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Newbie Cycling Achievements

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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    mel.b wrote: »
    So my newbie acheivement is that I made it up Corkscrew hill in the Burren this evening!:D I stopped at the near the hotel to take a photo of the sign and then was able to make it to the first lookout. Stopped at the lookout for a few minutes to take a few photos, have a drink (& get my breath back:o) and then hopped back on the bike and continued onto Lisdoonvarna, then down to Fenore and back to Ballyvaughan.

    Fair play, that's a decent old climb. I did a similar spin on the Thursday with my sister, starting and finishing in Doolin. Beautiful day for it, and one of my favourite routes. If you're going back on Friday, the spin over the cliffs of Moher to Lahinch is also great craic, though probably a bit easier. The pints in PJs in Fanore and McGanns in Doolin are also pretty decent post spin;) Loving the way the local cycle clubs have outlined the dodgy pot holes too, really helps the descents.


  • Registered Users Posts: 699 ✭✭✭Zebrano


    Got my longest spin in so far today 120km
    and got a new top speed of 78.8kph


  • Registered Users Posts: 30 walaw


    Managed my fastest ever average speed today, 28.3 km/h over 50 km in the wind and rain.
    I started cycling at a higher cadence in the last week and there has been a big improvement. I am going faster and not as tired when I come off the bike.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Annunakicoming


    Hi all
    Just started ..have a mountain bike I bought ages ago..it's still brand new practically......doing 20 km spins ...very unfit...and haven't the right gear..any tips....places to buy...also would love some advice re whether bike is fitted with proper tyres ...etc etc.....plan on pursuing this to increase fitness levels and see more of north Dublin coastline etc etc...feedback anyone???


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,130 ✭✭✭mel.b


    walaw wrote: »
    Managed my fastest ever average speed today, 28.3 km/h over 50 km in the wind and rain.

    Fair play on getting out in that weather today...that's a newbie acheivement I haven't yet acheived :p


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  • Registered Users Posts: 1,693 ✭✭✭thesimpsons


    another newbie. started mid Feb at 20km after a winter spent walking to build up fitness and did a 50km yesterday. first 25k was straight into the wind :eek: but the return journey with the wind at my back was great. training for a 150km over 2 day charity cycle later in summer.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Annunakicoming


    Got soaked...hence the request for advice re gear....I'm determined to do it once a day ,,,hail rain or shine ohh and gales


  • Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭Fatbiker


    walaw wrote: »
    Managed my fastest ever average speed today, 28.3 km/h over 50 km in the wind and rain.
    I started cycling at a higher cadence in the last week and there has been a big improvement. I am going faster and not as tired when I come off the bike.

    Can you explain what "cycling at a higher cadence" means and how I can do it?


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Annunakicoming


    What's cadence


  • Registered Users Posts: 33 Peadarmac1


    Hi, for a definition of cadence

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadence_(cycling)

    Better than I could put it:)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Annunakicoming


    Nice one


  • Registered Users Posts: 30 walaw


    The rate at which the crank rotates
    I don't know what the actual cadence is that I am doing (don't have a cadence monitor on my bike computer) but I am selecting lower gears than before and pedalling faster.
    As a result my average speed on the same route has gone from 25/26 km/h to 28.3 km/h today in just over a week.
    I think I was definately cycling at too high a gear. My legs were getting tired quicker
    Another thing I've noticed is I don't have to get out of the saddle as much for the climbs. I try and maintain the same cadence, select an easier gear as required and stay in the saddle


  • Registered Users Posts: 533 ✭✭✭paulgalway


    Well. there's the second hand on your watch. Pick one of your feet,
    and count how many times it goes down in 15 seconds - it's usually
    easier to count for only fifteen seconds than to count for a whole
    minute. If you only count for fifteen seconds, remember to multiply
    by four to get your revolutions per minute.


  • Registered Users Posts: 19 Annunakicoming


    Fatbiker wrote: »
    Can you explain what "cycling at a higher cadence" means and how I can do it?
    Peadarmac1 wrote: »
    Hi, for a definition of cadence

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadence_(cycling)

    Better than I could put it:)
    paulgalway wrote: »
    Well. there's the second hand on your watch. Pick one of your feet,
    and count how many times it goes down in 15 seconds - it's usually
    easier to count for only fifteen seconds than to count for a whole
    minute. If you only count for fifteen seconds, remember to multiply
    by four to get your revolutions per minute.

    Cool


  • Registered Users Posts: 140 ✭✭midlands1


    mel.b wrote: »
    I'm on a bit of a cycling high at the moment and thought it would be a great idea to have a thread for newbies to post their cycling acheivements, whether it be their first spin, longest spin, fastest spin, making it up a hill they hadn't managed before, first ride with clipless pedals, learning to ride while drinking from a drink bottle...the list could go on and on.

    So my newbie acheivement is that I made it up Corkscrew hill in the Burren this evening!:D I stopped at the near the hotel to take a photo of the sign and then was able to make it to the first lookout. Stopped at the lookout for a few minutes to take a few photos, have a drink (& get my breath back:o) and then hopped back on the bike and continued onto Lisdoonvarna, then down to Fenore and back to Ballyvaughan. I didn't need the stop at the sign at the time, but without it I don't know if I would have made it to the first lookout. Am so delighted and will be back in the area next Fri so planning on giving it another crack!

    So what other newbie acheivements are there?
    An issue I have with so-called leisure cycles is the speed . For new cyclists its not much fun having to go flat out just to keep the front group in your sights. Think experienced cyclists should be allowed to dictate the pace on leisure cycles. Put them in their own group and give the rest of us a chance .


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,440 ✭✭✭cdaly_


    midlands1 wrote: »
    An issue I have with so-called leisure cycles is the speed . For new cyclists its not much fun having to go flat out just to keep the front group in your sights. Think experienced cyclists should be allowed to dictate the pace on leisure cycles. Put them in their own group and give the rest of us a chance .

    On sportives there is usually a fair mix of abilities. A classic mistake is to try to keep up with a group that is too strong for you. It's generally better to take it a bit easy to start with and find your legs. At that point you're likely to fall in with similarly paced riders as the fast ones will all have gone on ahead.


  • Registered Users Posts: 5,100 ✭✭✭nilhg


    Hi all
    Just started ..have a mountain bike I bought ages ago..it's still brand new practically......doing 20 km spins ...very unfit...and haven't the right gear..any tips....places to buy...also would love some advice re whether bike is fitted with proper tyres ...etc etc.....plan on pursuing this to increase fitness levels and see more of north Dublin coastline etc etc...feedback anyone???

    Good stuff, keep it up it's hard at first but when the improvement comes (and it will) it's a great feeling.

    As for gear, I got some nice stuff at a reasonable price from Tenn Outdoors, they are on ebay and amazon too, proper cycling gear makes a difference even if you aren't doing huge distances. The dhb stuff on wiggle.co.uk seems good value too.

    As for your tyre you'll need to tell us what's on it already for any constructive advice.


  • Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭Fatbiker


    Cool
    sorry. Meant to quote Peadarmac an Walaw too.
    Thanks all for the explanations. In many ways that is how I cycle. I do not feel strong enough or safe enough to stand in the pedals so I use all the gears to stay seated and pedal at a rate I am comfortable with.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,035 ✭✭✭BrianBoru00


    Excellent idea for a thread. May keep me motivated!!
    Started 2 weeks ago on a new Trek 1.5 (on the BTWS). v overweight 295lbs So weight loss is the initial goal need to lose realistically70lbs+...

    Starting out, A few 8k spins had me knackered but i felt great after a shower an hour later.
    Did one 16k trip with a return that evening - again tired but not sore.
    Now up to 14k spins. averaging 24.5k at the moment.


    Targetting the tour of Sligo Sportive 60k on 6th May. ( Anyone think this is too optimistic???)
    I intend to increase my distance to 18/20/25 over the next week, then increase to 35k and 45k....


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,017 ✭✭✭Crow92


    I've read recently that you need to do low intensity cycling to burn off fat to lose weight as fat takes longer to convert into energy as apposed to medium intensity where your body uses carbohydrates aerobically and high intensity your body uses up the muscles glycogen stores anaerobically.

    Just a thought if you hope to lose weight not to push really hard as it doesn't burn fat.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 33 Peadarmac1


    Crow92 wrote: »
    I've read recently that you need to do low intensity cycling to burn off fat to lose weight as fat takes longer to convert into energy as apposed to medium intensity where your body uses carbohydrates aerobically and high intensity your body uses up the muscles glycogen stores anaerobically.

    Just a thought if you hope to lose weight not to push really hard as it doesn't burn fat.



    I see what you mean

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/362493-high-vs-low-intensity-for-fat-burning/


  • Registered Users Posts: 88 ✭✭sham2


    Sort of a reformed newbie here. 44 and slightly over weight. Was always into cycling but drifted away a while back. Got into this new wave of cycling again in a big way last year with a new road bike on the BTW. Also had an MTB for about 18 mths before that. Love both but in different ways.
    Achievements to date:
    Best month total - 280km.
    Longest - 85km Rebel Tour '11
    2011 total - 1450kms
    2012 target - 3000kms or as many sportives as possible without annoying the OH – next up is the 100km TDC in May.
    Amount spent on cycling gear and diverted to work to hide from OH – €1200 and counting.
    Switching to clipless which I dreaded. Can clip in now without looking most of the time.
    Switching to bib tights. You look like a gymp but who’s looking and they are the best.
    Complete obsession achieved.
    What I love – I want to go out anytime in any weather. In contrast I hated jogging in any weather.
    What I hate – My average speed at the moment. Need to lose weight to get over those hills!
    Faster, leaner, fitter.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,365 ✭✭✭Lusk Doyle


    sham2 wrote: »
    Sort of a reformed newbie here. 44 and slightly over weight. Was always into cycling but drifted away a while back. Got into this new wave of cycling again in a big way last year with a new road bike on the BTW. Also had an MTB for about 18 mths before that. Love both but in different ways.
    Achievements to date:
    Best month total - 280km.
    Longest - 85km Rebel Tour '11
    2011 total - 1450kms
    2012 target - 3000kms or as many sportives as possible without annoying the OH – next up is the 100km TDC in May.
    Amount spent on cycling gear and diverted to work to hide from OH – €1200 and counting.
    Switching to clipless which I dreaded. Can clip in now without looking most of the time.
    Switching to bib tights. You look like a gymp awesome, but who’s looking? Everybody - at you being awesome, and they are the best.
    Complete obsession achieved.
    What I love – I want to go out anytime in any weather. In contrast I hated jogging in any weather.
    What I hate – My average speed at the moment. Don't Need to lose weight to get over those hills just need a lighter, more expensive bike!
    Faster, leaner, fitter, more awesome!

    Fixed that for you ;)


  • Registered Users Posts: 31,001 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    Crow92 wrote: »
    I've read recently that you need to do low intensity cycling to burn off fat to lose weight as fat takes longer to convert into energy as apposed to medium intensity where your body uses carbohydrates aerobically and high intensity your body uses up the muscles glycogen stores anaerobically.

    Just a thought if you hope to lose weight not to push really hard as it doesn't burn fat.

    That's misleading. It doesn't really matter how you ride, as long as you burn more than you eat you cannot help but lose weight. Calories in, calories out.

    I hate the idea of people deliberately cycling around slowly because they think it will burn more fat. The faster you ride the fitter you will get and the more calories you can burn. Speed is good!


  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    Lumen wrote: »
    That's misleading. It doesn't really matter how you ride, as long as you burn more than you eat you cannot help but lose weight. Calories in, calories out.
    Pretty much this.
    The science behind it is sound, the problem is how it's communicated. The idea is that working out at a lower intensity will mean your body burns more fat. Higher intensity, your body uses glycogen reserves. At the end of the day, if you still have some glycogen left over in reserve when you go to bed, it will eventually make its way into your fat stores as that same old fat because the equation has to balance out somewhere. High intensity/low intensity is only relevant for ridiculously focussed training. If your aim is to lose weight and get fit, then eat less and exercise more and you can't lose.

    The only real difference is in performance - if you go at a lower intensity, you have more glycogen there to call on if you need up the intensity.


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 15,685 Mod ✭✭✭✭smacl


    Lumen wrote: »
    The faster you ride the fitter you will get and the more calories you can burn. Speed is good!

    Distance is good too! For a given person, bike, route, etc... would you burn more calories cycling 100k in 4 hours @ 25kph or 5 hours @ 20kph? My guess is similar, but the latter might be more doable for a less experienced cyclist.


  • Registered Users Posts: 31,001 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    smacl wrote: »
    Distance is good too! For a given person, bike, route, etc... would you burn more calories cycling 100k in 4 hours @ 25kph or 5 hours @ 20kph? My guess is similar, but the latter might be more doable for a less experienced cyclist.

    It doesn't really matter.

    Inactive fat people have two problems: a fitness problem and an eating problem.

    The fitness problem is fixed by doing exercise that you enjoy. If you start obsessing over intensity for weight loss you risk ruining the thing that's supposed to be fun.

    The eating problem is fixed by changing dietary habits and exercising portion control.

    If you don't fix the eating problem, no amount of cycling will help.

    If you don't enjoy the cycling for its own sake it won't be a sustainable lifestyle change.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 6,831 ✭✭✭ROK ON


    Lumen wrote: »
    It doesn't really matter.

    Inactive fat people have two problems: a fitness problem and an eating problem.

    The fitness problem is fixed by doing exercise that you enjoy. If you start obsessing over intensity for weight loss you risk ruining the thing that's supposed to be fun.

    The eating problem is fixed by changing dietary habits and exercising portion control.

    If you don't fix the eating problem, no amount of cycling will help.

    If you don't enjoy the cycling for its own sake it won't be a sustainable lifestyle change.


    What is this portion control that you speak of. It sounds intriguing!!!!

    BTW, I agree with Lumen on this. Much of the weight loss that I have achieved has been on cycles where I have had some sort of intensity (such as lot of hills). While intensity is good, cycling regularly also helps. I have found the 2 hours say four days a week is better than 8 hours on one day.
    What I have found is that for long cycles a good breakfast before hand plus eating regular small (healthy) bites during the cycle are important for two reasons:
    (i) They give you the fuel to go further and faster,
    (ii) They mean that you are not absolutely starving at the finish - I am more likely to eat absolute junk if I am starving at the finish.


  • Registered Users Posts: 7 Dublintim


    Slightly off topic lads, but Ive a Trek Hybrid and I try to cycle a few kilometers every day. Im based in Crumlin, but am looking for a decent scenic route to cycle, does anyone have any ideas? I generally just go to the Pheno but am getting bored of it at this stage? Also, would you recommend joining a cycling club, or does it make any difference?:o


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  • Registered Users Posts: 68,317 ✭✭✭✭seamus


    You're not far from the Dublin mountains there Tim. Even if you're not up to the likes of Stocking Lane at this point, a trip out by Marlay Park or even further out to the likes of Dun Laoghaire, are very pleasant on a sunny day (doesn't even have to be warm). Do up a decent route which takes you through regional roads rather than dual carriageways and you'll enjoy it more.

    Dun Laoghaire probably sounds insane at this point, but you say you do a "few km" at the moment. DL is only 10 or 12 km from Crumlin, you could head out there at a nice leisurely pace, have a bit of a break, cup of coffee and then a nice leisurely spin back.

    If you're feeling more adventurous, Stepaside village is a nice place, just a little bit of a climb up to it.

    Clubs are good in that they get you out on the bike at the weekend and especially if you're new, will take you on routes that you've never done before. Most clubs tend to recommend that newbies can realistically do a 50km spin before trying out a club spin. Most clubs tend to train with racing in mind; i.e. going further and faster as time goes on. There are other social clubs who just focus on getting out for a bit of craic.


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