New to Cycling
xballerinababe
Posts: 2 Member
Good Morning,
I am very new to bicycling, in fact I haven't even fixed my bike yet to get out on the road. I was hoping to get some advice and a little feed back on what I am doing so far.
I was out for surgery for 6 weeks and when I came back to exercise, I came back to fast and ended up with a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis. I am a Dancer and a "part time" runner so this has forced me to find other ways to exercise so I signed up for a 15 mile Tour de Cure ride in August and decided to get my bike in working order. In the mean time (since I work ALOT) I have been riding the upright statonary bike at the gym. I recently broke my ride time but it got me to thinking....Is this even a good time on a stationary bike indoors? I know that when I get on the road its going to be much much different so Im trying to work harder in the gym.
I recently went 9 miles in 30:15. I was on Level 4 doing Hills Plus. Is this a good time? Will this help me prepare to get on the road?
I realize that my time on the road will be much slower. I plan on having my bike up and running by June 1st.
Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much,
Teri
I am very new to bicycling, in fact I haven't even fixed my bike yet to get out on the road. I was hoping to get some advice and a little feed back on what I am doing so far.
I was out for surgery for 6 weeks and when I came back to exercise, I came back to fast and ended up with a nasty case of Plantar Fasciitis. I am a Dancer and a "part time" runner so this has forced me to find other ways to exercise so I signed up for a 15 mile Tour de Cure ride in August and decided to get my bike in working order. In the mean time (since I work ALOT) I have been riding the upright statonary bike at the gym. I recently broke my ride time but it got me to thinking....Is this even a good time on a stationary bike indoors? I know that when I get on the road its going to be much much different so Im trying to work harder in the gym.
I recently went 9 miles in 30:15. I was on Level 4 doing Hills Plus. Is this a good time? Will this help me prepare to get on the road?
I realize that my time on the road will be much slower. I plan on having my bike up and running by June 1st.
Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you so much,
Teri
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Replies
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outside is VERY different than the stationary. it will help but indoor riding doesn't correlate directly with outdoor. meaning, a mile inside does not really mean a mile outside. The environment inside is controlled. no wind or bugs or cars.
best bet is to get some outside training in. since you are new, don't worry too much about your time, yet. take a couple days and do 15 miles. see how long it takes you and keep improving on that.
Make sure your bike is in proper working order. What are you riding? is it a road bike? mtn bike?0 -
Although the outdoor riding is very different from the stationary bike, riding the stationary bike will help you. One thing that people really make a mistake about it is being concerned about their speed. Speed will come in time and do not get too caught up in it. What is important is to concentrate on RPM the times per minute you turn the pedals. Even placed on higher resistance a stationary bike does not really equate to the feel of the road ... with that said spin away. Try to keep your RPM's between 75-90 RPM. In the gym the way I check that is to hold my hand over my right knee and count the times it touches my hand in 20 seconds and then multiply by 3. That will give you your RPM's. Once you get your body used to that you will fall into it automatically. So once you get that muscle memory going the trick is to always maintain it.
Once you start riding outside if you drop below it shift to an easier gear, if you go over it shift to a harder gear. As you get in better shape you will find that maintaining this RPM will eventually equate to going faster.
If this is a road ride and you are riding a trail bike, consider changing the knobby tires to a road tread tire will make the ride easier. I second Snow on making sure the bike is in proper working order ... I recommend having it tuned up by a knowledgeable bike mechanic.0 -
Thank you both so very much for the great advice and information. I am so new to this and I really think I am going to like it. I have a mountain bike but the tires are going to have to be replaced anyway so I can go ahead and get the road tread tires since on the road is where I will be spending most of my time. We have a superdrome where I live so I intend on going there to ride on nights when they dont have any activities going on. I am going to take the bike to a local shop and have them tune it up for me and also ask if they can give me some advice on its gears. Again, thank you both very much. Ill let you know how the ride goes in August.0
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It's the difference between playing Guitar Hero and a real guitar. . .outside is VERY different than the stationary.
Muhahahahahaha0 -
Welcome to the wonderful world of cycling. I might add some points to what the others have said. This might actually be encouraging for you but I average a faster speed on the road than I do on my trainer. I have a Cyclops fluid trainer and 16-17 mph for one hour on that thing and I'm completely fried. (no such thing as coasting and easy down hill grades on the trainer). I concentrate on heart rate and cadence. I recommend learning to ride with a cadence of around 90 rpm. I think 75 rpm might be a bit inefficient. At first 90+ rpm will seem like your spinning your gears off but it is more efficient once you explore longer rides.
Also, the Tour de Cure rides tend to be well attended, ie. lots of cyclists on the road with you!!! I highly recommend finding someone experienced to ride with and learn to ride in a group. Learn what is expected of you and get comfortable riding with a group. It can be a bit uncomfortable at first but it will prove to be more fun in the long run.
Most importantly, Have lots of fun and be safe. You will handle the 15 mile version of this ride with ease. Remember the old saying "you can do more, lots, lots, lots more." I mentally repeat this to myself during my more difficult rides.
Have fun, ride safe and enjoy your bicycle.
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Have fun, ride safe and enjoy your bicycle.
That's all there is to it.0
