How long before I can commute to town?
 

I got a cannondale touring bike and I havent ridden a bike in like 10 years. I went up the road and back and came back tired. If I ride my bike alot will I get less tired? I plan on riding more and more each day. How long till I get in good enough shape to ride to town 10 miles away?

I hit alot of muddy pot holes so that migh have tired me out.

Yes, you'll find that after two or so weeks of riding, it'll be a lot easier to handle. If you haven't been doing much exercise in the past ten years it's likely your lungs just aren't capable of keeping up with you - but give them some practice and you'll be having a much easier time.

In about a month, you should have no problem going 10 miles (weather permitting).

You will find yourself pretty tired at first, but you'll be fine. You'll get used to it.

I ride 30 miles a day (2x15) and am still tired after each ride. I'm fine when I take a bit of rest afterwards though. If 2x10 is too much to start out with, take it easy and don't do that 5 times a week, but start with 3. I did and I have only recently been able to ride 5 days a week, and am cycling since over a year now.

A lot of not getting tired over a distance is actually technique and pacing, not fitness per se. One thing new riders often do is use too high a gear and that wears you out very fast. Try to press more lightly on the pedals but move your legs a bit faster to go the same speed by putting the bike in a lower gear. And don't try to go fast - go slowly enough so you can easily talk while you are riding. You didn't mention if it is hilly where you ride but if it is you need to make sure the gears on your bike are low enough so you can make it up the hills without getting out of breath. Start slowly and you will get faster very quickly as your technique and fitness improve.

It's hard to say how long it will take you to get into shape for such a ride. Everybody responds differently due to factors such as age, general health, weight, smoker/non-smoker, etc. Just get out and enjoy that T2 and you'll get into shape soon enough.

The recovery times improve as you ride more. In the beginning it may take take a person 30 minutes or so to fully recover, but they should get to the point when they are in normal state (regular breath and heartbeat, cooled off, rested) in matter of minutes.

My first few rides after a long break were less than 3 miles around a park and I needed hours to recover from that, not to mention the muscle pain the day after. Less than a year later I was doing centuries and a 10 mile ride was just a warmup:) It's fun and it gets better. Just don't overdo it.

Yes, technique is important, even though getting in shape and losing some weight helps. Start slowly, take it easy, drink proper amounts of water, don't ride right after large meal, etc., read bike forums often for tips :D

Adam

It shouldn't take long to get in shape if you are persistent. Like others said, learn to spin at a higher cadence rather than mashing gears. Make sure your seat is adjusted right because a seat that is too low (which is often the case) will really tire your legs and can injure your knees.

I quit riding in my 30s after our daughter was born and didn't start back up until my mid-40s. Within a few weeks, I was riding distances as far as 30-40 miles on weekends, and I rode a century about 6 months after starting back.

I think this depends a lot on which 'part of you' is in shape, which part of you is not, and the general strengths and weakness of your body type. I'm 6'6", and weigh 220# or so. My whole lungs/cardio system has been a limiting factor for me athletically my whole life. No matter what shape I'm in, I will usually be struggling for air before my muscles give out. I play basketball and people will ask me if I'm okay, because my face will be bright red and I will be huffing and puffing... but my legs will be fine. I'm never going to keep up by spinning the pedals fast, but I can use my long legs, a longer crank, and my strength to move along in a higher gear. I agree that you want to get your pace up the best you can, but that pace is different for different people, and whether to gear down or grind it out is not a "one size fits all" decision.

And you were never able to improve that? I thought it was possible to improve one's cardio/respiratory systems. I mean, I'm no expert, I'm not even in a great shape yet, but my breathing and heart improve as I'm losing weight and becoming stronger.

Adam

Mine has improved, and continues to. I'm just saying that not everyone is John Havlicek (famous for running non-stop throughout every game of his NBA career, with his pulse rate staying at levels mere mortals only see while asleep). I'll never be Hondo Havlicek, so I have to take a different approach. My relative (especially for my size) lack of lung capacity was also a limiting factor playing trombone. I'm wise enough at 55 to know that I can improve, but that 'part of me' will just never be great when compared to others at a similar fitness level.

what ^^^^ said. a cardiovascular system is like any other part of the body. It is somewhat dependent on who you picked as parents. I am lucky in that I have a pretty good one naturally, which means I am fairly quick.....for an old fat guy who doesn't get on the bike as often as he should.


As for the 10 mile commute, it depends. If it is relatively flat, you should be able to tackle it immediately, at least a few days a week. If it is hilly, you might want to start by driving part way if there is a place you can leave your car.

When I first started cycle commuting in my mid-20s I had a 5 mile (flat) commute. I was not overweight and no existing health issues but I didn't get any real form of exercise. At the end of my commute I took a sidewalk through an underpass that I was initially afraid of traffic-wise, and as it started coming up a very slight incline, I would often pull over and collapse in the grass red-faced and huffing.

Now I go on 200 km bike rides for fun :) So yes the more you ride your bike the easier it will get. I noticed significant improvement after about 2 weeks, with more gradual improvement after that. If you have no significant issues I assume you would be able to ride to town in a few weeks, whether you could do it daily or whether it would tire you out a lot or not remain to be seen :)

A couple of ideas:
- try to avoid potholes :) Obviously if its a really crappy road they could be everywhere but generally stay about several feet out from the edge of the road to avoid the worst spots
- make sure your bike is properly fitted to you, an improperly fitted bike will tire you out quite quickly! This doesn't necessarily mean a new bike but adjustment of seat height, stem lengths etc.
- if your legs are getting tired pick an easier gear
- if your lungs are getting tired because you are spinning like crazy pick a gear with more tension
- headwinds are tiring! if its really windy out take that into consideration and try again on a calmer day
- cold air can also tire you out if you aren't acclimitized to exercising in it
- go at a pace that doesn't leave you out of breath

Anyways more specifics about your tired - tired from pedalling, tired out lungs, generally achy body (which might be bike fit or just getting used to the bike) might help.

I have a 15 mile commute with a couple of steep hills. I started off only doing one way (taking the train home), every other day. It took a day to recover. Currently to the point where I can do it one way every day. Working towards being able to do a roudn trip every day

The more you ride, the better your body will adapt, whether that's via the cardiovascular system or musculoskeletal system (although more than likely it will be both). I'd suggest riding more than just your commute though, especially if you like it. Keep at it and pretty soon you will find yourself accelerating up hills that used to kill you. The whole thing is circular: the better you get, the more fun you have, the more you hunt for challenges, which means you get better, which means more fun, etc.

Six months into commuting, I suddenly realized I was making better time to work on my bike than I was a year ago in my car.

"It never gets easier, you just go faster."
Greg LeMond

I weigh 275 more or less. I think my weight tires me out going uphills. I went 50 mph downhill today.

how hilly is your route? mine is also 15 miles and after 3-4 months I have not yet built up to doing it both ways every day.

same here, except my max speed is 32. it kinda sucks when joggers pass me on the hills, but I keep hoping I'll get faster

A 20 mile round trip on potholey roads is a bit of a hike. You'll have to spend a few months getting into shape before that's fun.