Just started cycling sore already!

davidsr20

Bought a cube acid Mtb from the cycle to work scheme and I love the bike.
Hope to do mostly road with some off road when I get fitter! And no I didn't want a road bike.
My goal is to lose weight and get fit and eat a better diet ie no more fast food!
I'm 18 stone big build so my normal goal weight is 15 stone which I'm not fat at all at.
My height is 6"1 and I bought a 20 inch bike.
Expensive bike at @900€; but I wanted a good one to last.
Yesterday I started my first ride in 12 years on my new bike (I'm 31) and I found it quiet hard on my mussles and today my ass is really sore from the saddle?
Do I need bike shorts with padding or will I get used to it?
And was 7.2km to much for my first ride or do I need to ease myself into it over a few weeks?

Lumen

You'll probably get used to it.

davidsr20

Anyone else answer my questions or give me advise.

Chips Lovell

davidsr20 wrote: »

Yesterday I started my first ride in 12 years on my new bike (I'm 31) and I found it quiet hard on my mussles and today my ass is really sore from the saddle?Do I need bike shorts with padding or will I get used to it?

You'll have a sore ass to start with. If you plan on using the bike for exercise, then yes, you should get padded shorts. But even with them, there'll be a certain "breaking in" period for your rear. If you've still got a sore arse after a month or so, then consider changing your shorts and/or saddle and/or position.

davidsr20 wrote: »

And was 7.2km to much for my first ride or do I need to ease myself into it over a few weeks?

No, it sounds like the perfect distance to start with. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll be able to extend this. Give yourself time to recover though, i.e. don't go hard with sore legs.

tuxy

First cycle in 12 years. Don't think we can give you much advice until you have used the bike more. 7.2km is not far even for someone who has not cycled maybe just try going at a slower pace for now.
I sometimes do 40km on a road bike with no padded shorts and had no problem but everyone is different.

tuxy

Vladimir Kurtains wrote: »

No, it sounds like the perfect distance to start with. You'll be surprised at how quickly you'll be able to extend this. Give yourself time to recover though, i.e. don't go hard with sore legs.

This is a very good point. Actually I remember my first cycle and after 4km I was tired. Two weeks later ans 25km was not a problem

Apatride

If you just feel it when sitting on the saddle the day after the ride, then it is just a question of getting used to it. It might never be perfect no matter if you wear bike shorts or not but it should improve after a while. If you feel numbness in the legs or privates while riding, then the saddle is not good for you.
7kms is no big deal, I just restarted after about 15/20 years and 20kms is easy but I used to ride a lot as a teenager and I have been doing martial arts regularly for the past 3 years so I am fat but fit.

lalorm

tuxy wrote: »

First cycle in 12 years. Don't think we can give you much advice until you have used the bike more. 7.2km is not far even for someone who has not cycled maybe just try going at a slower pace for now.
I sometimes do 40km on a road bike with no padded shorts and had no problem but everyone is different.

I started back cycling in 2007. first spin on the bike was also around 7km. Felt in bits the next day and couldn't sit on the bike for about 3 days. You'll get over it, but I have to admit, it took me along time to really get comfortable on the bike after so long. Consistency is the key however, if you only do it once a week or so, you will continue to get a sore arse.

One thing that helps however is chamois cream. I like the Rapha Chamois cream the best. Hard to get locally but you can get it on line.

Al Wright

If the saddle is wide enough for your build and relatively well padded (gel) which one would expect on a hybrid, its just a case of getting used to it. I have seen some hybrids sold with what I would consider to be a 'road bike' saddle, relatively narrow and more suited to a rider leaning well forward rather than relatively upright position.
Start off cycling your usual 7km regularly for a week or so, then increase the distance (by say 5km)each week. One soon builds up endurance and finds the going much easier

gymtime

saddle soreness was an issue for me at the start but was fine after a couple of weeks...i love getting out on bike now...ride to work every day...

davidsr20

I'm going to try up my game tomorrow which is my third day out, just calculated my exact km there tonight and yesterday my first day out I done 7km and today I done 8km. Today journey was on flat road and yesterday was on hills,
Should I stick to flats or hills at the start?
Also I'm on main roads do people find secondary roads better or safer?

Cee-Jay-Cee

If possible mix your rides with flat and hills as it'llbuild up your fitness quicker. I only started cycling after nearly 17 years a few months back. My ass was completely broke after my first ride (15km) to the point where i couldnt sit on the saddle 3 days later so i changed the saddle for a softer more padded one. I try to get out 2 or 3 times every week now and do the same route each time which is roughly 20km.

I would get a pair of good padded shorts and if in a few weeks if you still dont feel any improvement then change the saddle. I changed mine from a ProLogo PAS to a San Marco Provip-R which is miles more comfortable and i have no intention of changing it anytime soon. BTW i've a road bike so the same saddle may not be available for a MTB