The first few cycles for a newbie - some advice

eclectichoney

Hi guys

I just got a new road bike two days ago (a Giant) and it's the first time I have been cycling for maybe 15 years. I am finding it tricky getting used to some things - like for tight turns I find I need to slow down and use the brakes a little - is this very wrong? For wider turns I am ok with just leaning in. Also when trying to turn through narrow (say 2 feet apart gaps) I find I need to slow down too. Slowing down makes me feel a bit wobbly though. I guess my steering will improve hopefully but the bike feels quite unstable at the moment :o

I find when I am going on even a slight downhill even in a very high gear that it feels like I don't have much control over the pedals? Going on a slight uphill feels much more comfortable in this respect, I like having a bit of resistance I think. I would have thought being in a high gear would help though?

I am also having problems starting quickly when stopped and have already taken off the toe clips as I was finding it very difficult to flip the left pedal over and get my foot in - will pop them back on when I am more used to it hopefully It is one less thing to worry about for the moment though.

I have spent a couple of hours trying tight u-turns, circling and tight corners/obstacles etc. in the car park and have still come unstuck once or twice but seem to be ok enough when just going straight. I tried reading over some of the newbie logs here and am amazed at how quickly some people seem to be able to adjust and hit high speeds. Am I a lost cause or will I improve if I keep at it? The bike feels a bit fragile/delicate and wobbly, so hopefully I will adjust to the feeling and it will become a bit more normal.

Thanks for any advice!

nilhg

eclectichoney wrote: »

Hi guys

I just got a new road bike two days ago (a Giant) and it's the first time I have been cycling for maybe 15 years. I am finding it tricky getting used to some things - like for tight turns I find I need to slow down and use the brakes a little - is this very wrong? For wider turns I am ok with just leaning in. Also when trying to turn through narrow (say 2 feet apart gaps) I find I need to slow down too. Slowing down makes me feel a bit wobbly though. I guess my steering will improve hopefully but the bike feels quite unstable at the moment :o

I find when I am going on even a slight downhill even in a very high gear that it feels like I don't have much control over the pedals? Going on a slight uphill feels much more comfortable in this respect, I like having a bit of resistance I think. I would have thought being in a high gear would help though?

I am also having problems starting quickly when stopped and have already taken off the toe clips as I was finding it very difficult to flip the left pedal over and get my foot in - will pop them back on when I am more used to it hopefully It is one less thing to worry about for the moment though.

I have spent a couple of hours trying tight u-turns, circling and tight corners/obstacles etc. in the car park and have still come unstuck once or twice but seem to be ok enough when just going straight. I tried reading over some of the newbie logs here and am amazed at how quickly some people seem to be able to adjust and hit high speeds. Am I a lost cause or will I improve if I keep at it? The bike feels a bit fragile/delicate and wobbly, so hopefully I will adjust to the feeling and it will become a bit more normal.

Thanks for any advice!

It's a big learning curve, keep at it, you'll be fine.

I'd suggest starting off to do as many short spins as you can, gradually building up your distance and then maybe using the weekend one as a longer spin.

crosstownk

eclectichoney wrote: »

it's the first time I have been cycling for maybe 15 years................ will I improve if I keep at it?

You've answered your question.

Just keep at it. I got back on the bike after 20 years about 18 months ago and felt a bit wobbly to begin with. I'm still no Jedi Knight but I'm getting there!

eclectichoney

Thanks guys - appreciate the advice. Slow and steady I guess

Beasty

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eclectichoney wrote: »

like for tight turns I find I need to slow down and use the brakes a little - is this very wrong?

No - you will find your confidence in turns improves over time

eclectichoney wrote: »

Also when trying to turn through narrow (say 2 feet apart gaps) I find I need to slow down too. Slowing down makes me feel a bit wobbly though.

Again perfectly natural - you simply need to build your confidence

eclectichoney wrote: »

I find when I am going on even a slight downhill even in a very high gear that it feels like I don't have much control over the pedals? Going on a slight uphill feels much more comfortable in this respect, I like having a bit of resistance I think. I would have thought being in a high gear would help though?

Another confidence issue, but once you really get back into cycling you will probably graduate to clip-in pedals which secure your shoes to the pedals. They take a bit of getting used to but people rarely go back once they have tried them.

Unknown Soldier

eclectichoney wrote: »

Hi guys
I am also having problems starting quickly when stopped and have already taken off the toe clips as I was finding it very difficult to flip the left pedal over and get my foot in - will pop them back on when I am more used to it hopefully It is one less thing to worry about for the moment though.

One of the best pieces of advice I have gleaned from here this year was from W.Ash about stopping and taking off when clipped in. (I know you're not clipped in but same applies)

Go into a very low gear when you are stopping, like you would in a car. It makes "taking off" much, much easier. You can even pedal with one foot.

Takes away a lot of the stress.

eclectichoney

Unknown Soldier wrote: »

Go into a very low gear when you are stopping, like you would in a car. It makes "taking off" much, much easier. You can even pedal with one foot.

Takes away a lot of the stress.

Thanks everyone - and unknown soldier! God, pedalling with one foot :eek: Right now I think I would probably fall over if I tried that :o Maybe in a few weeks, but changing down the gears is a good idea, thanks

Unknown Soldier

eclectichoney wrote: »

Thanks everyone - and unknown soldier! God, pedalling with one foot :eek: Right now I think I would probably fall over if I tried that :o Maybe in a few weeks, but changing down the gears is a good idea, thanks

Keep at it. I wished I had 6 years ago rather than trying it for a few days and letting the fear take over. I dumped the bike in a shed

It's quite strange cycling after 20 years but once you get the hang of it..... you'll never look back. It's like being a child again.

I've went from scaredy cat to 7000km in just over a 18 months.

Keep at it and enjoy seeing "the world" from a saddle.

quozl

It'll improve just by cycling more. I know what it's like to feel really uncoordinated on a bike but it goes away quite quickly with practice. If you do want it to improve as quickly as possible then keep doing what you're doing with messing around in car parks or similar. Long cycles where you're mostly going straight or doing gentle turns are good for your fitness but they'll improve your handling much less than messing about will.

I think all your other points have been addressed except for the lack of resistance pedalling down-hill. I agree with you that it's nicer to have some resistance - it's also marginally safer IMO to be in a position where if you start pedalling hard you can accelerate as it gives you one more option to change your path if you need to. Moving into the big ring at the front and the small ring at the back is going to result in you being able to accelerate even when you're doing about 70 kph down-hill - so if you're not feeling that then are you pedalling a really low cadence (RPM) when going down-hill? Even if you have a high gear if you're going downhill fast you're not going to feel anything if you're only pedalling 40 times per minute. If you try the same thing at 90 RPM you're more than doubling the bicycle speed at which you'll feel resistance - i.e. the speed at which your pedalling is still adding to the bicycles speed.

That said, I wouldn't worry about it. Just change gears up as you head down-hill and change gears down as you head up-hill. It'll become second nature.

The most important thing is to do whatever you need to enjoy yourself, then you'll keep doing it and you'll get better automatically.

eclectichoney

Just wanted to report back on this guys to say thanks for all the advice! Managed my longest cycle yet today - just under 20k which is not much for most people on here but when I remember how I was just a month or so ago I am delighted with how much more comfortable I am now!

Thanks again for all the encouragement and the advice to stick with it - you were right!

Jawgap

eclectichoney wrote: »

Just wanted to report back on this guys to say thanks for all the advice! Managed my longest cycle yet today - just under 20k which is not much for most people on here but when I remember how I was just a month or so ago I am delighted with how much more comfortable I am now!

Thanks again for all the encouragement and the advice to stick with it - you were right!

Good going, especially in this weather.

Confidence, fitness and speed all improve in time.

Which Giant did you get?

eclectichoney

Jawgap wrote: »

Good going, especially in this weather.

Confidence, fitness and speed all improve in time.

Which Giant did you get?

The avail 2 - delighted with it, and glad I stretched myself for the tiagra (though I can feel the beginning of upgradeitis already kicking in )

eclectichoney

eclectichoney wrote: »

Just wanted to report back on this guys to say thanks for all the advice! Managed my longest cycle yet today - just under 20k which is not much for most people on here but when I remember how I was just a month or so ago I am delighted with how much more comfortable I am now!

Thanks again for all the encouragement and the advice to stick with it - you were right!

Soon enough you will do 20k without breaking a sweat. Keep at it !:)

Neleven

Have to say I like the approach you're taking - steady and controlled. When I started back on the bike 2 1/2 years ago my first ride - home from the bike shop - was 65km. On a hybrid. Without cycle shorts. I threw the bike into the shed for two weeks after, thinking of the money I'd just wasted. Then I gradually started again from scratch and started to enjoy it. Like yourself have just got a road bike but unlike you I am having difficulty transplanting my posterior from its station in front of the tv to the saddle. So, respect!😊