Any Cyclist Here???

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jrwlostit
jrwlostit Posts: 4 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I have decided to borrow a bike from a friend to see if cycling will be a good cross training exercise for me. I have a lot of questions but here are some that are most important:

(1) I live in an area with a lot of rolling hills. Hills scare me. I don't want to have to get off the bike and push. Any thoughts on this?
(2) How far should I ride to start out and when should I add distance? I run 5 miles two days a week and do long runs on the weekends.
(3) Any overall advice from seasoned cyclist?

Thanks in advance!!!

Replies

  • KarenJanine
    KarenJanine Posts: 3,497 Member
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    Hi there!

    I'm a leisure cyclist and use it as my main mode of transport as I live in a city and do not have a car. I have a few small hills to contend with and manage to get up them OK but I often see people stopping and walking up the hills. Stop and walk if you need to, especially as you are new to it. It would be much worse to run out of steam half way up and fall off!

    Start with short distances initially as you probably will feel saddle sore to start with until your behind gets used to your saddle. Just build it up gradually and you'll soon get your confidence up and be able to go longer distances.

    I <3 my bike.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
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    1) Grow stronger, and learn your gears.
    2) As far as you can. And every single time you ride.
    3) Be safe.
  • Leadfoot_Lewis
    Leadfoot_Lewis Posts: 1,623 Member
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    1. Key thing with uphills is being in the right gear. It takes practice.
    2. Depends on the terrain. Obviously you can ride further on flat terrain vs. hilly terrain. If you can run 5 miles non-stop you should easily be able to ride 20 miles.
    3. Alway look ahead at where you want to go, not a foot in front of your bike.
  • maxroadrash
    maxroadrash Posts: 45 Member
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    I have decided to borrow a bike from a friend to see if cycling will be a good cross training exercise for me. I have a lot of questions but here are some that are most important:

    (1) I live in an area with a lot of rolling hills. Hills scare me. I don't want to have to get off the bike and push. Any thoughts on this?
    Hills may seem daunting but they are what will define accomplishment. If a hill is too much, get off and rest. Get back on, and keep going 'til you finish or rest again. Repeat until you reach the top (or have to turn around). Don't walk or or push. Trust me, when you crest the top, the sense of accomplishment will be worth the effort. And it will set you up for more success.

    (2) How far should I ride to start out and when should I add distance? I run 5 miles two days a week and do long runs on the weekends.
    No reason to hurry. Do a tiny bit more than you think you can, turn around and go home. Do a little more each ride. Don't try to be a hero, just add a little more every ride and ride as often as possible. Everyday is not too much.

    (3) Any overall advice from seasoned cyclist?
    If you like it and you think you'd like to continue, buy your own bike (research it first). And make sure that when you buy your own bike you get a proper BIKE FIT! I cannot emphasize how important that is. You wouldn't run in the wrong size shoes, would you?
    Have fun!

  • cyclenut64
    cyclenut64 Posts: 154
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    Assuming the bike you are borrowing is a multi speed bike; learn to down shift before you get to the hill.

    Take it easy your first time. There is a guy at my work that’s an avid runner but cannot ride a bike very far because he doesn’t have the leg strength. If you find you like riding keep increasing you miles each time you go out and you build the muscle you need to make the hills easy.

    Having a proper fit bike can make a big difference in comfort and make your ride much more enjoyable especially when you get to the longer mile rides.
  • Cyclink
    Cyclink Posts: 517 Member
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    I have decided to borrow a bike from a friend to see if cycling will be a good cross training exercise for me. I have a lot of questions but here are some that are most important:

    (1) I live in an area with a lot of rolling hills. Hills scare me. I don't want to have to get off the bike and push. Any thoughts on this?
    Have you learned how to use the gears on the bike? Unless this bike has no small gears on it at all, you should be able to ride up all but the steepest of hills.
    (2) How far should I ride to start out and when should I add distance? I run 5 miles two days a week and do long runs on the weekends.
    Think time, not distance. The first few weeks will mostly be getting used to the saddle.

    As for how long, it depends on what your goals are. If it's all for weight loss, then your bigger concern will be increasing intensity, not duration. Cycling only burns a decent number of calories if you can get the intensity up a bit (which hills are awesome for)
    (3) Any overall advice from seasoned cyclist?
    [/quote]
    There's almost too much without a specific question, so I'll refer you to a basic beginner cyclist link:
    http://www.active.com/cycling/Articles/9-Tips-for-Beginner-Cyclists.htm
  • luvsunshine1
    luvsunshine1 Posts: 878 Member
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    Most important advice as far as I'm concerned: Biking shorts and gloves, but especially the shorts.
  • Gapwedge01
    Gapwedge01 Posts: 494
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    I ditto all of the commits above. Have a knowledgable person properly fit you to your bike.
  • bchboy1206
    bchboy1206 Posts: 12 Member
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    Lots of good info, not sure if this was on there but make sure the bike fits you and is adjusted properly or your knees can end up hurting bad for a while. Google how to do that. Again, its very important and can make you hate cycling....
  • knightreader
    knightreader Posts: 813 Member
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    bike shorts. a bit pricey, but your butt will thank you. then you will stop biking b/c your legs hurt, not your tush!
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    1. wear a helmet.

    2. figure out which one is the front and which one is the back brake

    3. figure out how strong the brakes are before you get on a hill

    4. do not get distracted by hot chinese girls

    5. do not stand up on a road bike that is made for shorter stature people on a hill

    I combine them all: tapped the front brake by mistake on a steep hill due to being distracted by hot chinese girls while standing up on a too short road bike and half cartwheeled into the ground. but I did it with style. oh yeh! learn from my fail.

    QJ38Tl.jpg

    cycling is pretty safe just take it easy on a new bike, and braking with the front brake is important. wear a helmet!
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,473 Member
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    LOVE IT!!! till we got 3 feet of snow this morn!!, take your time and do it gradually tho!
  • rides4sanity
    rides4sanity Posts: 1,269 Member
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    I'm with Cyclink, gearing is key, but you should be fine on rollers. Focus on time in the saddle, most runners have the stamina for riding pick it up quickly, but need to find their rhythm & toughen up their bum.

    As for specific gearing issues make sure you go through the gears before you get to the hills and get familiar with them, and find a gear that you feel comfortable riding in, you want to feel in control and keep a a nice steady cadence. Don't spin free, because then you aren't working. Find a balance between power and speed. Then when you approach a hill shift down a gear, it will feel easy at first, as it starts to get harder, shift again. Repeat until you are out of gears or at the top. You will refine this as you ride more, but it is a good starting point. The biggest mistake new cyclists make when climbing is waiting to long to shift. Once you the pedaling get's too hard there is too much torque on the chain making it very hard to shift which will cause you to stall out and lose momentum...get off and push. We've all missed a shift and had to grind up a hill or get off and push so don't be embarrassed if it happens.

    Best of luck!
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    1: Use a lower gear. Actually, if you're unsure, use the lowest and work your way back up until you're comfortable

    2: Until you're too tired to carry on, then turn back :).

    On the gearing, as above - if you do need to change when going up a hill, unweight the pedals for a second. I'll generally try and get in to a fair bit lower gear before starting ascending if it's a steep start - means losing a tiny bit, but saves issues with stressed chains coming off sprockets etc.
  • beanerific518
    beanerific518 Posts: 152
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    In addition to the awesome comments so far...

    1. Invest in a hydration backpack for longer rides expecially if you are biking in the heat.
    2. Pack some snacks like an apple or a banana depending on the length of the ride.
    3. Always wear a helmet.
    4. Use the Google maps biking feature to figure how to get from point A to point B by avoiding the bulk of high traffic streets.
    5. Pack a tire repair kit.

    You will get a chance to explore so much and get a great workout! Have fun!
  • EvgeniZyntx
    EvgeniZyntx Posts: 24,208 Member
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    You've gotten some great advice so far.

    I'll only add:
    Ride with others and ask questions.
    Don't worry about walking hills - there are some that always get walked, everyone has been there.
    When you get you own bike, the most important thing is not the frame, the tires, the gears, blah, blah but the GOAR factor.
    That's the get out and ride factor - whatever it is that gets you on your bike.
    And make sure your seat is wide enough. Most riders use seats that are not the right width.
  • emingus
    emingus Posts: 6 Member
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    Yep a cyclist here! In fact I'm headed out this morning for a 62 mile training ride. I'm doing an event called the Police Unity Tour. I'm riding for those officers that have been killed in the line of duty.

    Please check out the following website for more information.

    www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/edwardmingus
  • jrwlostit
    jrwlostit Posts: 4 Member
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    Thanks everyone!!! Lots of wonderful information and encouragement here. I actually have a pair of the padded shorts.;) Learned the hard way in spin class that those are necessary.

    I will keep you posted after I get on the bike tomorrow.
  • geebusuk
    geebusuk Posts: 3,348 Member
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    I've found I fairly quickly get used to riding without padded shorts even for longer rides.

    Did around 50 miles in a day last month and was fine with normal shorts.

    Have noticed a bit of 'soreness' a few times since getting back on the push bike. Have been using the pushbike to get around where I can too, which probably helps - saves on fuel and is just as quick getting from A to B in town (sometimes quicker and I can lock it up right by the shops, saving even more time, never mind not doing extra exercise.)
  • kmorganlfc
    kmorganlfc Posts: 115 Member
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    The key to climbing hills is to drop down to quite low gears and spin your legs. Pushing gears builds too much lactic acid. Spinning seems quite a strange thing at first, and takes a little gettng used to. Cycle shorts and gloves, a pump, spare inner-tubes and tools to get tyres off are also essential.

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