sarals 

You'll find several stories like Heathie's here. Several of us either started cycling late in life (recently) or picked it back up after a long haitus. A few have been in it all along.

My story is similar to Heathie's. I started riding in 2006 or 2007 on the admonition of my doctor ("Loose weight or else"). I had a Cannondale M500 mountain bike that had been given to me on my 45th birthday, which I had ridden perhaps twice since receiving it - and that was over a duration of perhaps 15 years. The bike was heavy, too small for me (which I had no clue about), miserable to ride, but I somehow stuck with it. Over time, like almost two years, it really took hold. I lost weight, over 50 pounds, and began to realize that I wanted to expand my cycling world.

In early 2010 I bought my first road bike, a Felt F75. Later that year, I did my first ever group ride. I did that because I'd seen the Tour d France that year, and I wanted to know the experience of riding in a peloton. Later that year I bought my Look 566, my French Boyfriend (even though it's female). I was beginning to realize I wanted to try racing.

My first foray into racing was through triathlon, and triathlon was also the first athletic competition I had ever attempted. I was sidetracked into running (we usually don't spell that word out here, forum rules ), which I enjoyed, but I really wanted to race my bike.

Fast forward to 2013. I had a coach, the same person who coaches Heathpack, I had a bike, and I had reasonable fitness. I entered a lot of races that year, had minimal success from podium standpoints, but I was having a blast! Racing was so much fun, it was everything I hoped it would be, and then some. Now, at the end of the 2015 season, I have had success that I never dreamed I would, but more importantly, I have learned so much about ME. I've also made some terrific friends, I belong to a fabulous community, and I am having the time of my life. I've given up on growing up, who wants to do that when you can have fun on your bike instead?

Welcome to the forum! And to cycling!!

chasm54

They have shock absorbers. Clever stuff.

YogaKat

@sarals What a wonderful story. I love your positive attitude. It was only about six months ago that I was stuck in a haze of feeling 40 years older than I actually am, now I feel like a kid again.

sarals 

And that is wonderful! And exactly how I feel! As my training partner/girl friend and I tell each other constantly, "Who wants to be an ADULT, anyway?"

YogaKat

Adulting is boring. I'd rather giggle like a kid and ride my bike!

sarals 

Make it so!

YogaKat

Makes me think of my favorite Star Fleet captain.

sarals 

YogaKat

First blow out today. I was 8 miles into my ride and 'pow!' I did the walk of shame for 3 miles to get off the path to a place where my husband could pick me up, then promptly headed to the shop and now have new tires and tubes. Lesson learned. I knew I needed to replace them but procrastinated instead.

The positives:
* I hit the trifecta today in exercise - yoga, cycling then walking.
* Met some really nice locals that offered help along the way.
* It was a beautiful day even if it had it's challenges.

Finished up the day with getting on the cruiser and riding another 8 miles with my daughter to the lake paths and back home. Still a good day.

chasm54

@YogaKat , do you know how to fix stuff, starting with replacing/repairing tubes? It's well worth finding out. There are lots of pretty good bike repair videos on YouTube, if you don't have anyone local to show you.

revchuck 

+1. Replacing tires and tubes is a skill you need to have. If you're like me and don't do well with YouTube instructional videos and don't have a friend who can show you, you might try going to your LBS and offering to pay the labor charge for changing a tire if they'll show you how to do it. It'd be a worthwhile investment.

YogaKat

My husband taught me how to replace the tubes. Before going out to ride on two occasions I found that my SS had a flat. So now both of the tubes are new on that one. The main problem with yesterday is that the tires were too worn and one completely blew out a hole so there was no fixing it on the spot. (my fault for delaying replacement.) @revchuck The tire itself is my next project so I can take care of that on my own rather than taking it to the shop.

Also, when I was out on a ride around one of the lakes about 10 miles away, my chain fell off same bike and I had just bought a tool kit so I stopped and started working on taking the back tire off to get it back on. Another cyclist stopped and tried to help and we got it back on although not very well. It came off again a few miles later. Upon getting her home, we worked on that together and ended up having to bend the fender due to it rubbing against the tire. Neither of us are really sure what was going on there but we got it adjusted.

I figured out how to replace the saddle on both my new bike and my daughter's bike, each of them were slightly different.

I carry an extra tube, tools, fix-a-flat, my expired drivers license (for ID purposes) and some cash in case of emergencies.

On my walk back yesterday I began thinking that it is well past time to start working on a maintenance chart to avoid situations like these as much as possible.

The short version: I'm no bike mechanic, but I am learning.

Racer Ex 

Down the road look into tubeless tires. Both Sara and Heathie are converts. Far fewer flats.

Racer Ex 

Helped the wife of a teammate with some aero/TT position stuff a few years ago. She won her age group at Kona the following year. Just did it again.

sarals 

All of the suggestions were really MUST do's. I'm sure there must be a local velo club you can join at some point, and if they're worth their salt, they'll have not only skills clinics, but bike maintenance clinics. You can also go to your LBS and ask them to show you some of the basics. Don't let being a woman cause you to have doubts about taking care of your bike mechanically, because you can do it, and it's part of being a cyclist. "One with the machine", and all of that!

Your points:

1) Saddles - good on you!

2) A tube in a SOCK (which protects the tube and you can use it for a rag), a multitool (ask your LBS about it), and two plastic tire tools are the basics you should have with you on every ride. CO2 cartridges and a dispenser will get you home when you replace a tube on the road, and you won't need to carry a pump. However, if you're more comfortable with a pump, then by all means, use that! CO2 cartridges are lighter and smaller, though - and them along with all of the other essentials I mentioned will fit in a seat wedge bag. Think about getting a Road ID. It's an ankle band or bracelet that has your essential information on it (you decide what goes on it), and it's attached to your person. EMS responders know to look for it. Look it up online, and consider it! I wear mine every time I get on the bike, even in races. On training rides, group rides, and long rides I always bring my drivers license, a debit or credit card, and cell phone, all in a plastic baggie in one of my jersey pockets. In a race, I carry gel in my pockets, and nothing else (different situation).

3) Great idea!

4) You don't need to be, just the basics - removing wheels, changing tubes/tires, getting the chain back on. Essential basics!

Ex is dead on about tubeless tires, they're great! They ride well, too.

We're here to help, just ask!!

YogaKat

You are all great!

Also as a side note: I you find that I'm repeating the same thing about something and just not getting it, please let me know. I would rather learn more and look like a goof rather than keep making the same mistakes.

IBOHUNT

Heathpack 

Crazy El Niņo stuff going on here today.

Sunny and dry here in town. Just a few miles north, though, heavy rain (2 inches in an hour) & hail & mudflows. Cars trapped on the I-5, which is currently closed. So much hail on the ground in the Leona Valley that it looks like snow. It's 95 degrees out.

Two of my favorite cycling roads are covered with mud, closed just like the interstate with trapped cars. Good winter to take up time trialing. I'm guessing that all the climbs and descents are going to be variably rideable this winter.

shovelhd

Call Cyclocross Sara.

revchuck 

IBOHUNT

YogaKat

Sounds like Oklahoma except substitute mudflows for tornadoes. Well that and the weather changes like that in the same location within hours.

Sorry to hear about your favorite cycling roads.

Racer Ex 

Picked the right weekend to come north FWIW we tried to get over Donner Pass to the Bay Area yesterday. Pickup plowed into a CALTRANS worksite. Driver DOA. Closed hiway 80 for 8 hours. Ended up doing a 3 hour round trip back home.

YogaKat

I went out Saturday for a 28 mile ride. All was going well, beautiful weather, etc.

At mile 23 I was going through a fairly tight S turn a a pretty fast pace and on the second turn my tire hit some sand, gravel, rock... I don't even know. Next thing I know I am on the ground unable to move for a few minutes with my knee in searing pain. Crazily enough my second thought (after the WTF when I was going down) was "F*K! How am I going to be able to keep riding tomorrow if my knee if messed up??"

I got my self up but couldn't put pressure on my right knee to stand for a bit. I slowly walked it off and it subsided. Then I felt like I was in one of those cartoons where the birds are flying around my head with some dizziness. About that time another cyclist asked if I was okay, which I replied that "Yes, I should be fine, I just need to take a few minutes." He then asked if my bike was okay. It was, I think I broke her fall.

I was able to go ahead and make the 5 miles back home only to arrive with several bruises, road rash, whiplash and a searing headache. After getting home and the shock wearing off, I realized just how hard my head hit the ground.

Upon reading some of the comments in the training status thread, I realize this is really nothing compared to broken ribs, limbs, major concussions, etc. and I'm feeling like a real wimp at this point. But hey, it was my first crash. I just you all will still allow me to post in this section after being such a wuss.

I did get on my bike and ride down the street today as a test drive and found that my head started pounding every time there was a small amount of bump in the road so I decided to rest my brain some more today. I've been doing a lot of stretching, heating pad on the neck and general rest today and I have seen some improvement. I'm going to do my light yoga routine to try to further loosen the muscles as well.

I was using my skateboarding helmet since that is what I had and it did save my noggin, but I am guessing it needs to be replaced after this?

revchuck 

First, I'm glad you're (mostly) okay!

Helmets are a one-use item. Cut the straps off that one and throw it in the garbage, or keep it as a souvenir, just don't use it again.

Bicycle helmets all have to meet the same minimum safety standard regardless of cost. The basic ones you see in a bike shop for ~$40 are actually pretty good. More expensive ones are lighter and have better ventilation.

Yoga will help with sore muscles, but it won't do squat for a concussion. If those headaches don't go away today or tomorrow, go to a doctor.