pjbaz

I am NEW to riding and would like to start somewhere.

I was hoping to have a basic idea of where to start...i.e. what type of rides should I do. How far, how many days a week, etc.

Remember I am NEW and have NO experience, strength, etc.

PJBAZ

SamDaBikinMan

Begin with 30 minute rides on easy terrain and slowly work up to an hour over a period of about three weeks. I would ride two days then take a day off.

As you work up in time do not worry about your pace as you are just trying to adjust to the exercise. You will find your self being able to go harder as you get fitter.

If you do have a hard day where you push yourself then the next day needs to be easy for proper recovery. Ride in a gear that allows you to spin easily and just enjoy the scenery.

This is about as simple a start as I can think of and you will learn more about what you can do once you get used to your new activity.

Good luck and have fun.

Ebbtide

Ride until you are tired, rest a day then ride again. Develop a starting point after a week or so of this routine and try to increase mileage each week (not every ride).

Telling us what type of bike (road, hybrid, mountain etc) you have may also give us a bit more info as well as your current shape (are you in good shape, that is).

Riding really is not a science unless you want it to be. Think like a kid and just get on the bike and have some FUN !

don d.

Probably the most important thing for you to concentrate on at the beginning is building up the TIME you consistently spend on the bike at a relatively low intensity level. This is called building an aerobic base. Once you have built your time on the bike up to say 8-10 hrs a week consistently, then you can become more specialized.

Rest is important but for aerobic conditioning it will not be as important as it will be when you are doing, say, anerobic workouts. You can do aerobic workouts every day for as much as you can tolerate without getting sick or injured.

A good way to alternate workouts so that you don't get bored is to workout in "cycles". 3 day cycles, 2 day cycles, with rest days in between would look something like :

Mon off
Tues 1hr w/weights
Weds 2hrs
Thurs 1hr w/weights
Fri off
Sat 1hr w/weights
Sun 4 hrs

This gives you two cycles with rest in between each cycle. Adjust the time and intensity to your capabilities.

A good book that discusses training for cycling is "Serious Cycling" by Ed Burke. It will teach you how to train, use weights to get strong, and how to set up your bike, everything.

MichaelW

Id agree that at the beginning, the aim is to get used to riding comfortably, for extended periods on the bike, rather than to use it as a tool for fitness. After a few weeks or months you will then be able to use your bike as a training tool for fitness , if that is what you want.
Make sure your bike fits well and is correctly adjusted.
Ride by time, not distance.
Start really easy, with 30mins, and extend the time on subsequent rides. A lot of newbies make the mistake of riding too hard and long at the start, which leads to aches, pains , injury and they view a bicycle as an instrument of torture to be endured.
Ride at a workrate which is steady, and not too hard. You should be able to speak, not be huffing and puffing. Pick a gear which enables you to spin the pedals at a high cadence (about 80 revs/min) at your chosen work-rate.

Pick your routes with care to avoid difficult or dangerous junctions. Ride your bike like vehicle (see the book/course Effective Cycling).
When you can ride a 20 mile loop at a steady pace, you are probably fit enough to join one of the slower club rides. Riding with others is a good way to learn, keep motivated and discover new routes.
Besides using your bike to "train", you can use it for all your local transport and errands. This is a great way to get extra saddle time.