New to biking...

[juice]

I'm "Off de road" (As they say here) - Have been banned from driving for 12 months due to speeding so need a way to get to work. My choices were the loser cruiser (Bus) or do something to improve my fitness and cycle.

The route I'm most likely to go is about 5 miles each way. I'm not that fit to be honest, am I going to be sitting in a ball, crying, by the end of the week ?
Just interested in what to expect as this isn't something I've done in a *very* long time !

Oh - Just went out and bought my new bike - a Trek Hybrid 7.3 something or other...Its sitting there laughing at me at the moment, perhaps it knows something I don't ?

I've got lights, a helmet, a pump and punture repair kit and went for some padded shorts after sitting on teh sadle for 2 mins - jesus..Do you ever get used to that feeling ?

Oh well, either way this should be a laff !

[P-Jay]

juice said:

Have been banned from driving for 12 months due to speeding so need a way to get to work.
I've got lights, a helmet, a pump and punture repair kit and went for some padded shorts after sitting on teh sadle for 2 mins - jesus..Do you ever get used to that feeling ?

Naughy!!

Not a commuter myself, but a very keen mountain biker.

Don't worry, couple of rides and you 'arris will be fine.

You might want to consider some gloves, you'll thank me for that one!

Not sure what punture kit you've got, but invest in some good tyre levers. Park Tools make some of the best.

Sadly in a couple of months you'll probably be riding in/home in the dark, so some lights a good rain jacket and some hi-viz!

Couple of goes and 5 miles should be easy (providing you don't live in the Alps or something) especially on a hybrid.

[Kermit power]

Your profile says you live in Bermuda?

How on earth do you even manage to live 5 miles from where you work?

Look on the bright side. Even if you've got to cross from the lowest point in the entire country to the highest point and back down again, you've only got 76 metres of vertical ascent to worry about!

[mackie1]

My arse toughened up quite quickly. You'll be sore for a little while though.

[juice]

Kermit power said:

Your profile says you live in Bermuda?

How on earth do you even manage to live 5 miles from where you work?

Look on the bright side. Even if you've got to cross from the lowest point in the entire country to the highest point and back down again, you've only got 76 metres of vertical ascent to worry about!

I'm actually quite looking forward to this, just worried about my undercarriage

The problem with the Motorbike was that I had no self control (I admit) so cycling may well turn out to be the best thing to happen to me, worst case scenario - in a year's time I hate cycling. I sell bike, get a motorbike again.

What I'm actually hope will happen is that I get fit, I enjoy cycling and I keep the bike I've just got and don;t return to the motorbike after and put myself in the same predicament again, not only losing my licence but to be honest I was probably an accident looking for somewhere to occur.

BTW...I live at the top of the highest point

Edited to add piccy of new bike..

Edited by juice on Monday 17th August 18:01

[Kermit power]

juice said:

BTW...I live at the top of the highest point

That is arguably best. All down hill to work, so you don't arrive all sweaty, and when you get home, you can just jump in the shower via the fridge to get a beer.

Looking at the map though, the tallest point seems to be right in the middle. Is any of Bermuda as much as 5 miles away from it?

[juice]

Yep - due to there being only 1 main road that runs the length of the Island (and 2 secondary) so as the crow flies - probably not many place more than 5 miles away, by road though yep. The road length is about 22 miles, vs 20 as the crow flies.
The Road names are pretty easy though - "middle road" runs the length and is predictably, in the middle.

Then you have North and South Roads which join up with Middle Road eventually...Oh and Harbour Road which...Yep - you guessed it runs round Hamilton Harbour and that's it ! So for me to get into work I can pick any of the roads. South Road and Middle roads have the most elevation changes, North Road is the flattest and the one I'll be taking at the start at least, until I get fitter.

Edited by juice on Monday 17th August 18:04

[Parrot of Doom]

It'll probably take a week of riding before your arse stops being sore. After that it stops hurting, and feels completely natural. I'd guess a further week before your thighs stop burning, and everything after that will simply be your legs getting much more powerful (you'll start to get a squarish-edge to your quads), and your arse will tighten up (not gay not gay not gay).

[juice]

Parrot of Doom said:

It'll probably take a week of riding before your arse stops being sore. After that it stops hurting, and feels completely natural. I'd guess a further week before your thighs stop burning, and everything after that will simply be your legs getting much more powerful (you'll start to get a squarish-edge to your quads), and your arse will tighten up (not gay not gay not gay).

Well - cycled home and cycled in this morning, not as bad as I thought...but you're right - your legs DO burn ! You didn't mention waddling like a duck and stairs being 'challenging' to get down in the things to look out for - lol.

One thing though, I seem to be getting caught in the wrong gear when coming to hills, is that something you learn with practice ? Is there a technique to tackling them ?

[P-Jay]

juice said:

Parrot of Doom said:

It'll probably take a week of riding before your arse stops being sore. After that it stops hurting, and feels completely natural. I'd guess a further week before your thighs stop burning, and everything after that will simply be your legs getting much more powerful (you'll start to get a squarish-edge to your quads), and your arse will tighten up (not gay not gay not gay).

Well - cycled home and cycled in this morning, not as bad as I thought...but you're right - your legs DO burn ! You didn't mention waddling like a duck and stairs being 'challenging' to get down in the things to look out for - lol.

One thing though, I seem to be getting caught in the wrong gear when coming to hills, is that something you learn with practice ? Is there a technique to tackling them ?

Yeah, it just comes with time, like a Car or Motorbike you learn to match speed with gear, just you've got a lot more to to deal with. Tell me if I'm trying to teach you to suck eggs, but the front gears do big shifts I.E. flat to climb, climb to flat and flat to descent etc and the rear is more for fine tuning. At first try to keep your feet moving at a constant speed and shift gears accordingly (no need to change every few seconds).

Setting seat hight is important too, get it so your legs are just a dew degrees off straight on the longest part of the stroke. You can try standing whilst peddling, you can use your body weight, it's more tiring but you get more power.

After a long ride I find stairs a bloody nightmare, ha ha. There's only one cure, Beer or Cider depending on provialing weather conditions.

[Marcellus]

also cream!!

Chamois cream will help your ass!!

As others have said pre-empt the need to change gear... your legs should be spinning (a fast 12,12, 12, tempo as opposed to a slow one 1......2......1........2) if that makes sense!

Edited by Marcellus on Tuesday 18th August 11:44

[JPJ]

And make sure you wash those shorts regularly (better still, get a few pairs) as they can be very effective breeding grounds for bacteria.

[juice]

Am going to get some more shorts today after reading the warnings/horror stories...

Thanks for the advice on the gears, I really am a complete novice at this...Tonight's challenge is to attempt to change the inner tube and get some practice in as I don't want the first time I attempt it to be when I need to get it done in a hurry !

As for the seat height, the guy who sold me the bike said I should be on tip toes to balance when in the saddle as that makes it the correct height for pedalling..Is that correct ?

Edited by juice on Tuesday 18th August 12:25

[Parrot of Doom]

juice said:

Parrot of Doom said:

It'll probably take a week of riding before your arse stops being sore. After that it stops hurting, and feels completely natural. I'd guess a further week before your thighs stop burning, and everything after that will simply be your legs getting much more powerful (you'll start to get a squarish-edge to your quads), and your arse will tighten up (not gay not gay not gay).

Well - cycled home and cycled in this morning, not as bad as I thought...but you're right - your legs DO burn ! You didn't mention waddling like a duck and stairs being 'challenging' to get down in the things to look out for - lol.

One thing though, I seem to be getting caught in the wrong gear when coming to hills, is that something you learn with practice ? Is there a technique to tackling them ?

Lots of people see a hill coming, get a bit more speed up, and then select the gear they know from experience will be correct, freewheeling until they reach the correct speed to start pedalling.

[Parrot of Doom]

juice said:

Am going to get some more shorts today after reading the warnings/horror stories...

Thanks for the advice on the gears, I really am a complete novice at this...Tonight's challenge is to attempt to change the inner tube and get some practice in as I don't want the first time I attempt it to be when I need to get it done in a hurry !

As for the seat height, the guy who sold me the bike said I should be on tip toes to balance when in the saddle as that makes it the correct height for pedalling..Is that correct ?

Edited by juice on Tuesday 18th August 12:25

No, as that method takes no account of the height of the crank from the ground, which is different for each frame. Better advice is to ensure your leg is 'almost' straight, at the bottom of each stroke (but not with your knees locked out). If the seatpost height is too low you'll end up cycling with your knees further out than your elbows. Often the saddle is about or slightly higher than the handlebars, but there are no rules, you need to find what's comfortable.

[P-Jay]

Parrot of Doom said:

juice said:

Am going to get some more shorts today after reading the warnings/horror stories...

Thanks for the advice on the gears, I really am a complete novice at this...Tonight's challenge is to attempt to change the inner tube and get some practice in as I don't want the first time I attempt it to be when I need to get it done in a hurry !

As for the seat height, the guy who sold me the bike said I should be on tip toes to balance when in the saddle as that makes it the correct height for pedalling..Is that correct ?

Edited by juice on Tuesday 18th August 12:25

No, as that method takes no account of the height of the crank from the ground, which is different for each frame. Better advice is to ensure your leg is 'almost' straight, at the bottom of each stroke (but not with your knees locked out). If the seatpost height is too low you'll end up cycling with your knees further out than your elbows. Often the saddle is about or slightly higher than the handlebars, but there are no rules, you need to find what's comfortable.

Yeah what he said, the guy in the shop is giving you a health and safety answer there. Because of my short legs I can't get both feet on the ground if I'm on the sadle, even in my seat-full-down attacking mode.

[juice]

Ah, OK Fair one - I'll check that before I set off home tonight.

Cheers !

[Kermit power]

Parrot of Doom said:

juice said:

Am going to get some more shorts today after reading the warnings/horror stories...

Thanks for the advice on the gears, I really am a complete novice at this...Tonight's challenge is to attempt to change the inner tube and get some practice in as I don't want the first time I attempt it to be when I need to get it done in a hurry !

As for the seat height, the guy who sold me the bike said I should be on tip toes to balance when in the saddle as that makes it the correct height for pedalling..Is that correct ?

Edited by juice on Tuesday 18th August 12:25

No, as that method takes no account of the height of the crank from the ground, which is different for each frame. Better advice is to ensure your leg is 'almost' straight, at the bottom of each stroke (but not with your knees locked out). If the seatpost height is too low you'll end up cycling with your knees further out than your elbows. Often the saddle is about or slightly higher than the handlebars, but there are no rules, you need to find what's comfortable.

Best advice I had was to have your leg straight and your knee locked out at the bottom of the stroke with your heel on the pedal. Then when you move the ball of your foot back onto the pedal as normal, everything is at just the right height.

[Marcellus]

another way to get the saddle height roughly right is;
> sit on bike next to a wall
> put peddle to lowest point
> put heal onto peddle

Leg should be more or less straight!

[Kermit power]

Marcellus said:

another way to get the saddle height roughly right is;
> sit on bike next to a wall
> put peddle to lowest point
> put heal onto peddle

Leg should be more or less straight!

And that's another way to what I'd written just above you how, exactly?