Originally Posted by
cagedbird
My technique definitely needs work, which makes sense with the above posts, so thank you for those bits of advice. (On my next ride, I'll try to ride bumps better and see if I can get a smoother gear shift.) I had ahold of the bars so tightly that my arms were so tired! I'm still shakey with steering, so the entire ride was just as intense for my upper half as my lower. My confidence in riding is still not where it needs to be, so I was tense the entire time. Hopefully that will change soon enough.
Locking your arms will do that. Ideally, you should have a slight bend in your elbows. This way it supports your upper body but does not transmit all the shock up your arms. It sounds like your issue was nothing more than nerves, however. Once you get a little confidence, you should do better. 6 miles is a really good ride for not having been on a bike in so long. Welcome to your new addiction!