Can we get an Amen from the choir on this?
I've got 'other medical problems' that make this "u show U go" 17mph from the get go, a real pain.
I prefer to build up to speed. I tend to spin more than push big gears.
Let the body adjust.
When I could, I rode into the club rides which allowed me 5 to 8 miles of riding before the club ride started.
You'll note the "could and rode" in the previous sentence.
Last month I started 'riding solo'
Made up my own maps of places I wanted to check out (living as close as I do to the Canadian Border,expanded my options a lot)
I started out at around 14 and stayed at 15/16 and incurred none of the 'burn and tightness' I'd get doing club rides.
So far, I've piled up 800 miles of memorable solo rides (memorable because I can stop to talk with folks or look at something at my leisure)without much of the previous 'pain'