BearsPaw

I have a friend, who is your typical mid-20s mildly overweight geek. Over the past year, he has been telling me that he wants to get into biking, which I obviously encouraged. He finally bought a bike, and today we went riding. We probably rode less than 3 miles round trip. Since he was tired on the way back, we went slow. So slow that I had trouble keeping my bike balanced.

I don't want to discourage the guy, or push him too far too fast, but I have to say I was disappointed at how difficult it was for him to ride such a short distance.

Has anyone had success converting someone to the bicycle lifestyle from such a beginning? Any tips?

wahoonc

Ride to a destination...library, starbucks, juice bar whatever. That gives the ride a focal point. Try to set up a ride schedule. I know I wouldn't miss a ride with friends if it was scheduled in advance. Short rides around the neighborhood. 3 miles isn't too bad for the first time out. I have been getting my wife to ride, longest so far has been a 5 mile loop, it started with a 1 mile out and back to the local grocery store and I had to bring the groceries home

Aaron

sgtsmile

I converted a good friend of mine to biking. He was over weight (240 pounds or so) and wanted to ride a bike. In this story, it helps that he is stubborn!

Anyway, what I did was let him lead on hills. I tried to never make it look easy when I followed him. I never said anything that was not encouraging (even when he dropped a gear or 6 at the bottom of the hill and spun like mad to get up it and blew up half way...). I gently suggested better ways to get up the hill (after first asking if it was ok to do so.) I also bullied him - gently -to go riding (remember, he was stubborn, and had decided to do it, plus, he is my best friend, so I have bully rights). One other thing I stressed was how good you feel once it starts to become easier. This fellow was also in ok shape dispite his weight because of a lot of walking. I am not sure how well you know your friend, but in this case it worked. In fact, it worked so well that the following spring, he started commuting both ways to work and then riding at night. One way to work was 25km.... End result? 6000km plus season, and a drop in weight of about 45 pounds AND better diet (exercise makes you CRAVE real food, or else...)

To encourage you, what your friend is going through is normal! If he has lead a more or less exercise free existance thus far, riding a bike is brutally hard work! I grew up on bikes, and think suffering for the art is the norm (doesnt everyone suffer for fun?!?) but odds are your friend is not like that and really really feels it, much more than a cyclist does at the start of the season with a headcold in the rain... The suggestions from the previous poster make a lot of sense. Especially at the start, people need a reason to bike - the bike is not reason itself. Do you two have a spot you go regularly? One that is way too far for him, but not totally out there? (6 miles perhaps...) If so, after a few more rides, suggest taking the bikes there (remember he has to get back! so 6 miles is a round trip!) Eventually, and it may be next year, he will have much more endurance and this will go better.
Good luck!

eubi

Great advice from wahoonc to set up a destination ride. Ride a flat course to Fourbucks, get a tall, and ride back.

If you are lucky enough to have a nice bike trail near your town, you could try that too.

After a couple short rides, you friend should be doing much better. Be sure to let him know..."Hey, the first time you did this ride you were all tired out by now."

Nice and easy is the trick. I am a counselor for Bicycling Merit Badge for Scouts. We do six training rides of varying intensity and then do a 50 miler. The 50 must be completed in under eight hours.

We've had 11 year olds (and their parents) easly complete this 50 mile ride, to their amazement. 50 miles is a huge distance to non-cyclists.

You are a great person to help your friend appreciate cycling. Good luck!

derath

My dad started cycling 2 years ago. We used to all ride as a family as a kid. He has since lost over 150 pounds and we have ridden 2 metric centuries together.

He has also gotten at least 4 other people he knows into cycling and in shape.

So it can happen, and spreads.

-D

rgtft

Similar to what everyone else has said: Go slow with your friend; work up to longer distances and greater speeds. This was probably his first bike ride since he was a kid. Keep it fun and he'll build up. My wife and I were in a similar position a year ago. I remember when 10 miles seemed like a big accomplishment. Now I'm commuting to work 41 miles (round-trip) three days a week.

AndrewP

Make sure the bike is properly adjusted for your friend - seat height in particular, also brake lover position.

aadhils

My first 5 mile ride almost killed me. My first 65 mile ride came a little more closer to killing me. The trick of course is to get him to get past the zone, where just riding a few miles is torture...

BearsPaw

Thanks to everyone for the tips.

I live in downtown Philadelphia, and he lives in a more residential area (East Falls). I'll try to get him to ride into the city with me (there's a nice MUP most of the way) to go to dinner or something on the weekends so that (a) we have a goal, and (b) it can turn into a regular occurance.

Thanks, that's a good point. I actually stopped him on our first ride after we'd gone a couple of blocks because I noticed his bike was maladjusted (seat was too low for him, rear wheel was not fully tightened).

donnamb 

It might be a good idea for your friend to just pay one of those fantastic bike shops in Phila to give him a good fitting. I am amazed at how much more I ride now because my bike fits me so well. I'd like to think my riding is more efficient because of it.