what is a good distance for a brand new rider to shoot for

[amnesia]

Oh and I want a MTB now as well so I can ride with some friends.

Hope it goes well for you

I have started riding my MTB to work instead of my road bike... a bit more of a work out (it weighs 10lb more and has chunky tyres).
My road bike feels as light as a feather when I get my leg over it at the weekend - hills are getting much easier as a result.

 

[shippers]

Big difference between running and cycling- you build your times + distances far faster on a bike. If you started training now to be able to run far an hour straight it would take ages. You'll be there in a month on a bike.

 

[Banjo]

Big difference between running and cycling- you build your times + distances far faster on a bike. If you started training now to be able to run far an hour straight it would take ages. You'll be there in a month on a bike.

+1 to that When I started commuting 3 mile each way on the bike I got home (theuphill journey) covered in sweat and unable to speak. Now I arrive fresh as a daisy and have done 3 rides over 100 miles plus several over 60. All in the space of about 15 months.

I wasnt young and fit at the start, 51 yrs old and 4 stone overweight, now 52 and healthy weight. Go for it , dont overdo it at the start just gently increase the mileage / speed and watch your fitness improve quicker than you expect.

 

[DavieB]

I done my first ride in around 6 years in mid June, it was 4 miles, and I was knackered after it had to go for a lie down, Since then I have been cycling a lot built myself upto a 14 mile circuit with in 3 weeks and have done 3 over 25s and 2 over 50s (one was 59 should have kept going lol) since then, Im not particularly fast but the progress has been amazing for me and all ive done is cycle, no diet and no other exercise.

I seen on someone else's signature the quote "The best practice for cycling is cycling" its worked for me.

 

[hambones]

Whilst I totally agree that you short build up over time, that's not to say far more is possible.

I rode to Cambridge on Sunday with 4 guys from work who between them had managed 22, 15, 8 and 3 miles furthest distance. All of them managed to do 60 and the youngest who had only ever gone 3 miles is a smoker who does little or no exercise. It took him 4 hrs 20 minutes.....

 

[dnrc]

You just have to get out and do it i think, do circular routes or slowly up the distance on your out and backs and you will soon find it getting easier and longer.

I started properly start of may this year because i was doing L2B and did a couple of 8 mile rides, then did a 24 which ruined me, could barely stand at the end.

I'm now up to regularly doing 45-50 at a fairly decent speed and "just pop out" on 20-30 mile rides


It will soon come, I worried about average speed at first but that's steadily creeping up.

I'm now signing up for other events and i enjoy uphill sections (and incorporate them into my ride) now as they are a challenge. (i may be a bit nuts though!)


Just go at a pace you are comfortable with, push yourself a little more each time but not so much you don't enjoy it.

 

[G81]

Thanks to Shane for starting this thread and for everyones replies.
I'm new here and just getting my bike back out so all the hints and tips are great, thanks for sharing.

Good luck for all those with goals sets

 

[Andrew_P]

Strange one really, if you set small goals your progress will be small. How far to work, commuting is great as it is two birds with one stone.

I am 15 miles away from work, I take the Bike in on a Monday, and then Cycle one way every day, building up to making it there and back 5 days a week..

I started this in June, from doing very little cycling.

 

[johnr]

I'm not young (57), but I am fairly fit. I've started riding recently with a few mates in their early 20s. I advised small amounts at first etc but that was pooh poohed. They do 20-30 miles at speeds which knacker me. I only start getting my own back when we get over 35 miles... and that's going to stop when someone tells them about proper nutrition .

I have to say they're very tolerant of me.

 

[tmcd35]

Big difference between running and cycling- you build your times + distances far faster on a bike. If you started training now to be able to run far an hour straight it would take ages. You'll be there in a month on a bike.

Definately true. I'm now upto to doing 60miles without too meny complaints, I've gone further but I still have to pull in the reserves to get there. I couldn't run to the end of the garden path unless an ambulance was waiting for me at the other end. 1 mile running would put me in an early grave!

Strange one really, if you set small goals your progress will be small. How far to work, commuting is great as it is two birds with one stone.

I am 15 miles away from work, I take the Bike in on a Monday, and then Cycle one way every day, building up to making it there and back 5 days a week..

I started this in June, from doing very little cycling.

Again 100% agree with this. I was finally forced into cycling to work when my cars clutch went. I too commute 15 miles each way when the weather is nice. Since I started commuting I found it's had a real knock on effect on my long distance endurance and I'm finding my challenge rides to be a little less painful.

I suppose it's the little and often of the commute that is building the muscles ready for the real (50mi +) work outs.

 

[Philk]

In Feb this year I started to cycle again after 20 years of no exersize and having had an operation put on loads of weight.

In the beginning my friend who sometimes rides out with me was riding rings around me, and that was only covering 4 miles.
5 months later (thanks to a couple of VERY hilly rides with the birmingham Cycle chatters and my training rides twice a week) im able to do 35 miles no problem (and completely smoke my mate ), although i prefer to do 15 miles twice a week and am trying to raise my cadence (79 rpm), heart rate (Max 187 BPM) and average speed, which is currently at 16 mph ave.

I like doing the shorter training runs as i prefer the speed over big distance.

so it doesnt matter what distance etc you do , its what you feel happy doing thats important.