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starting off cycling

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  • 25-07-2014 12:27pm
    #1
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭


    Hey everyone.

    Just back from my second proper cycle ever.
    I did 18.2km in about an hour and 5 minutes.
    That's with pushijng hard on the way out and spinning on the downhill. But the way back was slower and there was a bit more freewheeling on the downhills on the way back but not on all of them.

    Its quite hilly roads and it was windy enough and roasting outside.

    Is this a pretty decent cycle for a beginner? Or should I be trying to push it a bit harder?
    Like I'm in shape ,fit, but I've never been particularly good at cycling.


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    #2
    quozl
    Registered Users Posts: 3,308 ✭✭✭quozl


    It's fine. I'd concentrate on trying to get out more often and continuing to enjoy yourself rather than feeling that you have to go at a particular speed.

    Starting off you'll get huge improvements just from cycling regularly. As your body can only adapt so fast I doubt that flogging yourself would really help that much and might make things less enjoyable. Unless you enjoy flogging yourself, then go for it :)

    If you want a goal then you've got about 2 1/2 months until most clubs' Winter spins start. Which is when most clubs are geared up to accept beginners. You could easily be ready for those if you just cycle regularly and progressively increase distance.


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    #3
    ZiabR
    Registered Users Posts: 5,575 ✭✭✭ZiabR


    It is not bad for a start. If we say 18km in 1 hour you are doing roughly 1km every 3.34 minutes.

    What kind of bike do you have? Just enjoy it!


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    #4
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    I'm using it for the stamina in my legs as I hate long running but enjoy cycling .its for my track and field stuff so I wouldn't have time to join a cycle club unless I was really feeling like a change but I'll definitely keep an eye out on those.

    As for what bike I have. Its a pretty old flat bar road bike. Got it for 200euro second hand. Not a make or company I've ever heard of though. I might have to get a nice one soon if I'm going to keep this up.


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    #5
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 48,629 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    i recently got back on the bike, but i did have a decent road bike to get back on to; i was managing 13km in about 32 minutes, but that was on much flatter ground by the sounds of it.
    what sort of tyres do you have on the bike?


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    #6
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    magicbastarder wrote: »
    i recently got back on the bike, but i did have a decent road bike to get back on to; i was managing 13km in about 32 minutes, but that was on much flatter ground by the sounds of it.
    what sort of tyres do you have on the bike?

    I dont know how I find out. Its just what ever ones were on it. I bought the bike because it was comfortable to ride and I was short on money. It was only used for the 2km trip to the park where I do my sprint training but now that I'm in the summer and want to build some aerobic ability before I go back to running I'm using it more .

    The gears have have gotten a bit crap to and need to be serviced. But it could be very expensive considering the bike doesn't seem to be too great


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    #7
    TonyStark
    Registered Users Posts: 851 ✭✭✭TonyStark


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    I'm using it for the stamina in my legs as I hate long running but enjoy cycling .its for my track and field stuff so I wouldn't have time to join a cycle club unless I was really feeling like a change but I'll definitely keep an eye out on those.

    As for what bike I have. Its a pretty old flat bar road bike. Got it for 200euro second hand. Not a make or company I've ever heard of though. I might have to get a nice one soon if I'm going to keep this up.

    Post up the details, you'd be suprised how many 'unknown brands' that are quite good.

    At this stage you should be focused on getting used of the bike, getting used to riding traffic.

    Rather than going flat out, because hitting a hill will knock it out of you, try and maintain a pretty constant cadence. There are varied theories on what is recommended. Being consistent through out your ride will enable you to make gains later on when you start setting to better your speed.

    Gears etc are actually really easily serviced so I wouldn't let that deter you taking it to a LBS for a quick once over.


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    #8
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    TonyStark wrote: »
    Post up the details, you'd be suprised how many 'unknown brands' that are quite good.

    At this stage you should be focused on getting used of the bike, getting used to riding traffic.

    Rather than going flat out, because hitting a hill will knock it out of you, try and maintain a pretty constant cadence. There are varied theories on what is recommended. Being consistent through out your ride will enable you to make gains later on when you start setting to better your speed.

    Gears etc are actually really easily serviced so I wouldn't let that deter you taking it to a LBS for a quick once over.

    Have you tips on how to keep this constant cadence. Because at the moment I feel like I'm using way too much energy to get the pedals around and any hill at all is killing me. The pedals are going slowly around.
    I'm going to go into a place I trust and get them serviced,I just don't want to be charged too much


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    #9
    TonyStark
    Registered Users Posts: 851 ✭✭✭TonyStark


    EmcD123 wrote: »
    Have you tips on how to keep this constant cadence. Because at the moment I feel like I'm using way too much energy to get the pedals around and any hill at all is killing me. The pedals are going slowly around.
    I'm going to go into a place I trust and get them serviced,I just don't want to be charged too much

    Well just ask them to quote you before hand it will take any shock out of it. Use your gears to reduce the resistance as you climb. There is a really good explanation here: http://tunedintocycling.com/2008/04/29/hill-climbing-101-pedaling-and-shifting/

    It's pretty much what I use all the time to climb hills. It's sound advice and it's all about practice.


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    #10
    Lumen
    Registered Users Posts: 31,025 ✭✭✭✭Lumen


    The first month is all neuromuscular adaptation. You won't be able to properly use your aerobic fitness yet.

    Just dance on the pedals and wait for the thousands of repititions to take effect.


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    #11
    EmcD123
    Registered Users Posts: 1,050 ✭✭✭EmcD123


    Lumen wrote: »
    The first month is all neuromuscular adaptation. You won't be able to properly use your aerobic fitness yet.

    Just dance on the pedals and wait for the thousands of repititions to take effect.
    Haha well that sucks,I'm used to being pretty good at what I'm doing,and I have pretty good aerobic capacity from years of running. Still road cycling is something I unexpectedly enjoy and I want to keep it going so yes I'll keep going till all the repetitions take effect


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