Nervous about cycling

Lux23

I am 35 and it is probably over twenty years since I have been on a bike but I would really like to be able to cycle to work. But I do have dodgy balance to the point that I don't even like the stable bikes in a gym, yet I keep thinking about bike rides when I was a child and how freeing it was.

So, would anyone here have any a similar experience? To be clear, I haven't even gone near a bike yet so quite nervous!

Gaz

You need to build your confidence first, get out somewhere away from traffic ... there is a lovely new cycle lane, completely separate from the road along the sea front in Clontarf.
Would you route cross town ? If so, gain some decent experience first as that can be quite nerve wracking.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Borrow a bike and head to an empty carpark and give it a go or get a mountain bike and head to Phoenix park and cycle on the grass away from people where you wont hurt yourself if you did fall.

I had a 17 year hiatus from cycling before I took it up again and my first spin on the bike was nerve wracking, I was very jittery and nervous but after a few KM's I settled down and had no problems, its just a matter of easing yourself into it again.

Lux23

I don't think it is a medical thing - I was always clumsy as a child and it has carried on to adulthood. My route to work would take me down Cork Street, then Marrowbone Lane, across Thomas Street, down Bridgefoot Street and then down Queen Street and up to Grangegorman so it is a relatively safe one. My boyfriend says I should just get a cheap bike and then go up to the park and start cycling - he reckons if I just Dublin Bikes I won't be as motivated.

magicbastarder

you can hire bikes at the parkgate street entrance to the park - possibly a good place to start?

ED E

Lux23 wrote: »

I don't think it is a medical thing - I was always clumsy as a child and it has carried on to adulthood. My route to work would take me down Cork Street, then Marrowbone Lane, across Thomas Street, down Bridgefoot Street and then down Queen Street and up to Grangegorman so it is a relatively safe one. My boyfriend says I should just get a cheap bike and then go up to the park and start cycling - he reckons if I just Dublin Bikes I won't be as motivated.

DBs are good as while heavy their centre of gravity is quite low. Not a bad idea for somebody concerned about balance.


Seriously, take a bike, any bike, around the park two Saturdays in a row and you'll rapidly gain confidence.

seamus

Your boyfriend is right that you should just get a cheap bike and start cycling around places where there's no traffic.

A commuter/shopping bike or "leisure" hybrid are best for this purpose. Road bikes with skinny tyres are daunting for a novice rider, and cheap mountain bikes with "suspension" and riser bars are erratic and sh1t.

If you have a car that you can use to transport the bike, there's a cycling track in Corkagh Park that's open to the public. So you can ride around on nice smooth tarmac without the worry of even crashing into pedestrians. An hour or two of that and you'll feel a lot more confident.

Lux23

Thanks everyone, I will report back!

Budawanny

have fun.

deceit

I've started cycling a few days ago after about a 20 year gap from cycling. I've an inner ear problem that affects my balance.
I decided to get a mountain bike partially because of this. The wider tyres really help with balance. I've a locked suspension also so that doesn't affect me.
I just picked up the bike and started to cycle from the store to my job in D2 (About 5 minutes away). My balance was awful during that time but after about 20 minutes cycling home that evening I was fine and pretty much cycling like I did as a kid. I cycled home later in the evening to avoid heavier traffic that night.
I'm on my 5th day of doing my daily 25km round trip from Sandyford to the city center and its going well, I've had no issues since that first day.

magicbastarder

maybe worth watching this?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PweYjt6Yz9Q

The Noble Nudge

Dont get too immersed in over thinking it.....
Get a loan of or hire a decent bike as this will help your confidence and head to the Phoenix park and enjoy,
Progress it then by finding a cycling lane separate to the road (nice loop with car parking around the Spawell through the park around Templeogue bridge to Tallaght via Firhouse) and then introduce traffic....

But be warned as you are looking at them new shiny bikes in shops with price tags the same as some cars YOU will be buying one in the future and hiding receipts from your other half......:eek::cool::P

AndrewJRenko

A bike buddy would be good. Dublin Cycling Campaign has a scheme and tries to provide buddies from volunteer members. Or post details of your location and route here and see if anyone is able to help.

Getting a buddy with you for your first few commutes would make a big difference.

Doc07

Just do it!
I started cycling again after a long hiatus a few days after chris Froome won his first Tour de France in 2013.

I was terrified of cycling in city traffic. A friend brought me out to Howth a couple of times which involved crossing city traffic and I was fine after that.

Buy a relatively inexpensive bike first before committing to something long term. However too cheap is classic false economy as you will almost immediately want to upgrade.

I bought an old crappy racer on done deal for 200€ and bought one for 350€ two weeks later.

Once you do a few cycles the real danger is becoming hooked and wanting to buy lots of nice things. I didn't upgrade my car this year so I could buy new wheels and cycle in the Alps.
Happy cycling

cactusgal

Go for it, OP!

I started cycling at age 38, had not been on bike since age 12. I was really nervous at first, but now I cycle absolutely everywhere.

My tips - I've got a second hand mountain bike, it's slow and heavy in comparison to other models, but the tires are wide and I feel more stable.

Rent a bike in Phoenix Park and just enjoy the cycle with no road traffic to contend with.

Similarly, cycle the new bike lane from Clontarf to Howth. No road traffic, flat surface.

When you start cycling on the road, go on Sunday mornings when traffic is light. The more you do it, the more confident you'll be. I find most drivers very courteous (it's more dumbass pedestrians you have to watch out for).

Cycling is the most efficient way to get around Dublin, without a doubt. You will save a fortune in taxi and bus fares. You'll improve your fitness. You'll recapture some of those lovely feelings from childhood of hopping on your bike and going for a spin. No better feeling after a long day's work. And summer is a great time to begin!

beauf

I a had a long gap probably of 10yrs not cycling. I start backed by going around the block then a bigger circle. Then halfway to work on a sat. Then the whole way. Then I went to work. Probably about 2~3 weeks before I got to work.

Park is a great place to cycle.

Takes time to get used to cycling in traffic.

Lux23

So a quick update.

Last Friday I finally got around to hopping on a Dublin bike beside Heuston Station - I brought it down to the carpark and for the first few minutes I just couldn't get on it! Eventually, I managed to cycle a bit, then I did a loop around the carpark and finally, I cycled out of the carpark and up the hill to James Street. I cycled down Thomas Street and then back up again to leave the bike back at the hospital. On Saturday I got a second-hand bike in town and cycled back from the top of Dame Street to my house on the South Circular Road. I hope to cycle to work in the next week or two once I have a decent lock.

So it is true that you never forget.

Well done!!!!!

cactusgal

Good for you! You're much braver than me, it took me a while to brave the city centre roads/traffic!

Lux23

The traffic wasn't overly bad at the times I was cycling but I did pull in when I saw a bus as I got awful shakes when one went by me!

veganrun

Well done.

I was in a similar boat recently, it had been over 20 years since I cycled and my balance wasn't good but I wanted to cycle to work. I rented one if them city bikes and went to an empty bus/coach park near me and just cycled round it for about half an hour and it came back quite quickly.

I've since bought a hybrid bike and I'm now looking at buying a road bike

railer201

Lux23 wrote: »

The traffic wasn't overly bad at the times I was cycling but I did pull in when I saw a bus as I got awful shakes when one went by me!

There's nothing wrong in exercising caution as you see fit, what's happening there is your brain is making an assessment of the situation with respect to your present skill level and keeping you safe. As you cycle more and more, this will diminish slowly but you should always have an awareness of large vehicles around you for your own safety. Staying clear of left-turning vehicles would be another issue to be mindful of. Best wishes !

AndrewJRenko

Deedsie wrote: »

I am changing offices in November and wont be able cycle to work any more and its honestly depressing me a little bit. It becomes addictive after a while.

This would be a huge issue for me. I'd certainly avoid any voluntary move where I couldn't continue to cycle commute. I've been ignoring very slight pain in hands and wrists, just in case the response is to stop cycling.

veganrun

AndrewJRenko wrote: »

Deedsie wrote: »

I am changing offices in November and wont be able cycle to work any more and its honestly depressing me a little bit. It becomes addictive after a while.

This would be a huge issue for me. I'd certainly avoid any voluntary move where I couldn't continue to cycle commute. I've been ignoring very slight pain in hands and wrists, just in case the response is to stop cycling.

Same here. I've only recently started cycling to work and it's less than 2 miles each way but I enjoy it. My bike is in the shop getting the brakes adjusted so I am walking to work and felt like a bit of a chump doing so today. I've been cycling in the evenings and even now sitting here at work my legs feel like they should be cycling.

AndrewJRenko

Deedsie wrote: »

Expecting our first child, wife wants to be closer to our families for her maternity leave, it hopefully won't be forever but with all those other things it wasn't really worth kicking up a fuss. I will still have a 5 -10 min cycle to and from the bus stop so I managed to keep cycling as (a small) part of my commute.

It's a good reason, and hopefully temporary for you. Best of luck with the forthcoming event, it's an exciting time for everyone.