Hi - a decent distance?
 

Hi, new here so please forgive me if this is not posted in the right place.
I bought myself a new bike last week having not ridden in probably 10 years and even then I only used to ride around town. I managed to do a couple of 6-10 mile rides last week and today did a 20 mile ride. Is that a good distance or not for a beginner? It was around country lanes with a few subtle inclines. I was pedaling pretty much all the time and only coasted for a minute to stop my knee from giving in.

Thanks :)

What are your eventual goals?

To most beginners 20 miles seems like a lot. My local club does not have any rides less than 24 miles (only one that short).

Still 6 miles is just fine. But I'd say it is not a 'stable' distance to ride. I'd say that within a year the odds are either that you will consider 25 miles a rather ordinary (or short) ride or you won't be riding much.

I really do not want to be 'scary', rather encouraging. Cycling seems to be something where one rather quickly finds they can look back and wonder why they thought a ride was hard.

+1

If you continue to ride, you'll soon get to the point where you wonder what was so trying about those rides less than 20 miles, and I dare say there will be a time or two when you wonder if a 20 mile ride is even worth the effort of suiting up and going outside.

Do what you can do, but don't push so hard you can't recover. My first rides were three to five miles, the first time I did eight I was ready to take the bike back and start stamp collecting. Year and a half later, hundred milers are not easy, but I do them with some regularity. Fifty and sixty are common. Average speed is from seven or eight, now to over fifteen. Two miles between stops, now fifteen to twenty. It takes time, just keep ridding every chance you get. BTW, loosing eighty pounds made it a lot easier as well. If your knees are bothering you, you may be trying to ride in too high a gear. You should be pedaling around eighty rpm. Cadence. Adjust your gear to keep pedaling about the same rate all the time.

Cycling (in my opinion) is not about comparing yourself to others, but rather comparing yourself to yourself. Just like swimming, my goal is to always just do better than what I previously did, not better than others. Yes it is nice to be faster and be able to ride farther than other people, but if you aren't getting faster or riding father than you previously were than you aren't getting any better.

Seeing as you started out doing only 6-10 mile rides and now you have done a 20 mile ride, you are obviously getting better. Don't worry about how far others ride, and just get out and ride and make a goal of riding a little bit farther or faster every week and you will get better.

gracygery,

If your path is anything like mine there will be some 'barriers'. For me ones that come to mind are

Somewhere between 10 and 20 miles. This is also tied to 'I can do that road for at least a mile if needed. That is where thigns changed from the same few 'safe' rides to 'I can explore'.

Feeling comfortable going on a 25 mile club ride.

Somewhere between 40 and 50 miles, which was more about the fact teh rides over 40 with my local club were mainly 'out of valley rides' and that meant tehy had some hills.

Anything after that woul dhave to be just getting a lighing system so that 200 miles was doable.

The key is to steadily build up your endurance. I did a 27 mile charity ride at the weekend, which is the furthest I've ridden so far. We took it fairly easy and stopped for a few minutes at the two water stops en route. Next time I'll look for a route of 35 miles or so. Hilly terrain will have the same effect as a longer ride, since you have to work harder to climb the hill, and don't quite regain that effort on the downhill side.

It wasnt that long ago that I considered an 8 mile ride a good workout. Now anything less than 15 seems like a waste of time. And if I do 15 I'm probably gonna talk myself into at least another five, depending on time constraints.

But for your first week, you did fantastic! Just keep doing it and you will find your rides get longer and faster.

I agree, my first ride was two miles and it about killed me. That was in July now my short rides are 20 and my long ones are 40. Just keep adding on miles as your body allows. Don't forget to enjoy the ride, look at your surroundings, take a break and talk to folks at a store. Unless you are training for an Ironman or racing it should be fun or you will tire of it.

You may want to ride in a lower gear and increase your cadence (pedaling RPM) to keep your knee happy. I think your newbie distances are greater than most newbies, good for you.

Brad

Regarding the knee, I agree that you should use a higher cadence, but also check bike fit. My knee hurts if I ride a bike with a too low saddle.

To quick-check saddle height: ride with your heels on the pedals. Each leg should then be straight when in the lowest (six o'clock) position. When you change to a normal riding position (balls of feet on the pedals), the legs will be bent slightly when in the six o'clock position.

When saddle height is correct, your feet will not reach the ground when you stop the bike. Also, you will have to "climb" into the saddle when you mount up. On a correctly fitted bike, starting and stopping both take a little getting used to.

Thank you
 

Thanks for all the replies, really appreciate it.
I am going to do the 20 mile ride again tomorrow as I wasn't able to get out today.
With regard to my knees I am being a real wimp and as soon as I feel a pull on my knee I drop a gear and I never stand on my pedals for oomph.
I have just put my saddle up a bit which I am hoping will help, it now means I have nearly full extension and indeed have to climb onto my bike to ride.
Am hoping to get upto 30 milers within a month of riding 3 times a week, but will see how it goes.
My rides are literally a round trip I do not stop for a break.

thanks again :)

Gracy, A guide to adjusting the saddle height is to sit on the saddle, extend you leg until your bare heel touches the pedal in the middle. Your leg should be straight. Remember, this is just a starting point.

Brad