My first summer of cycling

Captain Havoc

Right, I'm going to get the gay stuff out of the way quickly because if I put it at the end only maybe one of you will get that far to read it. I would like to thank all you guys for making my cycling more pleasurable (I actually don't know if the opposite would be more accurate). The advice I've received here has been invaluable over the summer. It's also been great meeting some of you guys out on the road and I hope to see ye at some of next years events. On the flip side, I'm flat out broke which you guys haven't helped

This is really aimed at newbs thinking of getting involved. The reason I'm writting this is, I've just had a great summer and if it wasn't for the bike I'd have gone completely mad. I also learned stuff about myself. I've always had a bike and a hurley in my possesion, I don't play hurling but I just need one. I used to love going for spins on a mountain bike, then last year I bought a road bike and loved it. I also watched the Tour de France every year. Due to working weekends I wasn't able to get involved in the bigger picture, then seven months ago I lost my job. With the way things are going I wasn't sure how long I'd be unemployed. I wrote an email to my local cylcing club and they replied to come along. I did and at the very first climb I was dropped. It was only about a 50km spin. The guys at the club said that LIDL were doing a good bike for the money so I bought it. It really was a huge difference from my old bike.

The chairman of our club suggested I do a 100km sportive in April, I thought this would be madness, I had this image of increadably fit guys pegging it around in a peloton at 40km an hour and me crawling in when it's dark. The only previous organised spin I'd done was a 50km charity cycle last year. I was getting fitter but Wicklow isn't the ideal place to start, it was the Mick Byrne Randonée. On one of my first spins I said I'd love to get fit enough to do a sportive by the end of the summer. One of the things that turned me off sportives was this image of guys pegging it and me finishing when it's dark or something, I didn't want to be wearing the club jersey and guys saying it back that jerseyeire was a bit of a joke. I completed the 100km on a glorious day up the mountains. I'd done a 100k so I decided I'd do 160km (Tour de Burren), 180km (ROK), 200km (Trip to Tipp), I think I did 8 sportives in total.

The reason I did them is because of the encouragement I received from my club, I wouldn't have done them at all on my own thinking. I'm a much better cyclist now. How I've become better is through listening to advice from more experienced riders, riding in a group brings you on a long way. It was great having guys telling me better ways, spin more, stop moving the head around, bend the elbows etc..... Advice received here

I hope anyone who is put off doing sportives should just go and do them, you'd be surprised how fit you actually are. Cycling clubs are definately worth joining or at least just going out in a group. I've lost 6kg since I started cycling with the club. I also love the community, giving a wave or joining in with someone you meet on the road, also it was nice going for a spin with a couple of the guys from boards.

I'm back working now and it's coming up to my first pay day and CRC and Cycle super store are getting more attention. I've got my winter gear but I need more plus I need to start thinking about which wheels I need next summer, plus clothing and a new................................................

velo.2010

Fair play, good to see someone with a positive attitude. Thats a lot done this summer and lot of weight lost.

I on the other hand will be sticking to slightly shorter routes to build myself back up again over the winter. Too much cycling particularly with new bike over the past three weeks.

No more Wicklow mountains just lots of short hill sprints and decent eating to put on a couple of kilos. Lances Loop will come in very handy!

kincsem

Well done with the cycling. And its good to hear you are back in work. Try to limit yourself to twenty cycling jerseys and about five or six bikes .....

Call Me Jimmy

Sounds great. I'd love to get involved in cycling but I feel I could barely complete 10km because I haven't exercised properly (besides some swimming) in years. I'm also a bit fearful cycling on the road. I've never cycled with anyone and don't even have a proper road-bike but I just love the idea of getting on yer bike and going.

Captain Havoc

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Sounds great. I'd love to get involved in cycling but I feel I could barely complete 10km because I haven't exercised properly (besides some swimming) in years. I'm also a bit fearful cycling on the road. I've never cycled with anyone and don't even have a proper road-bike but I just love the idea of getting on yer bike and going.

imola94

thats for that post jerseyeire, i've just done my first spin today on my first road bike. i have made contact with the local cycling club down here in dungarvan for the reasons you outlined as i fear that without the encouragment and advice i could fall off the wagon fairly quickly.
Glad to hear you enjoyed it and hopefully this time next year i'll be able to post something similar.
now wheres the credit card, i need to get some winter gear....

Esroh

Call Me Jimmy wrote: »

Sounds great. I'd love to get involved in cycling but I feel I could barely complete 10km because I haven't exercised properly (besides some swimming) in years. I'm also a bit fearful cycling on the road. I've never cycled with anyone and don't even have a proper road-bike but I just love the idea of getting on yer bike and going.

@Jimmy this is exactly where most of us were when we started. If the bike is in working order just get out there.

@ Jersey give yourself a pat on the back. 2 years ago I felt the same about the Club, group riding, doing Sportives etc.
The CBug is a more costly and infectious disease than ordinary people will ever understand:D


Lads one other thing. Set a goal for 2010. Anything from the Local Charity Ride to Wicklow 200 to the TOI Chalenge(hopefully it on)

rottenhat

jerseyeire wrote: »

I'd done a 100k so I decided I'd do 160km (Tour de Burren), 180km (ROK), 200km (Trip to Tipp), I think I did 8 sportives in total.

The Surf And Turf 300 awaits....

jwshooter

what does not kill you, will make you stronger.

ED E

Once I sort out my junker I think I'm gonna try and introductory spin.

Great post mate, I dont know what it is, but isnt cycling just so much fun.

biomed32

fair play jearsy. i was like yourself before the summer, was going through some rough times after a close friend took her own life. i had been involved in charity stuff for a while and was collecting for cystic fibrosis as part of the Galway cycle. on that weekend (in an effort not to sound cheesey) things changed for me so when my exams finished i started cycling first starting at 20k and now i can do up to 100k and do roughly 200k a week. my aim is to do the galway cycle next year and so far i seem to be well on track

Micilin Muc

jerseyeire wrote: »

I hope anyone who is put off doing sportives should just go and do them, you'd be surprised how fit you actually are. Cycling clubs are definately worth joining or at least just going out in a group. I've lost 6kg since I started cycling with the club.

Are you serious? That's pretty good! I might just join a club myself

Captain Havoc

Micilin Muc wrote: »

Are you serious? That's pretty good! I might just join a club myself

Yep, I went from 74kg to now 68kg. 18 months ago I was 83kg. My waist has dropped from 34" to 32". I was doing about 200km a week. I'm taking a break at the mo to let a saddle sore settle. I covered 1,000km last year and in the last seven months I've done 6,000km. Joining the club has made something I loved doing even more loveable. The bike really kept me occupied while I was on the scratcher (or in this case the Government Sports Grant )

Also, thanks everyone for the thumbs up and comments.

DirkVoodoo

Well done Jerseyeire, nice post.

I thought you had been cycling a lot longer when I met you on the SK. New rule to add to your list: If you can chat away on a climb, you're not trying hard enough.

Still gutted that photographer half way up Mahon Falls didn't bother to snap us after we put our game faces on

Captain Havoc

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I thought you had been cycling a lot longer when I met you on the SK.

Well, I have had a bike since the age of 4!

jwshooter

jerseyeire wrote: »

Well, I have had a bike since the age of 4!

the same one ?

Captain Havoc

jwshooter wrote: »

the same one ?

I was waiting for someone to say it

Esroh

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

I thought you had been cycling a lot longer when I met you on the SK. New rule to add to your list: If you can chat away on a climb, you're not trying hard enough.

ROFL
Having read many of your posts Jersey's about how bad a climber you were I found the amount of chat out of you when we spent a few miles on the ToKK in a 2up was amazing and came away thinking exactly as said above:D:D

Coronal

Great post. I've been doing a small bit myself over the summer, building up distance and hills so I may take your advice and join a club in the coming weeks. If I'm anywhere near ready...

DualFrontDiscs

kincsem wrote: »

Well done with the cycling. And its good to hear you are back in work. Try to limit yourself to twenty cycling jerseys and about five or six bikes .....

It is easier to clean jerseys than bikes. On that basis buy more bikes than jerseys!

For absolute clarity, the above may, MAY, be slightly tongue in cheek. Similar to the recent misunderstood remark regarding blind people cycling other people around on DublinBikes. For shame.

DFD.