Cycling newbie...

dingbat

Hi. I'm adding cycling to my training regime in order to help with my chronic hamstring trouble (such injuries are bad news for a sprinter ). So I've just bought a nice new Giant SCR 4. Seems a solid enough bike.

I cycle to and from work anyway (more of a 15 minute amble really) on a separate machine so I want anything I do on the Giant to be very focused. Any training advice? Essential kit? Good runs with a few hills and things?

Tomas_V

dingbat wrote: »

I cycle to and from work anyway (more of a 15 minute amble really) on a separate machine so I want anything I do on the Giant to be very focused. Any training advice? Essential kit? Good runs with a few hills and things?

Ok, first things first:
1: Position.
2: Position.
3: Position.

Spins on low gears are good, horsing around on big gears or up mountains will probably aggravate any injury. Wind will provide a sufficient challenge to hone your fitness. But, a bit of a hill and some scenery will help motivate you.

Proper cycling shoes are important. Don't worry about getting wet, just about staying warm. Pack a pump, tyre levers and a spare tube.

Did I mention position?

Drapper

slelect some shorts that are gentle on yer bum! and with a good chamoix! ;-)

dingbat

Tomas_V wrote: »

Ok, first things first:
1: Position.
2: Position.
3: Position.

Spins on low gears are good, horsing around on big gears or up mountains will probably aggravate any injury. Wind will provide a sufficient challenge to hone your fitness. But, a bit of a hill and some scenery will help motivate you.

Proper cycling shoes are important. Don't worry about getting wet, just about staying warm. Pack a pump, tyre levers and a spare tube.

Did I mention position?

Ok. Position. Got it.

I've got a frame that should be the right height; I've adjusted the saddle so that my legs are almost straight when the pedals are at their lowest; I've also pushed the saddle as far forward as it can go as I had felt that my arms were too straight. Does that all sound ok?

The hardest part so far has been getting used to having my neck tilted up all the time...

Sean02

I'm no physio but i think you need to see one urgently before you contemplate hill work as a newbie cyclist with cronic hamstring injury. What sport or accident caused the problem ??. 15 mins amble to work is the equivenent to a 3 minute jog so why the SR4.

Raam

Be careful with saddle height and saddle position. Get someone in the know to have a look at your set-up. If you are getting shoes+cleats, then get a shop to position them for you.

dingbat

Sean02 wrote: »

I'm no physio but i think you need to see one urgently before you contemplate hill work as a newbie cyclist with cronic hamstring injury. What sport or accident caused the problem ??. 15 mins amble to work is the equivenent to a 3 minute jog so why the SR4.

No single injury - I've got two degenerative discs in my back which put strain in my hamstrings. After two years of battling severe recurring hammy trouble my physio wants me to start cycling as a low-impact means of maintaining fitness as well as giving my legs a good workout. This will be done in combination with a weights programme.

My 15 mins amble to work is just that - I cycle in my suit on a very upright bike. Zero sweat. Purely a practical way of travelling across the city. However, cycling an upright bike at any speed is no fun at all. If I'm going to do some proper cycle training I reckoned that I might as well get places while doing it, ergo the SCR 4!

Turbulent Bill

dingbat wrote: »

No single injury - I've got two degenerative discs in my back which put strain in my hamstrings. After two years of battling severe recurring hammy trouble my physio wants me to start cycling as a low-impact means of maintaining fitness as well as giving my legs a good workout. This will be done in combination with a weights programme.

My 15 mins amble to work is just that - I cycle in my suit on a very upright bike. Zero sweat. Purely a practical way of travelling across the city. However, cycling an upright bike at any speed is no fun at all. If I'm going to do some proper cycle training I reckoned that I might as well get places while doing it, ergo the SCR 4!

I have a very similar background to yours (ex-sprinter with a ruptured disc (since operated on) and poor hamstring flexibility), and I'd advise extreme caution with this. Cycling with disc problems was ok for me as it was low-impact and non-twisting, but if anything it tightened the hamstrings (even temporarily). You'll have to have an excellent flexibility programme to go with the cycling, though it's good for your aerobic fitness. The racing position of the SCR4 won't help.

As an aside, I went through two physios and a consultant (who told me my tight hamstrings were causing my back pain, when in fact a disc had burst and was pressing on nerves) before I found the correct diagnosis. Hamstring and disc problems can be chicken-and-egg, and it's easy to pass off a problem in one area to another. If you haven't had one already I'd strongly recommend an MRI scan.