Can I Really Do This?

Okay - I am greener than the newest newbie!! I'm 52, overweight, have bad knees - so why have I suddenly decided to ride a bike?

Since I have no idea what I'm doing, I bought FOUR bikes at Wally's before I found one I liked. I ended up with a Schwinn Skyliner and took the other three back. The first one I returned and said it was broken, cuz it wouldn't go uphill!!

Anyway, I have my bike. I had a bigger gel padded seat put on, so that helps. Now I need to learn to ride the darn thing!! I wobble like crazy. Hold the handlebars so tight my hands turn numb. Hold myself so rigid - barely dare to breathe. And what the heck do you do with all those gears?

Oh boy - do I have a lot to learn!! I sure would welcome any hints to get me going. Thanks.

lee :o

Congrats on your new bike Lee! I am excited for you! Of course you can do it and the more you ride, the more comfortable you will get with it. I would find a big parking lot (that isn't busy) and start riding there. That way, you have less to worry about and you can concentrate on riding the bike. Good luck and I hope to hear about your progress!

Riding a bike is a great thing. Every now and then I want to shout for joy because I am still amazed at the sensation of flying.

I'm sorry I do not have much advice to give about bike riding other than trust yourself and trust your bike. Your body has already taken you this far in life, your new bike will take you further. Well with the gears I guess I will say avoid using the gears that make you stomp down. I think that may be a natural reaction to use them because it may feel better and you think you are going faster but you will hurt your knees. Also I don't know if this helps but try to avoid thinking about that impending fall. Think of the scenery, how close you are to the next stoplight, etc, just to relax a bit.

Congradulations on the new bike!

hi Lee, welcome to TE!

Good for you for taking baack the bikes that didn't work out. Most people don't have the courage to do that.
Try to relax your hands while you ride. And take deep breaths.

Find safe places to ride and start changing gears a little when you don't need them at first.
rread here and ask lots of questions. I hope you didn't throw away that other seat (it's called a saddle) because you might want to change back to it because the big saddles tend to rub your thighs raw.

mimi

the advice to go ride in a parking lot is really great. While you're riding...remember to breathe. Lift your chin...I find that that helps me to drop my shoulders. Just try to relax....this is FUN! remember? :)

I got on a bike last year after 20 some years and did the AIDSLifeCycle last June...so you can certainly learn to ride you're bike! It'll change your life!

You came to the right place.
Ask, ask, ask, and ask some more. I know everything ;) :D

Hi, Lee! Congrats on your new bike! I'm a newbie, too, and when I bought my road bike a month ago I was scared to death everytime I got on it. Now I am completely addicted! :)

That parking lot idea is a really great one; it worked quite well for me. If there are parks where you live that have bike paths, you might try taking your new toy for a spin on those. Just go at a time when there will be less people on the path so you'll be less worried about avoiding moving obstacles.

Good luck and have fun!

Empty parking lots and grassy flat areas. Try to put your chain into the middle ring up front and just leave it there for a while while you practice changing the back gears. Only change gears while pedaling. It could take a week or two for you to get used to how the back gears work. No rush. Relax and don't hunch up. Practice large figure 8's, then make them smaller. Practice starting and stopping a LOT- you will want to be able to do that smoothly when you head out to "real" roads with traffic.
The big puffy gel saddle will likely be too painful when you start doing longer (15+ miles) rides. Puffage turns on you. ;)
Wear a HELMET. Always.
But most of all, remember that you are doing it to have fun. Enjoy being a kid again! :D :D :D

Sounds like a great decision to me. Don't second guess yourself, just go with it. Take your time as Lisa said and learn to change your gears slowly. Don't try to change the gears if you are having to mash down on the pedals. Try to learn to change the gears before you are pedaling to hard and or before it's so easy that your feet can't keep up with the revolutions. This take practice and I still find sometimes when I start up a hill that I haven't geared down soon enough and start mashing the pedals.

Come here to learn things about your bike and there is lots of information on the web in various places if you just search for that particular subject.
You can also do searches here for particular things, and the ladies on here are very helpful and knowledgeable about riding and the bikes.

& did you get a helmet?

Yes you can! actually, you already have! just by getting the bike that works best for you you have taken the first step. Like everyone else said, go to an empty flat parking lot and just get comfortable. Always wear a helmet and have fun!

Oh yes and if you don't have a helmet don't just go for the cheapest one, this is an accessory that you will have to wear every time you ride. Go for a helmet that has a fit that you can dial in with a plastic strap in the back. You will know what I mean when you see it. These helmets are more comfortable than any other cheap helmet at Walmart or Target.

hey Lee,
Welcome to TE.Kudos to you for getting a new bike.First off,just relax and enjoy the sensation of moving your body as you haven't since you were a kid!There is no greater feeling than the freedom a bike imparts to your body and your spirit.Like the other ladies said,find an empty parking lot or a park with some grassy areas that you can practice on.Take your time and work the middle chainring until you feel confident in knowing what gear your rear cassette(back gears) are in and what combination works for you.Definitely spin easier gears so that you don't put any stress on your knees.In a couple of weeks,you'll get the hang of it and find gear combos that work best for you.If you have a real local bike shop in your area you may check with them to see if there are any bike clubs in your area that offer tips and rides for new riders.It's a great way to meet other cyclists and up your learning curve quickly.Most cyclists are a friendly,helpful bunch and alway happy to welcome someone new to the sport.Again,congrats to you and welcome to TE!

did you hear that? school just let out! school yards are often the best place in the world to learn to ride. No one's there, no cars ever, and they're usually pretty flat.

A good tip I like from reading this site: http://www.sheldonbrown.com/home.html
is to focus on where you want to go rather than staring at something you don't want to hit/run over. Where you put your eyes is where you end up riding. I read the tips for beginners and for braking and shifting which helped clarify some things. Good luck, keep on riding. You'll just keep getting steadier and stronger the more you practice. I had sore hands from gripping too tight the first week I rode but now practice moving my hands around and opening & closing them where there aren't cars close by. I recommend helmet & gloves too.