SgtSpike

Hey all, I'm new here.

I recently changed jobs, and, to put off purchasing a $438 parking permit, I decided to ride my bike in to work (and back home), about 12 miles round trip, while the weather is still nice. I just have a cheapo $100 Walmart mountain bike, but it gets the job done.

My question is more related to fitness - I don't generally exercise, so this has been a bit of a startling experience to my legs. They are very much fatigued after riding! Also, I have a good deal of pain (normal muscle building pain) when going up small hills, etc. So, how long can I expect this muscle-building pain to last, if I ride 12+ miles each day 5 days a week? When will hills no longer be a big deal?

It generally takes me about 35 minutes to make the ride one direction, so about 10.3 mph average. I'd like to get that down to 25 minutes travel time, or about 14.4 mph average. Is this a practical goal on a mountain bike?

And finally, will I completely lose all of this taking 9 months off bike riding, and have to "start all over" in July of next year if I want to continue riding? I can't start riding earlier, as I have severe grass allergies, unfortunately.

sauerwald

Sgt, it will get easier, and faster, although Greg Lemond once said "It never gets easier, you just get faster". So there is a balance between the two.

Assuming that your commute is mostly over paved roads, a mountain bike is not the best option for a bike, but it would work. Changing the tires from knobby ones to something with a smooth tread will increase your speed. The suspension in a mountain bike also sucks up energy which could be helping to move you forward, so a bike with no suspension is better for commuting than a mountain bike.

Your legs will get better with time - don't overdo it, and give them a rest from time to time, but I would expect the ride to be much more comfortable in a couple of weeks - you will feel better too. Have no idea about your question on how much you would lose by taking 9 months off - I never take more than a couple of days off the bike.

RaleighSport

the first responder their has some sage advice for you, the burn is gonna be around for quite a while between that bike and your lack of exercise but it's a good thing.. people pay for gym memberships and parking permits to try and do what your doing. I personally would suggest perusing your local craigslist for a much better mtb at less cost second hand.. you should end up with a better more reliable bike with little investment that way, then from there you could decide if you want something different

kookaburra1701

You will improve very quickly - I know it doesn't seem like it now, but I've found cycling gets exponentially easier very quickly. You will get there sooner, however, if you take some rest days when you're starting out. So if it's possible to take the bus or carpool a few times a week for the first month, I'd recommend that.

There are some things you can do to make a mountain bike zippier - putting slicks on, etc.

I suffer from allergies too, do you have an allergist? I was miserable year-round (grass/pollen in the spring/summer, mold and mildew in the fall and winter) until I was prescribed Flonase. Night and day, the stuff is amazing. My own mother didn't recognize my voice on the phone after a week of using it.

Homebrew01

You can also ride longer distances to improve fitness. I used to commute, and would take the "long way" coming home sometimes to get in extra miles. Consider riding on the weekends too. You will get small gains in speed from a different bike, but big gains from increased fitness.

Over the winter you can buy an indoor trainer to mount your bike on. Set up a computer or TV and watch movies while you ride.

ckaspar

The MTB is not the best solution but I ride one with front suspension locked out so it basically a heavy hard fork. I took the knobbies off asap as well and put some street tires on. That helped a lot.

Those are the two biggest issues you'll see with the MTB. The weight and the wind will be an issue forever but eventually you'll get the strength to push past it for the most part.

Burning out is a big concern really. Start slow and let the legs rest. If you can't get a ride any other way then ride the bike but take it super easy. Like just fast enough to not fall off easy. Keep the bike geared down so you are not "mashing" the pedals and that'll help with the fatigue and the cardio. Hills always suck but you learn how to deal with them and as the stamina in the legs build up they become less of an issue but they always sucks. lol

I have been riding my 16 mile round trip commute 3-5 days a week since about March. I still feel the burn and I still get tired but not to the point of exhaustion like you are talking about. As it should be I would hope. I find my self pushing harder and harder as the time goes by. I am averaging 14-15 mph at this point and I have added loads to my MTB since I got it as far as weight is concerned but I have also lost 20 lbs.

That amount of time off the bike will certainly set you back a bit. I would look at the Flonase option as mentioned before and see if that helps.

SgtSpike

Oh, conflicting opinions already! Love it!

One person is telling me to push it hard, ride extra miles, etc. The other is telling me to get lots of rest, take the bus sometimes, etc. Interesting...

The commute is all on paved roads or paved bike paths. I know a mountain bike isn't ideal, but I don't mind riding on something that isn't ideal. After all, if it is harder to use, that means I'll build up more strength than if it was easier to use, right? And, it's free, since I already have it.

I'm probably only going to drive in if I can't stand it any longer (wife will drive me in and drop me off, since I don't have a parking permit). Then take the bus home. I can't bus there, as I'd have to be at the stop an hour before my shift starts. Too much waiting for me.

Last week, I did 3 days - Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. As long as I make it tomorrow, I'll have done 4 consecutive days this week, and then a 3-day weekend. Then next week will be 5 consecutive. Seems like a good build up.

2-4 weeks sounds good. My bike is only a 7 speed... eventually I'd like to be able to ride in the top gear the whole way with the exception of two larger hills I have to deal with. Maybe I can achieve that in 4 weeks? I am on week 1.5 currently, so we'll see.

An indoor bike would be great for winter, but I really just don't have room for one. Hmmm.... Maybe I could put it in the attic and ride up there!

kooka - No, I do not have an allergist yet. I wanted to talk to one and start doing allergy shots, but it was too expensive. I have new insurance though, so I'm going to make it a goal to see one soon.

Wolfwerx

Nobody here can answer your question specifically. We don't know how you eat, what your basic response to muscle stress is, etc.

The best thing is to rest when you can (take the bus/ catch a ride with somebody, as mentioned above) so that the muscles have a chance to build faster. Otherwise, you'll still get there, it'll just be a little bit more exhausting for you.

Getting slicks for your bike will make a noticeable difference in both comfort and speed. If you are just biding your time until you can pay for your parking pass and aren't really planning to be a full time bike commuter, there's no reason to spend a bunch of money on stuff.


On the other hand, if you find you enjoy riding to work (as those of us in this forum do), then don't be afraid to upgrade your bike situation. You'll enjoy riding that much more (hoo-boy, then it really snowballs ).

Maybe I missed it in your post, but why will you be taking 9 months off of riding? I don't ride in the snow (though many people certainly do), so my down time is a few scattered weeks throughout Jan, Feb, and Mar. Don't let just the cold scare you.

sternzeit

Swapping out knobby tires for street tires will make a huge improvement. My heavy 29er mountain bike went from burdensome to enjoyable on the commute with a simple tire swap. Plus overall speed should increase at the same level of effort.

kookaburra1701

Some wise person here on the forums once said, "I don't take weight off my bike, my bike takes weight off of me." Can't remember who it was, though.

treadtread

I would suggest just stick to the commute. Don't do extra riding initially, just look at it as a way to save money. You will eventually reach a place where you do it for fun and cannot think of going back to a car . I also started on a cheapie mountain bike, but that doesn't matter. In fact, those thick heavy tires don't puncture easily, so its actually an okay way to start. If I had to mend punctures right off, I wouldn't have continued and reached the point where I like cycling, and do it for fun. Saving money is excellent motivation to start, and keep commuting by bike. Buying a better bike is best done a little later, when you have a good idea of what you want from a bike.

As for the allergies - I don't have grass allergies, but I recently developed some allergies (pollution related) that made my nose and eyes water. Since I started cycling, I no longer have that trouble. My wife observed that the days I don't bike, I get hit with a runny nose again. So apart from saving money, there are other benefits that will slowly surface

lostarchitect 

I concur with most of the advice you have received. When I started commuting--and my commute is about the same distance as yours--it took a few weeks for me to get used to it, but it's my favorite part of the day now! Some advice I have, some of which repeats what you have above:

-Get road tires! This will make a big difference.
-Ride the bike you have for now. Don't worry about getting another bike until you've done this for at least a couple seasons and know what you would want. (but do change the tires).
-Don't worry about trying to be in high gear except on the hills. The gears are there for a reason, use them as much as you need to.
-I ride 4 days a week, taking Wednesdays off because I have an early meeting that day that I don't want to be sweaty for. This is, for me, an ideal break in the middle of the week to rest. Might want to try something like this?

Wolfwerx

I grew up with grass/dust allergies, still have them, and when I'm riding/running, they don't seem to bother me nearly as much as when I'm sedentary. I don't know why that is, but it is definitely something I've observed.

SgtSpike

Ok, I'll consider the tire change. How much do smooth tires cost?

I do enjoy riding, but live in rainy Oregon. It rains a good 150 days a year (or at least it feels like it!), so I don't really feel like trying to compete with that. I also (currently) ride in my work clothes, and my bike doesn't have fenders (?) so I'd have to buy special riding clothes, modify my bike to protect from spray, make sure I arrive early enough to change, wear a backpack and somehow try to not wrinkly my dress shirts and pants inside it, etc. Just a lot of inconveniences that I'm not sure I am willing to overcome.

We'll see - maybe I'll get addicted to it.

EDIT: For what it's worth, I LOVE driving. I have a Mazdaspeed Miata - a turbocharged convertible roadster - and it's an absolute blast to drive. I do some autocross with it too. As it is now, I really miss driving it daily, but am willing to miss out on it to save some money for now.

lostarchitect 

You could pay anywhere from $10 to who-knows-what each for tires. Check the size on them and we'll give you some good options.

I don't enjoy riding in the rain, either. I usually skip riding when it rains. But you do occasionally get caught. You could get one of those inexpensive clip on rear fenders that attach to your seatpost maybe.

PedalingFool

I've been riding, mostly with mountain bikes, since mid-March and my leg muscles are getting STACKED!

SgtSpike

I'm pretty sure my wheels are 26".

I may *try* to ride in the Winter, or at least in the Fall and early Spring, but again, I think rain will prevent me from doing so. Even a small puddle or patch of mud could spot up my work clothes, from the front tire even!

Face Palm

Specialized Fatboy tires will be among the fastest tire upgrades you could probably do. About $20-$30 a tire depending where you buy.

https://www.specialized.com/us/en/ftb...setires/fatboy

Face Palm

And just to preempt a likely question, you don't need tread on pavement. Slicks will have the best traction:
https://sheldonbrown.com/brandt/slicks.html

ckaspar

I have these. They are not slicks but are far better than the knobbies I had before.

https://www.performancebike.com/bikes...43_-1___400237

I HATE my car and drive it as little as possible. It is about to blow up and every time I get behind the wheel I wait for it to give it's last breath. That is not why I started riding though. I started riding for the fitness. It's working and I get to leave my POS in the driveway where it belongs.

Right!?!? I took measurements, for fitness sake, back In March. I should do them again to see how I STACK up now. I got a comment on my calves yesterday.

**Nobody gonna take credit for it??? Shoot, I'll take the credit.** Ya but I said that a few months ago. I am surprised someone remembered

ckaspar

Just a thought too...

You could drive in a weeks worth of clothes on Monday then ride Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday then drive on Friday and bring your clothes with you. Gives you the best of both worlds and I know LOTS of people here do that exact thing. The driving in would occur after you got your pass BTW.

I am actually looking for ward to the "rainy" season here in Cali as I have only had the chance to ride in the rain once and it was a joy.

Bluish Green

I have been doing a lot of the 4 day commuting with Wednesday off as I build strength (I have been commuting 2 months about 6 miles each way). That locks in both commute time and recovery time. I plan to go to full 5 day commute weeks soon. I am already starting to add weekend fun miles. The strength in the legs comes steadily. If you track your times, they will gradually improve (except for windy days). Stick with it, hopefully it will be as great for you as it has been for me.

jbiddenback

These aren't actually conflicting opinions. What you need and are trying to accomplish is strength training and muscle growth. The way strength training works is, you work the muscle(s) to be trained until micro-tears develop. Then when the body is putting the muscle back together, it reinforces the damaged area, making the muscle just slightly larger and stronger than it was before. Do this repeatedly, and you can become much stronger than you were before.

But you have to remember that you are deliberately injuring yourself. "No pain, no gain" isn't just words. You can only push an already-injured body part so far before it fails altogether, and you wind up with something major. Try to keep it down to the level of microtrauma, don't go until some connective tissue rips away. You need rest time to heal and rebuild in between the times that you're pushing yourself.

When I'm deliberately pushing a body part that hasn't seen much use lately, I like to start off going as hard as I can as long as I can for 2 days, then taking 3 days off before I start again. I do that until the pain goes from that acute "Oh God I'm dying" feeling to the quieter delayed soreness that just says it's working, then bring it up to 3 days on and 2 days off. I stick to that until it feels good, usually a couple weeks, then shift to 5 days on and 2 days off -- work all week and have the weekend to recuperate. It works for me.

I don't know what your diet is like, but remember one thing: You must eat sufficient protein after strength training. I don't care if you're a vegan, figure something out. Your body needs the raw materials to repair damage to your muscles and build in reinforcements.

SgtSpike

Thanks for all the comments/feedback!

jbidden - sounds like some solid advice regarding building muscle. I'll try to convince my wife to drive me in at least one day a week for a few more weeks.

Yeah, I'm not a healthy eater. That's something else I need to work on. But, I have been craving (and eating) protien-rich foods lately... like peanut butter, wheat bread (wait, is that protien rich?), meats, and almonds. I'll keep it in mind that I need to continue that trend. I very rarely eat fast food (gets too expensive), but I do enjoy salt and especially sugar WAY too much! I am currently 175 lbs and 6'0", but my metabolism hasn't slowed since I was a teenager either. Still dreading that day...

fietsbob

well all that extra resistance will get the muscles built up..

if you budget a couple years of parking fees not required
you can get something decent to ride year around,
and take less time in transit.
given 6 miles aint nothin'.
and have less pain , being on a Bike Shop Bike , that fits you adequately.