So I picked up my new bike (first bike in 10 years) yesterday and rode it home. This is about a 1.7mile trip so not a huge deal. This wen pretty smoothly except 1 hill that I just couldn't do (at least in traffic) so I walked in up the sidewalk. The rest of the trip wasn't too bad. I decided to go on another ride yesterday afternoon, which presented a few more challenges. The trail around the park is a couple of miles and has a couple of longer low grade climbs which I thought were going to kill me to the point that I walked my bike because my legs just above my knees were buring a lot. I went for another ride around my neighborhood this morning, which wasn't so bad except that I worked to make sure that I was staying away from any longer climbs. SO here are my questions...
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
Glenn1234
06-14-08, 10:30 AM
Welcome here and welcome to the bike riding! I should start and say that I'm about 290 and started a few weeks ago, myself.
Of course the big caveat is to have the bike fitted to you - hopefully you have done that, but if not consider having it done. It will make a world of difference.
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
The big thing to remember as with anything, when you start out you will be out of shape (others will use the phrase "suck at") when it comes to the bicycle. As for me, hills were very hard and I would have to stop and catch my breath. Even the level ground would be somewhat hard. Then, there's always the controls and learning how to use those, as you have noted. But if you stick to it and rest at appropriate times (1 or 2 days a week, and ride until you get tired), you'll find your tolerance for it will go up considerably. My rule for exercise is always to set out some goal in terms of duration and if you have to rest to get there, then so be it, but to stay out for the duration.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
About 1.5 to 2 miles per direction after I strayed from my street (when I was comfortable with all the controls). It started once a day and then went very quickly to twice a day and then went from there. You'll find as you get stronger you'll want to go to longer places.
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
Nothing ever becomes "easier", it just becomes faster. This is definitely true of hills. They're still daunting to me, but I find the local ones that I have to climb to go anywhere to get a bit easier. Of course there's still the matter of the ones I encounter that are the longer climbs and steep grades, or the streets/roads that are nothing but endless hills. But those will get easier too. Right now, I'm hammering a couple of my commutes at full cadence for about 3-4 miles. It gets easier to bike with time, so you'll go faster and make it harder in that way.
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
Descents are perhaps the most unsafe thing a cyclist can do that is completely under his/her own control (i.e. not related to traffic or things in the road, etc). A lot of it is mental, since you are going fast without "the cage" around you and have more spatial perception of the environment. The key is to practice a bit with braking so you can learn how to keep the bike in control, yet not ride the brakes so you generate heat on your tires, and can use some of that momentum from your descent to get you back up the hill. I'm sure others will have thoughts.
Speaking of mental things, read this: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=425868 It's my post musing on those issues - if anything our mental issues keep us from our goals more than the physical.
StephenH
06-14-08, 10:48 AM
I was about 280 when I started riding a mountain bike around the local trails. I'm about 260 now, I think.
As best I recall, I got a lot better on the "hills" in two or three months. When you're starting off, you need to gear down for them; if you use the Mighty Clyde Strength approach, it'll kill your legs in short order unless it's a short hill. My hills were pretty minor, that's why they're in quotes. But in a couple of months time, you tone your leg muscles up a lot and get to breathing better and that helps with the hills.
You want to adjust your route where it's challenging but not discouraging. Walking up hills is a bummer; riding around them or going up in granny gear is better, even if it's not any faster.
freeagent1970
06-14-08, 12:20 PM
Its not easy..i am over 300 and its tough for me every day. I love going down hill though. I hit 30 mph the other day on a mtb! I was fllying..it felt like..just make sure your brakes are up to snuff. For me it was never scarey on the hills because im a speed nut but i can see where it would be intimidating. What works for me is to keep a couple fingers over each lever, never grab a big handfull and if you get scared gently pull both of them, i kind of keep my butt towards the back of the seat when im braking too..just my stlyle..works for me....good luck with your progress.
The Historian
06-14-08, 02:04 PM
So I picked up my new bike (first bike in 10 years) yesterday and rode it home. This is about a 1.7mile trip so not a huge deal. This wen pretty smoothly except 1 hill that I just couldn't do (at least in traffic) so I walked in up the sidewalk. The rest of the trip wasn't too bad. I decided to go on another ride yesterday afternoon, which presented a few more challenges. The trail around the park is a couple of miles and has a couple of longer low grade climbs which I thought were going to kill me to the point that I walked my bike because my legs just above my knees were buring a lot. I went for another ride around my neighborhood this morning, which wasn't so bad except that I worked to make sure that I was staying away from any longer climbs. SO here are my questions...
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
1. I was 275 when I began to ride. I'd never ridden as a child, so I had to teach myself at age 40. I rode a mile, and crashed when a mailbox jumped in front of me. (Pennsylvania has no leash law for mailboxes.) My second ride was spent practicing balancing in a local field. My third was about a mile, in which I managed to knock over the fellow giving me lessons. The next day I completed a 3 mile "time trial" of 36 minutes.
Ten months later I rode a century. You can get what you aim for.
2. As many as I could, as often as I could. Of course, I took up cycling during a Pennsylvania winter.....
3. Never. You simply become better at dealing with them. I always respect a hill.
4. Never. I am a slowpoke. That said, I've topped 40 MPH on a downhill, and that with breaking. I also topped 34 MPH with a loaded trailer that began a death wobble, but that's another story.
Paco97
06-14-08, 02:09 PM
So I picked up my new bike (first bike in 10 years) yesterday and rode it home. This is about a 1.7mile trip so not a huge deal. This wen pretty smoothly except 1 hill that I just couldn't do (at least in traffic) so I walked in up the sidewalk. The rest of the trip wasn't too bad. I decided to go on another ride yesterday afternoon, which presented a few more challenges. The trail around the park is a couple of miles and has a couple of longer low grade climbs which I thought were going to kill me to the point that I walked my bike because my legs just above my knees were buring a lot. I went for another ride around my neighborhood this morning, which wasn't so bad except that I worked to make sure that I was staying away from any longer climbs. SO here are my questions...
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
Very Out of Shape.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
I think I made it a mile with a small hill of about 80' elevation
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
In the words of Stormcrowe, they never get easier, you just get faster
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
I've ridden over 500 miles this year and I still get freaked out when I go over 30 mphs.
mkadam68
06-14-08, 02:52 PM
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
1) I first started in 1987 at the age of 19. I was a college football player, so wasn't too out of shape. Took time off between 1997 and 2006. Got back on and was really out of shape. 318 pounds.
2) First ride was almost totally flat, about 10 miles. Took me an hour. In my previous cycling life, I had ridden centuries and raced 30-75 mile road races and had a 25-minute 10-mile time trial. This 10-miler was very humbling.
3) I am not afraid of any hill/mountain at this point. They are daunting only when I am already tired prior to climbing them. By themselves...not so much :D Smaller hills? I get annoyed by them when I am tired. :lol: Certainly not intimidated. This came about because I have ridden mountain passes of the type used in the Tour de France, up to 8,800+ feet elevation. To not be intimidated, ride a hill/mountain that's bigger than the one that scares you. Then, the smaller one is easy. :D Overall rides? I do get intimidated by any ride that has more than 7,000 feet of ascending.
4) Eventually, you'll get used to speed. I've hit 52mph coming into town, outracing cars and trucks on the road. You'll get used to it. But, when I'm tired, I do get a little anxious, because accidents happen when you're tired. So I go slower. One descent out here in the Mulholland Challenge that did get to me: Deer Creek (I think). About 3-5 miles of 12% down grade with cliffs to one side and lots of curves in the road and a stop sign at a major highway waiting at the bottom. I had the brakes the whole way.
mkadam68
06-14-08, 02:53 PM
... I rode a mile, and crashed when a mailbox jumped in front of me. (Pennsylvania has no leash law for mailboxes.) ...
:lol: Love your humor. Keep it up.
jaxgtr
06-14-08, 03:33 PM
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
2 years ago, I was 375 and well, who is really in shape at 375 unless your 6'10"
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
My first ride was 4.2 miles and I pretty much did that for a couple of weeks as I gained endurance and then went from there.
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
The more you ride them, the easier they will become.
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
As I am in the flat lands of NE Florida, this has never been a real issue, but when I am going down a bridge, I find 31 or 32 is my current comfort limit. I hit 36 one day and felt like I was sliding around. There was some construction around and the roads had a little sand on them, so that could have influenced the feel.
The Historian
06-14-08, 03:33 PM
:lol: Love your humor. Keep it up.
After the crash, I walked the mile back to my house upset I had broken my bike. The chain had come off, you see.....
ScrubJ
06-15-08, 10:11 AM
So I picked up my new bike (first bike in 10 years) yesterday and rode it home. This is about a 1.7mile trip so not a huge deal. This wen pretty smoothly except 1 hill that I just couldn't do (at least in traffic) so I walked in up the sidewalk. The rest of the trip wasn't too bad. I decided to go on another ride yesterday afternoon, which presented a few more challenges. The trail around the park is a couple of miles and has a couple of longer low grade climbs which I thought were going to kill me to the point that I walked my bike because my legs just above my knees were buring a lot. I went for another ride around my neighborhood this morning, which wasn't so bad except that I worked to make sure that I was staying away from any longer climbs. SO here are my questions...
1) When you started riding how in/out of shape were you? I am pretty out of shape as is evidenced above.
2) How many miles did you start out riding at first? How often?
3) I know that hills are never "easy" but when do they become less daunting?
4) When did you feel comfortable at any sort of speed? Right now if I am headed down hill and pick up too much speed it kind of starts to freak me out.
1) WAY! My old scale broke somewhere above 250 and I was still on my way up at the time. (Mid 190's now)
2) About two miles, thought I was going to die. I rode almost every single day keeping in mind that there needs to be some time given to your muscles to rest. I felt a bit guilty on the days I didn't ride but felt better after the rest. Unless weather got in the way, I usually rode five days a week.
3) Funny guy, I live in Florida, what are these hills you speak of? We have bridges, most make quite an arch over inland waterways, my weekend ride has one right at the beginning which means it's right at the end too. I remember my legs burning so bad that I thought I'd never recover. That and the cramping was something I knew I had to face to get better.
4) Some bikes handle speed better than others. A fast steering bike can be unnerving to anyone but the best of riders. My current bike isn't too bad, but I'm still not comfortable much over 30 or so on descents.
You have found a super support group with this bunch here. There will be some ups and downs as you become your new self, be quick to share both events with the group. One day when you're taking boxes or bags of your old clothes to what ever charity you donate to, you'll look back and wonder why it all seemed so hard at first.