Yet Another Newbie Thread
- Thread starter Extremedalek
- Start date
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nickAKA
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
If it's just one spacer it's not going to make an enormous difference but as stated elsewhere in the thread there'll be a 'bedding-in' period where you'll be getting used to the bike, especially if you haven't ridden for a while. There are other changes you can make to be more upright but that will mean buying new bits & pieces and it may not be necessary... we've all done it, but try to resist the urge for a while.
Once you're a bit more acquainted with the bike and doing longer distances you'll appreciate the subtleties of riding position etc. a bit more and make more informed decisions. Where leaning forward slightly might feel alien to a 'newbie', it will become apparent over time why it's a better position to be in, but this is assuming you can get comfortable in a given position... so don't go mad making changes just yet.
Regarding a sore undercarriage, I would recommend to anyone starting out buying a pair of decent cycling shorts; decathlon's 500 range of bibs & shorts would be a decent investment.
OP
OP
Extremedalek
Active Member
So, ride number 2!
A quick little jaunt before tea. I did a different route this time - a bit of village roads, a bit of dual carriageway, flats, uphills and down hills. Annoyingly, I managed exactly 3.1km again! I wanted to go a bit further, and probably could have but I knew my tea would be ready so I had to go in from playing. Managed to get heckled by a group of lads in a car, most likely because they couldn't get past me on a narrow bit of road, but hey ho. I need to practice one-handed riding to give signals as I do feel a bit wobbly at the moment. I'm sure it'll come.
Backside felt a bit sore for the first few minutes, but then it just seemed to go and it didn't bother me at all by the end, so thats an improvement. I bought myself a cheap pair of padded shorts from Sports Direct - I don't know if they helped or I'm just getting used to it.
Thanks to everyone who has offered advice, encouragement or just otherwise interacted with me on this thread - it really is appreciated!
A quick little jaunt before tea. I did a different route this time - a bit of village roads, a bit of dual carriageway, flats, uphills and down hills. Annoyingly, I managed exactly 3.1km again! I wanted to go a bit further, and probably could have but I knew my tea would be ready so I had to go in from playing. Managed to get heckled by a group of lads in a car, most likely because they couldn't get past me on a narrow bit of road, but hey ho. I need to practice one-handed riding to give signals as I do feel a bit wobbly at the moment. I'm sure it'll come.
Backside felt a bit sore for the first few minutes, but then it just seemed to go and it didn't bother me at all by the end, so thats an improvement. I bought myself a cheap pair of padded shorts from Sports Direct - I don't know if they helped or I'm just getting used to it.
Thanks to everyone who has offered advice, encouragement or just otherwise interacted with me on this thread - it really is appreciated!
OP
OP
Extremedalek
Active Member
I'm really going to take on board what you've said regarding making changes just yet. I'll carry on as I am for now and see what I feel like when it goes back for its service - they've said anytime after Christmas to give the bike time to settle in. They advised when the gears stop changing easily would be a good time.
ColinJ
Puzzle game procrastinator!
- Location
- Todmorden - Yorks/Lancs border
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Ice2911
Über Member
The reason I ride my bike is to eat cakes, I just do more miles do Ican eat them
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OP
Extremedalek
Active Member
Bit of an update:
I didn't get out very much in the run up to Christmas. Other things to do and I didn't really fancy going out in the dark on my own. But I've been out twice since Saturday, the latest being this morning at 8am. I finally tackled the dreaded hill on my route to work that I was so worried about and.... it wasn't bad actually. I'm not saying it was a breeze (it wasn't) and I'm not saying I didn't need to rest at the top to get my breath back and have a drink (I did). But I managed it, and from my point of view, that's the hardest it will ever be. It can only get easier.
Total ride this morning was 3.3 miles, so my distances are increasing and I'm feeling that if all the roads around me were flat I could go for much much longer. Its the hills that take it out of me.
I didn't get out very much in the run up to Christmas. Other things to do and I didn't really fancy going out in the dark on my own. But I've been out twice since Saturday, the latest being this morning at 8am. I finally tackled the dreaded hill on my route to work that I was so worried about and.... it wasn't bad actually. I'm not saying it was a breeze (it wasn't) and I'm not saying I didn't need to rest at the top to get my breath back and have a drink (I did). But I managed it, and from my point of view, that's the hardest it will ever be. It can only get easier.
Total ride this morning was 3.3 miles, so my distances are increasing and I'm feeling that if all the roads around me were flat I could go for much much longer. Its the hills that take it out of me.
Quote from Greg Lemond ( tour de France winner ) it never gets easier you just get faster .
Just keep at it
FishFright
More wheels than sense
Add to that a quote from me " It does get easier if you stop worrying about going faster "
nickAKA
Über Member
- Location
- Manchester
There's no shame in having a rest. We all had to start somewhere and what you'll discover is the more you tackle that difficult climb the easier it will become. That will in part be down to better fitness, but mainly it'll be due to an improved mental attitude. Once you've conquered a climb it no longer holds it's demons. You may approach it with trepidation, but you've done it, why wouldn't you be able to do it again?
Grit your teeth and pedal, you can do it.
And regarding the flats, appreciate what you've got. I was the same, I live atop a hill, getting home always instilled a sense of dread but now I appreciate the terrain. Flat rides are dull mate, trust me on this
LeetleGreyCells
Un rouleur infatigable
- Location
- Whitehaven Mansions
Once you get riding on a regularly, you’ll find the cycling gets much easier plus the weight you’re trying to lose will just drop off (it did with me - 7.5 st). I started off 18 months ago being able to ride 3km. Now my longest ride is 91km.
Keep at it and, most of all, enjoy it.
Keep at it and, most of all, enjoy it.
Racing roadkill
Guru
It’s going to be uncomfortable and disheartening to begin with. The more you ride, the less this will apply. If you keep at it, soon enough you’ll be enjoying it, then you’ll start spending too much money and free time doing it. Then you’ll end up with a house, shed and loft, basement full of bikes, bike bits and tools, and be a frequent poster on forum ‘for sale’ threads. Enjoy it
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OP
OP
Extremedalek
Active Member
Time for a bit of an update.
Wednesday was my first day back at work after the holidays, but I backed out of cycling in claiming I had too many other things to think about on the first day in.
The goods news is that I did it on the Thursday instead. I set off from home super-early to avoid the busiest traffic. I did run into one snag though, in that I had to stop half way up the famous "big hill". I was a little disappointed in this as I had done the hill previously. However, I had noticed a slight "whoosh" noise coming from somewhere near the front of the bike so when I stopped I lifted the front wheel to spin it. It spun only half a turn or so before stopping so there was definitely something amiss there. I'm assuming this is why it seemed harder work than before. I had actually noticed that riding seemed a little harder than usual when I popped to the shops over Christmas, but I put it down to the mince pies. I carried on to work and at lunch I removed the front wheel and then put it back. This seemed to sort it so not sure what was wrong there.
A little confession about the first day going into work; my route takes me onto a dual carriageway which then ends in the main roundabout serving as entrance and exit to the M1 motorway. I was a little nervous about tackling this so I rode on the footpath that runs alongside (my walking route for the last 9 years). I rejoined the main road as soon as I thought it was OK to do so. BUT on the way home I decided the tackle the roundabout as God intended, and it was fine. I didn't even have to stop at the junction. And then on the way in the following morning I did the roundabout again, and again no issues.
I plan on cycling in again tomorrow - I might as well while the weather is a clement as it is at the moment. The upshot is that cycling has reduced a 25 minute walk each way to 11 mins to get in and 13 mins to get home.
Wednesday was my first day back at work after the holidays, but I backed out of cycling in claiming I had too many other things to think about on the first day in.
The goods news is that I did it on the Thursday instead. I set off from home super-early to avoid the busiest traffic. I did run into one snag though, in that I had to stop half way up the famous "big hill". I was a little disappointed in this as I had done the hill previously. However, I had noticed a slight "whoosh" noise coming from somewhere near the front of the bike so when I stopped I lifted the front wheel to spin it. It spun only half a turn or so before stopping so there was definitely something amiss there. I'm assuming this is why it seemed harder work than before. I had actually noticed that riding seemed a little harder than usual when I popped to the shops over Christmas, but I put it down to the mince pies. I carried on to work and at lunch I removed the front wheel and then put it back. This seemed to sort it so not sure what was wrong there.
A little confession about the first day going into work; my route takes me onto a dual carriageway which then ends in the main roundabout serving as entrance and exit to the M1 motorway. I was a little nervous about tackling this so I rode on the footpath that runs alongside (my walking route for the last 9 years). I rejoined the main road as soon as I thought it was OK to do so. BUT on the way home I decided the tackle the roundabout as God intended, and it was fine. I didn't even have to stop at the junction. And then on the way in the following morning I did the roundabout again, and again no issues.
I plan on cycling in again tomorrow - I might as well while the weather is a clement as it is at the moment. The upshot is that cycling has reduced a 25 minute walk each way to 11 mins to get in and 13 mins to get home.
