Any Newish Cyclists?

[CyclingShark]

I just got a bike. Been out it once, my arms are a bit wobbly!

Wondering if anyone else has recently started cycling?

I am on strava (all one ride at the moment)

I love cycling. In normal times I cycle commute 14 miles a day on my hybrid. I also have a road bike which is currently permanently hooked up to a turbo trainer in the dining room. If you haven’t heard of Zwift look into it, it’s amazing.

My main bike is a recumbent. No sore bum for me! . Off out for a spin on it now.

Recumbents look so much more comfortable!

I made the mistake of ordering my last bike online without trying it and I just don't think it quite works - it feels like the handlebars are too low and sometimes makes my lower back a bit sore.

I'm so happy to read so many people are discovering the delights of cycling! I started a couple of years ago - yes, padded shorts/leggings/tights really do help and no don't wear knickers underneath - and from 1st April to 31st May racked up 1000 miles! the weather helped but to me a 20 mile ride after work is standard/short now and I can easily do 30-45 a day over the weekend. Now I'm allowed to cycle with people again I would love to go out for 50-60 miles at the weekend.

It provides an essential de-stress for me - I can't run anymore and cycling allows my brain to switch off from what is currently winding it up! )

If you become serious about cycling it is worth getting a proper bike fitting - I discovered that my handlebars were too low which is why it was hurting my shoulders. I did have my saddle height about perfect (I'm sure he adjusted it by 2mm just for the sake of it!) . I'm now at the stage where I'm looking at new tyres and wheels to improve my Strava times 😂😂

I've ordered a bike too.

My current rusty old bike has 21 gears that are mostly rusty too, and I tended to leave it in the same gear most of the time (I only cycle on the flat!). If I had to go over a bridge or something, I'd move it to an easier one. But I never really knew which is which. So the new bike will have hub gears that are apparently easier to maintain.

Do you actually need to treat bike gears the way you do in a car, like starting off in first gear and working up? Or can you just do what I did, leave it in one gear most of the time, and just push a bit harder for taking off? Is this any different when you have hub or derailleur gears? (As I understand it, you can change these hub gears when pedalling or stopped. I think you were supposed to only change the gears on my old bike when you were pedalling)

My knees always get sore as I think the old bike is too small. But if I put the seat up higher, then I can't touch the ground as well, and that would be the same on the new bike (all the sizes had the same distance from the pedals to the ground, as far as I could tell!). I know you're supposed to only barely be able to touch the ground, but I like to have a little more of my foot - not flat, but certainly the ball of my foot fairly comfortably on the ground when I stop - my balance is bad at the best of times! But I don't know what else I could adjust to make my knees less sore.

You do get used to only having a little toe touching the floor, like other things it is practice. Maybe move the seat up slightly each time? I use clipless/cleat pedals so touching the floor is only one part of the battle of not falling over when stopping! I've only had two failures to clip my feet out in time!

I have replaced handlebar stem to make the fit better. I'd love a proper bike fit and plan to make that something I do when lockdown is over.

I have a turbo trainer too and use it when the weather is really bad and also to do HIIT sessions.

Oh Wow, awesome tips everyone! I just ordered padded boxers. So commando with those right?

I am Ok with only having my toe touching the floor, I am worried about my nether regions and the top bar bit though!!

I haven't really got a puncture plan, I have some gas cannister things that I could use. I was told I should by a spare inner tube.

So say I was going to ride for three hours (gentle little pedal) what exactly should I be taking? Do people use rucksacks for day trippy things or saddle bags. I have a bag that goes on the top bar bit that came with the bike but I can't fit much in it!

As a general rule you should have a feed every hour. So a gel food pack every hour. I don't like the texture, so use sports beans. (High energy jelly beans) instead. They are small so will fit in a back pocket or handle bar pack. Alternatively plan in a café stop 🤣

I think this thread cursed me. Went for my bike ride and because of this thread I thought oh should I grab my gas cannister thing, nearly didn't but decided to.

Got the first puncture I've had in years - on the back wheel as well! The gas /foam stuff didn't work. I think the hole was too big. It was coming out the hole in the inner tube and the hole in the tyre. I had a spare inner tube with me. Never changed one before. Got the wheel off, got the tyre off, found the hole, decided to patch it. Which seems to have worked.

Managed to get it all back together and couldn't change gear so had to bike to the local bike shop where they sorted the gears for me.

I'm now pondering if I need a new tyre as there is a small, visible hole in the tyre. But you can only see it if you bend the tyre when the inner tube was deflated.

Just worried if I change the tyre again that the gears might not work again! Was a nightmare morning.

For maintenance kit look for an under saddle bag for multi tool, inner tube, patches, gas cylinder. Then a small bike pump that fits onto your bottle cage fixing.

It was this stuff I used to try and save me fixing the puncture at the side of the road - maybe the hole was too big?

www.amazon.co.uk/ZEFAL-Unisexs-Repair-Instant-Inflation-Black/dp/B0064MLMR8/ref=sr_1_7?dchild=1&keywords=bike+tyre+slime&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&qid=1592044367&sr=8-7

A three-hour cycle for a beginner! wow. I think that is a different league to my type of beginner. I've ordered a town bike with bicycle, rack, bell, that sort of thing. Debating whether a 20-min cycle on my old bike as practice would hurt my bottom too much...

For 3hrs I have two bottle cages one is plain water the other has had an electrolyte tab dropped into water (zero tabs) thays enough for me because any more and I'll need a pee stop.

I dont take anything on me other than I have a cycling Jersey which has pockets on the back so I put in pack of tissues (hayfever), debit card and phone with strava recording and house keys

That's it. Usually if I was doing more than 30 miles I'd plan a pub stop for loo and water top up but that isnt possible at the moment

Also if your starting to do regular 20 miles please switch to clip in pedals to ensure you balance the muscles your using and you will also get more power out of your legs and have better rides

Oh and I ha r padded fingerless gloves cannot ride without them!

I cycle a fair bit. I have a road bike and a shopping bike. I wear padded shorts on the road bike for long rides but for tootling on a cycle rack, going to the supermarket, etc I use my shopping bike and don't wear padded shorts - I just wear my normal clothes. I learnt this from riding in the Netherlands where people cycle all the time, no special clothes or shoes just get on the bike and go

To PP, you don't need to replace the tire after a puncture but make sure you have pulled out the spiky bit (if still embedded) that caused the puncture in the first place.

CyclingShark definitely nothing under your padded shorts! It feels a bit weird at first but the pad is designed to fit next to your skin and yoy will be much more comfortable. As Lovetoride suggests, an under saddle bag is handy, though there's nothing wrong with a top tube bag. They aren't popular amongst road cyclists but I think that's a fashion thing as much as anything. I always carry two spare inner tubes, tyre levers, a multi tool and a CO2 inflator. I do have a mini pump as well but its a lot quicker to use CO2! You can wear a little rucksack - I do when I'm commuting - but it gets uncomfortable on long rides. If you have a lot to carry, panniers are better, but for day's riding you don't need masses of stuff really.
Besides tools you need something to eat and drink and a spare layer of clothing. The best way to carry drinks is to fit at least 1 bottle cage to your bike frame, 2 for longer rides. If you buy a purpose designed cycling jersey it will have pockets in the back that you can fit plenty in. Look for one with 3 back pockets, ideally with one that zips up to put your phone and money in. I would recommend putting your phone and a bit of cash into a little ziplock freezer bag before putting it in your pocket so that they aren't covered in sweat when you get them out and it keeps your stuff dry if it rains. You can get little waterproof jackets that will compress down small enough to go in a jersey pocket, and you will also have plenty of space to put in a snack. Avoid chocolate....even in cool weather it tends to melt in my experience! I tend to go for a piece of flapjack or a cereal bar. You can buy specific energy products and I do stick a couple of gels in my pocket if I am doing a big ride with tough hills as they give you a pretty instant energy hit, but for gentle rides they aren't needed. Plus they are expensive and in all honesty taste fairly vile.
The other thing I would suggest is a decent pair of gloves, even in summer. Not everyone wears them, but I always do and I recommend them to the kids I coach. They absorb sweat and stop your hands slipping on the bars when its hot, keep you warmer when its cold, help prevent blisters, absorb some of the vibrations from the road, and, if you do ever come off, its the natural reaction to put your hands out and gloves will help minimise skin loss.
It is worth spending a bit on kit in my opinion. You absolutely don't need to spend a fortune on high end brands - own brand stuff from shops like Wiggle or Evans is fine, and even lower cost stores like Decathlon and Go Outdoors sell cycling stuff that it is perfectly good for day to day cycling. Aldi and Lidl sometimes have real bargains in fact. But having the right stuff for the job does make it more enjoyable. My DH has always been a bit scathing about all my cycling kit, but he has started riding in the last year or two and having started off saying "I am not buying all that stuff" he has grudgingly had to admit that he is a lot more comfortable and enjoys riding more in the kit that I've bought him.
Practice changing an inner tube at home. There are loads of videos on YouTube that show how to do it, and other basic maintenance stuff. GCN or the British Cycling channel are good places to start. Oh, and always take your kit off and wash it asap when you get home as you can get sores otherwise. Don't use fabric conditioner as it can damage the technical fabrics in sports gear, and don't tumble dry it.
Hope that helps a bit and that you continue to enjoy riding your bike.

Like @cyclingmad I wear a cycle Jersey or jacket in winter and use the pockets. I carry phone, keys, and a banana up to about 30miles.

I managed (with a fair few stops) to do three miles today. Small steps. Those of you doing 30 miles, just wow!! I am in awe!

@Fandoozle you will get there too because over time 3 miles will feel like.just a warm up so you will do more and more.

Another one of my tips is to go out either early morning such as 6am or late like 7pm, as the roads are so much quieter and it's more fun.

I also liken cycling to a form of meditation and those who cycle alot may get this, because you just get into this rhythm and its almost like autopilot, I can ride miles like this where I'm not thinking about anything not quite present but conscious enough that I'm aware of my surroundings.

So say I was going to ride for three hours (gentle little pedal) what exactly should I be taking? Do people use rucksacks for day trippy things or saddle bags. I have a bag that goes on the top bar bit that came with the bike but I can't fit much in it

Road bike I stuff things in jersey back pockets and little bag under my saddle.

Mountain bike I carry a camelbak rucksack.

I would take:
Inner tube(s)
Pump
Tyre levers
Keys
Phone
Bank card
Water /drink
Snack (banana or cereal bar)

I don’t eat those energy gels / drinks unless I’m doing a really long intense ride. For just a normal ride (so 25/30 miles) I’m fine with just a banana / cereal bar and water. (I heard of someone who piled on the weight when they started cycling from doing 10 mile rides and eating 3 energy bars along the way.)

But do make sure you eat enough though!

I went out on my old bike for a bit today, to the next village. I'm knackered now and it was only about 45 min each way. (Google said about 30 min but I am slow!). There are more hills here than I realised, and I don't think the gears on the old bike work very well.

I had it so that I could just touch my toes to the ground when seated, but my knees still feel bent most of the time. Maybe my proportions are just wrong for cycling! I hope the new bike will fit properly, as it is always hard to guess and measure online. It's a hybrid and this is a mountain bike so I couldn't really judge, just had to go on the manufacturer's measurements.

I am slightly worried now that the new bike doesn't have suspension or as many gears, which might mean that cycles like this to the next village will be hard - it is always on paths, so I thought it would be fine with no suspension from what I read, but then I realised today just how bumpy a lot of the paths are, pot holes, speed bumps, cracks, roots, etc. and I felt a lot of jolts even with the front suspension. I hope I didn't make a mistake with going for a hybrid.

The hybrid has 7 gears I think, instead of 21, but I suspect they cover a similar range, but just have more of a jump between them. And since i only ever used a few with the 21, I hoped it's be OK. I never really know how and when to use them anyway, other than if it's really hard on a hill, I try to make it easier, and vice versa. I never change gears to start up or stop or anything.

My head aches from the helmet, but I'd rather wear one than not. My arms and wrists are kind of sore too from the pressure, even though I have grips that are supposed to spread the pressure out. I will try to raise the handlebars on the new bike when it comes, but it has a stem that uses spacers, so i don't think there is a lot of scope for moving it up very much. Have to hope it's OK I guess.

I would have brought more water if I'd realised how hot it was! I don't for speed, so I just chuck my handbag into the basket, with water in my bag along with all my usual stuff.

I don't have suspension on my hybrid and never felt that I need suspension. I ride on tracks, etc.

oh that's good, I was worried that if I feel sore now with the little bumps and roots and kerbs, on a bike that has some sort of front suspension (probalby not very good, though, as it was a really cheap mountain bike 20 years ago!), that I'd feel it a lot more on the hybrid

@Branbleberries you really need a bike fit. Your wrists should not be sore so your seat and handlebars are not in the right position. If your applying too much pressure on your arms and hands you weight is not distributed correctly. Sounds like you weight is too forward hence your arms and hands taking the pressure.

Your seat could be too close or your stretching too much to your handlebars.

Is there a local bike shop near you? They should be able to do a bike fit and adjust everything.

Also the more gears you have the more choice you do have to have lower gears that do help with hills.

Every bike I get (road bike) I have to get the handlebar steam replaced with one that brings the handlebar closer to me as I dont have a long reach.

Your saddle and ha delivers should pretty much be level.

Also make sure you seat is level it should not be tilting down as that pushes your weight forward too.