General Cycling Discussion - First ride - (pathetic)

I finally got my new tires for my old Trek, (Conti UltraGators), and we went for our first ride. (In about twenty years). I was quite disappointed in myself. I only went about 3 miles, with some hills, and I had to quit. I wasn't out of breath, but my heart was pounding, my face flushed, and the back of my knees seemed to be burning. Whats strange is, I've been doing 3 to 4 miles on a treadmill, about 2 - 4 times a week for awhile, and I wouldv'e thought I'ld be in better shape.

I'm beginning to wonder how good of exercise the treadmill is. Also, apparently, I have the wrong kind of shoes. They're walking shoes, and the they have a wide heel, which kept hitting the side of the crank as I pedaled.

We're, (my wife and I), are going to try to go farther this coming weekend. I guess I'll just have to take it slow and easy. ;)

Artie

I finally got my new tires for my old Trek, (Conti UltraGators), and we went for our first ride. (In about twenty years). I was quite disappointed in myself. I only went about 3 miles, with some hills, and I had to quit. I wasn't out of breath, but my heart was pounding, my face flushed, and the back of my knees seemed to be burning. Whats strange is, I've been doing 3 to 4 miles on a treadmill, about 2 - 4 times a week for awhile, and I wouldv'e thought I'ld be in better shape.

I'm beginning to wonder how good of exercise the treadmill is. Also, apparently, I have the wrong kind of shoes. They're walking shoes, and the they have a wide heel, which kept hitting the side of the crank as I pedaled.

We're, (my wife and I), are going to try to go farther this coming weekend. I guess I'll just have to take it slow and easy. ;)

Artie


Hang in there! There is nothing wrong with taking it easy the first few times you ride. And how wonderful that you and the wife are riding together! Good luck with it, Artie.

Jennifer

Stay outta my way

I have the opposite problem. I can ride all day but if I have to run, 2-3 miles and I'm beat not to mention sore everything.

Artie,

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. My first ride was also 3 miles, it involved multiple rest stops, pushing the bike up hills, and feeling like I would die when I got home. At that time, I actually thought that a 3 mile bike ride was long. Anyway, take it easy at first. You’ll be doing 20 miles before too long.

As for the shoes, if you have flat pedals on your bike, you may want to add toe clips to the pedals (a cage that goes around the front of your shoe). They should help to keep feet attached to the pedals and pointing forward.

Two years ago I made that 3 mile ride. Six months ago I rode a century.

You gotta start somewhere.

A lot of your aerobic conditioning from the treadmill will transfer, just most of the muscles you've been training won't help. Once you get a little time in the saddle and get your cycling muscles going you'll do fine.

My advice is to tone down the intensity of your rides (pick flat rides if possible) and work on staying on your bike longer (preferably thirty minutes to an hour). Then once you feel comfortable doing this, pick up the intensity from there.

I have the opposite problem. I can ride all day but if I have to run, 2-3 miles and I'm beat not to mention sore everything.
yup me too!
I did some running to train for cyclocross last season and thought I was gonna die.

YEa don't give up. 3 miles becomes 5 then 10 then 15.....

That's why I run and cycle regularly. Different muscles come into play when participating in one or the other.

George

Artie,

I was in your shoes 2 years ago. My first ride was also 3 miles, it involved multiply rest stops, pushing the bike up hills, and feeling like I would die when I got home. At that time, I actually thought that a 3 mile bike ride was long. Anyway, take it easy at first. You’ll be doing 20 miles before too long . . .



I've been there too!

My first ride was downhill--a BIG mistake where I live. I had to ride about 1/2 mile up a hill to get home and I was having to stop about every 200 feet. And I had been exercising at the ladies spa (in water) for about 2-1/2 years. Yeah, I thought I was gonna die while and go comatose after that ride, fer sure.

Keep at it and don't push it too much. Your endurance will come up soon and you will be more likely to stick with it if you don't kill yourself by overdoing it.

Congrats and keep up the work!

Thanks for all the words of encouragement. I'm definitely going to stick to it.
I've got the toe clips too. They seem to help. I'll probably go out again tomorrow.

I'll report back. ;)

I have the opposite problem. I can ride all day but if I have to run, 2-3 miles and I'm beat not to mention sore everything.

Same thing here! I am trying to train for triathlon.

You will find that running and cycling are two different things. They share less than you might think in common.

They both work your C/V system, but they use different muscles in different ways. Here is a small tip for your treadmill. Set the incline at 1%. This approximates the level of difficulty you will have walking outside. Note that as you run and cycle more the fitness of your heart and lungs will improve much faster than your muscles and tendons. You will reach a point where you become fit enough to beat your legs and knees into injury. Go slow. Don't worry about speed until you have a good base of endurance built up. Also rest and allow time for your muscles (and other support structures) to "catch up" to your heart and lungs. This means add mileage slowly over time.

It would be best if you bought your first pair of walking shoes from your local running store. A good running store (*not* a foolocker store in the mall) can explain features and fit to you. This will help you avoid injury.

Good Luck
Dan

I'll clarify some of the advice you've gotten. Don't worry about speed or intensity just now. Work on spending time on the bike and increase the distance you ride slowly. Add a little bit whenever you are ready. Otherwise, use your time on the bike for enjoyment. If you pass a road and wonder what's down it, go find out (use common sense about traffic and road conditions).

I finally got my new tires for my old Trek, (Conti UltraGators), and we went for our first ride. (In about twenty years). I was quite disappointed in myself. I only went about 3 miles, with some hills, and I had to quit. I wasn't out of breath, but my heart was pounding, my face flushed, and the back of my knees seemed to be burning. Whats strange is, I've been doing 3 to 4 miles on a treadmill, about 2 - 4 times a week for awhile, and I wouldv'e thought I'ld be in better shape.

I'm beginning to wonder how good of exercise the treadmill is. Also, apparently, I have the wrong kind of shoes. They're walking shoes, and the they have a wide heel, which kept hitting the side of the crank as I pedaled.

We're, (my wife and I), are going to try to go farther this coming weekend. I guess I'll just have to take it slow and easy. ;)

Artie

it's ok Artie, i know what you mean. i took out my bike to ride to work... 7 miles round trip, and i was feeling dead tired already. :eek: I haven't riden a bike in about 11 yrs, so that was kinda expected. so now this is my third day riding to work and my leg is sore... but feels great! so hang in there Artie! You Can Do It!!! ;)

Yep, you need to get some saddle time. You can't use a bike to get fit until you can ride easily. It will take a couple of weeks of easy riding to get your body accustomed to being on a bike.
Make sure the bike fits you well and is properly adjusted. Dont push hard against a high gear. Gear down, and spin your pedals around. Pick a work-rate that tou are happy with, and just stick with it, gearing up and down according to the terrain.
If your old trek is a race bike, it may have gears that are too high for casual riding.

Hey Artie I started cycling again Feb 14th after not riding for ten years. Took a bike path with only small hills, maybe 3 miles. Yep felt dead. Just did 25 miles this last Saturday and 16 miles on Sun. Totally hang in there. Just keep riding. I agree with the advice to stay on the flatter stuff for now and work on longer rides. Maybe work a hill or two in after a while and every so often as you feel motivated.

well Artie... if this make you feel better.. i went to work on my oversized bike on monday and tuesday.. then last night as i was going home... i pull a muscle. i thought i was still young.. but i guess that served me right for not excercising for a long time. now my left leg hurts... had to ice it last night and drive to work today... :( but i should be fine by saturday i hope... cuz me going bike shopping.. hehe :D

Just keep 'em rollin'. You'll be amazed in a month, I promise.

Almost 14 years ago, on April 29, 1990, I headed out for my first "serious" ride. I hadn't ridden in a few years, but I walked a lot and figured I was probably in pretty decent shape. I intended to ride 5 miles, but at 0.5 miles, I changed my direction and headed the other way. At 1 mile, I had to stop, get off the bicycle and rest. And I wrapped it up with 2 miles that day. I was exhausted and so disappointed I could almost cry. I thought I could do better than that!

11 years later, in 2001 I started Randonneuring - ultra-distance cycling. Now I've done two 1200 kilometer (750 mile) brevets (rides) as well as all the qualifying rides, and training rides leading up to them.

That day in 1990, if you had come to me and told me I would one day be doing the type of riding I currently do, I would have laughed!! I couldn't even imagine it back then. But I stuck with my cycling all these years, I have been involved in many different types of cycling, and have enjoyed myself along the way.

Keep it up . . . you never know where it will lead. :)

You should revisit this thread in six months. (Or start a new thread) I think you'll be amazed at the difference in mileage and speed that you can achieve in that period of time.

As others have said, take it easy the first few times out. you have some muscles that need to be broken in gently. (Especially your heart).

When I first started riding again (last July) there was this one long hill near my house. I avoided it like the plague. One day I decided to go for it. I made it about 1/4 mile before I had to stop and rest. I finally made it to the top. I think I stopped five or six times before I did. Long story short, I was so proud of myself when I finally made it to the top without stopping.

Set some realistic, acheivable goals for yourself. Most important, have fun.

Jim

Howdy from Tucson!
Go Artie and Spouse! U-2 are on the right track. Never too old or out of shape!
Am 71 and ride over 100 miles a week . . . oh, yes, my spouse is a younger 69 and rides with me, on a tandem, for the h-e-a-l-h- of it!
Pedal on!
Rudy & Kay/Zona tandem

11 years later, in 2001 I started Randonneuring - ultra-distance cycling.

Well, you may get fit, but lose your mind. :D

Everybody has had that same ride. Keep it up. In no time you'll be saying to your friends that you are upset you only got a 30 miler in today.

After years off the bike I did my first real ride in the last week of May 2003. Like you, I thought I would die. Since then, I have logged just over 2000 miles. Don't panic, don't push too hard and it will come back to you much quicker than you imagine. Don't be put off by other "riders" zipping past. Almost all serious riders realize what it is like starting out. Let yourself have the first few weeks just to get your body used to sitting on the bike. Remember too that you don't have to prove anything to anyone else. And, most of all, have fun.

Stay outta my way


Quick question time, are you ********?

Quick question time, are you ********?

Consensus says yes.

You'll get it back. You just have to hang in there and keep the willpower going on the early days when you feel like crap. Getting back into any sport like cycling or running hurts like hell early on, but if you stick with it, everything gets better.

If it helps:

My first commute was 1/2 mile. when i started it, I can remember setting the goal to actually be able to pedal all the way and not coast.... now I do 15 miles each way and don't blink at it. I started seriously commuting almost 5 yrs ago wit an x mart special mtn bike. now i have a 2 yr old trek 7100 and several older road bikes. hmm kinda grown on ya LOL. Keep ur head up and just remember why you want to ride in the first place set realistic goals and then break them down. Say my goal was to ride 10000 miles this year commuting and all, I would figure that I have to commute every day the 30 miles... can do... makes 7200 roughly. that leaves 2800 to cover on weekends or take a longer route to and from work. I need an extra 28 miles a week roughly ok 28 miles souns like a lot with my schedule. break that down over 7 days and it averages 4 miles a day now that looks doable.

One mistake newbies make is to wait for a bright sunny warm day to take the bike out. Yet the pavement can radiate heat and it will seem a lot hotter and you will feel wiped out sooner. Maybe it's because I'm in Montana, but many cyclists I know prefer cool spring riding. Your body heats up fast anyway and when it's still in the 40s or 50s you can ride hard without the heat overload. Then, you can acclimate your riding to gradually warmer and warmer weather as summer progresses.

Also, make sure you are not riding in too high a gear. Point is to pedal fast in a lower gear, not slow in a high gear. You'll go just as fast but won't feel such a quick buildup of fatigue in your quads.