Bike Riding
danmarbar
Posts: 26 Member
I bought myself a nice little carrier for my little one to ride with me when I go bike riding as a way to motivate myself and give her something to do. Anyways I have a bike with gears and all that stuff, but couldn't make it even a whole block. My chest started hurting and I was starting to not be able to breathe. I really want to start exercising and getting my heart into shape for both of my kids, but this just brings me down. I was so excited. I don't know what I am doing wrong with the bike. Are there certain gears to use or something if your carrying extra weifht.?
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Replies
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Use a gear that feels comfortable to start with, and you'll be able to improve over time. Your bike probably has between 1-3 gears in the front and multiple gears in the back. The "easiest" will be using the smallest gear in the front and the biggest gear in the back. Depending on your bike, the gears may or may not be labeled on the gear shifters. If they are labeled, the smaller the number, the "easier" the gear. Also, just like any fitness venture, start slow. When I started biking, I just went around my neighborhood once (about 3 miles). I eventually built up to 4 laps around the 'hood before I sought out a local bike trail. Now I'm riding at least 30 miles at a time and over 2,000 miles a year. Don't get discouraged - you can do this!0
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I agree. Small at the pedals and big in the back. You may want to look into a mountain bike cassette if you like that bike. They can be installed for not to much0
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I bought myself a nice little carrier for my little one to ride with me when I go bike riding as a way to motivate myself and give her something to do. Anyways I have a bike with gears and all that stuff, but couldn't make it even a whole block. My chest started hurting and I was starting to not be able to breathe. I really want to start exercising and getting my heart into shape for both of my kids, but this just brings me down. I was so excited. I don't know what I am doing wrong with the bike. Are there certain gears to use or something if your carrying extra weifht.?
The addition of the carrier and the "little one" on the bike adds a lot of weight and demands that you have lower gears to be able to spin at a rate that won't exhaust you and take your breath away. Been there done that with both my kids and various contraptions I pulled or hauled them on (or in) many years ago.
What kind of gearing do you have on your bike? How many chainrings up front and what is the tooth count on the rings? How many gear cogs in the rear and what are the cog tooth counts?
Example, on a mountain bike - gearing can be anything from a singlespeed, to a 1 x 7, 1 x 8, 1 x 9, 1 x 10, 1 x 11, 2 x 7, 2 x 8, 2 x 9, 2 x 10, 2 x 11, 3 x 7, 3 x 8, 3 x 9, 3 x 10, 3 x 11 and the rear cogs can range from 11-28, 11-30, 11-32, 11-34, 11-36, 11-40, 11-42. Modern road bikes have all kinds of options as well.
I hate to say it, but the cheaper the bike - usually the gearing has a narrower range. I have one mountain bike that has rings up front of 20/30/40 and the rear is 11-34. In the 20/34 combination, I can scale a very steep mountain at altitudes of 9 - 12K. Put a pack of groceries on my back and carrying some gear - lesser hills become a challenge. Here in the Midwest where I live, I rarely drop out of the 38T front ring/34T rear combination on my racing mountain bike. So it is important to know what gearing you have, and what you were using while trying to haul your load.
So the lowest, and easiest gear to pedal in would be the smallest ring up front, and the largest ring in the rear. That combination is known as the "granny gear" and is a bail out gear to allow you to get up the steepest hills, plow through the deepest snow, haul the heaviest amount of groceries (or kids), etc... . The heavier you are, the easier the gearing you will need. This changes as you lose weight, get in good cardio shape, and can push "taller" or bigger gears than in the beginning stages.
It could be you have gearing that is "too tall" for the load and your current conditioning. Or maybe you were not in the small ring up front and big ring in the rear which meant you were "mashing" too large of a gear which got you winded, had your legs burning and caused you to not be able to breathe.
Provide more information and then we can address the gearing. On the block you were riding, was it flat or hilly?
I also have concern when you mention your "chest was hurting"? Hurting from the breathing - or was it real chest pain as in possible heart issues? Have you been to a heart specialist to have full clearance on exercise that your heart is in good shape?
Start slow and slowly adapt. It could be the next trip you make with the "little one" allows you to do 2 full blocks. Then eventually 3 blocks, and finally a mile or more. Your legs, heart and lungs all need to adapt as you increase the training stress to travel a greater distance.0 -
You might have to work up to bringing the kid along on a ride. Find a relatively flat area and ride without the carrier ... get used to it ... then add the carrier (extra weight means extra work) ... get used to that load ... then add kiddo ... even more work.0
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SingingSingleTracker wrote: »What kind of gearing do you have on your bike? How many chainrings up front and what is the tooth count on the rings? How many gear cogs in the rear and what are the cog tooth counts?
Example, on a mountain bike - gearing can be anything from a singlespeed, to a 1 x 7, 1 x 8, 1 x 9, 1 x 10, 1 x 11, 2 x 7, 2 x 8, 2 x 9, 2 x 10, 2 x 11, 3 x 7, 3 x 8, 3 x 9, 3 x 10, 3 x 11 and the rear cogs can range from 11-28, 11-30, 11-32, 11-34, 11-36, 11-40, 11-42. Modern road bikes have all kinds of options as well.
I hate to say it, but the cheaper the bike - usually the gearing has a narrower range. I have one mountain bike that has rings up front of 20/30/40 and the rear is 11-34. In the 20/34 combination, I can scale a very steep mountain at altitudes of 9 - 12K. Put a pack of groceries on my back and carrying some gear - lesser hills become a challenge. Here in the Midwest where I live, I rarely drop out of the 38T front ring/34T rear combination on my racing mountain bike. So it is important to know what gearing you have, and what you were using while trying to haul your load.
So the lowest, and easiest gear to pedal in would be the smallest ring up front, and the largest ring in the rear. That combination is known as the "granny gear" and is a bail out gear to allow you to get up the steepest hills, plow through the deepest snow, haul the heaviest amount of groceries (or kids), etc... . The heavier you are, the easier the gearing you will need. This changes as you lose weight, get in good cardio shape, and can push "taller" or bigger gears than in the beginning stages.
It could be you have gearing that is "too tall" for the load and your current conditioning. Or maybe you were not in the small ring up front and big ring in the rear which meant you were "mashing" too large of a gear which got you winded, had your legs burning and caused you to not be able to breathe.
Provide more information and then we can address the gearing. On the block you were riding, was it flat or hilly?
I also have concern when you mention your "chest was hurting"? Hurting from the breathing - or was it real chest pain as in possible heart issues? Have you been to a heart specialist to have full clearance on exercise that your heart is in good shape?
Start slow and slowly adapt. It could be the next trip you make with the "little one" allows you to do 2 full blocks. Then eventually 3 blocks, and finally a mile or more. Your legs, heart and lungs all need to adapt as you increase the training stress to travel a greater distance.
I am not sure about cogs and all that, not sure what those even are. I have a 26" Huffy Trail Runner 18 Speed. It has the numbers 1-3 on the left hand gear and 1-7 on the right. It was a cheaper bike, but the one I could afford. The area was not very hilly a flat but small ups and downs for the sidewalks a slight hill towards the end that really did me in. I was having chest pains to the point I pushed my bike and daughter back the last stretch. I was born with two holes in my heart, one of which closed and one that didn't. The cardiologist said I would be fine and should have nothing to worry about, I haven't been back in years and have been fine. I didn't really think of it but I do have a cold so maybe just breathing in the cold air did me in. It is supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow so I am going to try again, assuming I find the right gear lol.
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how much do you weigh, how tall are you and age too..0
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It could be a variety of things:
Weight: costs more energy to make the bike "work." Also, tires can be overloaded.
Tire pressure/tire tread: mud tires produce much more friction than street tires because of more road contact.
Brake thrust: a misadjusted brake assembly would cause drag on the wheel if it fixes the pad on the rim.
Improper gear use and hills also cause harder riding
Any local bike shop will help you with these problems if you are uneducated on cycling mechanics. Just take it to them, and they can help you.0 -
I am sure living with a heart issue you know to be careful, but seriously be careful.
Your bike has 21 gears. The left shifter changes the cog at the front where your feet are. You want this to say 1 for the moment. The right shifter changes the gears at the back, you also want this to be 1 at the moment.
While your on your own wheel the bike outside, make sure that the tyres are properly inflated and that nothing is catching. It should be really easy to push. Now put the kiddy seat on, again make sure nothing is catching. The bike is going to feel a little more top heavy but should still roll freely. Squeeze the brakes and release, the bike should stop/slow and then free wheel again. Once the brakes are released they should not rub.
Now take her for a little ride to make sure you are comfortable. In the current gear 1:1 your going to be spinning your legs quite quick to go not very fast. Adjust the right gear leaver up through the gears until you get a resistance that you are comfortable with. For now just leave the left leaver at 1 and ignore it. If your getting out of breath slow down, its not a race.
Once your done, add your kiddie. Go through all the checks again to make sure everything is inflated properly the brakes work and that nothing is catching or rubbing. Start off in 1:1 again and move up on the right lever until your comfortable with the resistance. If your going up hill and the resistance is too high just move the right lever back down again.
Cycling is great fun so I hope this works out for you.0 -
Its not clear to me--were you using your gears, i.e. did you change the gears to make pedaling easier?
How "big" is your little one?
Have you tried riding without the carrier?0 -
Okay firstly i'm not an expert, just someone who commutes by bike daily. I started last year after not riding a bike in 10+ years. My advice would be riding in the right gear (not so low that your spinning your butt off and winding yourself, and not so high that you're really really pushing yourself) and making sure that you're on a flat surface and slowly working your way up. Get used to changing the gears depending on the environment you're riding in.
Check the height of your seat. Believe me as someone who rode her bike with the seat WAY too low for roughly 2-3 months, it was a COMPLETELY different feeling when i lifted my seat into the proper riding position. At first it felt really strange like i was too high off the ground, but peddling and being able to really apply force to the peddles was SO much easier. I no longer had knee pain, I could go farther and harder, and it all around made a huge difference.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVu5Zrktm40
Always always make sure your tires have the proper amount of air in your tires. It's MUCH harder to peddle when your tires are low! Also make sure your tires aren't catching on your breaks or on anything.
I bike with a basketful of groceries, and groceries hanging off my handle bars as it's the only way I can get to and from the grocery store. Sometimes I also have a heavy *kitten* backpack on too, so i'm also aware of how much harder it is to peddle with extra weight on the bike. Start low, slow, and work your way up.
I started by just riding around the corner. It took me some practice to get used to my bike specifically, especially stopping and starting safely. I have a women's city bike with the step through frame and with the breaks on the pedal (so i can't free wheel and must always stop the bike in the right pedal position). In any case, I would recommend you get used to your bike specifically, start on short rides and slowly go farther and farther, and then when you're ready add the kiddo.
Edited to add: By the way, if you're like me and find out you hate your bike after riding it for a while, be up for saving up and getting a better bike!
At first I was convinced i needed a bike like mine where i'm sitting more upright, where my handlebars and kind of up, etc. I freaking HATE it. I am working my butt off twice as much as my boyfriend on his expensive *kitten* roadbike, My back position makes it harder for me to ride longer distances (like 15k+) without feeling uncomfortable, I am always hitting my freaking heel on the pedal since i can't peddle backwards, and my bike weighs 50 million pounds more than i'd like it to. It looks "cute" though, so atleast it's got that going for it, which is nice.
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Also, very basic: how high is the seat? If your knees are more-than-only-slightly-bent when your feet/pedal are at the bottom of your pedaling arc, your seat may be too low. VERY common, and having your seat raised to the proper height may make a big difference.
As will the distance between your handlebars/hand placement and your seat/butt.
You may benefit from taking your bike to a local bike store and have the owner fit it for you.
When I was a kid riding the old ten-speed, I never had it fit. Now, it's absolutely critical and the difference between the correct fit, especially seat height, of even one centimeter can make a huge difference.0 -
SingingSingleTracker wrote: »What kind of gearing do you have on your bike? How many chainrings up front and what is the tooth count on the rings? How many gear cogs in the rear and what are the cog tooth counts?
Example, on a mountain bike - gearing can be anything from a singlespeed, to a 1 x 7, 1 x 8, 1 x 9, 1 x 10, 1 x 11, 2 x 7, 2 x 8, 2 x 9, 2 x 10, 2 x 11, 3 x 7, 3 x 8, 3 x 9, 3 x 10, 3 x 11 and the rear cogs can range from 11-28, 11-30, 11-32, 11-34, 11-36, 11-40, 11-42. Modern road bikes have all kinds of options as well.
I hate to say it, but the cheaper the bike - usually the gearing has a narrower range. I have one mountain bike that has rings up front of 20/30/40 and the rear is 11-34. In the 20/34 combination, I can scale a very steep mountain at altitudes of 9 - 12K. Put a pack of groceries on my back and carrying some gear - lesser hills become a challenge. Here in the Midwest where I live, I rarely drop out of the 38T front ring/34T rear combination on my racing mountain bike. So it is important to know what gearing you have, and what you were using while trying to haul your load.
So the lowest, and easiest gear to pedal in would be the smallest ring up front, and the largest ring in the rear. That combination is known as the "granny gear" and is a bail out gear to allow you to get up the steepest hills, plow through the deepest snow, haul the heaviest amount of groceries (or kids), etc... . The heavier you are, the easier the gearing you will need. This changes as you lose weight, get in good cardio shape, and can push "taller" or bigger gears than in the beginning stages.
It could be you have gearing that is "too tall" for the load and your current conditioning. Or maybe you were not in the small ring up front and big ring in the rear which meant you were "mashing" too large of a gear which got you winded, had your legs burning and caused you to not be able to breathe.
Provide more information and then we can address the gearing. On the block you were riding, was it flat or hilly?
I also have concern when you mention your "chest was hurting"? Hurting from the breathing - or was it real chest pain as in possible heart issues? Have you been to a heart specialist to have full clearance on exercise that your heart is in good shape?
Start slow and slowly adapt. It could be the next trip you make with the "little one" allows you to do 2 full blocks. Then eventually 3 blocks, and finally a mile or more. Your legs, heart and lungs all need to adapt as you increase the training stress to travel a greater distance.
I am not sure about cogs and all that, not sure what those even are. I have a 26" Huffy Trail Runner 18 Speed. It has the numbers 1-3 on the left hand gear and 1-7 on the right. It was a cheaper bike, but the one I could afford. The area was not very hilly a flat but small ups and downs for the sidewalks a slight hill towards the end that really did me in. I was having chest pains to the point I pushed my bike and daughter back the last stretch. I was born with two holes in my heart, one of which closed and one that didn't. The cardiologist said I would be fine and should have nothing to worry about, I haven't been back in years and have been fine. I didn't really think of it but I do have a cold so maybe just breathing in the cold air did me in. It is supposed to be a bit warmer tomorrow so I am going to try again, assuming I find the right gear lol.
So that's a 21 speed if you have 3 chainrings up front, and 7 gears in the rear (according to your shifters). Each of those 3 chainrings up front, and those 7 cogs or gears in the rear have a number of teeth on them. I was only asking because sometimes a bike like a Huffy may have 28 teeth on the small chainring (#1 on the left hand shifter) which can be quite a tall gear if pedaling with a load. Some bikes have 26, 24, 22, or 20 teeth on that ring which makes them even easier to pedal. That's why I asked. I wondered if your bike was geared taller or shorter (bike lingo). While you were riding with your daughter, was your chain up front on the small ring (the one on the left side), the middle ring, or the larger ring (the one on the right side)? In other words - #1, #2, or #3. And of the numbers 1-7 for the shifter that controls the rear cogs (gears), which number were you on?
Try having that number clicked or turned on the #1 slot for both the left hand and the right hand. That is your "granny gear" or easiest gear for pedaling. When carrying a load (child, groceries, book bag) using that gear will allow you to spin easily and keep your heart rate and effort down. Each gear after that gets progressively more difficult to pedal, so I am just suggesting you find the easier gears to help you adapt to carrying a load and build your endurance.0 -
I am 172 lbs, 5'2" and am 24.Michael190lbs wrote: »how much do you weigh, how tall are you and age too..
I am very careful, but it worries me a lot not knowing if am pushing myself too hard. I am actually looking to invest in a FitBit or any watch with a heart rate monitor, but they are a little out of reach at the moment. Nothing catches on the bike with or without the kiddie seat added. Thank you, I will try this tomorrow when I go again.MikeLeTwigg wrote: »I am sure living with a heart issue you know to be careful, but seriously be careful.
Your bike has 21 gears. The left shifter changes the cog at the front where your feet are. You want this to say 1 for the moment. The right shifter changes the gears at the back, you also want this to be 1 at the moment.
While your on your own wheel the bike outside, make sure that the tyres are properly inflated and that nothing is catching. It should be really easy to push. Now put the kiddy seat on, again make sure nothing is catching. The bike is going to feel a little more top heavy but should still roll freely. Squeeze the brakes and release, the bike should stop/slow and then free wheel again. Once the brakes are released they should not rub.
Now take her for a little ride to make sure you are comfortable. In the current gear 1:1 your going to be spinning your legs quite quick to go not very fast. Adjust the right gear leaver up through the gears until you get a resistance that you are comfortable with. For now just leave the left leaver at 1 and ignore it. If your getting out of breath slow down, its not a race.
Once your done, add your kiddie. Go through all the checks again to make sure everything is inflated properly the brakes work and that nothing is catching or rubbing. Start off in 1:1 again and move up on the right lever until your comfortable with the resistance. If your going up hill and the resistance is too high just move the right lever back down again.
Cycling is great fun so I hope this works out for you.
I was trying to move the gears to where I would be more comfortable, but really have no idea what I am doing. I have always rode the bike on the same level I bought it at and just leave it alone. My little one is 18 months about 25 lbs. I rode the bike without the carrier less than a week ago.Its not clear to me--were you using your gears, i.e. did you change the gears to make pedaling easier?
How "big" is your little one?
Have you tried riding without the carrier?
I am starting to think the seat may just be part of the issue, I had a problem with it riding into a certain place and hurting and had my boyfriend adjust it. I will make sure to have him check that tomorrow before I go riding again.rainbowbow wrote: »Check the height of your seat. Believe me as someone who rode her bike with the seat WAY too low for roughly 2-3 months, it was a COMPLETELY different feeling when i lifted my seat into the proper riding position. At first it felt really strange like i was too high off the ground, but peddling and being able to really apply force to the peddles was SO much easier. I no longer had knee pain, I could go farther and harder, and it all around made a huge difference.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVu5Zrktm40
At first I was convinced i needed a bike like mine where i'm sitting more upright, where my handlebars and kind of up, etc. I freaking HATE it. I am working my butt off twice as much as my boyfriend on his expensive *kitten* roadbike, My back position makes it harder for me to ride longer distances (like 15k+) without feeling uncomfortable, I am always hitting my freaking heel on the pedal since i can't peddle backwards, and my bike weighs 50 million pounds more than i'd like it to. It looks "cute" though, so atleast it's got that going for it, which is nice.
Again, I am majorly thinking it may be the seat or at least part of the problem. I didn't know bike stores did fittings though! The more you know!CarlydogsMom wrote: »Also, very basic: how high is the seat? If your knees are more-than-only-slightly-bent when your feet/pedal are at the bottom of your pedaling arc, your seat may be too low. VERY common, and having your seat raised to the proper height may make a big difference.
As will the distance between your handlebars/hand placement and your seat/butt.
You may benefit from taking your bike to a local bike store and have the owner fit it for you.
When I was a kid riding the old ten-speed, I never had it fit. Now, it's absolutely critical and the difference between the correct fit, especially seat height, of even one centimeter can make a huge difference.
I had the left gear on 1 and the right on 4, this was after some trial and error, because I had no clue what I was doing. I really appreciate you taking the time to explain all this to me though.SingingSingleTracker wrote: »So that's a 21 speed if you have 3 chainrings up front, and 7 gears in the rear (according to your shifters). Each of those 3 chainrings up front, and those 7 cogs or gears in the rear have a number of teeth on them. I was only asking because sometimes a bike like a Huffy may have 28 teeth on the small chainring (#1 on the left hand shifter) which can be quite a tall gear if pedaling with a load. Some bikes have 26, 24, 22, or 20 teeth on that ring which makes them even easier to pedal. That's why I asked. I wondered if your bike was geared taller or shorter (bike lingo). While you were riding with your daughter, was your chain up front on the small ring (the one on the left side), the middle ring, or the larger ring (the one on the right side)? In other words - #1, #2, or #3. And of the numbers 1-7 for the shifter that controls the rear cogs (gears), which number were you on?
Try having that number clicked or turned on the #1 slot for both the left hand and the right hand. That is your "granny gear" or easiest gear for pedaling. When carrying a load (child, groceries, book bag) using that gear will allow you to spin easily and keep your heart rate and effort down. Each gear after that gets progressively more difficult to pedal, so I am just suggesting you find the easier gears to help you adapt to carrying a load and build your endurance.
Same to everyone else, a huge thank you! I am very excited to see if we can do any better tomorrow.
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By the way, most mountain bikes i've ridden have man seats. If you're having the issue of putting *ahem* all of your weight on fleshy bits not designed to carry your weight... uhm... yeah.
Women actually have wider sit-bones than men do. You need to make sure your seat is wide enough that when you are sitting you are actually putting the weight on these bones, not fleshy bits if you know what i'm saying. You don't need an expensive or ultra huge plush seat, just one that is a little wider if that's a problem you're encountering.
If you do go get a fitting at a bike shop, that's something to consider!
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^^^^^^. What she said
If you get the pedal height right and a seat to fit you, your gender obviously first, then you personally...
That will be so much better!
Performance Bicycle has a very easy return policy. It is really almost insane.
They have lots of seats. You can have the seat taken out of the packaging and put on a low surface. Sit on it. Sit on a few. You can tell when the seat thick area hits your two sit bones.
They can put it on and adjust your bike for a reasonable price
If you don't like the seat, just bring it back no questions asked
I have a mountain bike, road bike, and triathlon bike. All have different seats.
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Proud of you for getting out there.... Keep at it!! When I got my bike I couldnt ride it to the mailbox and back Now I do 22miles NO PROBLEM also on a cheap bike,, from Walmart
Just keep at it and use those gears to stay "in the zone" flat ground I like to use Middle gears 2 in front 4 in rear thats a safe starting point. remember The Minus sign will make it easier to pedal and the Lower Gear on other side will do the same,,
GOOD LUCK AND KEEP AT IT0 -
Don't get caught up with all the techno-gear bike stuff. Cycling is a fine thing to want to do but in truth at the novice level walking with a stroller is likely going to be a better calorie burn and a safer and more enjoyable experience in the near term. That's not to say put away the bike but before you start taking your child on a bike ride first get comfortable with riding on your own. Set the left gear number to 2 and click the right gear around until you find a number that you can comfortably peddle with. Then forget about the gears and just ride the bike like that. Over time as you gain strength and familiarity with the bike then you can think about adding another passenger. When you do so choose a flat area and preferably a paved trail.0
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