Any beginner cycling friends out there?

Are you doing a 2 day ride that is 130 miles total? or a one day ride for 130 miles? Either way thats a great gaol Hills are tough... I recommend doing some strength training. core and arms are just as important as legs.

I'm not a beginner, but I LOVE bikes!

I started riding my bike to work about 3 days per week in April. Before, I'd always ridden for work outs, or ridden for organized events... it was always "training". Over the last couple of years, I haven't had as much free time to ride and I've gotten slower. I realized that if my old way of riding wasn't fitting with my lifestyle, I needed to find a new way to fit it in. Within 1-2 weeks of riding, I realized that I was much more calm at work on days that I rode, and I started feeling just a tab bit grumpy when I had to drive. Now I'm up to 4-5 days of commuting, depending on my schedule and I've found that I really, really just enjoy the ride. I don't try to go fast, I just ride. I let my mind wander. I explore new side streets. Oh, and my "training" rides have gotten easier too, which is a nice side benefit.

Enjoy your newfound hobby that happens to be good for you too!

I am guessing that you are looking at 130 miles for the month of July? That is a great goal. I have been riding to work for the last year or so. I am averaging about 200 miles per month. I use cyclemeter on my iphone to track my mileage. I am not a particularly fast rider. I average about 11 miles per hour for up to 20-25 miles.
Just keep at it and keep having fun.

I love cycling too!

You can join the under armor challenge and Map My Ride challenges. They are underway but you can still get in and meet the goals.

I'm a relatively new endurance bike rider

Just did a decent ride yesterday in the UA Challenge.

Give it a go! It is all good fun!

Hi Joolie, I'm 51 and a touring cyclist. I lost my weight already now but I started in 2014. I've just got back from Japan after a two month tour there. When i go on tour, i am never fit to start with. I"m not an endurance cyclist. I just love travelling and cycle touring is cheap. Maybe one day you can do a tour too. You might like reading my blog (which i haven't finished yet). [url=" http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Japan2015"] crazyguyonabike.com/doc/Japan2015[/url] Please note that on this tour, i ate a lot of sweets. In my daily life at home, i don't eat sweets at all because I quit. I only eat them when people offer them too. I came home and immediately resumed my no sweet lifestyle having had alovely time eating them on my trip. If you have to lose the weight, i would not suggest eating sweets on tour.

What a great thread!

I was a beginner ... or begin again ... cyclist 25 years ago. I've stuck with it as my main form of exercise for 25 years!! Just think ... you could be doing this in 25 years too!

In that time, I've cycled recreationally, commuted, raced, toured, and have gotten into long distance cycling. I've travelled the world with my bicycle ... and met my husband on a long distance cycling event in France (the Paris-Brest-Paris, back in 2003).

I can't imagine my life without cycling.

I'm not new to cycling but I love talking about it. I got into cycling 4 years ago. I started out with switching out the tires on my mountain bike for road bike tires. That worked for a little just to see if I liked it and of course I did so the following year I bought an entry level road bike. I've been riding that for 3 years now and I love it. I don't always have the time to ride during the week because of work and kids but I do get out on the weekends. This past Sunday I did my first 25 mile ride. My average speed is around 14mph. Feel free to friend me. I'm always looking for fellow cyclists.

joolieb1 wrote: »

i am 51 and started cycling on my old shopping bike about 4 weeks ago just to burn calories for my MFP weight loss challenge. Bought a hybrid bike two weeks ago and plan to cycle 130 miles in July. Only manage average speed of just over 10 miles per hour and can keep moving unless I meet a steep hill! New buddies welcome

Hi Joolie:
Good for you; don't worry about your average speed, just keep on rolling. I'm 52, have been an avid cyclist for years (mainly dirt/mountain biking). I just love doing it, but I know it's also a good fat burning exercise, can help w/core strength, excellent cardio workout, easy on the joints, etc. So 'low [mileage] & slow' can be your motto for now (& can build up to longer distances). Your average speed will increase over time w/fitness, &/or varies w/terrain of course. (My soon to be 80 yr. old father still rides regularly, albeit slowly, out to the coffee shop to meet friends, etc. So you've got plenty of years of spinning ahead).

Ride on,
--Brad

I'm not new to cycling. I spin nearly everyday for 1-2 hours. I have multiple Century endurance rides under my belt as well as a few metric centuries and shorter distances. I am training now for next month, the largest one day cycling event in the USA. The Hotter N Hell, I will be doing the Triple threat, a 13 mile mountain bike race on Friday, a Century ride on Saturday, and a half marathon on Sunday. I would love to add all cycling friends.

I've been cycling for 50 years,Lately I've increased the miles I ride to help with the weight loss. I'm averaging about 75 miles a week on a mountain bike.

joolieb1 wrote: »

That's brilliant! I lost 2 lbs again this week and am sure my bike is helping me! I am currently doing about 30 miles a week but it gets easier all the time. Struggle to not go out, it's addictive!

It is addictive.

Right now it is winter here and I'm cycling inside ... and I really miss cycling outside!!

Hi joolieb, we've chatted before.

My husband and I bought bikes about a year ago and just started riding around the neighborhood with our 7 year old. With her we average around 10mph and can comfortably ride around 20 miles. Without our 7 year old the hubby and I can go a bit faster, but haven't built up to as much mileage yet. Last week I managed 10 miles with an average of 13mph. That's my fastest so far.
We're on hybrid bikes, not road bikes so that affects how fast we can go too.

professionalHobbyist wrote: »

I love cycling too!

You can join the under armor challenge and Map My Ride challenges. They are underway but you can still get in and meet the goals.

I'm a relatively new endurance bike rider

Just did a decent ride yesterday in the UA Challenge.

Give it a go! It is all good fun!

Hey that's the Silver Comet Trail! That's pretty much in my back yard. Do you live in the area? My husband and I are out there most weekends riding with our kids. I'm the crazy lady with the 2 year old on her back. If you see us, wave as you fly by.

In fact I just realized my profile pic was taken at the Dallas trail head.

I had originally planned on riding tomorrow afternoon while my 7 year old is in gymnastics (her gym is 5 min from the Dallas Trailhead) but my sister is bring my nephew by so we're going to the playground instead.