msr13

I am a beginning road rider. Just got my first road bike a few days ago. I am way out of shape, but so far, having fun. These were some thoughts running through my head during my ride today. Pardon my punchiness. I need to go rest now.

1. This is work. My legs pretty much burn the entire ride.

2. So, those drain grates are where all the water goes-- don't swerve into traffic. We should fix more potholes.

3. Bugs have no taste. Keep mouth closed. Can't-- need to breathe.

4. If people get in your way, you still have to avoid them.

5. When someone honks, don't tip over.

6. At 15-20 miles, if I crash, I will die. Don't crash. How come there aren't body helmets?

7. After the second mile, the trees, road, and cars pretty much look the same. Actually, just watch the road...

8. I am so out of shape. This hurts.

9. Who the heck can reach the water bottle?

10. I have all the tools to fix a flat. I don't know how to use them.

11. My shadow looks good.

12. Down hill is way more fun than uphill. Do my brakes still work?

13. How do you make a left turn again? Forget, just keep turning right. You'll get there eventually.

Seve

Welcome to the herd ........

It only gets better from now on.

tony_merlino

All really good observations, except that #1 means your seat is probably too low. #7 is particularly true if you just keep riding around the block.

wantone

hilarious!

vesteroid

14. I wonder what would happen to my shorts if I wrecked? I mean I had to jump off the bed to get into these, I suppose a small amount of road rash would render me naked.

At least I was thinking this my first ride

tergal

HA,

i vote post of the year


number 12 goes threw my head every time i hit start down a hill. To the point where i check them, mind you by this point it was way to late to stop.

Mithrandir

If this continues for a long time you may be pedalling too slow. Try shifting to a lower gear and spinning faster. Basically, spinning faster taxes your cardio system instead of your leg muscles. Since your heart is designed to run 24/7 and your legs are not, this will allow you to go for longer.

Been there, done that. Look at it as an ingenious way to supplement your protein during a ride!

I disagree! The world is wide and wonderful!

It always hurts. It will always hurt. But you will go faster someday.

I would suggest going to a bike shop and getting a bike fitting done. The downtube water bottle should be easily reachable if the bike is fit properly. I was over 400 pounds when I started btw.

Practice! Take your tire out and replace the tube multiple times at home before you go on your next ride. You don't want to learn how to replace a flat on the road, especially when you're tired and aggravated, and the weather may be sub optimal.

Yo Spiff

Where's that "like" button when I need it?

recumbenttoad

Nice.

paisan

Quoted for truth

Too bad it's only April and we already have a winner. Gonna be a long boring year. LOL

msr13

Thanks for all the kind words. This is really fun, and I am enjoying the process of learning all the different aspects of the sport. We have a couple great LBSs (that I know of) and both offer classes on basic repairs and road safety. They have also been great at talking me out of buying stuff I don't need. As for bike fitting, the shop owner did a fit, but warned me as I ride, I will learn where we need to tweak a little more.

The comments from Mithrandir were really helpful. I thought pedaling faster would tire me out more, and never thought about it the way he said. I will try on tomorrow's ride. Anyway, fun stuff.

lenny866

NIIIICCCEE! Thanks for the laugh!

tergal

Ha , the pedal thing caught me out as well.

AS he said your heart has to run 24/7 yours legs don't.

I tested it riding to and from work, IF i aim to keep caddence in the 80-90 mark at a lower gear i arrive at work faster and a lot less winded than, if i keep to 40-50 and mash the whole way to work.

@Paisan i say we just call quits on this year and start the next one. This one has sucked bad for me anyway, i am ready to skip to 2013

4st7lbs

I have to echo what Mithrandir said about pedaling faster. I got a bigger bike with a proper fitting last week and can spin non-stop without getting that leg burn you're talking about. That's not to say my legs don't get tired (they do) or burn afterward (they do), there's just not that burn and tiredness during that sucks. A proper bike fitting totally changes the way you ride.

CJ C

LOL

thank you so much for the awesome observations, i needed the giggle after a rough day

btw the cadence thing is spot on, once i bumped up to 90-95rpms i found i could go longer and still have legs left to ride the next day

buddyh

Im just starting out too so I can relate to all of these. I would add one more.... pretty girls will always appear out of nowhere just as you reach the top of a hill while you are panting like a mad bull and your wet T shirt conforming to all your jigglies.

chefisaac

number 15: Man it sure feels like I have a flat. Oh wait.... thats the head wind.

Number 16: Crap, I should have picked the head wind first so I had the tail wind on the way home!

CraigB

Wind can be fickle. Use it when you've got it.

CliftonGK1

Nah, you won't die. Probably. I crashed at that speed just a couple months back and I'm still breathing, even though it wrecked my frame/fork. It was cold weather up here so I was wearing a bunch of layers and hardly got scratched.

skilsaw

Such wise observations, little grasshopper.
Someday you will be a master.

goldfinch

Nice list!

I figured out how to change a tire by watching Youtube videos. I practiced on a tire at home, which made it much less stressful when I had to do it for real. Be sure to carry a tube, use the tube when you get a flat and bring the old tube back and patch it for a spare.

IBOHUNT

17 - Bugs hurt when they hit you in the eyeball at anything more than 5 mph. Wear eye protection.
18 - This mountain is only a hill in the car. When did it get this steep?

As for fixing a flat. Look at youtube. There are many(!) videos explaining how to fix a flat and other simple repairs.

I'd suggest fixing a self induced flat (let all the air out) at home a couple of times so that you are not trying to figure it all out on the side of the road/trail.

IBOHUNT

Great minds think alike?

ill.clyde

+1 on wearing eye protection ... seems silly at first, but man, it's made a big difference to me

perspiration

Someday you will post, "I am so in shape. This still hurts."