thanks for the encouragement

meercat

just a quick thanks to the lad who came up and chatted to me as i was struggling on the last few kms of my cycle today
dont know if he is a boardsie but he took the time to chat and advise a newbie to road bikes
really helped me and it was great that an obviously knowledgeable ,regular cyclist slowed down and took the time to encourage and advise an amateur
im sure all cyclists do this but thanks for the encouragement Seamus

Bulmers on Ice

meercat wrote: »

just a quick thanks to the lad who came up and chatted to me as i was struggling on the last few kms of my cycle today
dont know if he is a boardsie but he took the time to chat and advise a newbie to road bikes
really helped me and it was great that an obviously knowledgeable ,regular cyclist slowed down and took the time to encourage and advise an amateur
im sure all cyclists do this but thanks for the encouragement Seamus

I'm fairly new myself, God there have been times I could have done with meeting someone like that I struggle at times, it's a flaw in been old, fat and unfit.

fixie fox

Bulmers on Ice wrote: »

I'm fairly new myself.... it's a flaw in been old, fat and unfit.

Cheer up, there are lots of advantages to being old, fat and unfit. Mainly, you are going to improve a lot, and quickly -you can make steady progress for three years or so.
I'm old fit and thin - I'm just trying to hold my own,

TopCat01

I'm fairly new to cycling myself, only at it a year and a bit, but there was one single piece of advice that made the single biggest difference to my cycling ability and (almost more important to me) the enjoyment of it, and that is pace.

Particularly at the start of a cycle, if you go out too hard and too fast, you will kill yourself and end up suffering the whole way through. Start in a low-ish gear, and get your cadence up. I've read somewhere that a good warm up can take up to 30mins, with you gradually working up through the gears.

Your effort should be consistent, in that when you are out on a windy day, you will be slower against the wind, but choose a lower gear, higher cadence, and accept that you will be slower than your average. And then know it will be faster and easier when the wind comes around.

I found myself destroyed a few times after killing myself to keep up with guys clearly much faster than me. I mean shot after 30mins, dropping off and suffering the next hour. Then I would do a similar route, at a pace I felt more comfortable at (but not actually that much slower than before), and felt great 1.5/2 hours later.

Main thing is don't get disheartened, it will come in time, and you'll be surprising yourself sooner than you think. Most (if not all) of us have been there.

dermur

TopCat01 wrote: »

I've read somewhere that a good warm up can take up to 30mins, with you gradually working up through the gears.

That'd be nice...often takes me the guts of an hour to get properly warmed up. I put that down to age too.

squeaky crank

remember this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZFYxCIr-Byo

When he came in close beside me, he said: "Don't worry son, I'm here..
if Charlie wants to tango, now he'll have two to dodge.
I said: "Well, thanks a lot". I told him my name and asked him his.
And he said"The boys just call me Camouflage"

classic