Learning how to ride
 

I feel silly asking this, but thankfully I'm anonymous here :o

When I started running, there were programs called "couch to 5K" which literally took me from the couch to running a 5K in less than 29 minutes in a few months. I decided to change it up a bit, bought a Jamis Aurora (I know, not a dedicated road bike, but it fits my needs), and signed up with a local road riding group (here's the group for an idea of who they are and how they ride: http://www.meetup.com/Frederick-County-Biking-Group/ ).

I'm really nervous about riding with a group. I emailed the admin of the group who said the rides are mostly road with a little tow path in there (packed dirt/gravel) Also, I've only ever ridden 10 miles max, and this group goes on 30-60 mile rides. I'm searching around the internet and finding tmi about cadence, classes of riders, etc. I've had the bike out for a couple jaunts and realized my running muscles may be getting pretty good but I have a lot to learn with biking.

Basically, is there something like a couch to 5K for bicyclists?

my couch is my bike...my favorite place to sit

Yes, it's the "Crusty Old Guys Cycling Advice Compendium" (Abridged version):

Um, couch to 5k - and to be clear - 5 kilometers, in under 29 minutes is a good accomplishment after a few months of training. But 5 kilometers on a bike is super easy if you've improved your condition through running. That distance is probably too short for most cyclists here as it wouldn't be worth the effort getting into our pre-ride ritual/gear.

I wouldn't necessarily do a 30 miler on a first ride, but 10-15 miles is doable.

I'm learning how to ride by getting on the bike and pedaling, while asking lots and lots of very stupid questions.

its totally different than running, just go ride it. you can handle 30 miles i promise.

Yup...

Just get on the bike and ride...

Next time ride farther and/or faster...repeat...

You might want to remove the fenders to save weight and replace the tires with something narrower, like 25C, that run with higher pressure.

I'm a recreational distance runner (specializing in marathon) who started doing some cycling for fun a couple years ago. Your main problem starting out will be to make sure your bike fits properly and then literally getting your butt in riding shape. If your fit is good, then you're less likely to get some repetitive motion injury (like knee pain from too low a saddle). If you haven't been riding, it will take your butt some time to toughen up to be used to sitting on a saddle for hours on end. It's a lot easier to go from running to cycling than vice versa; I rode a century and had fun just 2 months after getting my new bike.

Group rides are fun, just make sure to watch the group carefully and learn the etiquette and signals the group you ride with use. The main thing is to ride predictable, no sudden moves.

I just googled "group ride etiquette" and the first 3 links that showed up look decent:
http://www.oklahomabicyclesociety.co.../groupride.htm
http://bicycletrip.com/articles/grou...ette-pg150.htm
http://dailypeloton.com/gstepan.asp

Enjoy!

A big change from running is the easy access to hydration. Bring a bottle or two and drink at least every 15 min. You'll love it. (Probably not enough to start jogging with a camelback or anything, but it's a huge boost. :D)

A lot of runners I know don't use energy gels either. I suggest them at least every 30 minutes.

Oh and you will have a sore butt, it takes some conditioning. But after a few rides don't be shy about experimenting with nose up/down on the seat, or a seat with different shape or width. If you're lucky enough to start with a setup that works for you, that's awesome but it usually doesn't happen that way. ;)

To me that is a lot. The Gu packages recommend 1 per hour or "15 before every 45."

You can do it however you want, but if you're looking for riding food, I find Clif Shot Blocks work well, and after a package of those, I'll typically eat 2 Gus on a 60 mile +/- ride.

Nothing wrong with a Jamis Aurora for rides with a little gravel in 'em.

Just increase your max distance by 50% per week until you're up to the same distance that they're riding. The rest you will figure out as you go.

And it would be a good idea to find out if their route is a hilly route. That will make a big difference in the effort required.

Thanks for all the input! I didn't mean a literal couch to 5K for a bike, I rode my running route just to try out the bike :lol:, but something similar, like a "couch to metric century" or something. I did about 6 miles today on the tow path, it was a great ride!

If you start feeling like you are over working yourself, just drop down one gear and you can recover pretty fast most of the time. Looks like it has 32`s for tires, if it does you can experiment with some different ones if you want to, to maximize the kind of road surface that you ride on the most, to your advantage. :)

see if there's a Team In Training group in your area... they are the best national resource for bringing riders along from couch to first long ride(s).

http://www.teamintraining.org/

Some suggestions:

1) Don't beat yourself up if others are going faster than you. It's just like running, we all put in our time and some payoff faster than others.

2) As others have said, you might want to compare your road tires to that of others after your first group ride. Notice the ones who are going faster but possibly same physical fitness level, they might have better slicks mounted.

3) Just ride! 30 miles might sound a lot now, but keep on doing your 10 miles and soon enough, you will improve your time/speed. It is like running, you must get back on the 'horse' to improve. Take the same elements of running and apply it here. When you went long distance, you just didn't do it on your 2nd or 3rd try, right? (fingers crossed) Same as in cycling, you build up endurance, power, and speed.

Good Luck!