starting to cycle again.

gonecurtin

I have recently decided that i'm going to do a 36 mile cycle for charity, the only problem is i haven't bein on a bike in about 12 -13 years, so i'm seriously out of shape, as the 7 mile cycle i did yesterday nearly killed me, so any advice would be great, what diets to try, how to prepare, anything information would be great,

Captain Havoc

The more time you spend on the bike the easier it will be.

Raam

my advice: spin an easy gear. Don't push a big one as it will make your legs tired very quickly.

build your distance up slowly... only increase by a small amount each week. baby steps are much better than giant steps.

Lumen

The first month is the hardest, as your body is learning to recruit muscles in ways it isn't used to.

Little and often, with rest days here and there to give yourself time to recover.

oh well

I've just started cycling again too after many years. first wk 5miles killed me but I'm up to 10 now without too much pain, so stick with it. I added little extra bit every few days. Try have a few different routes too - it can get a bit boring. Apart from make sure you are seen (bright clothes, hi vis) only recommendation I have is to be sure to bring water with you - I found it hard after 3/4miles I'd be parched. I'm interested to see what others can add here for you and me.

DualFrontDiscs

gonecurtin wrote: »

I have recently decided that i'm going to do a 36 mile cycle for charity, the only problem is i haven't bein on a bike in about 12 -13 years, so i'm seriously out of shape, as the 7 mile cycle i did yesterday nearly killed me, so any advice would be great, what diets to try, how to prepare, anything information would be great,

Well done. Not withstanding nearly killing yourself, did you kinda get the feeling that you remember way back when? So, onwards and upwards.

1. When is the charity cycle? Adding 10% per week for a distance ride should be a comfortably achievable aim. Though lots more can be achieved.
2. One of the cruelest things is remembering how fit you used to be. Forget about it. From now on, any gain is a gain.
3. What type of bike to do you have? Clearly spending all your savings will help but so too will; getting a service, pumping tyres to correct pressure, etc.
4. Don't worry about the diet. If you're out on the bike regularly you'll look at crap food in one of two ways:

1. 'Look how much cycling I do, I deserve a treat'.
2. 'I'm on the bike later on, I don't really need that'.

Either way works.

Well done and good luck.

DFD.

gonecurtin

Thanks for getting back to me, the cycle is on the 31st october, and i got the official distance confirmed today, it's not 36 miles, it's 60!! and i have a newish mountain bike, (i robbed it off my younger brother)

DualFrontDiscs

gonecurtin wrote: »

Thanks for getting back to me, the cycle is on the 31st october, and i got the official distance confirmed today, it's not 36 miles, it's 60!! and i have a newish mountain bike, (i robbed it off my younger brother)

Okay, that's 60 miles in 5 or 6 weeks time. No problem. I've read (and I ascribe to) the theory that you can cycle in a day the amount you commute in a week. Which is to say, if you've all day to do it, you should be easily able to 5 times your daily commute. This has worked for me before. So, can you build up to doing 10 miles every day?

Also, get some 'slick' tyres for your bike.

DFD.

gonecurtin

i need slick tyres, alright so, i thought normal mountain bike tyres would be better for the road surface, thanks for the heads up.

jwshooter

porridge the morning of a spin, avoid fried food .

thebouldwhacker

gonecurtin wrote: »

i got the official distance confirmed today, it's not 36 miles, it's 60!! and i have a newish mountain bike, (i robbed it off my younger brother)

36 increased to 60... ouch, however just like DFD said youll be fine, you gotta put the time in the saddle though otherwise you'll be proper fooked after it and probibly never cycle again, if you do it right youll finish it with a smile in a time you never thought possible.

Where is the cycle on? a 60 miler in late Oct, maybe intrested in that....

fenris

Cycling short are a must if you are not already wearing them!

Gloves with gel pads also help.

Get your bike properly setup, it will save you pain.

sort out your spare tubes, pump etc.

see if there is somebody else in the same boat as yourself, there has to be for a charity cycle, it will help the motivation on the days when you are just to tired or browned off to go out and convenient excuses are everywhere.

Boosterseat

Getting out often I found is the key. I started from pretty much nothing at the start of the summer, signed up for a charity event over 35k with 6 weeks to go. First night i did 22km and nearly died as had only be doing maybe 15k at a time before that but with no ficus. Having an event to aim for is great motivation. Anyway I went from 22km on day 1of training to doing my charity event and then doing the Rebel Tour the following weekend over 60k, and now I'm looking for more. It becomes addictive as you achieve the little goals along the way, but now that you have an event to aim for you will be cleary focussed. Build it up slowly over the weeks and just because you might not have done the event distance before doesnt mean you wont be able to do it on the day. There will be others on the event and you can go off in groups and this helps. Cycle shorts are a must!

mockler007

hey how you doing, just saying i did a cycle along the towpath 2 months after i got my bike, i traveld 95miles along the towpath in 10hrs with no food and 1.5ltrs of water, alot was bog a alot of climbing over gates and high grass etc, but i did it, so your trip sounds like fun, look for my thread for the grand canal charity cycle for children, aldoe this new cycle wont be as mental, 135kms shannon harbor to grand canal dock

ten speed racer

Are you sure you're not mixing up kilometers and miles? 36 miles is nearly 60 km.

But whatever it is, +1 on the slick tyres.

gonecurtin

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

36 increased to 60... ouch, however just like DFD said youll be fine, you gotta put the time in the saddle though otherwise you'll be proper fooked after it and probibly never cycle again, if you do it right youll finish it with a smile in a time you never thought possible.

Where is the cycle on? a 60 miler in late Oct, maybe intrested in that....

the cycle is starting in killaloe on to ennis and then back to killaloe, it's in aid of AWARE,

NV011956

Hey guys,could be interested in this also.Are there details anywhere online i.e registration,route etc.Thanks.

Jumpy

I am a regular on the Killaloe route, I wouldnt mind doing this also.

kincsem

Get a track pump (buy or borrow) and pump your tyres up to the maximum (its listed on the tyre sidewall). An ordinary pump will give about 35 psi, a track pump 120 psi (but only pump to what the tyre says). You will feel every slight bump on the road with tyres pumped this hard but it is more efficient. On my first trip after pumping I reduced my average time on a regular spin from 1hr 55 min to 1 hr 35 min.

Two drink bottle fitted into cages on the bike frame filled with cycling drinks made up from water and powder (ask in a bike shop) (not coke, lucozade ...)
Have food to eat on the bike every half hour or hour. Drink every 10/15 minutes, a mouthful. Practice eating and drinking while cycling (don't try to do both at once).
A big feed of pasta the night before, and more on the morning (cold is ok).
Cycling gloves (borrow if you dont have as they are expensive).
Padded cycling shorts. Helmet. Cycling jersey. Borrow these if you don't have.
Do not try to keep up with others. Let them go and cycle at a comfortable pace. Cycling slowly and not stopping is quicker than cycling fast and stopping for breaks.

You should train about three times a week. If you get up to half the event distance in training you will be ok. Don't train on consecutive days as your legs need time to recover/adjust.

Lumen

kincsem wrote: »

Get a track pump (buy or borrow) and pump your tyres up to the maximum (its listed on the tyre sidewall). An ordinary pump will give about 35 psi, a track pump 120 psi (but only pump to what the tyre says).

I would recommend using the recommended pressures, which are lower than max.

e.g. Conti Gatorskin 700x25c, recommended=95, max=120.

Increasing pressure beyond recommended will not tend to reduce rolling resistance, and will induce fatigue.

blorg

Generally agree with Lumen although recommended is really only a ballpark and you need to adjust depending on your weight, etc.

Certainly no need to go to the max but many people would be cycling around with tyres far below the minimum so proper inflation pressure does make a big difference.

Bear in mind that generally you want higher pressure at the back as it supports more weight. I run 100/90 with 700x25 and 110/100 on 700x23. 75kg.