Tombstone

The fear of that first ride.

It has been a long time since I was on a bike. I used to be a fairly active cyclist, but a back injury, 15 years, and 100 pounds have intervened.

I have the bike. Heck, I have 4 bikes. All of them as ready as they can be.

I have all the paraphernalia. Shoes, shorts, helmet. Even a new pair of socks.

I just don't seem to have the will. Or motivation. Or guts.

What is there to fear. That I don't ride far? Or fast? Hell, I never was that fast before. And I have no idea that I am going to do much more than around the block a time or two.

So what is it stopping me?

ill.clyde

what is stopping you?

That fear of leaving the comfort of your sedentary life behind ... that's all.

You don't want to ride because you know it's work. It's easier and some would say more fun to stay put and be a slug on your couch.

So do something edgy ... go for a ride, *****, just ride around the block, once or a few times ... ride across town, whatever.

Be "extreme" and just go for a ride.

Report back to us with your findings.

Allen55

Fast? See my sig line in orange. Far? I did my furthest so far yesterday at 5 miles and thought I would DIE! But you know what? to feel that air on my face and that fire in my legs felt better than anything that I have felt in a LONG time!

For you, and for me, there is NO FEAR..there is just DO! Go out and be a Nike commercial...Just DO it! Ill bet when you take that first pedal and get moving, it will all come back to you and you will enjoy it more than ever! NOTHING better than to see the scenery, even if it IS just around your block today. Sure beats the same four walls and the same box playing the same pictures of Maury and Jerry Springer...just go do it!

CACycling

Just ride. Doesn't matter how far or how fast. Just ride.

mymojo

Q: How do you do it?

A: Stop whining & HTFU.

Seriously, though, just get out there and do it. Take a picture of yourself without a shirt on and force yourself to look at it when you start talking yourself out of a ride.

Seattle Forrest

Ain't nuthin to it but ta do it.

chefisaac

You will get hooked again..... trust me. I was in the same boat as you. Rode tons when I was younger and a little shy to get back on the saddle.

zencalm

Good advice. Just biting the bullet and doing it. Tell yourself you'll just go around the corner. Then go further. And a little further. You can do it!

jimxyz

Stay home, drink a beer, eat some ice cream and put your better, fitter life on hold for another day, week, month... Or, do the opposite

Biggziff

Meh....I have the same feeling each time I think about riding...I could sit in the LaZboy and read the forums or I could get geared up and get out there. I simply make the decision to get up, get dressed and go. 4 miles in, I'm so glad I did it!

skinnysanta

Get out and do it!

I'm off the bike with two broken ribs and all I can think about is getting back on the bike and riding again. I too was nervous when I started back to riding last year but I am hooked now and hooked DEEP. It kills me to sit on the porch and watch my son (and riding buddy) ride off from the house. It's killing me that I am supposed to stay off the bike for two more weeks! That'll be a whole month without riding.

Just get out and ride, take it as it comes and it'll get better each time you go out.

Guitarrick

Left foot

Right foot

Left foot

Right foot

Repeat ^

Seve

I think a lot of people experience similar feelings when long periods of time elapse between a once familiar activity and when they decide to pick it up again. It's not peculiar to cycling.

Make a commitment to 5 minutes and only 5 minutes of riding. You don't need all your gear, just you helmet and at the end of 5 minutes if you wish to quit, then go home. No harm no foul as you met your commitment. If you feel like going further, then do so.

Don't obsess or over think about riding, it's only 5 minutes of your time and you know you can do that.

Good Luck

goldfinch

+1

Don't think about it. Just five minutes, that's all.

IL Coke Addict

Forget about the shoes, shorts, and socks - you don't need them. Heck, forget about the helmet. Just take 5 minutes to go around the block tomorrow. What do you have to lose?

Neil_B

Five years ago I asked myself the same question. I was turning 40 in two weeks, and I about to ride a bike for the first time in my life. It took me five minutes before I could give the downstroke. But I did. I moved the bike a little and came to a stop. I realized I'd have to keep pedaling to keep it moving. So I started again. I gave the downstroke on the left and picked my right foot up and put it on the pedal. I was rolling, and I moved the pedals round and round. I was frightened and thrilled. I'd never moved so fast under my own power before, and scared as I was I liked it.

I crashed when a mailbox jumped in front of me about ten minutes later, but that's not important here. If I could get on a bike as a complete beginner and teach myself to ride, there should be nothing stopping you. You've been on a bike before. And I hear getting back on is as easy as, err, riding a bike. So go for it.

jeepseahawk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VZ2HcRl4wSk

Rona

I agree with the 5 minute thing.

Become a commuter.. or just go shopping. Get your bike instead of your car when you need a gallon of milk or a loaf of bread or a 6 pack of beer. It's how the Dutch stay so dayum skinny. They bike to the pub and bike drunk on the way back. They bike for a coffee stop. They bike for an excuse to get out of their tiny apartments.

Philipaparker

Hey I had a fat friend Dave he was fat and out of shape for years we used to play 9 holes of golf and he'd take a cart. Then he moved I didn't see him for about a year and half when I did I didn't recognize him I asked him what he was doing to get in shape he said he found a copy of the Canadian Air Force Fitness Manual at a used book store and started doing the exercises. I mean it was perfect, I looked at the book, you start off by basically getting off the couch and lie on the floor and stay at that level for 10 days then do little more for another 10 days and so on. So what I would do is everyday for the next week is just put on your cycling stuff, shoes, shorts the whole thing and go down and look at your bikes. Then go back and take everything off do this for one week without stopping. Week 2, same as week one but actually take the bike outside maybe as far as the driveway. Week 3...

IL Coke Addict

Paging Tombstone. Hello, Tombstone. Are you out there, buddy?

RichardGlover

Shhh!

He's out riding.

CJ C

my first ride was one mile to go rent a movie so i could sit on my but and eat popcorn.

my second ride was 1mile to the hardware store to get some wood glue, during that trip i got hungry and rode .5 mile farther to get a italian beef, fries and a coke.

my third ride was 3 miles to my moms house to fix something on her roof

my forth ride was 4 miles to work and 4 miles back home.

my fifth ride was 2 miles with my kid on the back to the park

within one month from my fifth ride i was riding to work 4 times a week and one fast paced longer ride on saturday

small steps and you will get hooked.
for me it making it an errand gave it a purpose in the beginning, you can try that

IL Coke Addict

I hope so.

Wulf

I haad a 20+ year hiatus from my bike as I got fatter and fatter. At one point I was afraid to even try. This August I finaly put my mind to trying after dropping 100+ lbs and wanting to maintain my exercise other than walking. My son was home from college for the summer so I had him watch for me as I threw my leg over the seat and I felt really shaky and insecure. I pushed off with my left and glided a little and did this several times before I could get my left foot on the pedal and get onto the seat. I pedaled up and down the street still feeling shaky. The feeling was amazing and worth it. A catharsis of some kind. Put you bike in your house where you have to look at it.
Good luck, you will be glad when you get back on.

Neil_B

I tried emailing him. No response.