Cycling Newbie

[mistysj 1,940]

Duplicate post

[Butterthebean 8,146]

Where's the other one?

[mistysj 1,940]

Where's the other one?

same forum...

Or not. Sigh. Ooh I think I have it in the paste buffer.

Just got a bike! It is a hybrid bike and not strictly meant for huge speed or distance. I want to use it to add some exercise to my weekends by cycling to church or the shops. I already run three times a week, 6 or so km per time. On the bike, I'm a newbie. I mean, I know how to rise it, but I'm a bit wobbly, don't have a lot of strength or stamina, and don't really know how to use the gears. I'm a bit nervous using the bike lanes. I can ride on trails but that won't really get me to church or the shops so I need to learn to ride on the road on the bike lanes.

So any advice for me! Any training plan like the couch to 5k for cycling? I don't want to race or ride huge distances but I would like to get more comfortable on the bike.

[mistysj 1,940]

Well I went out again today. My husband rode his bike and stayed slow enough for me to keep up. Starting to figure out the gears. We stayed on the bike paths near our house and went 7 km in 30 minutes. It was fun and not too hard but I was sweating by the end. He showed me how I can add at least 20 km more round trip and stay on the bike path most of the way!

My butt is sore right on the bones where the seat hits. It is literally two spots about an inch in diameter each that are sore. When I was a lot bigger, my whole butt crack area would get sore and bruised and raw (tmi) after a couple of rides. That's why I never kept it up. I think the soreness now is more normal and I will get used to it after a few rides. I don't know if I was too big before or the seat was wrong or the bike was wrong or a little bit of all of them. It is humiliating to take your bike to the shop and say your fat ass is in agony and please adjust the seat. It's amazing what I used to put up with because I was so ashamed about my size.

[Butterthebean 8,146]

I'm not familiar with any c25k-like programs for cycling. But as for getting confident and comfortable....a huge parking lot might be a safe place to practice....especially if no one is using it at the time. Like a school on the weekends.

As for your buttocks....at some point if you're going to ride enough...a good pair of cycling shorts are invaluable. They make mountain bike shorts that look like cargo shorts with the internal pad (chamois). Adjustment of the seat is critical for comfort and pedaling efficiency. Not just up and down but also fore and aft ......and tilting back and forth.

Keep practicing in a wide open area with no obstacles so you get used to those gears.

[Akcent 0]

Hey,i am new here on this community and i wanna join to this informative community so i am agree with your reviews about the cycling.Cycling is the best work for actual fitness of the body and reduce the extra body fat.It is the best workout for build the legs muscles.

Brienshamp personal trainer

[mistysj 1,940]

Hey,i am new here on this community and i wanna join to this informative community so i am agree with your reviews about the cycling.Cycling is the best work for actual fitness of the body and reduce the extra body fat.It is the best workout for build the legs muscles.

It doesn't actually reduce a lot of body fat and does nothing for the upper body, but it is a great workout for your legs, the biggest muscle in your body. It shouldn't be the main or only exercise you do, from what I have read. I am using it as a supplement to running.

[M2G 1,836]

Well I went out again today. My husband rode his bike and stayed slow enough for me to keep up. Starting to figure out the gears. We stayed on the bike paths near our house and went 7 km in 30 minutes. It was fun and not too hard but I was sweating by the end. He showed me how I can add at least 20 km more round trip and stay on the bike path most of the way!

My butt is sore right on the bones where the seat hits. It is literally two spots about an inch in diameter each that are sore. When I was a lot bigger, my whole butt crack area would get sore and bruised and raw (tmi) after a couple of rides. That's why I never kept it up. I think the soreness now is more normal and I will get used to it after a few rides. I don't know if I was too big before or the seat was wrong or the bike was wrong or a little bit of all of them. It is humiliating to take your bike to the shop and say your fat ass is in agony and please adjust the seat. It's amazing what I used to put up with because I was so ashamed about my size.

Well, I don't often "road" bike but I'm a huge devotee of spin class (I know they are quite different) but one of the things I love about spin is that I get to work on my form without worrying about other things like cars, rocks, pedestrians, etc. The lady who teaches my spin is very much an outdoor biking enthusiast so she really works on our form constantly. The one thing that I also adore about spin is that it is 100% about exercise...I walk away drenched in sweat because we don't ever stop, it's constant pedaling for an hour (or more...she does offer a weekend class that is 1.5 hours...only taken it once but I will do it again.)

I have an old bike that sits in my garage, but I had a nasty accident years ago in college on my bike and have been a little gunshy ever since. Maybe my goal for next summer will be doing more outdoor biking. I think biking around is a great way to add more exercise to your routine and I think it's great that you are doing that!

I agree about the sore butt thing, however, that only lasted about 3 days when I started spin back in March. Everyone says after a while you get a butt callus and I guess I did because my butt never hurts anymore.

And the bike shops DO have just about everything you need to be comfortable. I saw some padded shorts on clearance...right now is a good time to buy stuff on clearance here because there is a lot less winter biking going on, so maybe see about the shorts or getting a padded seat.

I think you are just going to have to keep at it in order to get better. I think the more you do this the more comfortable you will feel on the bike. Good luck.

What kind of "hybrid" bike do you have?

[Terry Poperszky 2,784]

My butt is sore right on the bones where the seat hits. It is literally two spots about an inch in diameter each that are sore.

If your seat is hitting on your sit bones, then you are doing it right. Too many times people think the more cushioning is the answer and in reality is what is causing the problem. I started on hybrid, had a gel seat and wore biking shorts, no matter how much I would ride my butt would be in agony after 10 miles. I eventually graduated to a true road bike, with a rock hard seat, and after a month of riding that I could easily put 20 - 30 miles on with no discomfort. I just recently picked my my first mountain bike and it has the same type of seat, very little padding. I did a 9 mile circuit yesterday with a 1,000 foot climb and while my sit bones were a little tender from being pounded as I was going over rocks, it was the least of my aches.

[mistysj 1,940]

Thanks y'all. The bike is a Specialized Global Work 2 women's I believe. It is a riding-around bike, not a road bike or mountain bike. I think that is what makes it a "hybrid." The seat definitely feels different than previous ones I have had which either smashed the lady bits or seemed to get right up between the butt cheeks and make a lot of skin irritation and bruising (tmi, yuck, and unpleasant). I have not ridden since Sunday (4 days) and there is still a bit of soreness. It. Iftt have bruised, didn't look. But different from the past. I have thought of spinning, but those gym cycles usually don't adjust short enough for my legs. I am on,y 4'11" and have unusually short legs and a long torso. My gym has the classes so maybe I will see if the bikes go small enough.

[wcn1970 239]

Specialized... Nice choice!

[sandisleeve 563]

Well, I don't often "road" bike but I'm a huge devotee of spin class (I know they are quite different) but one of the things I love about spin is that I get to work on my form without worrying about other things like cars, rocks, pedestrians, etc. The lady who teaches my spin is very much an outdoor biking enthusiast so she really works on our form constantly. The one thing that I also adore about spin is that it is 100% about exercise...I walk away drenched in sweat because we don't ever stop, it's constant pedaling for an hour (or more...she does offer a weekend class that is 1.5 hours...only taken it once but I will do it again.)

I have an old bike that sits in my garage, but I had a nasty accident years ago in college on my bike and have been a little gunshy ever since. Maybe my goal for next summer will be doing more outdoor biking. I think biking around is a great way to add more exercise to your routine and I think it's great that you are doing that!

I agree about the sore butt thing, however, that only lasted about 3 days when I started spin back in March. Everyone says after a while you get a butt callus and I guess I did because my butt never hurts anymore.

And the bike shops DO have just about everything you need to be comfortable. I saw some padded shorts on clearance...right now is a good time to buy stuff on clearance here because there is a lot less winter biking going on, so maybe see about the shorts or getting a padded seat.

I think you are just going to have to keep at it in order to get better. I think the more you do this the more comfortable you will feel on the bike. Good luck.

What kind of "hybrid" bike do you have?

-- I have become smitten with spinning and I'm always on the lookout for a great groupon deal. I take classes at two different studios in my area. The key is a great instructor with an amazing playlist!!! I have a seat cushion and "lots of junk in my trunk" and I am fine - no but soreness .... 5 years ago I sat on a spin bike and thought I was going to die!! I swore off spinning for life and thought people who took spin classes were deranged!! Fast forward To April 2013 and I am hooked after mustering up the courage to give it another go. So glad I stuck with it .. I actually took four 45 minute classes this week to combat all the dessert and rich leftovers i knew I'd indulge in. Love love love the sweat and the feel good vibe after class. I've recommend it to soooo soo many people. I enjoy the low impact nature of the workout with the high intensity Cardio results. Can't say enough about it, I'm officially hooked!!

'Spin'cerely, Sandi