Incoming! Another new girl....

[BigDLou]

And I'm SO new.

I am overwhelmed. I read the threads and realize I need to learn a whole new language.

I live in Dallas (fairly flat terrain) and will probably do my riding around White Rock Lake. It seemed like a fairly straightforward idea -- buy a bike and ride. But now I don't know where to start.

There are some bike shops. There's REI. I'm a little nervous about going in. I'm 5'8" and weigh 200 lb. and am 50 years old and VERY out of shape, and every time I see those hard bodies on bikes I wonder who I'm kidding.

But anyway. I don't want a bike where I lean over the handlebars -- even when I was a teenager those freaked me out and made me feel like I was going to fall forward. I want thick nobby tires (I think). Or REI site mentions Cruiser/Comfort bikes. How likely am I to find a good one for around $300? Impossible? Doable?

Also, a big-*** seat. Is there such a thing? Last time I tried to ride a bike it had a skinny seat and almost killed me!

And gears. I've never ridden a bike with gears. Yes, I know, lame.

How do you transport a bike? I have an SUV and people mention taking the front tire off so the bike will fit in the back, but how hard is that? Is it an ordeal every time?

I'm sorry to have so many really basic questions. If you could steer me in the right directions, I'd appreciate it.

Thank you.

[Trek420]

Boy have you come to the right place, and don't worry about the age...or weight. I'm 49.sumthin many of us are here, time to revisit the famous thread "over 40 show of hands"......
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=922&highlight=show+hands

ask away, not sure quite where to begin but this is the place! welcome.

[singletrackmind]

Welcome!
I prefer a local bike shop, one where you are treated well and seriously, to buy a bike. Sometimes you have to shop around and talk to several people to find the shop that fits you. Getting a front wheel off is quite easy with the quick release lever. You could also get a hitch rack, among other options.

As far as hard bodies on bikes-they prolly didn't start out that way, just as you aren't. People of all shapes, ages and sizes fit on two wheels just fine and I've found form is little indicator of function. What is it they say? You have to love yourself before others can love you? If your body image is anything like mine you are WAY too hard on yourself. Be proud of yourself for taking steps in improving your own health and make sure you notice ALL the people you see on a bike, you'll see what I mean. When I see other people I just think, cool, another bike rider! and wave or nod.

Join a local ride for people of all abilities, it's a great way to learn and to enjoy time on a bike. You'll need a helmet and I highly recommend learning how to fix flat tires-it may seem daunting but is actually pretty simple once you get the hang of it. It's certainly much better than walking! You'll be shifting gears without giving it much thought after lots of practice. Ride and ride and ride and before too long you'll be able to help the new riders out with your own tips!

Just remember, everyone had to start somewhere. I can't think of a single person who jumped on the bike and became superbiker instantly. Welcome to the board, I can't wait to see what great information the girls have for you! :)

[Grog]

Hey BigDLou, be welcome to TeamEstrogen! This is the nicest of place and no question is stupid and nobody is lame here.

(And actually you know what, many people think it's very cool to ride a bike with no gears. There's even a web site of cute guys in their underwear with single-gear bikes, don't remember the address however... oups! am I disgressing?)

So I'm with all Singletrackmind said so I'll just answer (in parts) two of your more technical questions first and let people who know more tell you more.

300$ bike? Yes sure. You can find a good hybrid for that price. I had a Trek7200fx that I loved and paid 350$ canadian or so. It was the bike that started the love story for me. I strongly suggest a local bike shop where you feel welcomed though, more than a bigger place/general outdoors store. But above all go where you feel that the staff is helpful and friendly. But don't feel too self-conscious: there are tons of plus-size riders out there, and you're certainly not the "plussest" of the "plusses" (check out the recent issue of Bicycling magazine from your local library on this). (I hope you understand my late-night English there...)

You can always get a better bike later. But 300$ will buy you basic, good quality components.

Gears: they're great. They help you up hills and when you have a headwind. There's many threads on this topic here, I'll end up making a web site with this information because it gets repeated a lot. Just remember that 1) you need them (unless you're so cool already that you don't, just like the boys I was writing about above!!! :eek: ) and 2) you must experiment with them to get familiar with them and also that 3) nothing can explode while you experiment with them, and it would be VERY hard for you to break anything by just shifting.

Come back with your questions about the gears when you have started using them a bit, you'll get tons of help from the WWoTE (wise women of teamestrogen), I promise.

Enjoy the ride!

[Trekhawk]

[QUOTE=BigDLou]And I'm SO new.

Hi BigDLou - Im only a newbie too so I will pass giving any advice but I just wanted to say good for you. I was a bit nervous when I first started riding as I didnt seem to have a clue about anything but I learned heaps from the ladies here.

Good luck with your bike shopping.

Oh and Im over forty and had not been on a bike for 25 years.

Trekhawk :)

[DirtDiva]

Lovely to meet you, BigDLou. Why don't you take a moment to pop over to the Getting to Know You! (http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=2001) thread where you can find out a little more about us and tell us a little more about you. :D

[cusepack]

Welcome, BigDLou:)

I own a Jamis Boss Cruiser, 7 speed with a FANTASTIC seat - it's called "cheeks", and is it comfy. I'm presently awaiting the assembly of a new road bike so I'm going to be in for a rude awaking once again (I owned a road bike prior to my cruiser). I started out riding weighing 240 and am 5'8" as well . . . in about a year and a half I've lost 65 lbs. through riding, running, weight training and proper nutrition. I've always struggled with my weight but had gotten down to a nice 165 with the help of a personal trainer; then I went through a very difficult depression, put on weight and lost all motivation to exercise. Everything seemed to happen simultaneously . . .my prior road bike was stolen, I had to see an ortho doc for a groin injury and problematic hip, and purchased the Cruiser - best decision I made. The Cruiser has thick tires and whitewalls to boot - it's an outstanding bike and I paid less than $300 for it.

Don't worry about your weight/looks while riding - just enjoy it. I know, I know, easier said than done, but I speak from my heart . . . you'll love it, you'll feel better about yourself and the beauty that surrounds you on each and every ride.

Just my two cents:)

Kathryn

[BigDLou]

Thank you for ALL the great support!

I'm going to try one of the local bike shops since that seems to be the consensus, even though it seems to be more intimidating for some reason! Also, I've been reading about needing padded bike short and going commando.

:eek:

I guess the only thing now overwhelming me is that everything from seats to bike shorts seems to be expensive trial and error. I'm going to do a lot of reading before I go to the store, so that maybe I can ask some questions that are a little more knowledgeable and possibly even understand some of the answers.

[drplasma64]

Welcome!

I also just returned to biking, at 5'2" and 165 lbs, age 40. I bought a Trek 7200FX for $330. I'm pretty happy with it, but I know I will want a road bike down the line and this will become my "tow the kids"/ride in nasty weather bike.

Trek has 3 lines of hybrids (Navigator, 7x00 and 7x00FX). The Navigator and 7x00 series both have 2 models for less than $300, I think. Giant makes the Sedona and Cypress series, which also have 1 or 2 models less than $300. Giant also makes some cruisers, which I think only have gears in back (8 speed?) and I think are designed so that you can put your feet down while still in the saddle. Depending on your terrain, that might be enough gear range.

If you get a really big, padded seat, you may not need bike shorts (depending on how far you ride). Remember that your LBS can switch out the seat at the time of purchase and you *should* get credit for the old seat which they keep. Although my stupid LBS was only going to give me $10 for mine, so I decided to keep it, and it has worked out fine.

HTH, have fun shopping! Don't forget a helmet!

[Grog]

If you get a really big, padded seat, you may not need bike shorts (depending on how far you ride).


Actually, I'm not sure this is right. The bike shorts are much more about preventing the chafing than about preventing the hurt that comes from gravity (your bottoms on the seat). And I have actually found the biggest seats to cause the most chafing. They feel right for going down the street and back, no more than 15 minutes rides, but thereafter, watch out! I would definitely speak against a bigger saddle, although it looks counterintuitive. And this is probably at least partly true no matter the size of your bottoms.

Another editorial saddle comment: NO MATTER WHAT and how wonderful the saddle, you butt will hurt after the few first rides. It needs to get used to its new position, and it WILL get used to it. You are bringing a whole lot of new muscles to work in what may seem to them like awkward positions. Acknowledge that they will need to adjust... but don't let them win by whining. Your body parts will learn to enjoy these "now positions" soon enough. (Although my derrière still hurts after 6 hours in the saddle... But I tend to find this normal and empathize with it. But then if I would ride 6 hours at a time more often, probably it would get used to it.)

Bike shorts : if you want the perfect bike short yes there can be lots of trials and errors. For a first pair, it's very unlikely that you will need to change it if you choose carefully: no seams in the places where it will hurt (unlikely if you buy women's specific chamois), long enough so they won't hike back up your thigh and bundle up in very uncomfortable places, good-quality enough so that nobody will see through! (Easy to check by extending the fabric with your hand in the store.) For now, you'll be all set, don't worry too much.

[BigDLou]

Thanks again for the info, all!

Okay, a few specific questions.

Many years ago (twenty) I borrowed my son's ten speed thinking I'd like to ride. I was sitting on the seat and just sitting on it hurt. Is that because it's not made for sitting "on" but for leaning forward "from" or something? (Following some of what you've told me.)

One reason I want to ride is because walking is too slow. I begin feeling very agitated and frustrated, and I tend to overheat. When I was younger I would break into a run for short distances just to move faster, but have never been in very good shape, nor have I ever stuck to any kind of exercise for long. (See my user title.) My theory is that if I'm moving faster AND creating a breeze, I'll feel better about it all. Does this make sense or am I kidding myself?

And those of you with heavy periods -- how do you go commando then?

[drplasma64]

One reason I want to ride is because walking is too slow. I begin feeling very agitated and frustrated, and I tend to overheat. When I was younger I would break into a run for short distances just to move faster, but have never been in very good shape, nor have I ever stuck to any kind of exercise for long. (See my user title.) My theory is that if I'm moving faster AND creating a breeze, I'll feel better about it all. Does this make sense or am I kidding myself?

And those of you with heavy periods -- how do you go commando then?

Hehe! I think walking is too slow too...it seems like you never get anywhere. I like cycling b/c I can cover enough ground to see a bunch of different stuff and people. I also agree that creating the breeze helps. I usually don't realize how much I'm sweating until I get off the bike. I realized that it's not that I don't like to exert myself (well, too much!), but I hate to sweat. It feels icky to me. Hate it running into my eyes. So I'd rather bike, or swim. Motivation for me is hard too...I found bikejournal.com and you can enter your miles and its pretty cool...I can now say that I've gone 165 miles since July 1 (not a lot for some of the ladies here, but for me, it's great). Plus I can look at my log and see how many rides per month I've averaged, my total biking time, etc. It makes me feel good about what I'm doing for myself.

Regarding heavy periods...check out the Diva Cup thread!

[Grog]

Many years ago (twenty) I borrowed my son's ten speed thinking I'd like to ride. I was sitting on the seat and just sitting on it hurt. Is that because it's not made for sitting "on" but for leaning forward "from" or something? (Following some of what you've told me.)

I am not sure about this BigDLou but it may be right. I have used a bike for what seems like forever (although I started "riding" just last year) so I have never noticed how I sit. But recently I lent a bike to my friend who had never really been on one for, say, more than a kilometer (the story's here (http://www.mielebicycles.com/2005/en/Une_vie_un_velo/chroniques_04.asp) actually) and at some point on her second ride she had an epiphany. From behind me I heard her burst: "Ah! Ha! This is how I should sit!"

She had realized it seems that she should somehow rock her hips when sitting on the bike. She was not on a road bike with a racing position or anything, just a plain comfort bike. My guess though would be that your son's saddle was a small road bike saddle (and not a bigger hybrid saddle) and I do find these to be quite uncomfortable if not outright hurting when I am not wearing bike shorts. So that may be just that also.

[CorsairMac]

Lovely to meet you, BigDLou. Why don't you take a moment to pop over to the Getting to Know You! (http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=2001) thread where you can find out a little more about us and tell us a little more about you. :D

Tnx my friend - see what happens when I take off just 2 days?? :eek: LOL

Welcome to the board Lou: the other thought on your sons bike seat/bike could have been the fit....since you were riding a borrowed bike it probably didn't fit you well so you were sitting it uncomfortably!

Like everyone has said: there are no lame, dumb or too embarrassing questions here. If you can't ask it here, where Can you??

As for the bike purchase, I bought 2 of mine from my LBS and have found a whole group of "buddies" that take good care of me And my bike. They call me by name, fix the little stuff on my bike while I'm standing there chatting (sometimes without me asking LOL), and they show me what they're doing so I can fix it myself next time. That being said, I also had a very good experience with my local REI. When I decided to bike commute last winter they were the only place that carried the really heavy biking gear and the kid that helped me was a bike commuter so we had a blast exchanging stories and looking at gear.

No matter what route you choose, don't feel intimidated - you're there to spend hard-earned cash and most LBS's appreciate that. You Do however need to be very specific what you want to use the bike for, how you plan on riding it: race, commute, distance, whatever, so they can help you to make the right choice. If they mistreat you, walk out and find another shop - and let the owners/managers know how you were treated. Also test ride, test ride, test ride. Don't just let them tell you this bike is good for you and then buy it blind - you won't ride it if it doesn't fit!! Let them know you don't know how to shift, I can just about betcha they'll put you and the bike on a trainer and teach you how. After all, it's a potential sale for them!! My first getting-back-into-biking bike was the Trek Navigator 200 which was on sale for $324.00. It has straight across handlebars, platform pedals, commuter gears (which means they'll help you climb better/easier), and a big comfy cushy seat. It also has suspension in the seatpost and the front forks! (it ended up being toooo cushy for me!! LOL) It has the bigger tires but the tread is more on the outside so you won't feel like you're dragging yourself and the bike along on every ride! It is a heavier bike coz it's built to take the abuse of bike commuting .

I hope this helps - and if it doesn't I can promise you we'll be right here with even More advice! :D

and if you get a chance - pop on over to the getting to know you thread.......I love reading those posts!!!

[KSH]

HELLO! I live in Dallas too!

Where to buy a bike? I suggest that you go to Richardson Bike Mart . There is a huge selection and they provide lots of support after the purchase. They even tend to hire sales people of all ages (who do not work on commision), if you think you might feel more comfortable talking with someone who is over 50 about buying a bike (instead of some 20 year old boy who is all about jumping streams! HA!).

Now, you mention that you are 50 and very out of shape. Please don't let that discourage you at all! I ride with many women who are 50+ and great cyclists!

White Rock is nice path... all though too crowded if you ask me. It's great place to start... because it is relatively flat and easy to navigate. But when you get bored with that, you might want to check out some rides hosted by local cycling groups.

Two great cycling groups to check out are: Greater Dallas Bicyclists and Plano Bicycle Association.

Now, most of their groups rides are for road bikes.... but they have some novice and no-drop rides that might be appropriate for you, after you get your confidence on the bike.

Who knows... you might even find that were meant to be a cyclist, and upgrade to a road bike some day!

Best of luck with getting a bike and getting out there and doing it!

[emily_in_nc]

Just another plug for REI. I bought my first mountain bike there this winter, and they were really, really helpful and nice. Also when I took it in for my warranty tune-up. The folks at my local REI (ymmv, of course) know bikes and gave me the same type of attention I'd expect at an LBS, so just because it's a big chain, don't rule them out, especially for lower-end bikes. I got a great deal on last year's model in the MTB I wanted and good service to boot!

Emily

[oph4887]

Hi, I'm 52, bought my bike back this past March. You'll have a blast, I promise.
I think a bike shop might be a better idea, the people there would be able to steer you in the right direction. I had never used gears before either, had the bike shop explain it and then went out and practiced! I figure at my age if I can go out and buy a bike in March, do RAGBRAI (485 miles over 7 days) in July, anything is possible. Anytime I've had a problem I take a look at the website, get inspiration and keep on going.
Geana :)

[DirtDiva]

Tnx my friend - see what happens when I take off just 2 days?? :eek: LOLDe nada. :)

[notsportygirl]

BigDLou,

Welcome to cycling. I'm brand spankin' new myself, so can completely understand how intimidating it is.

I was really worried about shifting gears, too, and I still mess up and make awful noises with my bike sometimes as I try to find the right one, but it's much easier to do than it is to understand in theory. It really helps when you have the bike in front of you and you start to remember what different things feel like. I tried reading the descriptions of shifting before I rode a multi-gear bike, and just got lost. It also helped me to find a few that could get me through most situations and not mess with all of them at first.

I don't know what's in your area, but I started out riding a year ago with a used one speed that I got for about $150 from my local bike shop. It was an easy, not-intimidating, low-commitment way to start. I think you should go for gears, though. It's so much more fun to be able to go a little faster. And believe me, the one-speeds can be killers on the hills. I think you'll have more fun with gears, even if they're a little scarey at first.

I think this site is especially helpful because it just shows us how many different types of women get out there and ride.

Good luck!

[newrider]

Hi BigDLou,

Welcome to the exciting and exhilarating world of cycling! And I mean it's ALL exciting and exhilarating! Buying the bike included. I bought mine in June, at age 48, after being a walker for a year and a half, so I hear you on the "slow" thing. A bike WILL cure that!

I had bike shop fears, too, and got over it when I decided to not let any questions go unasked. There ARE no stupid questions in a "good" bike shop. If you're getting the eye roll somewhere, then they're not going to take good care of you down the road. Don't be afraid to look stupid. I found that my BSOC (bike shop of choice) is HAPPY to give advice (eager, sometimes :) )on learning to ride, position, shifting, pedals, etc. It's a cycling thing, I think, the NEED to share the fun and decrease folks' trial and error, to speed up THEIR fun. Ask questions till you find the shop that listens to you, and helps you. You'll find them, all right!

Others posting here have good advice on a "starter" bike. I just wanted to say, GO FOR IT!! You'll love it. Be confident, lots of us here at TE are rooting for you! We've been there (are there) too, and welcome you!! :cool: :D

[Irulan]

Thanks again for the info, all!
And those of you with heavy periods -- how do you go commando then?


commando always, but with super plus tampons.

everyone is different on this.

irulan

[BigDLou]

Thanks again. I'm going to the doc today to check out my anemia (remember my aforementioned heavy periods?) and will get the all clear from her on the bikes. I'm sure it's just a rubber stamp!

[bcipam]

First of all size and age should never be a deterent to anything. I'm 5'8", 210#, 54 years of age. Do centuries, mountain bike, the whole works. Never let your age and size keep you from doing anything, ever!

OK here's the deal, what do you want to accomplish by starting to ride? Do you see this as a means to travel to the store, through the local park, cruising around the neighborhood?. You aren't really thinking about exercise, or the sport of cycling, you just want ot get out out of the house? OK, then a bolt-upright comfort bike with wide (wide not knobby - knobby tires are for trails not sidewalks or road) tires will be OK. Just remember, the more upright the bike, the heavier it is and the harder it is to push it down the street. Wide tires mean more road friction, i.e., more work. If you want to develop some speed, stay with a tire that's less than 32cc wide.

Saddle. Why wide? Wide means uncomfortable, just trust me on this. OK so you sat on your son's bike and the saddle hurt. Was probably not a good saddle and was probably a men's saddle. Look for a woman's specific saddle, like a Terry Butterfly. A normal saddle is less likely to chafe and cause problems. Check out all the threads and saddles for more information.

Gears: Of course. Helps you go up and down hills, faster and slower on flats. Get gears and learn how to use them.

Style of bike: Again depends on what you want to do. For $300 there aren't alot of choices. Get the cruiser bike and if you get strong and want to do more, you can upgrade to a real road bike. Yes, one where you have to bend forward abit. Bending forward requires the use of stomach muscles - like doing sit ups. Think of getting nice, strong stomach muscles. Not a bad thing. A bolt upright bike does nothing physically for you. It will keep you from going fast and getting stronger, but then again, if you purpose is to just get out of the house and down to the Park, it's OK.

Do you have a friend whose bike you can borrow? See if you will really stick with this before spending any money. There are lots of bikes sitting in garages purchased by people with good intentions but no motivation. Also, take a cycling friend with you down to the bike store. Doesn't hurt to bring someone along that knows a thing or two.

I think cycling is the coolest thing on earth but then again, I have a passion for riding. I'd like to see everyone get the passion but I'm dreaming. If there's anyway I can cause a spark in you, I'm willing to help out in anyway!

[bcipam]

And I'm SO new.

How do you transport a bike? I have an SUV and people mention taking the front tire off so the bike will fit in the back, but how hard is that? Is it an ordeal every time?

.

Many, especially expensive bikes have a "quick release" so it's not hard at all to take off the front tire but cheaper bikes may not. You will have to use a wrench to remove the wheel and put it back on. I drive an Ford Explorer Sport and my bike goes in on its side front wheel and all. Make sure you roll the rear wheel in first and then lay the bike down. May take some fussing but it should fit unless you have a compact SUV. Lots of good bike racks out there as well, but the purpose of an SUV is to be able to carry the bike INSIDE!
Make sure the bike shop shows you how to remove the wheel, fix a dropped chain etc. before you leave the store. Never ride without 1) a helmet, 2) water, 3) a spare tube and 4) a pump. You may not know how to change a flat but someone will if you have the equipment they can help you out.

[bikerchick68]

Hi... you've received a WHOLE bunch of great advice here... so just wanted to add my welcome to cycling!

I'm another firm believer that cycling is one sport that is not age/weight/gender specific! ANYONE that wants to ride a bike, can!

Be sure when you ride you have cash and an ID (and cellphone if ya have one!) as well as the things listed above... cash to save you from a bonk, get you food OR as a boot (can help ya if you blow out a tire not just the tube... I know greek, but trust me!) and an ID... well, just in case someone needs to know who you are... worst case scenario, but crashes happen. (knock on wood!!!)

this is a great and social hobby... welcome aboard the cycling crazy train! :D