You know you don't actually have to stand on your bike... I just avoid all those things.. not a big fan of road rash!!!!

Good luck on the race/ride and the triathlon. I can't do tris because I don't run -- and I don't run because I have a knee thing.

Yes, I typically don't stand but due to the way the road is laid out. I prefer to stay in the saddle, but there's this one part where I can't get ahead of the hill enough to carry me up with any momentum. I was comfortable getting out of the saddle on my old bike, just learning the ins and outs of my new one!

It's ridiculously hilly, few places to pick up speed and quite challenging even excellent, very experienced riders say it's a challenging ride, but there definitely times where I have to stand or I might as well get off and walk it up the hill. haha!

Ah.... 4 days back from ten days of travel. After 2 weeks of not riding, I played hooky today and rode to the beach. 30 miles, some parts pretty hilly, but still averaged over 12 miles per hour.

Plus I got to work on my first tan in years....

I'm tired..... good night :)

Went on a 32 mile ride with my husband yesterday! It was a bit much to chew since I was already sore from working out the day before. Regardless, I did it!

The seat needed some adjusting and we forgot our tools, so now I have a VERY sore tush. :(

Congrats! That is a great achievement. Remember when you did your first 5 miles and though you were going to die?

Also, I have to smile, as my tush really hurt when I did my first 25 miler. I ended up buying a new saddle and it has helped sooooooo much, and padded shorts....

Jocee Haha, yes, I've done 25 or so before this 32 miler, but never with already very sore legs! I'm a glutton for punishment. It is funny how 5 miles used to seem like forever and now 5 miles is a warm up. lol

My bike is relatively new and we moved my old saddle over to my new bike and forgot the tools to adjust it when we went for our ride. Road/performance saddles are already so narrow the slightest error results in a sore tushy. At least for me anyhow! Needless to say, we adjusted as soon as we got home.

What beach do you ride on? What kind of bike? I have a road/performance bike and can't take it on sand. When we go to the beach (Hilton Head) we take our road bikes for the streets but rent cruisers/comfort bikes for the beach. It's such a different type of ride!

Oh.... I don't ride on the beach, but rather I ride to the beach.

I currently have two bikes... I bought a Raleigh Roadster when I moved back to Boston last March so that I didn't have to buy a car and now use that to commute and shop. A great city bike, and the first one that I have owned in 35 years. When I plateaued on Weightwatchers for a few months, I decided to increase my exercise levels dramatically and not falling into the trap of eating my activity points. I started walking everywhere, and quickly got really bored with it. I started riding my Raleigh instead, however discovered that it was not well suited for the increasing distances and open road. Talk about sore tushie.

So I bought a Jamis Satellite a few months ago and immediately put a new seat on it.... I also busted through my plateau.

As to beaches...... I use commuter trains to get out of Boston, then ride to the beach, spend a few hours, then ride to another station to get back to Boston. These tend to be 15 to 35 mile jaunts. My favorite is Plum Island Wildlife Refuge (no people, beautiful ride), but also Good Harbor and Cranes Beach on Cape Ann, as well as Race Point (no people, ah, clothing optional) and Coast Guard Beach on outer Cape Cod (where you take a fast ferry boat out to P-town for a day trip).

Joanna

Jocee - Ohhhhh! That makes sense! haha! Is it relatively flat around there? I lived in Vermont for a few years and I cannot imagine half of those hills. LOL

You have a very pretty bike. :)

Here's my road bike!http://www.athenscyclepath.com/store...TIAGRA_375.jpg

This is my seat that I just moved over to my bike, but mine has pink accents. :D http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/...500_AA300_.jpg It's still a ridiculously tiny seat for my big ol booty, but I've gotten use to it. I didn't like the seat the Cannondale came with.

I'm gonna have the wraps redone in pink, too.

Hi all....

I did my second metric century today. A beautiful ride on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, plus a bunch -- cranberry bogs, kettle ponds, scrub oak and pine forests, and salt marshes. Just gorgeous!

I also had a crash, or more like someone crashed into me. Pulled out into oncoming bike traffic, and plowed into me. My face and legs are a mess, and I'm sure tomorrow will be worse.

Is this what they mean by "no pain, no gain"? If so, I'll be done dieting on Monday......

PS.... Please always wear a helmet..... Both me and the young man who hit me were both scraped up, but if we weren't wearing helmets I think things would have been much worse. (Poor kid, he truly didn't know how to handle my complete and total injuried b*tch - his parents were aghast as well...

Jocee OUCH! Glad to hear you're ok! Crashes are no fun. :(

Hi! I really want to get into cycling. Currently I use the stationary bike at the gym with increased resistance and go about 20 mi/hr for a 20 min ride. (This is after I run) I want to get a bike so I can ride to my parents house and back, around neighborhoods and possibly even get into the paved trails. I have been told that I should go for a hybrid bike, but I don't really know what I am doing and I don't have enough money to get a new bike from a bike shop. Any advice? How different is riding outside compared to at the gym? I really think I will love it, but how can I invest SO much money without any idea if I will really use it?

Thanks!

gatorgirl6 - I 100% understand what you're saying. Bikes can be SO expensive. I bought a hybrid bike initally, for the same reason. What if I don't ride it? Looking back, I wish I hadn't. I wish I had just forked up the money and bought the read deal. I only say that though because I fell in love with cycling. lol.

I spent about $250 on my hybrid at Dick's and then one year later I spent $700'ish on my road bike at REI.

Now is actually the time to buy a bike. They are clearing out the 2012 models to make room for the 2013. You can go to REI's website and see what they've got going on.

You can also check craigslist and see if they have anything good. A lot of people get great deals on bikes there.

Riding inside is 100% different than riding outside, in my opinion. Do you ride a spin (up right bike) or a recumbent bike at the gym? That also makes a difference. The gears/shifting is also something you don't have to deal with in the gym.

I'm assuming you're from FL? If so, you're lucky with pretty flat roads there compared to a lot of places. FL is also a bike friendly place with lots of bike shops. The cycling community is pretty friendly. If you walked into a bike shop, most people would take the time to talk to you about it all and answer your questions and also help you decide the type of bike that'd be best for you!

Hope some of this helps. :)

Yes, it is different!

I spin and I cycle, both. In fact, I have a hybrid and a road bike.

So, this is my experience. Spinning -- especially spinning class -- is similar, but it has nothing to do with outside riding. In a class, or even just on a stationary bike, you manage how hard or how difficult you want to ride.

In cycling, the road (or conditions) does that for you. The gears in the bicycle can help you make things easier or harder, for sure, just like in a spinning bike, but you're less aware of the gears as a way to make things harder or easier, because you've got a road, with traffic or lights or hills. I thought I lived in a pretty flat neighborhood until I started riding my bike. Then I realized there are slight elevations and dips that make me ride harder or easier, without changing my gears.

In my spinning class, we ride in the dark-ish. I can close my eyes and pedal and listen to the instructor and zone out.

When I'm on my bike, I have to be aware of the road (is that tree branch?), other cars, other cyclists, stop signs, lights, potholes, street signs (where am I going?!), the wind, the sun, the rain, the humidity, because ALL of that affects my riding, my tiredness, my stress levels, etc.

Yes, I can zone out in the bike, but it took a while to feel comfortable on the road -- and I can do that more in the rural places, where there is less traffic, less lights or stop signs, etc.

As for buying a hybrid or a road bike, if you're still unsure, I would go for the hybrid. This is why -- if you just do it around the neighborhood, a hybrid is great because it'll be faster than a mountain bike or one of those beach cruisers/vintage ones. You'll get gears that you can play around with. You can add a basket to it, to carry your purse or snacks to your parents house. You can then use it to go to the gym or other small errands. It's a versatile bike.

And if you start going on those paved trails and you really like it, you can start to go faster by changing the tires (or you can just buy a hybrid with thin tired). These bikes can be less than $500 and there are some GREAT sales now as SoMuchFattitude was saying. It is true, they are clearing out their inventory, so you can go to a bike shop and not only get a great deal on 2012, they may even have 2011 bikes available. You can get a better deal then, if you are not too short (short short people usually never find good sales on bikes from what I've heard).

I eventually did get a road bike too. I love them both, but now my hybrid is to run errands and my roadie is to go fast and far.

Go to a bike shop to look around, even if you don't buy. Get to know the salespeople. Find a shop that gives you a good vibe. Even if you don't buy from them, they may be the shop that you take your bike to get fixed or to buy accessories, so find one. Your bike will need maintenance unless you plan to do it yourself (I don't).

Ouch, ouch, yes, always wear your helmet.

I hope you're feeling better by now... :(

I went to all the bike shops in town and definitely found one that I plan on using for maintenance, but only 1 of them sold used bikes and the only used hybrid they had was too small of a frame for me. I have been looking on craigslist and only found 1 hybrid in my price range in the last 2 weeks. It seemed great. The frame was the right size, I liked the looks, the price was right. I asked the girl selling it if she would be willing to take it to a bike shop with me since I don't know enough about bikes yet to know if it needed a ton of repairs or not and she said she wouldn't do that. It seemed way too risky if she wasn't willing to get it seen with me. After all of that, I still really wanted a bike. Yesterday, after I posted here, I started looking at non-bike shop bikes. I know they are less quality bikes, but I need to start somewhere and I can only afford what I can afford. Plus I can't make a used bike appear out of thin air. I actually decided on a Jeep Compass Women's Hybrid. You can click on that link to see it's specifications. To me, a not bike savvy buyer, it seemed to be the best bang for my buck. I stretched a little more than I would have liked to on the cost, but it is a safe buy. I got it from Sam's Club for $180 and I know Sam's has an amazing return policy so I can easily return it if it's not right. It is expected to arrive between Friday and next Wednesday. My dad and I will have to put it together, but he knows how. I am so excited. What do you guys think? Good buy? Any tips for a new rider?

Thanks!

gatorgirl6 - Good call on not buying someone that won't take it to the bike shop with you to have it checked out!

Congrats on your new bike! That is very exciting! I hope you fall in love with cycling like so many of us have.

Tips? Just remember to wear your helmet at all times and start on quiet roads/neighborhoods until you feel really safe and confident. Most importantly, have fun! :)

Really good call.

Enjoy. I started with short rides. Maybe 5 miles or less and worked my way up to 50+ miles after 6 months. If you own an iPhone, there a ton of apps out there that will figure out your distance, elevation change, and MPH/KPH

Please get front and rear flashers, even for daylight riding. And please wear a helmet :) It's been a week since my crash I was able to finally put on some makeup today, without looking like a ghoul. Thank god I was wearing a helmet.

I bought my helmet and lights today. I get to pick up my bike at Fedex tomorrow!!! :)

gatorgirl6 - Well? Do you love it?!

I do! The only thing is that the brakes didn't come fully assembled. My dad and I couldn't adjust them perfectly, so today i am taking it to a bike store - just to be safe. Then I will start riding and getting used to it. I think the thing that will take the most time to adjust to is that it has lever shifters and I have never used those before.

gatorgirl6 - Definitely take it to a bike shop. Better to be safe than sorry.

It'll take time to learn your gears/shifters and get used to them. I'm still mastering mine. My husband is a cyclist says his are just second nature now and he doesn't even think about what to shift to anymore. I can't wait to get to that point! lol!

Congrats again!

The bike shop said that my dad and I did an ok job putting it together, but there were things that should be fixed before I take it for a ride. They actually said they are going to take it apart and put it back together again and do a full tune up (adjusting the brakes and gears, etc.). I get it back on Wednesday at 5pm. Ugh... I just want to ride it already!!! But I am happy that it will be in tip top shape.

I think I'm in love!

I got my bike today and took it for a ride when I got home (after installing a bike odometer and water bottle holder). I did a leisurely 6 mi ride that took me about 35 min. I understand changing gears better now, but I still need to work on it. I just stayed in neighborhoods so that I didn't have to deal with cars, pedestrians, etc while I was trying to learn my new bike. It really is an easy ride. The only two problems I have are (1) it is hard for me to get my front derailleur into its largest gear. It makes a funny noise and doesn't feel right, so I just switch it back down to the middle gear and (2) my lady bits are a little sore. Any hints for either problem? As for the lady bits, my seat is really tiny, so I bought a squishy thing to slide over it. I'm not in a lot of pain. Will I just get used to the seat or should I try tilting it? I really don't know...

All in all, a good day. YAY! NEW BIKE!!!

Can I jump into this thread really late? I just bought a bike at the end of August when I got back to school (I don't have a car, so originally I just bought it to make getting to class on time/lugging home groceries easier). I've started getting into it and I'm trying to add in longer rides - so far my longest is only about 7 miles, just because I'm not used to the area and haven't investigated new places to ride yet.

Do any of you have experience with bike trainers or rollers? I want to try to incorporate some indoor cycling, since so far biking is the only exercise I 100% look forward to and can't wait to do every day! I've heard frightening things (and seen too many videos) about the rollers, but they do seem more sturdy (most of the trainers don't seem to list weight limits, but since I'm hovering around 275 right now it's something I'm definitely worried about).

:ebike:

I have been cycling for a little over a year. Love being outside. Could barely do 10 miles and now have completed 2 centuries :)) The last one kicked my a@@ , climbing 5000 ft. I have a carbon road bike, a fuji, was reasonably priced. I try to ride a home on the trainer but get bored easily://

Thkdiff I hope to get to the point of being able to do a century. I have my first sanctioned ride/race this weekend! Very excited and very nervous!

Patrizia I use an indoor spin bike and do spin class. Totally different than my actual bike, but I love it.

Fatitude - It is my bones, and not my actual lady bits. Are they supposed to be on the smaller portion of the seat or the wider part? Maybe I need to adjust it forward some...

You want your sit bones on the wider part of your seat so your weight is distributed evenly. You should be able to look down and see the nose of your bike.

Hi, All,

Any suggestions on helmets? I know I need to get one, but unless I get a cheap one at the Co-Op, I do not know what to look for, or a brand name. I am going to Saskatoon, next week, which would be a good time to look, with end-of-summer sales and all. While I hate to crush my hair (vanity, I know!) I am willing to do it to save crushing my brain! So I have never had one, and I am sure, shopping at Wal-Mart, there won't be anyone working there with any knowledge to ask. Thanks, in advance, for ANY guidance you can provide!

I move my seat forward and did a 10.25 mi bike ride today. I still need some bike shorts, for sure, but the ride was fine without them. I am going to have to venture out to some trails soon. I have just been riding around neighborhoods in the area. I would like to not have to think about cars and be able to get my speed up a little faster.

sandramac - I have no idea really about helmets. I bought mine from walmart and just made sure that it fit right. Helmet Fit Website. If you are worried about it, just go to a local bike shop and they will help you pick one out.

I am going to get one but it will be for my riding to plain paths. Perhaps I should go out too often like for shopping or other stuff;these are my coming plans.

gatorgirl6 - Glad you got the bike fixed up and in the bike shop! I've heard that putting it together is really best left for the experts, so I'm glad you took it in. You don't want it to fall apart while you're riding it. In fact, I put fenders on my hybrid and I am going to take it into the shop because they aren't perfect and I can't figure it out. I've put it too many hours trying to make them work and I know a bike mechanic would have it up and running perfectly in seconds.


Bike Shorts (lycra shorts with padding, called chamois) - these are pricey, but sales and shop discounts can make them more affordable. They are tight and you will probably have to get a size bigger than you think you need! But the point of the shorts is to have them be tight, so don't feel self-conscious if they do make you feel like a sausage. They make me feel like a sausage and unless you're skin and bones, it's going to make everyone feel like a sausage. But the reason they have to be tight is so that if you are doing long distances, the cloth and seams don't chafe your skin and cause you issues.

You're not supposed to wear underwear with them! It defeats the purpose of wearing them for the no chafing aspect. Take them off as soon as your done riding and toss in the wash. Don't rewear them because the sweat promotes bacteria.

Helmets -- If they are sold in a shop (and not on Craig'slist) then they are probably certified to be on the road and in your head. Some people argue that some helmets are better (the rounded shape over the sharp edges) but I think the really important part is that 1) you're wearing it! and 2) it fits. In order to know if it fits, it has to be tight on your head (hopefully the helmet comes with adjustable straps) but not enough to give you a headache. Yes, your hair will be mushed down, but it's better to have mushed hair than it is to become a vegetable in the hospital if a car or a squirrel cause you to crash and hit the pavement.

Also, if you do happen to have a crash and the helmet saves your head from turning into mush, replace it. Once it saves you, it's probably gotten damage in the foam and it won't protect you as well the next time it happens.

The other differences in helmets have to do with the brand and the material its made out of -- the foam will be the same in all helmets. The plastic part is what changes and can be made out of all types materials. The lighter the helmet, the more expensive the helmet. Brand names will also add cost.

Mine is a Bell that I purchased on sale for about $50. It's worked so far, again, I haven't hit the pavement with it, although since I've had it for a while, I want to replace it.

You can also look for helmets that have padding inside it that can be taken out and washed. I take mine out every once in a while and toss in the wash. My head does get sweaty. Helmets can be washed with soapy water, but never in a machine!

Seats - If you're just starting to ride (or Spinning class for that matter) it's going to hurt a bit. It takes a while for your butt to figure out how to sit and yes, you may need to adjust until you get comfortable in the seat. Expect it to hurt the first couple of times you ride. After that, if it's still hurting, it will be the position of the saddle or the type of saddle. Sometimes your sitbones may be more narrow or wider than what the seat is meant to give you. Don't give up, you can replace the seat!

With the bike shorts, the chamois will also help it be more comfortable.

My hybrid came with a seat that's awful. I couldn't handle it. I don't know how anyone could ride it. I replaced it with a gel seat. My road bike has the original stock saddle and it's perfect for my butt. No one thought it would be because all cyclists say the stock saddle is horrible. So far, so good... And I've done hours long rides, so its stood up to that.

I went to my first SoulCycle class yesterday and loved it! Super high energy and great music. It was my second workout of the day, so my energy wasn't as amazing as it could have been, but I'm sure I still burned a ton of calories. I def think it is a fun way to do cardio but I for sure still need toning workouts for more visible results.

*Waves* Hi everyone! Finally have been getting some miles in lately :-) Weather has been around 100 degrees as the daily high which is wonderful.

There is a century ride coming up in November and they have a half century as well (32 miles I think?)

The most I've ever done is 15 miles.. I am sure I could easily do more it's just the weather has been too hot.

Any advice on working my way up to a 30 mile ride? Just do it? lol

A century is 100 miles. Century = 100 years!

A half-century is 50 miles.

If they are referring to a METRIC century, then that's 100 KILOMETERS, which is approximately 63 miles. A half-metric would be around 32 miles.

Check before you sign up! Otherwise you might train for the wrong ride!

As for training...

Yes, ride. Ride short rides during the week if you can and then do longer rides on the weekends. It really depends on how much time to you have. For example:

Week 1
M - 15 miles
T - rest day or other activity
W - 17 miles
T - rest day or other activity
F - 15 miles
S - 20 miles
S - rest day or other activity

Week 2
M - 20 miles
T - rest day or other activity
W - 17 miles
T - rest day or other activity
F - 20 miles
S - 30 miles
S - rest day or other activity

Week 3
M - 20 miles
T - rest day or other activity
W - 25 miles
T - rest day or other activity
F - 25 miles
S - 30 miles
S - rest day or other activity

Week 4
M - 25 miles
T - rest day or other activity
W - 25 miles
T - rest day or other activity
F - 30 miles
S - 35 miles
S - rest day or other activity

Etc.

The idea is to increase, stay the same, increase again, stay the same.

The nice thing about riding a bike versus running, for example, is that to add another 5 miles to your longest ride is a stretch, but it's not impossible. I can't imagine how runners do it to train for a marathon! They are nuts!

The way that I trained for my metric century was like this:

Week 1:
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 22 miles
Sunday ride: 27 miles

Repeat week 2

Week 3:
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 27 miles
Sunday ride: 37 miles

Repeat week 3 - 5

Week 6:
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 37 miles
Sunday ride: 42 miles

Week 7:
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 22 miles
Sunday ride: 56 miles

Week 8:
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 27 miles
Sunday ride: 56 miles

Week of Ride (ride was on a Sunday)
M & W = spinning class
T&T = Pilates
Saturday ride: 22 miles
Sunday ride: 63 miles

My group had to ramp up the riding pretty quickly (adding miles to the rides) because 1) there were weekends we had to skip due to people traveling or having to work and 2) the ride was coming up and we hadn't yet done an over 50 mile ride! Some friends hated it. I learned the most about nutrition during those long rides because we had to go prepared with food (not just water). I also learned which friends had the stamina (we all did well, some better than others though!).

Century ride =100 miles... so 32 miles = not quite a 1/3 century ride...

The question I would be asking myself is this... How long in actual real time (in minutes and hours) am I actually cycling... one way of estimating how long it will take you go a certain distance in a certain time with proper training is : If doubling the distance, than double the time + 10%, so if you bike 15 miles in an hour, than 30 miles would should take you 2 hours + 12 minutes (the +10%) or about 132 minutes...

Of course this assumes being well trained and is probably overly ambitious for someone's first time at that distance, but it offers a very general reference point at least....

Another general rule of thumb is to not add more than 10% to your milage or time totals to your training a week....

So by taking a look at where you're at now... with how much milage and/or time you are currently covering and pulling out a calendar to see if you can comfortably (and safely, I might add...) get to where you want to be by 2 weeks before the event (so you can taper your milage and/or time to arrive at the starting line well rested and ready to go...) If that's doable... than go for it...

Trust me I haven't always followed my own "advice"... One time I decided to run a marathon on a whim that was only a few weeks away... and because I had been doing long runs of 14-18 miles on a fairly regular basis at the time, I thought that it wouldn't be a problem (and it wasn't my first marathon, etc...) Well, it was not only my slowest stand alone marathon ever, but those last few miles were pretty brutal... I literally almost fell over at the finish line because my legs just "stopped" working (actually, kind of scary... and yes, VERY painful!)

If you can do it great.... but the one thing I've learned along the way is to always "respect" the distance... and that there will always be another century ride or marathon (or in my case these days another 5K run...lol...) that I can get myself ready for and actually enjoy...

Good luck!

I would really like it to stop raining outside so I can try out my new saddle... :/ Two days of rain have made riding my bike a difficult task.

I've been traveling the last couple of weeks and just have not had time to get online to catch up.......

I love seeing posts like this!

Better late than never......

Bell..... They are the most fashionable, but then have been making helmets for years. Back in the day, a BF has a thing for motorcycles. I always wore a Bell helmet :) Back in the day....... :^:

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