how many seasons and/or miles til experienced?

[tygab]

An article in Bicycling magazine (I picked it up to read it on the plane) has had me thinking. In the story, a newbie cyclist Jeremy started riding in spring of 2003 and promptly crashed over the next three years many times. Friends were concerned that he wasn't really fit for cycling, even though cycling had made him fit (and the before and after pics are quite a big difference).

Anyway the article mentioned that they figured it takes several seasons before a new cyclist has developed enough experience - for both most efficient riding, but also for dealing with obstacles, challenges and so on. What are your opinions on this? I am winding down my first season as a cyclist (not too long before winter around here), and I know I have only just started learning, but I also know I have learned a lot.

Some things I know I can't do that I think a more experienced cyclist probably can - stop up hills easy, stay off the brakes downhill, take turns faster, maybe evade bad things in the road better.

To solve Jeremy's problem, they tackled several areas, including refitting him to a more appropriate bike, sending him off to an advanced handling clinic etc.

One thing the article suggested for those who wanted to play at home was basically riding around a grassy field and leaning over to pick up a water bottle, half full without toppling it or yourself. No way I could do that today! The thought of it makes my hairs stand on end. And if that seemed easy, they suggested pouring out more and more water.

I spend all my time trying to make sure I am right side up and balanced, and I slow down for corners or any other perilous looking things (at least as much as I can predict, but I do worry about someday not being able to predict something).

How many years for the more veteran riders out there until you just sort of have these skills? Are you still learning things even now? Are there things I could be doing to get more out of my riding, or things to think about for next year?

TIA.

[aicabsolut]

Good question! I'm interested in hearing some answers.

I was talking to my dad recently (he has a decades-old entry level racing Bianchi) about how I never learned many handling skills on my old cruisers as a kid and now I feel so far behind figuring out my road bike. I commented that even the cheesy (yet awesome) 'Breaking Away' movie had the guy who could pick stuff up off the ground and reach down and fix his toe clip, among other things, and he's just an actor. My dad said, "um, I could do that too." He used his bike for fitness and commuting. The last time he went out on the bike regularly I was riding on the back in a baby seat, so I never really thought of him as being exceptionally athletic.

I'd love some input on the cycling/bike handling learning curve so I can set realistic goals for myself and keep some frustration at bay.

[Veronica]

You can pass a motorcycle going downhill.

You have fixed at least 4 flats on the road (two if they were in the rain.)

You no longer care how you look in lycra.

You can clip/unclip w/o falling - or you have decided that clipless pedals aren't required and you're happy with that decision.

You can ride your road bike in the dirt.

You have actually used a chain tool. Bonus points if it was on the side of the road.

You have multiple sets of the same tools and know how to use them.

You know what you can eat at mile (1)10, (1)20, (1)30 etc.

You have at least one entire drawer devoted to your summer/winter bike clothing. The off season stuff is put away in a box in the garage/attic/cellar.

You've learned to ride your own ride and don't care what other people think.

V.

[tygab]

You can pass a motorcycle going downhill.

You have fixed at least 4 flats on the road (two if they were in the rain.)

You no longer care how you look in lycra.

You can clip/unclip w/o falling - or you have decided that clipless pedals aren't required and you're happy with that decision.

You can ride your road bike in the dirt.

You have actually used a chain tool. Bonus points if it was on the side of the road.

You have multiple sets of the same tools and know how to use them.

You know what you can eat at mile (1)10, (1)20, (1)30 etc.

You have at least one entire drawer devoted to your summer/winter bike clothing. The off season stuff is put away in a box in the garage/attic/cellar.

You've learned to ride your own ride and don't care what other people think.

V.

Well some of this I have done - I never really cared how I looked in bike shorts tho early season pics suggest maybe I should have (heh). I have been able to pace my food intake for distance miles (50+) and next year I want to tackle a century, so I think that'll be ok. Have only summer clothes at present but working on getting some more seasonal items. Much of the early season was about clipless learning and confidence, so I feel pretty set there now. Road bike in the dirt, not so much.

Most of the tools I haven't used. Maybe that's a good place to start, learn some bike maintenance in the off season time. I guess I was thinking more like handling and riding skills tho.

[Eden]

You can pass a motorcycle going downhill.

You have fixed at least 4 flats on the road (two if they were in the rain.)

You no longer care how you look in lycra.

You can clip/unclip w/o falling - or you have decided that clipless pedals aren't required and you're happy with that decision.

You can ride your road bike in the dirt.

You have actually used a chain tool. Bonus points if it was on the side of the road.

You have multiple sets of the same tools and know how to use them.

You know what you can eat at mile (1)10, (1)20, (1)30 etc.

You have at least one entire drawer devoted to your summer/winter bike clothing. The off season stuff is put away in a box in the garage/attic/cellar.

You've learned to ride your own ride and don't care what other people think.

V.

Wow - amazingly enough I can actually say yes to all of those......ummm my name is Eden and I'm a bike addict.....
but I'm not sure if I can pick up a bottle or not.

[Kitsune06]

I cheated on the bottle thing... outta the seat and leaning the bike out a little the other way. Took a lot of strength to pull it up to the 'right' position though. I don't think you're supposed to do it that way on a road bike

[velogirl]

I teach folks how to ride bikes. That's what I do for a living. I teach beginners who've never sat on a bike before, experienced racers who've been racing for years, and everyone in between. I think I've just about seen it all when it comes to learning to ride.

Anyways, I've got a few theories about why we progress at different rates.

The first has to do with your athletic history. I firmly believe that if you've mastered any balance sport (skiing, skating, cycling, sky-diving, dancing, etc), you can easily pick up another balance sport. By mastery, I mean that you understand the principles behind balance and weight distribution. Afterall, cycling (and other balance sports) are all about balance and weight distribution.

How many of you really understand why your bike stays upright when it's rolling? Or why it's more stable leaning through a turn? Or why you should sit behind the saddle during an emergency stop or a steep descent? Do you realize that you steer your bike with your hips (not your hands)?

Unfortunately, most new riders never take the time to learn the basic prinicples behind the sport -- balance and weight distribution. Instead, they learn the more intricate "tricks" of the trade -- cornering, descending, steering, taking one or both hands off the bar, etc. All fine and good, but these are the icing on the cake. These are the implementations of those two basic principles. And if you never really understand those two principles, you'll never really master cycling.

Okay, that's theory one.

Now, on to some other thoughts.

We all learn differently. Some of us have more outgoing personalities than others. Some of us like risk. Some of us have fear or are timid. Some of us are very analytical. Our personality affects the way we approach the sport. While being conservative may prevent you from crashing, it will most likely also prevent you from really understanding how to push your limits and also to understand how the bike works.

Many of us also never receive instruction in how to ride. Everyone knows how to ride a bike, right? Or, we just get tips from the older gentleman in the club who's been riding for 40 years (whether or not he really knows what he's doing). Participating in a skills clinic or private instruction with a coach is the best way to learn how to ride a bike. If we want to learn to golf, we take lessons. Same with tennis and skiing. And the same should be true with cycling, however I can't tell you how many people I know who mistakenly think they know how to ride. We certainly wouldn't try to drive a car or ride a motorcycling without instruction. Why do we try to ride a bike without learning how to do it properly?

Most of us just get on the bike and ride. We might learn a little more about HR or cadence or even proper skills, but we never practice those things. If you want to learn to descend like an ace, you need to learn to counter-steer like a pro and be able to do it at speed (20+ mph). To do that, you have to go to a parking lot and practice. A lot. Frequently. If you do take a clinic, you need to practice your skills until you really understand them.

Whew! Can you tell I'm passionate about this? I see so much potential on the road. I believe just about anyone can become a skilled, confident rider. I wish each one of you could take one of my clinics -- you'd be amazed at what a difference you'd see in your riding.

[ClockworkOrange]

......................Whew! Can you tell I'm passionate about this? I see so much potential on the road. I believe just about anyone can become a skilled, confident rider. I wish each one of you could take one of my clinics -- you'd be amazed at what a difference you'd see in your riding.

OK, can you book me up for a correspondence course, 'cos it's just a little bit too far to commute!

You guys really get into this cycling thing, way more than in the UK.

It makes interesting reading though, thanks for taking the time to write it all.

I have a constant low back problem and am just very wary of doing anything too fast or daring. One thing I would really like to be able to do, is bump or jump up a kerb, I always have to stop and then lift my bike...............doh! BTW, I ride a MTB not a road bike.


Sally

[aicabsolut]

Velogirl,
You raise lots of great points. I've wondered many of the same things as someone who teaches people how to ride horses.
I think that prior athletic history is a pretty small part of it, though, and maybe can get chalked up to talent. I say this because I can steer a 1,000lb animal towards a 4'+ high fence with my hips and legs and bodyweight. I've jumped over fences with no hands, while taking a bite of a doughnut (on a dare). But I am not comfortable reaching for my water bottle in its cage yet, while holding a line.
Part of it is that I've been working on tweaking my saddle position and my butt's position on that saddle to be better balanced. But without being able to grip the top tube with my legs, for example, I'm still pretty hopeless. Also, on a road bike, you're still bent over, which I know from horses takes amazing body control, fitness, and practice to keep from falling on your face when hands are removed--unless you've got them stuck out to the side or in some other position that helps you balance better.

Still, the physics of cycling versus other balance sports is different. While I understand the difference in how a racing cyclist versus a motorcycle racer versus a jockey takes a corner at speed, doing it is another thing, particularly without someone watching you on the ground and giving you feedback.

I've always wondered why so many cyclists have limited (e.g., email) access if any at all to coaches. I'd love someone to help me the same way I tweak body position and 'handling skills' of an equestrian--whether it be a beginner or a pretty advanced competitor. I'd love a clinic, but I still feel that I'm really starting from scratch--with just a smidgen of athletic talent--when it comes to bike handling.

Besides losing the fear of falling on your face, what does it take? Just hours on the bike? Any way to speed up the learning process and flatten out that learning curve some?

[SadieKate]

Unfortunately, most new riders never take the time to learn the basic prinicples behind the sport -- balance and weight distribution. Instead, they learn the more intricate "tricks" of the trade -- cornering, descending, steering, taking one or both hands off the bar, etc. All fine and good, but these are the icing on the cake. These are the implementations of those two basic principles. And if you never really understand those two principles, you'll never really master cycling.

Amen! Especially true for road-only riders.

I add to this that one should know enough basic mechanical skills to get you home.

You can ride for miles and miles and take forever to learn some things, or get a coach and have a much steeper learning curve.

[Tater]

You can pass a motorcycle going downhill.
V.

Hey, no fair if it was your hubby on his motorcycle!

I know I still have a lot to learn about cycling, but I figure the more T.I.T.S I get, the more I learn. For instance, hills; I have a love-hate relationship with them. I hate doing them, my technique sucks (but is improving), but each time I go out to do them, I learn something. Hopefully, in time, these little learning sessions will make me a better rider.

[mtbdarby]

I would be what I consider athletic, but when I tried one of the tests they had Jeremy do to test his balance (stand with your arms straight out to the side, place one foot on the inside of the other thigh and close your eyes), I couldn't hold that pose for 5 seconds! I too would like to improve basic bike handling skills so I can teach them to my son.

Velogirl, looks like you'll be heading out on tour to teach us TE girls how to really ride! Let me know when you're in WI.....

[Grog]

I started doing pick-up-the-waterbottle-type exercises after about a year and a half of cycling more seriously... on pavement, not grass, mind you. I could have started trying earlier. I also got to try bike-polo (yeah, like polo on a horse, but on a bike...), on the grass though.

These are good skills to practice. Like doing figure-8s with your bike (on both sides), trying to make smaller and smaller circles, etc.

And, no, I could never pick up the *"/$( bottle, but almost did. I also fell off my bike once when I locked my left foot into my wheel. That's life. But I did learn lots of skills. I should be practicing more...

[liberty]

That is such a good question. I was thinking along those lines today. Ending my first season with my new road bike. Before that I just played around a little bit with bikes, riding sporatically... I just love riding now! The bike made all the difference. And my body responds well to bike riding. Don't know if obsession is what I'd call this bike thing for me. There is a definite desire to learn as much as I can and be a good rider.

The beginning of the season I was having an easy time of it. Nothing went wrong as far as flats or encounters of the strange kind. Looking back on it now, my brain was in la-la land, enjoying everything and probably noticing nothing of my surroundings. But within the last few months, the honeymoon has definitely ended. A couple crashes and falls, and the ensuing legalities and repairs and physical recoveries and crud... You kind of think, "gosh, do I really want to do this?" "Do I really want to keep this up?"

The answer is yes, I do. But I feel different now. Just this week I've noticed I find myself looking at everything so differently. Not just fun and games anymore; there is a serious side to this thing that could mean the difference between life and death in certain circumstances. Of course anything can happen even if you do everything correctly. But learning skills and exposing yourself to differing environments can only enhance your maturity level as a rider. Guess I'm just saying that it isn't only the cycling skills that have to grow and mature; we also have to grow mentally and emotionally as riders. Be aware of probable outcomes. Keep the brain in the game. I know I am SUCH a newbie and will be for quite a while, but something has changed in me.

If there is anyone in the St Louis area who wants to practice picking up water bottles sometime, give me a holler! Other drills would be cool too. I probably would never do it unless I had someone else to laugh with me. Bikemom- maybe that is something we can do in the bike seminar... And yes, I did say holler.