beginning biker - what do i need to know?

I just recently tore my meniscus and the doctor told me to stick to bikes and elliptical from here on out. I own a bike, but that is about all I know.
What tips, sites/resources, or workout plans could you offer to a newbie who wants to bike to lose weight and get fit? I would really appreciate any help.
Thanks!

Start slowly by riding on easy terrain (the flatter, the better), to gently spin and build up the leg muscles in the leg agian. The muscles atrophy pretty quickly following a meniscus tear - hence the low impract exercise recommendation by the doctor. It will take about 6 months to a year to return to full leg strength - at least it did for both of my knees which had torn meniscus and following surgery. I was skiing on one 4 weeks later, and the other I tore years later and it took longer as I had to wait a couple of months for surgery.

Bike slowly and use your knee as a guide in terms of how far, and hard you can go. You may have to ice, rest, and recover the knee between sessions in the early going. The first few weeks will be a lot of adaptiation of you getting used to riding a bike. This could be 15 minute, 30 minute rides, and eventually working up to longer rides as your body adapts (and your injured knee as well). If you want to lose weight through cycling, start in the kitchen first to make sure you are eating at a deficit. Then you can use the low impact cardio exercise of cycling to burn some calories, but be careful not to eat back all of the calroies that you burn on a bike. Maintain a deficit.

Type in Google rehab for a torn meniscus to see the thousands of hits. Ditto on using a bike to lose weight. You'll get thousands, and thousands of hits/links to read about it.

Make sure your bike fits. Not just saddle height but that your knees are in the right positions over the pedals and handlebars/top tube length is correct. The more comfortable you are on the bike the more likely you are to ride and enjoy it.

buy padded cycling shorts! I mocked them for a long time but htey are a god send

Your *kitten* is going to hurt for the first couple weeks.

There is an actual muscle we call it your "sit-bone" that needs time to build up.


Don't buy one of those big *kitten* cushioned seats either. They are worse, and will kill your back.


Have fun!

First of all, I strongly suggest that you get to know your local bike shop and have them check out your bike, and also measure you for it.

Those people want everyone to love cycling (by the way, "biking" is often used to refer to motorcycling, "cycling" is bicycling ... jargon to avoid looking like the noob which I was ... uhhh, ... I mean, my friend was). They will typically be honest with you about what you need, whether your bike is up for it, sizing, etc..

Wear your helmet. It might seem silly, but it really can save your life. I have a friend (this time, really a friend) who was recently hit by a car door because someone didn't look before opening. He has a scratched up face, but walked away because his helmet took the hit. He had to replace the helmet, but he's okay with a couple of stitches.

Check, or have the bike shop check, your reflectors and consider investing in a set of lights. I use my red tail light and headlight even during the day, just because tree cover makes roads dark at times. Don't ride at night until you're good and comfortable with it, but being visible is a good thing.

Look at some real cycling blogs or sites. There's a lot of good information out there.

Some pointers, which I think apply in all jurisdictions in the US:

- Bikes are vehicles. They obey traffic laws. That means be on the right side of the road. Not the left. Not the sidewalk. Not the crosswalk. Stop at red lights, stop signs, etc..

- You are allowed to use the lane. If the far right side of the lane is unsafe, move safely to where you need to be. Avoid grates, broken glass, the "door zone," etc. as you need to. But don't be obnoxious.

- A person on a bicycle is not a pedestrian. Stay out of sidewalks and crosswalks unless you first dismount and are walking. Don't be vague, and don't think that it's okay to switch between vehicle and pedestrian rules casually. It's really simple. If you're riding, you're a vehicle. If you're walking, you're a pedestrian. Never ride onto a sidewalk to avoid red lights or whatnot. It's not safe and makes the cycling community look bad. (One blog advised bike commuters: "You know how you're driving and you say, 'Those damn cyclists!' sometimes? Don't do those things."

- Your backside and legs will be uncomfortable for the first few rides. Don't worry about it. It'll pass, I promise.

- You don't have to buy special cycling clothes, but I do have one pair of shorts which I use about half of the time. It is nice. But those aren't cheap, and don't have to be a barrier to entry. A good saddle, though, is pretty much vital. The one that came on your bike might well be the one you need, but checking it out is a really good idea if you want to have a good time.

- Don't compare yourself to people who have been riding for years. Or who own fancy bikes. I started riding on a mountain bike because it was what I could afford. I was really frustrated that I couldn't keep pace with people on road bikes who had been riding for a long time. A couple of realizations later, I didn't quit riding. And eventually bought a road bike (eventually = after five years. Don't worry if it takes a while.).

- Be safe. Dress to be visible.

- Be part of a community, either of beginners or who welcomes beginners. Your local bike shop knows whom to contact. There's probably a bulletin board with notices on it. I never ride in a group, but I talk to other people. I have fun with MapMyRide, just using a Garmin watch. Not necessary, but good things to make it really enjoyable and get ongoing advice, tips,etc..

- Carry water. A bottle cage on the frame is great. If you don't have one, do something. I've suddenly realized that an hour went by and I'm nowhere near home when doing fun summer rides.

- Mind your routine maintenance. If your brakes seem off, check them. Check your tire pressure regularly. You might not believe the difference between fully-inflated and almost-inflated tires. Know your bike (tube size, valve type, etc.). The shop people will tell you everything you need to know, really.

- Have fun. While there's kind of a lot here, it's not work. Cycling is tons of fun and my favorite way to work out. I'm not the king of the road, but I'm not bad. And I want you to enjoy it, too. That will keep you riding.

- Things like speedometers are cool, but not necessary. And it might be best to wait until you're meeting some goals. If an average speed of 6 mph is going to frustrate you, don't get one until you're doing better than that. It's up to you.

- If you can make cycling part of getting things done -- commuting, running errands, etc. -- it's great. That makes it even more permanent than using it as a workout. Bike commuting is one of the really-successful weight-loss strategies.

Feel free to send my a friend request here or on Map My Ride. PM me if you have any other questions. I was a beginner not that long ago and made just about every mistake, so I can help navigate them.

Wear the helmet.

Some dumbass kid threw a rock in my spokes and I flipped off the bike, landing my head on the concrete, unconscious in the road. Some guy was out watering his lawn and heard my head hit from several houses away, over the sound of the water. He dragged me onto the tree lawn.

Massive concussions, front and back. Cracked my skull quite a bit. The small cuts I received scarred terribly and weirdly because my brain wasn't functioning properly, so nothing worked right. I slept and vomited for a couple days. I lost a couple days of memory. I awoke worse than depressed - just completely apathetic. From the depths of my soul, I couldn't have cared about anything if I tried. There was no emotion AT ALL for days.

After about a week, they released me. They said when I was complaining about food and saying that I wanted to go home, they knew I was bouncing back and while they'd like me to stay a couple more days, going home might do me some good. I had to see the neurologist daily for a week, then every month for six months and every year for life.

The doctors said that nobody has a brain injury like I had and doesn't have issues, but because of the areas damaged, they had no idea what would get better and worse.

It left me with balance issues for life and I wet the bed for a couple years. I still have bladder issues, but no bed wetting (yay.). My fingers jump around on their own sometimes and other muscles twitch - kind of like everyone else, but a little different. They say I'm very lucky.

Due to the lack of balance, I can't ride bikes. I can physically do it, but the funkiness of what happens with my brain - it just isn't worth the pleasure of riding. Kind of like a runner trying to run in the water - it's just not the same.

WEAR THE HELMET. It makes you look bad, but so does lying unconscious in the street. Also, dead is not a good look for anyone!!

Add another "Wear a helmet" post from me. Only took getting knocked off my bike twice to realize I should probably wear one.

Don't be lazy, inflate your tires. It makes riding a bike so much more comfortable and fun.

Yes on the helmet and having someone to tell you whether your bike fits or not. Important if you start doing longer distances.

Enjoy!

Just tagging.

(Unfortunately, we are not in the Netherlands and bicyclists here in DC are really bad in bending the so-called rules of the road.)

First rule of thumb: WEAR A HELMET!!!!! Even a small fall can cause a concussion and bleeding from the nose an ears. That happened to my SIL who was on a trail and accidently hit a rock, hit her head lightly on the ground, and the next morning she found blood in her nose and ears. If she hadn't gone to the hospital, she would have been dead. As soon as she told me about this incident, I wore my helmet from then on.

2nd: Ride defensively. Don't assume a car, pedestrian, animals, or another bicyclist will stop for you. They don't know what you're going to do last minute and neither are you.

3d: Don't ride with your headphones on!

4th. Invest in decent beginner road or hybrid bike depending on what time of riding you'll do. I have both: hybrid for work and a rode bike for long rides. Yes,a good bike cost money and you can find something in the range of $600 and up. DO NOT BUY your bike from Target or Walmart. Yes, a bike has 2 wheels and you can get one from anywhere, but if you're serious, invest and good bike.

5. As with any hobby, it can get expensive. Get good tires/inner tubes for your bikes because you will have flats. Get a loud bell, not one that goes "DING." The main things to have on your basic bike: chamois bike shorts (padded), helmet, good tires, pump, water bottle holder, maybe a fender, and riding gloves for long rides.

Okay, hope this helps.