my bike riding is starting to kill me. Help me cos i just want to cry

[juicychops]

Hi. I had to sell my car just over 3 weeks ago and since then i have been riding my bike to work wed - fri. Its only about 2 miles and at first after i got used to the bruised bum it was a novelty but today it was horrible and i nearly cried. It was such a struggle.

i went swimming yesterday and also went for a run as im training for a 10k at end of may (and due to my bike riding not doing very regular runs) but i have been swimming regularly for a few weeks now so dont think it was the run or the swim - and even if it is, my body needs to get used to this.

but today was terrible. the journey there wasn't too bad as its mostly down hill but coming back was the biggest struggle so far and im dreading tomorrow. i miss my car so much today!!

everyone keeps saying just think how fit il get, but what good will that be if i die in the mean time!?

is there any tips or help anyone can offer?

i could walk but it would add an hour to my journey times and i struggle as it is to fit my 16 hours per week during ds's school hours as it is. feel sad

your swimming & running muscles are unlikely to be the same as your riding a bike uphill muscles, so not surprising you are knackered - it should ease up gradually I would have thought

also, have you got gears? are you using them to your best advantage? are you getting off & ewalking the very steep bits if you are slowing to a standstill?

all of those should make it a bit easier

tyres pumped up well? not carrying too much extra junk in a bag?

juicy - what kind of bike do you have? Have you had a bike fit assessment to check you are in the correct position? I think it can make a big difference if, for example, your seat is tilted at the wrong angle, in particular if you are riding up a hill every day.

i think i need the seat put up slightly higher. Its my dad's old mountain bike. i couldn't afford a brand new one so just having to make do.

do you have to pay for them to check your sitting right?

i pumped the tyres up last night so they were definately a lot more pumped up than they were last week when i was riding my bike!

im trying to force myself to ride up the hills rather than walking although unless i stand up and ride, if i stay sitting on the saddle going up the hill i barely move.

i think i am using the gears correctly, im putting it on higher gears for the easier parts and lower gears for the hills and harder bits

it will get easier, it is knackering ifyour legs are tired from running. take it slowly

I remember that "I'm going to die" feeling :o.

Build up slowly - don't kill yourself on hills (get off and push) straightaway. I think you might be rushing it a bit - cycling does use different muscles, some of which you won't know you had.

Hi!

I absolutely know this feeling.

We moved to Cambridge - very "bike friendly" and quite flat - and we have no car. I knew that we were saving a ton of money and that it was good for me, but some mornings i just wanted to cry thinking about the 30 minutes cycle to work!

Things are much much better now, it does improve honestly.

Some things that helped me (though some of them require an initial spend)

• Get bike panniers/a lightweight basket. If you really can't afford this, then get a light, well fitting back pack. Don't cart any junk around. I have a backpack that's designed for running with a mesh section on my back so as not to get too sweaty.

• Keep the bike well-maintained. Best if you can get it properly serviced but otherwise go through and oil everything that squeaks, pump tyres etc.

• If it's a "town-" or mountain- type bike, set it up so that you're in quite an upright position and can only touch the floor with your toes.

Remember that it's absolutely ok to cycle really slowly. When you're coming up some bastard hill just sit up tall and put it in the lowest gear and crawl up there as slow as you like.

Hope you feel better soon. Sunny days on their way hopefully!

ahh thanks everyone glad its not just me. Felt like such a wimp all day.

defo need to invest in a pannier or at least a proper backpack. i need to take my work clothes, lunch and deoderant etc to work each day which isn't overly heavy, but does make me sweat!

also another question, am i being stupid tucking my trouser bottoms in my socks? i get some funny looks but its the only way i can get to work and back without my trousers getting caught on bike parts!

I tuck mine in. If you're riding on fairly smooth terrain maybe invest in some thinner tyres, the knobbly ones that come with most mountain bikes make for slow and very hard work on roads/cycle tracks. Check your bike fit for sure (when your foot is at the bottom of the pedal stroke your legs should be almost straight) and remember that next to running cycling is one of the high drain exercises, it's hard on your muscles and you will need to rest for those muscles to repair.

When you pedal your foot should be positioned so that the pedalling is done with the ball of your foot (just behind your toes) This transfers the energy more efficiently so wont be as hard on your muscles. Change gears a lot, an old man whos still racing at 80 despite cancer told me that I should play a tune on mine. It makes your bike do the hard work for you :)

If it helps I'm a competitive cyclist and even I have days like that. Get off and walk up the hills, better than killing yourself for the rest of the journey. Hope that helps and feel free to message me if there's any way I can help?

thanks notthewowy i will do

right, my seat defo needs putting higher then i think. hopefully that will help. i shall try and change gear more too see if that makes a difference.

still dreading tomorrow though. was planning on running tonight but just dont have any energy left
think i will take it easy tonight

does your work have a 'cycle to work' scheme? you can buy a new bike and kit with tax and vat breaks. also you pay back over a year.

oooh never thought about that. if they do have one it isn't advertised, but i can always ask tomorrow. so would a thin tyre bike be better then for road cycling?

DP told me the idea with gearing is to keep a constant rate of pedal revolutions per minute. So, eg, aiming for 30 rpm on the flat, as you approach a hill change gear so your rpm and effort level remains the same. Smooth gearing gets easier with practice.

Hi, I feel your pain! I started to cycle a while ago for much the same reasons as you, it's 6 miles each way and there are a couple of long bastard hills.

Wear leggings, much easier to cycle in.
Keep a wash bag at work with deodorant etc, reduces what you need to carry.
Have a banana or slice of toast about ten minutes before you leave for energy.
Carry a small bottle of water half full with you so you can stop for a v quick breather.

You do hit a pain barrier after a couple of weeks but it passes.

Your employer can join the cycle to work scheme really easily, look on halfords website.

It will be free to get your saddle height checked, it is soemthing a lot of people on bikes have incorrectly and it will make your legs ache.

Though putting the saddle up or down maybe odd at first it will be correct and far easier - so go along and ask in a cycle shop

Most cyclists pedal too slowly so they're pushing a high gear instead of changing to a low one and pedalling faster. Try selecting one gear lower than normal and pedal faster. Initially it will feel odd but it will be easier on your legs. A good cyclist will pedal at around 80rpm.

hi everyone thought id check in and say hi. thanks for all the replies. Thursday was horrible once again going to work and back i could also feel myself getting a chest cold. didn't sleep well all night as it felt like someone was sitting on my chest when i laid down

today woke up feeling terrible so managed to get a lift to work from my dp as he was off today, and i walked home. It was a nice break from cycling and only took an extra 15 mins to walk. my chest is still very sore when i breathe in and out and particularly when i yawn but hopefully it will clear in a few days. im sure its from cycling as i get so hot i undo my jacket so my neck is exposed to the cold

Thinner tryes would defintely help on roads. You will travel quicker with the same amount of effort. Also, do you have leggings for running - if so, wear those (or if possible make a purchase) as they are v comfortable for cycling and no worries of chafing or having to tuck bottoms in.

I'm not sure biking actually will give you a cold - but carrying on biking (or running, or swimming) once you're getting ill, will certainly make matters worse.

For the sake of your knees and muscles, you want to be in the lowest gear possible when going up a hill. If walking is only taking you 15 minutes longer than biking (for a good distance), something strange is going on!

What parts of you are hurting?

It's important to make sure you don't angle your knees in while riding, that can cause real knee damage.

I agree with NotQuiteCockney, I don't think you would get a cold/chest sore from cycling.

If it only takes you 15 minutes longer to walk than cycle then possible walk for a week to get over your soreness.

Hot steamy baths and hot drinks for your chest will help a lot

I was once told off by a ski instructor way put in the European sticks for neckwear crimes. She said I would get a sore throat unless I tied a little hanky round my neck - it was a very bad idea to expose your throat. She wasn't on about a thick sweaty woolly scarf, just a little cotton spotted thingy.

I then started noticing a lot of outdoory folk all over the place wear somthing similar... might help?

hiya i might find some kind of little scarf thing somewhere to wear may as well give it a try!

its only a 2 mile ride to work which takes me about 8 mins to get to work and about 13 mins to get home (due to the hills) so thats why its only 15 mins longer to walk home, as it only takes 25-30 mins to walk back

maybe il walk for a week. il see how my chest is on wednesday when im back to work. chest is still bad today, especially when i bend over. my throat is fine thoughj ,ust hurts when i breathe

just been on google map. the distance to work is actually 3.3miles not 2 miles. i feel less wimpish now! even though i know 3.3 miles still isn't very far, but it is when its up hill

juicy - youtube has plenty of advice on bike fitting if you want to check your set up yourself. Good luck!

If it's a mountain bike then disable any suspension so you aren't wastin peddaling energy in going up and down instead of along.

And maybe try free cycle for any bits you need... Panniers are well worth while, and a 'track pump' (upright pump) is WONDERFUL for pumping up tyres really hard.

Also make full use of the gears your mountain bike will have... Are you changing on the front as well as the back to get the full range? Shouldn't have to stand on the pedals, just go slower in lowest gears.

Good luck!