Yet Another Newbie Thread

[Extremedalek]

Hi Everyone

I've been browsing this forum for a while now and you all seem a welcoming bunch, so thought I'd share my story.

I'm in my *very* late 30's, and haven't been on a bike in over 25 years. Currently weighing in at 18st (and dropping), and I don't do any strenuous exercise. I do plenty of walking however - at least 25 minutes to work, sometimes the same back home, or half if someone drops me off part of the way. Another 25-50 mins each day walking my two dogs. So if fitness is a scale from 0-100, I'd probably not be at 0, but not far off.

Anyway, I've decided to take advantage of my employer's bike to work scheme, and I pick my new bike up on Saturday (a Trek Marlin 5 in black). The intention, obviously, is to eventually use this as my main means of transport to and from work (it'd be a 10min ride there and back) and also to use on a weekend/evening for a bit of a workout to help the diet along on getting rid of some weight.

Truth be told, I'm nervous/excited/worried about it all. I live in a hilly area so I have a big hill to climb on the way to work (its not a long hill distance wise but quite steep), and another on the way back (less steep but longer). Honestly, how hard will I find the ride? I don't intend on tackling this right away (managing to get round the block un-injured and still conscious is my first goal!) but as the scheme is a tax break thing I do need to use this for work regularly.

Any advise/wisdom/reassurance at this stage would be most welcome!

 

[Elswick Cotterpin]

Welcome to Cyclechat, and well done for deciding to try and get a little more exercise. Don't overdo it is the main thing. Give yourself a chance to ease into it. Try and find the least hilly quiet-ish area near where you live and pootle around there for a bit. Find a gear where you can turn the pedals without too much effort and concentrate on where you're going and watching out for other road users.

You may need lights, probably will need lights this time of year, sometimes even in the day time!

Just take it slow and steady, don't worry about distance and speed, concentrate on staying safe and staying upright, if you can do that and you stick with it, the rest of it will gradually come together.

It might seem a bit daunting but you don't need to know everything - or be able to do everything all at once, it'll come with time.

Nice bike, by the way. Enjoy it.

 

[chrismisterx]

I am in the same boat as yourself, but a few weeks into my cycling journey.

My advice for what its worth, give yourself plenty time to get from A-B and jump on that bike and just cycle away and enjoy the trip, don't be hard on yourself and don't rush, at first every incline or bank will feel like mount Everest but the human body is a fantastic machine and before you know it those inclines will melt away.

warning cycling is addictive, now i go out looking for harder hills and longer trips, as i really enjoy being on the bike, even to the point I am going to try a cycle tour with my wife, fitness wise I went from a couple of miles being tough and having to walk at some points, to now after just a few weeks to being able to do 10-15 miles.

This is a wonderful forum, dont be scared to ask questions here, these guys and girls have helped me tons.

welcome and good luck!

 

[tom73]

Welcome to the forum nice bike Mrs 73 has a trek and love's it. i've seen a Marlin 5 close up in the shop and almost won one on eBay sadly seller ended listing.

The best advice is go steady and enjoy the ride. Build up slowly your body will soon let you know if you are pushing it a bit too much once you get going. You will have off days when you just want to walk away but the good days make you keep going. Find a nice quiet flatfish place to ride around a bit which is safe for you to have a play with the gears and get to know how your bike feels and works. You can work on the rest later just focus on finding your way on a bike.

Many will tell you the miles come and it's all about time in the saddle. Ive not been cycling long either and can tell you it really is true it's all about time on the bike. You will soon be well away. I would also say don't avoid hills try them sooner than you feel like. I did 1st real ride out and It will pay off as you get better. Hills are part of cycling so face up to them and you will soon have them on the run. Don't worry if you find you have to get off and push your way up a few it's not fail learn from it and go get them next time.

Above all enjoy it and yes once the bug bites it won't let go but we'd have no other way life really is fun on two wheels.

Don't worry about asking questions we are friendly bunch and someone will know how to help.

 

[Extremedalek]

Thanks for the kind words of encouragement! I know that once I've had my first go I'll feel a lot better about the whole thing. My first goal is to get a few laps round the block in one go, second goal is to get to work and back, and the third is to ride to my mum's house (about 5 miles away) and back again.

I'll take on board the advice about tackling hills as soon as possible. Its going to be a fact of life where I live, as its impossible to get out of my village without going up at least one significant hill. The only way I'll never get up a hill is to never give it a go. Besides I've already told myself its OK if I have to get of and push for a bit.

 

[tom73]

Sounds like a great plan and mind set achievable too which is even better.
I can't avoid a hill or two either they are not as bad as you think

 

[Mrs M]

I found when we got back into cycling going out regularly and building up was key.
Managed 20 mins, then 30, etc.
Now a 2 hour ride (with some wee stops) is the norm.
Just have fun and the distances will come

 

[Ming the Merciless]

No yanting on here please.

 

[nickAKA]

Congratulations on taking your first pedal strokes toward enlightenment

My advice on your 10 minute commute is to seek out the absolute flattest route to work; if it doubles the distance, great. Every extra mile you put in will improve your fitness & stamina and you'll feel the benefit as you progress to tackling the more difficult local climbs 'for fun'.
Although it will feel daunting initially, you'll soon build up to bigger milestones if you stick at it and wonder what you were worrying about!

 

[Vantage]

Hi and welcome to the forum
First thing I'll say is don't worry about hills because you have a mountain bike and so it'll have stupidly low gearing.
Second thing I'll say is ride the work commute on a non work day and time it. Then add a good 15 minutes incase of puncture. It'll happen sooner or later.
Get yourself at least one spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit and some tyre levers and unless your already familiar with replacing inner tubes, get practicing.
If you can tell a hammer from a screwdriver then you'll be wanting a set of allen keys and a screwdriver (flat head) or, a cycling multitool.
Depending on your preference of having a wet or a dry bum, you might want to consider mudguards.
As previously mentioned, lights! Regardless of whether it's day or night, you'll need some.
Enjoy it

 

[Extremedalek]

One of the biggest things I'm looking forward to is a sense of independence afforded by having a vehicle to get about on. Though we have a car in the household I'm not the main driver and if I'm at home on my own at the moment I'm kind of stuck if I want to go anywhere for a sandwich or whatever as we don't have many facilities within walking distance. I'll now be able to bob down to the local supermarket for bit of lunch if I want to.

 

[Extremedalek]

So today was the day. I'm now a proud owner of a new bike (plus accessories). But typically, its was bucketing down most of the day so I didn't think I'd have time to have a play.

Luckily the weather cleared for a while mid afternoon so I was able to get out for 20 mins or so. All in all I think it went well. I live at the top of a hill at the head of a cul-de-sac and at the bottom another road runs perpendicular to mine and is very flat but with a slight turn and an incline to another cul-de-sac at one end. I free wheeled down my hill (didn't feel very safe and braking all the way!) then rode back and forth along the flat road for a while, getting used to the gears. I think I did something weird to them as the chain came of at one point but I managed to get it back on and it didn't happen again.

I made sure to climb the incline a few times (in the lowest gear, of course) and didn't find it too bad. Though I wasn't able to make it all the way back up my road at the end of the session.

I'm a lot more confident now that, with time and practice, I'll be able to do what I want on the bike.

My backside was very sore afterwards but I'm sure that will get better. I was also very hot and sweaty!

Onwards and upwards!

 

[13 rider]

You will get use to the gears when to change up or down is just a feeling that just needs time to perfect . Good on you for getting out . Progress will come if you keep at it

 

[tom73]

Great start and good on you getting out and making a start. You will get the hang of things soon enough. Onwards and upwards. Remember that if one day you don’t feel like a ride out it’s ok it happens every one had off days. The main thing is enjoy it and learn as you go.

 

[ColinJ]

Well done, and always remember - what doesn't EX-TER-MIN-ATE you, makes you stronger!