Yet anothr newby saying Hi

[cyclebum]

Hi

I first got to cycling 2 years ago but just plodding afew miles locally to get fit. But last year I was ill the first half and too busy the second half. Then in March this year my husband claims I hit a mid life crisis when I signed up to do a charity bike ride feb 2008 not having been on my bike for over a year. I will be riding about 390k over 5 days with a number of equally mad women. And so the challenge began. By April I abandonded my daughters bike and bought a new one. As we will be riding on and off road I opted for a mountain bike which I love. I only wish I could have afforded the upgrade to have lockable suspension and I am now thinking of getting a spare set of hybrid tyres as I am mostly on the road at the moment though I love the off road stuff too. Any advice from anyone would be greatfully recieved as I seem to be absorbing it all like a sponge and my cycling has improved as a result.
I am currently working on uphills which I totally avoided for months, but I am finally tackling them though not sure if my technique is right. Is there a right and wrong way?

 

[Elmer Fudd]

Welcome to the mad house !!

 

[Paulus]

Welcome cyclebum. Once into this mad place there is no escape. The cycling bug has bitten and the worst casualty will be your credit card and your finances. You will find the urge to buy clothing, bike bits, upgrades and then worst of all new bikes unresistable. Your idea to have a second set of tyres for your MTB is a good idea as knobbly tyres don't go very fast on the road, whereas some slicks, tyres without tread will whizz along with a lot less effort. Maybe a spare set of wheels to go with them to save time when changing the tryes?
As for the technique of going up hills, some people like to sit on the saddle and use smaller gears, whereas some like to stand on the peddles and churn larger gears. It is what you feel comfortable with and how your fitness levels improove as you get the miles in. If you are a sitter down, try shifting your rear end back a bit on the saddle, it will lengthen your leg stroke so as to give you a bit more power to the peddles. Enjoy.

 

[Arch]

I am currently working on uphills which I totally avoided for months, but I am finally tackling them though not sure if my technique is right. Is there a right and wrong way?

Welcome!

In my experience, the key to hills is... experience. The more you tackle, the better you'll get at them. It's nicer on your knees to spin the pedals in a low gear, so I'd say get into that habit - learn to change down before you start to struggle, rather than be grinding, and then change down with a great clang. Try to keep your feet spinning at the same pace (known as cadence). You may find one technique works better for you on long slow hills, and another on short sharp ones. Find out what works for you.

I live in York. It's flat. Twice a year I spend a long weekend in Northumberland, where it's hilly. Each time, it takes a little while to reacclimatise, but over all, I'm getting better...

It will never be 'easy' - no matter what gears you have, you have to turn the pedals. But the key thing is that the fitter you get, the faster you recover at the top - each climb will be quickly forgotton...

 

[cyclebum]

Thanks for these tips on hills. I am never very sure, but I have noticed I am getting a bit better and as you say, a quicker recovery at the top (only 1 cylinder of oxygen now as opposed to 2!). Maybe when I get different tyres that may help too, what do you think? It has just occoured to me that maybe that is making it more difficult. It tends to be the long steady ones that really get me. I live in Cheshire but on the border with Derbyshire so we do have a few hills round here. I have ambitions of one heading off towards Buxton but that is a long way off yet I think.
I have priced up spare wheels but I do not think the budget will stretch to it so I think it will just have to be changing the tyres each time but I suppose the practice will do me good.

 

[Kovu]

Hey welcome. I'm kovu a newbie myself really! the cycling bug has bitten me anyhow.

I love hills, there one of my favorite parts of any ride I go on. Unfortuantly where I live I only have hills which are incrediably short, but steep, I use the sitting down in a low gear.

anyhow welcome!

 

[barq]

Hello and welcome.

There's lots of good advice above which I won't repeat, except to add that even though you haven't got lockable suspension you can still minimise wasted energy (especially when hill climbing) by trying to spin the pedals smoothly and fast. The idea is to minimise any pedal induced bouncing of the suspension.

Anyway, I think it is great that you've taken on the challenge and I wish you the best of luck with it.

 

[Aperitif]

...may the Cycle Chat pot of chamois cream be soothing to a cyclebum!
Hello.

 

[cyclebum]

Thanks for all this welcome and encouragement. The bug really has hit and it's obvious I am not alone, but great to have so much help and advice out there. Just wish I could get out there today and try another hill especially as it is looking loke another nice day, but alas I will be too busy, but there's always tomorrow... And I have so many more questions.

 

[punkypossum]

What charity ride are you doing cyclebum? Sounds interesting!!!

 

[cyclebum]

My charity is Women for Women, a fundraising trust for the institute of Obstertricians and Gynaecologist. The event is organised by action for charity and we will be going to Rajisthan in India in feb and cycling fron Agra to Jaipur over 5 days. Those other insane women I will be with who I have been in contact with, sound just like me in that we are doing this without much if any experience. I haven't even been to India and I am not a good camper which is what we will be doing through most of the ride. Whats more I hate snakes and that is my biggest worry, that and cycling for five days while possibly suffering from the effects of either the antimalarials or Delibelly!!!!
You can find a bit more either on or through my site www.justgiving.com/sianicycles (not sure how to make this a direct link though, sorry)

 

[cyclebum]

OOPS I've just seen the link has been made automatically!

 

[punkypossum]

Wow!!! I found travelling round india hard work, and that's without camping or cycling!!! Good luck with it!!!

 

[cyclebum]

Thanks, some say I'm brave but most just say I'm mad!!!

 

[stevenb]

Good morning Cyclebum.