That's 48.8 miles for the week )

Me,My bike , and my IPOD love it

 

[Matty]

Good effort. Warning - this cycling malarkey is a bit addictive.

 

[CopperCyclist]

I started exactly as you did back in mid April, doing a 13 mile round trip commute. I then started adding on rest days rides.

Now its the beginning of September, I don't think I'll ever drive into work again, I've lost over a stone witout changing my (admittedly very bad) diet at all, I haven't saved a penny since selling my car cause I keep buying more and more ike stuff.

In short I'm loving it!

 

[superbadger]

Nice 1.... Cycling weird like that ... Then 'boom!' Your planning a Touring holiday! .. Thats what happened to me. Its all good though. Glad you enjoying it. Get some decent winter gear coz its on its way..... But if you cycle hard enough you don't feel it.