Notices
Mountain Biking Mountain biking is one of the fastest growing sports in the world. Check out this forum to discuss the latest tips, tricks, gear and equipment in the world of mountain biking.

Tired Legs

Old 03-27-07, 10:37 PM
  #1  
Newbie
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Highlands Ranch, CO
Posts: 1
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Tired Legs

I just started getting back in to riding. (Recently purchased a new Mongoose Wing Elite; good bike? Anything I should be looking out for?) I have been trying to ride everyday but it seems that 10 minutes into every ride I am burning in my legs. Should I not be riding everyday? Is there a better way to train and work up my stamina? Any input would be appreciated!
C'RadoBikeHard is offline  
Old 03-27-07, 10:43 PM
  #2  
the sun never sets on me
 
alumrock12's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: the bAy
Posts: 581

Bikes: 853 Hardtail

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
try running?
try pacing yourself?
try thinking of something other than your burning legs. its just your head telling your self that you're getting tired. its all in the mind that tells you that you don't know whats going to happen if you push yourself any further. just stay determined.
alumrock12 is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 08:32 AM
  #3  
Member
 
JimmyDean012's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Arizona
Posts: 32

Bikes: Walmart POS

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I had the same problem when I started riding on my Wal-Mart bike. The fact that our bikes weigh 45lbs really doesn't help. It takes a lot of leg power to get those bikes going, especially on any kind of climb. That Mongoose is a pretty decent bike, looking at reviews it seems the things to watch out for are the shoddy quality of the brakes, bending the rims, and bottoming out the forks. The only thing I can suggest is try to stick with some more horizontal terrain, stick to a high cadence (pedaling speed), and take it a little easier. Stamina will come with time.
JimmyDean012 is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 08:46 AM
  #4  
Throw the stick!!!!
 
LowCel's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Charleston, WV
Posts: 18,150

Bikes: GMC Denali

Mentioned: 14 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 176 Post(s)
Liked 92 Times in 31 Posts
I've been riding pretty consistantly for over five years now. My legs still burn from time to time.
__________________
I may be fat but I'm slow enough to make up for it.
LowCel is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 10:29 AM
  #5  
Push it to the limit
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 70

Bikes: '07 rockhopper

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
i started running around campus and my block about 2 weeks before my bike purchase, every other day. it helps a whole lot for bike stanima and i also do some good, long stretches before i ride and run. running more and more everyday will give u more energy on your bike. and soon ull be able to go for hours with only taking short breaks on the trail.
phishalot21 is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 11:37 AM
  #6  
Pants are for suckaz
 
HandsomeRyan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Mt. Airy, MD
Posts: 2,578

Bikes: Hardtail MTB, Fixed gear, and Commuter bike

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
it takes about 15 minutes for the blood vessels in your legs to relax and let the blood flow through them propperly.

/says the guy at my LBS
HandsomeRyan is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 12:17 PM
  #7  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 190
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My legs usually burn for the first 10 minutes before I get warmed up.
jonbth is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 12:30 PM
  #8  
DNPAIMFB
 
pinkrobe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Cowtown, AB
Posts: 4,655

Bikes: Titus El Guapo, Misfit diSSent, Cervelo Soloist Carbon, Wabi Lightning, et al.

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by LowCel
I've been riding pretty consistently for over five years now. My legs still burn from time to time.
Word - 20+ years for me. To the OP, perhaps an easier gear is warranted, or dial it up to 400W for 9 minutes, then coast.
pinkrobe is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 09:18 PM
  #9  
Just give'er.
 
hooligan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SF Bay Area
Posts: 1,899

Bikes: 04 Scrap

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I am SORRY for being a jerk.

However, I have to say, it is NATURAL to feel your legs burning after 10 minutes if you are out of shape. If you have never felt your legs burn, you have not experienced life or pain. PAIN IS GAIN, buddy. If you wanna build stamina, first make yourself burn after a longer time. I have no idea how fast you're riding, but 10 minutes at a fast speed on a mountain bike will make anyone's legs burn. If they don't burn too bad, keep going. Let the acid break your muscles down so they'll grow back stronger.

Toughen up, buttercup.
hooligan is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 09:28 PM
  #10  
Senior nonmember
 
Temeraroius's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 328

Bikes: Cannondale Rush 400 (Used to have an FSR XC)

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
It has to do with lactic acid buildup. You see when your legs aren't strong enough and your body doens't have the energy to clear away the lactic acid buildup, your legs start to burn. Lactic acid is what causes muscle fatigue. The more endurance you build and the more leg strength you build the less pain you will feel. Most people who run competitively understand this (800 anyone?). I would say you could build up leg strength in your quads with exercise machines etc. but in truth its more fun to just go ride.
Temeraroius is offline  
Old 03-28-07, 09:38 PM
  #11  
Still kicking.
 
Dannihilator's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Annandale, New Jersey
Posts: 19,678

Bikes: Bike Count: Rising.

Mentioned: 6 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 159 Post(s)
Liked 46 Times in 32 Posts
Originally Posted by hooligan
I am SORRY for being a jerk.

However, I have to say, it is NATURAL to feel your legs burning after 10 minutes if you are out of shape. If you have never felt your legs burn, you have not experienced life or pain. PAIN IS GAIN, buddy. If you wanna build stamina, first make yourself burn after a longer time. I have no idea how fast you're riding, but 10 minutes at a fast speed on a mountain bike will make anyone's legs burn. If they don't burn too bad, keep going. Let the acid break your muscles down so they'll grow back stronger.

Toughen up, buttercup.
To a point, but pushing like that can also get you injured in a few ways, can pull a muscles, which if not detected can become torn muscles, which has the slight possibility of taking some bone with it. Ligaments can tear. If your legs are tired, it's also likely that more of you is tired as well, for example arms and shoulders, losing grip of the bars when cornering is a very painful experience when your arms are tired, even your head is most likely tired as well which can lead to some potentially bad decisions. If your body is not into it that day, don't go out, it's in your body's best interests to rest up.

The best thing to do is to listen to your body and not what someone tells you to do. Feeling the pain when starting out is never wise mid to late ride is fine, but from the start(the first few pedal strokes) you can hurt yourself.


For me, I have the fixed gear for when the legs are tired from using the mtb, it allows me to spin lightly without having to worry about working too hard. Always feel good the morning after riding the fixed gear. Or I lift weights, focusing primarily on the upper body.
__________________
Appreciate the old bikes more than the new.
Dannihilator is offline  
Old 03-29-07, 05:23 AM
  #12  
Old School Rad
 
mtnbiker66's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: The old Mountains
Posts: 8,206

Bikes: Blur LT

Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 0 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by hooligan
I am SORRY for being a jerk.

However, I have to say, it is NATURAL to feel your legs burning after 10 minutes if you are out of shape. If you have never felt your legs burn, you have not experienced life or pain. PAIN IS GAIN, buddy. If you wanna build stamina, first make yourself burn after a longer time. I have no idea how fast you're riding, but 10 minutes at a fast speed on a mountain bike will make anyone's legs burn. If they don't burn too bad, keep going. Let the acid break your muscles down so they'll grow back stronger.

Toughen up, buttercup.
Wow you sound like a roadie......
__________________
Like a circus monkey on a stolen Harley......
mtnbiker66 is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.