First Cycle

jrby

Haven't cycled in about 20 years or had any exercise in the last year although i used to play a lot of squash...

Got a road bike for Christmas and went around Roundwood with a friend. He has a trip meter and said we did about 18k in just under an hour....I didnt feel tired but was wondering whether this is good, bad, indifferent for a first cycle. Backside pretty sore today though....anything I can do about this? New saddle?

thebouldwhacker

I reckon for a first spin its about right, well done!
As for your ass its gonna be sore the first few spins till it starts getting used to it, no need to panic, its not gonna fall off!!
There are special creams for that very purpose but I use 100% aloe vera and find it great. You'll have a hard ass before you know it! Keep it up!

jrby

thanks - about 10 minutes of that hour was spent trying to figure out how to work the gears....only by accident did i move the brake lever sideways!

I must ask the missus about putting on some aloe vera......

TopCat01

Reckon thats pretty decent!

Arse will get used to it I'd say. Give it a couple of weeks anyway and you might save yourself a few quid on a saddle. (Worth noting though, if your cycles are close together, it'll probably get slightly worse before it gets better I'm afraid).

Worth investing in a decent pair of padded shorts though if you plan on doing longer distances. I have a €40 pair and a €70 pair, and find the difference quite noticable.

07Lapierre

TopCat01 wrote: »

I have a €40 pair and a €70 pair, and find the difference quite noticable.

€30 to be exact! I assume you mean the €70 pair are better than the €40 pair?. I like Santini bib shorts. Good quality and very comfortable.

Jawgap

A good start - well done.

Saddles are bit like shoes - they need to be broken in, so give it a while before deciding if you need a new one. Also, more padding on saddles isn't necessarily better.

As has already been said, decent padded shorts or bibs would be a good investment.

jrby

Thanks for the advice.

One of the other problems i had was with the peddles. I used runnders which were quite wide and i had trouble getting htem in the toe clips. I suspect i need cycling shoes....does anyone have a recommednation as to where to get them....Halfords / cyclesuper stores etc?

Thanks

manwithaplan

You definitely need padded shorts. Remember that you go commando with them. Wear something over them in the cold weather, or buy padded tights instead.

Tell your wife to save the aloe vera for when you shave your legs;)

jrby

was wondering about going commando....but didn't

TopCat01

07Lapierre wrote: »

€30 to be exact! ...

LOL, yes, €30. I think the €70 bibs were actually Santini, and yes, just a better fit and better quality padding. If all my biking gear went in the morning, one of the first purchases would be those shorts.

As for the peddles and shoes, I got my peddles online (CRC), but I think its worth going to a bike shop to get shoes that fit comfortably. When I went in I found that the ones that fit me best were actually one of the cheaper ones (praise the lord), and a year later I'm still very happy with them.

manwithaplan

Somewhere like Cycle Superstore, Wheelworx, Cycleways etc will have a selection of cycling shoes. You can buy online from various sites but that can be a bit hit and miss with shoes.

However, like many things in cycling, the story (and the expense) doesn't end there. Cycling shoes are designed to work with pedals that they clip into (confusing called 'clipless pedals'). Each pedal system uses a 'cleat' which is an attachment that screws into the base of the cycling shoe and in turn clips into the pedal.

I can't link to pictures and sites that explain this more fully from here but there are a number of pedal systems. The main choice is between dedicated road bike pedals (google 'look keo' for example) and mountain bike-style pedals that are also used on road bikes. Dedicated road pedals attach to a cleat that protrudes from the bottom of the shoe, which makes walking awkward but offers a wider, more stable platform. MTB style pedals take a smaller cleat which fits into a recess in the shoe - which means you can walk more easily. Basically, you will need to decide on the pedals you want to use (the cleats will come with them) and buy compatible shoes.

Other posters may have ideas around shoes that work better than trainers with pedal cages. I suspect using a hard-soled cycling shoe without a cleat would be a bit iffy.

manwithaplan

jrby wrote: »

was wondering about going commando....but didn't

Makes a difference. The pad doesn't just cushion; it stops your arse from sliding thus minimising friction. Jocks don't help.

jrby

manwiththeplan, thanks very much for all the info....one more question, whats the best way to deal with punctures on the road, spare tube, pump and plaster or is there any other solutions.....ring wife to pick me up?

jrby

funny comment from daugher the other day....she saw me in cycling shorts and compression t-shirt....points her finger at me and says "you need to get some exercise, mister!"...shes only 4..

i'm 6'1 and 14 stone.....not exactly overweight....too much tv with her mother i think

jrby

sorry meant to say....manwithaplan not manwiththeplan

TopCat01

Spare tube and pump, then get the wife to patch the puncture when ya get home.

Although worth having a puncture repair kit with you also, just in case.

youtheman

jrby wrote: »

funny comment from daugher the other day....she saw me in cycling shorts and compression t-shirt....points her finger at me and says "you need to get some exercise, mister!"...shes only 4..

i'm 6'1 and 14 stone.....not exactly overweight....too much tv with her mother i think

I took up cycling at the grand age of 49. My 12 year old daughter gets mortified when she see me with the cycling shorts on. One day she was sitting in a friend's mother's car outside my front door as the two mothers chatted, when lo and behold I happen to return from a cycle. Daughter didn't know where to look. To make matters worse I stood there and had a chat. Jesus, did I get grief when she arrived home.

It's got so bad that I can't even hang the bloody shorts on the line (seriously!).

manwithaplan

Yep - spare tubex2, tyre levers and a pump. Always bring the phone and a few quid for emergencies.

I confess that I just chuck punctured tubes in the bin when I get home but you should really patch and re-use.