General Cycling Discussion - Getting started is the hard part

After my heart attack, I got back in to riding. For me, the hard part is getting the bike out, getting dressed and getting on it. Once there I enjoy it. Anybody else find getting started hard?

I agree, I just started after foot surgery. It sounds counterintuitive, I know, but the DR said that as long as I don't use my toes I can ride. Since I cannot walk for excersize that is my only other option. I do find it hard to talk myself into setting out there, but once I am I do enjoy it. I am only up to 2 miles at a time so far.

I've felt the same way just the other day. I try to keep helmet, gloves etc together on the bench. It only takes 5min or less to get the right clothes for the days ride, water, boot up the gps and not forget to turn the rear blinkie on. What a ritual......all the while my adrenaline is getting started for that beginning sprint down the street.

After my heart attack, I got back in to riding. For me, the hard part is getting the bike out, getting dressed and getting on it. Once there I enjoy it. Anybody else find getting started hard?

It's not a problem in the warm weather, but I find it more challenging to get motivated in the cold. Last winter I bought more appropriate clothing with a Showers Pass windproof jacket and thermal tights, so that helped a lot. My real problem is getting the bike to the trails I like. I hate putting the rack and bike on the car!

Just the opposite here, when it gets hot in Texas your skin feels like it's going to blister off. Your lungs feel like you are breathing fire. You break into a sweat just thinking about opening the door. Popcicles melt in the freezer. Corn pops in the field. People bake cookies on their dashboards ...

There have been many days when I didn't feel like riding. There has never been a day when I regretted doing so.

Just the opposite here, when it gets hot in Texas your skin feels like it's going to blister off. Your lungs feel like you are breathing fire. You break into a sweat just thinking about opening the door. Popcicles melt in the freezer. Corn pops in the field. People bake cookies on their dashboards ...
Perhaps, but when we are out riding in 110°, we can chuckle at all the people from Minnesota complaining about a stifling 90° heat wave.

The biggest problem I've had getting started is not any individual day, but after I have been off the bike for an extended period. When I am riding regularly, my body craves it and I'm eager to get out for an evening ride.

Here in Michigan our seasons are short but we did have a stretch of 95+deg weather with humidity at 80-90%. When everybody was inside wilting I was outside in the hot sun on the black pavement hillclimbing :D

I love the heat.

Perhaps, but when we are out riding in 110°, we can chuckle at all the people from Minnesota complaining about a stifling 90° heat wave.

The biggest problem I've had getting started is not any individual day, but after I have been off the bike for an extended period. When I am riding regularly, my body craves it and I'm eager to get out for an evening ride.

Having just gotten back into cycling I have not been out in 100° heat yet. Several years ago I rode my Raleigh to the airport (Cleburne not DFW) in 100° heat and that was miserable.

Having just gotten back into cycling I have not been out in 100° heat yet. Several years ago I rode my Raleigh to the airport (Cleburne not DFW) in 100° heat and that was miserable.

Get good lights. Ride at night.

I'll probably do just that. In Cleburne there is a law on the books that says that I have to have a headlight to ride after dark (it dosen't specify what dark is, I can only assume that it means 30 min after civil twilight). I'm looking for a way to mount my LED flashlight, I don't know what I'm gonna do about break lights. I'm too early into it to start spending a load of money on the bike (and it's a cheap bike).

I'm looking for a way to mount my LED flashlight, I don't know what I'm gonna do about break lights. I'm too early into it to start spending a load of money on the bike (and it's a cheap bike).
Plenty of threads here on BF about that, mostly in the commuting forum. I recently bought a modest selection of handlebar flashlight mounts from DealExtreme, and the best one seemed to be this rubber and velcro affair. (http://www.dealextreme.com/p/universal-adjustable-bicycle-mount-for-flashlights-2cm-4cm-diameter-31871) Cheap, simple & effective. If you want it quickly, I'd suggest finding it from another source, however.

For a tail light, you can get some inexpensive red blinkies that are highly visible.

I didn't think I would ever be able to ride again after my brain tumor surgery 2-1/2 years ago. I no longer have a functioning pituitary gland and my weight has gotten way out of hand. I struggle every day convincing myself to climb on the bike and get as much riding in as possible.

A lot of times I don't feel like getting going, but that's because I'm going to work. Making riding part of my commute definitely helps motivate me.

My schedule only allows me to ride on certain days, after work. I look forward to those days and when they arrive, I hurry home, change, and hop on the saddle as fast as humanly possible.

I really struggle to get up early to ride. So when I have to get up for a ride I get EVERYTHING out and ready the night before. So in the morning I sit in front of the heater still half asleep and get changed. This way it requires little brain power to make sure you've got everything cuz you sorted it out last night. Before you know it your on your bike and waking up to the beautiful sunrise :)

I used to do summer rides across the Everglades in South Florida, from Miami to South Bay (by lake Okeechobee), the round trip was 100 miles. The ride has it's good points, the main one being that there are no hills or mountains. The bad points are that there are no shops, stores, or even trees for shade along nearly the entire distance.

I did this ride on a particularly hot day,and it was hell. The sun was baking hot, and I felt close to heat exhaustion on the return trip. The only thing which was keeping me somewhat cool was the movement of my bike through the air. My shorts had turned from black to white because of the salt from my sweat. I found a couple of trees to rest under, but had to leave quickly because of clouds of Mosquitos.

After a couple hours of this hell, clouds began to appear. Each time I passed under their shadows, I felt a bit of refreshment. But after a short time the clouds exploded into a violent thunderstorm. The rain fell so hard that the highway was 6 inches awash with water. The water washed the dried sweat from my helmet and hair into my eyes, which was stingingly painful. The lightning flashed all around me, which was frightening because I was the tallest object around.

One of the few of my rides which I could honestly say was bad.

There have been many days when I didn't feel like riding. There has never been a day when I regretted doing so.

+1 and I have no excuses.

This morning I failed to drag myself out of bed at 4:30am for the first time in two months. I'm not overly worried as its probably the only rest day I've let myself take for at least a month and I rode 40km commuting later anyway. But, for the last week or so my legs have been refusing to deliver what I know they can without some serious encouragement. I figured one mornings rest may help, and it did. I got back up to (and a bit beyond) my usual average speed again. But, I am disappointed that 40 wasn't 70 like I planned it to be.

I finally got back to the bike after taking a week off. I had to run errands almost every night last week. I'm back to 2 miles being almost too much.


Plenty of threads here on BF about that, mostly in the commuting forum. I recently bought a modest selection of handlebar flashlight mounts from DealExtreme, and the best one seemed to be this rubber and velcro affair. (http://www.dealextreme.com/p/universal-adjustable-bicycle-mount-for-flashlights-2cm-4cm-diameter-31871) Cheap, simple & effective. If you want it quickly, I'd suggest finding it from another source, however.

For a tail light, you can get some inexpensive red blinkies that are highly visible.

I got a set of these at Academy (http://www.academy.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product_10151_10051_493359_-1?N=855520780):

http://assets.academy.com/mgen/37/10177437.jpg

They mount to the bike in a second and with a rubber strap they will fit any frame. The head light isn't super bright but it make me visible to cars. They have two settings solid and blinking.

I just jump on and go. After all, I need to get to wherever I'm going.

Where I live a light is required after dark by law.

There have been many days when I didn't feel like riding. There has never been a day when I regretted doing so.

+2

It's always hard for me to get dressed and get on the bicycle, because I start thinking about how grueling, sweaty, and tired I'd get from the exercise. And I normally hate most exercise. However, I really stop caring about all of that when I start pedaling because the feeling of having fun just wipes everything else from my mind.