LoveMyPocas3

Hello,

I was wondering--does anyone know of any information I can get about how to begin commuting in metro areas if the cyclist has previously been sedentary? I was wondering how one might go about adjusting to the physical demands and about any standard tips people give to new commuters. Please let me know of any links to reputable info.

Thanks!!

lambo_vt

The physical demands are low for most people (ie, those that are not dangerously obese and those not riding 60 miles each way). Don't let anyone here fool you. You may be uncomfortable for the first few days as your muscles adapt, but that will pass.

It's just riding a bike... you get the right equipment -- which is easier than this forum would have you believe -- and you pedal your bike to work.

If you have any more specific questions this place can be a good place to ask.

exile

The best advice is to get started. It's not a race, an endurance test, or a fashion statement. Start with what you have and are comfortable doing and go from there. Whether you ride to the end of the block or the end of town it does not matter.

Basically you need experience. To get experience you need to ride. If you can only ride so far this week, try riding a little farther next week. It will take some time, but hang in there. Follow the rules of the road and ride with traffic. Be predictable and be visible. Go to a LBS and ask questions or see if your city has a bicycle advocacy group. Go to a local book store and peruse the section on biking or check out youtube and watch stories on commuting.

Luddite

How long is the commute? If it's pretty short without gnarly hills, shouldn't be too bad. Just don't try to act like you're in the Tour de France right off the bat. If you get too winded, feel free to go to sidewalk and walk your bike. Slow and easy wins the race.

BigDaddyPete

Ain't that the truth!

oldpedalpusher

Make sure that you like the bike you're riding and that it's comfortable and in good mechanical condition. That will encourage you to ride more. Keeping the tires pumped up makes for easier pedaling because it lowers your rolling resistance. Plan your commuting route to avoid as much congestion as possible.

Make each ride as fun as you can.

LoveMyPocas3

Sorry for the inadequate knowledge base, but what is an LBS?

And thanks to all those who respond. I am taking everything into account to make transitioning easier.

JPprivate

local bike shop (don't feel bad, it took me like 3 months before I figured that out)

I'd recommend starting slowly. Go often, go slow and go short distance. 1 or 2 miles only at first, and then slowly expand the range. Important thing is to ride often. Once you're comfortable with that, expand the range. Don't worry about speed at all, that will come by itself.

Also - if you already have an (old) bike - what helped me was bringing it to a local bike store and have them look it over and fix everything that needs fixing.

LoveMyPocas3

Lol, thanks.

Luddite

Yep, get the bikes tuned/looked over.

cyclefreaksix

Just start riding. Ride and ride some more. You'll find that your fitness level will progress.

How far would your commute be? Get to where you can comfortably ride that distance at one time.

Do a couple of dry runs. That is to say, ride into work on a day you don't have to work.

That said, I just just jumped in and started commuting. My commute is roughly 10 miles one way. Thought I was gonna die the first time. And the second time, and the third...

However, about two weeks into it I started to feel better. Two months later I was getting stronger. And now, almost two years later, I'm adding side trips to increase my mileage.

Here's the most important thing: Just start.

irclean

+1

That's exactly what I did; after years of leading a sedentary lifestyle. Being a Clydesdale (6'0", 299 lbs.) and having recently recovered from a spinal fracture I was very tentative about riding again. It had been years since I'd been on a bike. I bought a department store hybrid and just started riding... a few blocks at first, then a few miles, then a few miles more. Then I bought a used rigid mountain bike to commute to school (a short ride) and now the car stays parked most days. I'm glad I didn't invest too much to begin with because now I know what kind of bike I really want to get. Now, since I've proven to myself that I'm dedicated to riding, I can save up for my dream bike.

cyclefreaksix

Ahhhh, the "Dream Bike". The Holy Grail, Lance of Longinus, the Paramathma...

This keeps me going. Today I rode through a car lot but all I could think about was my next dream bike.

Join us LoveMyPocas3, it's the sweetest addiction you'll ever find!!

chucky

I found peace and gave up on the dream bike when I realized that never finding it meant that it'd be perfectly rational for me to keep getting more bikes.

And before we get OT here are a few words of advice for the OP and other sedentary newbies:
1. You don't have to ride every day. Try it once. Then try it twice the next week. Three times the third week, etc, etc
2. You don't have to ride the whole way. Depending on how far your job is you might be better off taking the train or driving half way until you have a week or two under your belt.

tjspiel

There's also no reason you need to ride the entire distance right off the bat, - or ever for that matter. Drive or take public transportation part of the way until you're close enough that biking the rest is doable.

- never mind. Chucky beat me to it.

As others have said, make sure your bike fits and is adjusted to you correctly. Many beginners ride with their seat way too low. It not only makes you work harder, it's tough on your knees after awhile.

ratell

When I started what helped was giving myself permission to get off the bike. My first few commutes I would twice get off the bike and drink some water. A minute or two standing and drinking water and I was ready to ride some more. Within a week or so I wasn't stopping at all.

dwr1961

An acquaintance of mine named Chuck started riding at age 49 after many years of sedentary living. He ate, smoked, and drank too much - and had already experienced two heart attacks. His MD told him to make some serious lifestyle changes or else start planning his funeral. He resolved to do something to turn things around.

Chuck began riding his bike to work; 16 flat miles each way with 52 stoplights - partly through (scary) South-Central L.A. It took him a long time at first, but eventually he could make the trip in about an hour. He lost weight, quit drinking and smoking, and began to feel good for the first time in many years.

Soon the 32-mile round-trip commute wasn't good enough. Chuck began to ride on weekends and complete centuries and double-centuries... The years went by, and at age 60 he became the oldest person to complete the Furnace Creek 508 within the 40-hour time limit... That's 508 miles with 30,000 feet of climbing.

When I met Chuck Hanson "The Biking Viking" several years ago, he had just completed that same race at age 70 - but finished outside the time limit. Still, he was in amazing shape... He is the person I think of when someone who is out-of-shape asks me if commuting is possible.

Obviously Chuck is very unusual. But if a person has the fortitude, they can accomplish a lot. Start slow, don't give up, and you might just be surprised at what you can accomplish.

cyclefreaksix

Awesome and inspiring!! Thank you for sharing that.

tjspiel

That is excellent advice.

I know a guy who was training to run a marathon using a similar technique. The idea is to run (or jog) for a few minutes, then walk for 1 (or something like that). People who've done Marathons like that actually do it in pretty good time. Resting, by not running for a minute (or whatever), lets them recharge enough that they can maintain a quicker running pace (while they're running) than they otherwise could.

exile

You will make a couple of adjustments when first starting. Physically you might be tired or sore for a few days after your commute or for however long you go. Don't get discouraged, get back on the bike and take it easy until your body gets used to it. Like others have mentioned make sure you are on a bike that is correctly fitted for you. Go to a LBS or if you have experienced friends ask them to help fit you.

Mentally riding with traffic can seem overwhelming at first. I am not sure if you have experience riding in traffic before but ride predictably and be visible. Follow the rules of the road just like a car would. Stop means stop, yield means yield, so on and so forth. After a while we can get you to JoeyBike's level if you chose . Don't engage idiot drivers who honk or yell or whatever else (unless it is absolutely necessary). It is best to get to where you are going safely.

Spiritually you may find there is nothing like the freedom of riding a bike. Like others have mentioned thier 10 mile or so commute becomes the best and most rewarding part of thier day. Part of that is the endorphins that comes with excercise. But it is much more than that to many of us. We like to get healthier, slimmer, and of course the chicks man (or dudes) . When you feel good doing something it has a way of translating itself into other aspects of your life. There is a certain ethereal quality about riding. It will improve you physically, mentally, and spiritually. Just ride and you'll see.

yoder

It's great that you will naturally see lots of very enthusiastic cyclists here on these forums from people who propose cycling as an amazing panacea of goodness. I would have more realistic expectations. Basically, it's just another way of getting around which may work for you. It has some benefits and drawbacks. You will get fitter if you are replacing inactivity with cycling. You will not necessarily lose any weight because of it, unless you restrict your food intake (to be about the same as it was before the extra calorie burning), and this means you will be more hungry. You will not necessarily have more energy because just because you expend more energy cycling. In fact, you may be more tired. I like/enjoy riding my bike, but it is not something rarely is it something I generally think of as "fun." Even when I have an unusually good commuting ride, it's hard for me to imagine how a solitary routine ride could be the most rewarding part of the day.

rando

just take it easy, rest if you need to, and enjoy the ride!

cerewa

It really depends what you mean by sedentary. It's unusual, but not unheard of, for a person to be inactive to the point where riding more than 2 or 3 miles is too much, at the beginning.

For a lot of people, it might be really difficult to ride more than 6 miles until after they've been practicing for a month.

Go slow, enjoy yourself, and don't be afraid to walk the bike up a hill or at any point when you feel exhausted.

Then, if you feel as though going faster (more effort) would make your commute more enjoyable, do it.

Artkansas 

The best way to start is to start with recreational riding, so you will not be under the gun to get from point A to point B in a specified time. Start out easy, plan some fun rides and work your way up to the point that your fun rides are as long as your intended commute. Then, do your commute ride on a weekend day so that traffic will be lighter. Don't try to break records, just take it easy. This ride is to check out potholes, trouble spots, make sure of your navigation and get a worse case scenerio for your riding time.


Then try it out for real.

Bander

Good link: Commuting 101 https://commutebybike.com/cats/commuting-101/

Please be aware that your butt will be sore when you start riding regularly. This is to be expected, it is just your body adjusting to being on the bike, the soreness will go away after 7-14 days of riding and not bother you again if you keep riding. Assuming you have a decent bike seat you don't need to run out and buy more padding.

I have been bike commuting over a year and a half now, and started going just part way like others have mentioned. I would load my bike on my car, park 5 miles away from work and ride in. It was hard at first, but after a coiple of months it started to feel like it was easy and i was getting tired of messing with the bike rack. So one morning I got up and just biked the whole 15 miles to work. I was tired when I got back home, but then I knew I could do the whole trip and just kept on doing it. I have since put several thousand miles on the bike, worn out several tires and a couple of chains, lost 20 pounds without trying, and am much more fit than before I started. Within a few months my family noticed how much better I looked, and I feel better too. Going from sedentary to active can really improve your life. Sometimes it takes some will power, but biking is fun so I usually want to do it. Best of luck to you.