First ride of the spring for me. I'm stoked!
04-24-07, 12:39 PM
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First ride of the spring for me. I'm stoked!
I bought a bike late last year after finding out I had arthritic knees and couldn't run anymore. I only got to ride about 30 miles before winter kicked in with a vengeance.
Finally got the bike ready for this year and got out for a ride. I'm currently about 220-ish and 5'11". I have a nice "18 pack" belly I'd like to get rid of by the end of summer. My goal weight is somewhere around 195-200.
Managed 12 miles today and maintained a 14.2 mph average. I'm whooped, but feel great. How decent of a pace is that for a starting cyclist?
Also, can anyone recommend a good cleat shoe and pedals that are somewhat budget-priced? Or...is there a style of shoe that will work better with toe clips? I've been wearing running shoes and the soles seem too wide for the toe clips. My foot keeps getting forced to the outside of the pedals. Or maybe my feet are just too wide...?
Thanks in advance.
Finally got the bike ready for this year and got out for a ride. I'm currently about 220-ish and 5'11". I have a nice "18 pack" belly I'd like to get rid of by the end of summer. My goal weight is somewhere around 195-200.
Managed 12 miles today and maintained a 14.2 mph average. I'm whooped, but feel great. How decent of a pace is that for a starting cyclist?
Also, can anyone recommend a good cleat shoe and pedals that are somewhat budget-priced? Or...is there a style of shoe that will work better with toe clips? I've been wearing running shoes and the soles seem too wide for the toe clips. My foot keeps getting forced to the outside of the pedals. Or maybe my feet are just too wide...?
Thanks in advance.
04-24-07, 12:58 PM
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Hi! That pace seems pretty good on a flat road. For comparison, right after I got my bike I averaged about 11 mph on an 8-mile stretch. Keep at it!! You'll see yourself improve drastically with a regular routine. I was using that route to get to a neighborhood that contains my climbing training routine and I realized I was going 18 mph down that same stretch! I've only been seriously cycling for a month and a half.
As for pedals, I just bought KeO Sprint pedals and Specialized BG Sport shoes(https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=26151). The shoe fits great but I can't comment on how well everything works since they're not installed yet.
I'll post back on Friday when I get them hooked up.
As for pedals, I just bought KeO Sprint pedals and Specialized BG Sport shoes(https://www.specialized.com/bc/SBCEqProduct.jsp?spid=26151). The shoe fits great but I can't comment on how well everything works since they're not installed yet.
I'll post back on Friday when I get them hooked up.
04-24-07, 01:14 PM
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My early rides in the spring I work on getting my cadence or pedal speed up. I usually take the Recumbent out first because it is geared like the Tandem and my gear changes are nearly in the same place. My Recumbent riding I try and work up to an average cadence of about 90 with sprints to 110 rpm.
On the Tandem, my cadence is set to my stoker and her cadence is never near 90 so more like 70-80 tops. I tend to pull a bigger gear so I get more leg conditioning while riding the tandem and to spare my stoker. The past few years I've concentrated on this more than my miles and mph, and I feel that it helps my conditioning better. I am no Lance nor have I ever claimed to be! LOL!
Chris
On the Tandem, my cadence is set to my stoker and her cadence is never near 90 so more like 70-80 tops. I tend to pull a bigger gear so I get more leg conditioning while riding the tandem and to spare my stoker. The past few years I've concentrated on this more than my miles and mph, and I feel that it helps my conditioning better. I am no Lance nor have I ever claimed to be! LOL!
Chris
04-24-07, 01:49 PM
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You can't find a stretch of flat ground more than a 1/2 mile or so long where I live, so I could probably do a bit better on flat ground. Where I live I'm either doing 5mph up hill or 30 downhill. 
ang1sgt, I've been riding a stationary bike at work all winter and trying to maintain about 85 rpm, give or take 5. My computer doesn't do rpms, but I think I was pretty close today.
ang1sgt, I've been riding a stationary bike at work all winter and trying to maintain about 85 rpm, give or take 5. My computer doesn't do rpms, but I think I was pretty close today.
