Boy am I slow...

[Zen]

Jolt, you might want to do a thorough visual exam before you go out, it sounds like you could be headed for a pinch flat.

[pardes]

Okay, someone has to weigh in with low numbers for speed.

Speed? Did I say speed? Heck, I only just graduated to being able to use second gear! And to be really racy.....I slid it into third going down a hill today.

My speed hovers at about 8 mph which is wonderful when you consider I was a former couch potato only one week ago riding a sofa at 0 mph.

I'm as happy as a clam and have fallen in love with my bicycle and I'm also pretty fond of that tired, sweaty woman staring back at me in my bicycle mirror.

It's not about destinations and speed. For me, it's about the journey.

I discovered a two mile lenght of rails to trails today with much of it near streams and summer flowers trumpeting their own journey that is not measured in mph.

I truly admire and respect those of you who race but I don't want to be you. I want to be ...... just be.

Isn't it just incredibly wonderful to be alive on a bicycle!

[jaydee]

I have just started riding again and my current bike is a mountain bike. I assumed that because my car tyres run at 35, my bike tyres which are smaller should run at less, so regularly rode on tyres with about 30psi. Then someone told me to read what was on the tyre wall (55-65) and pump the tyre up to the max. I have been doing that for several months now and the difference to my speed and ability to keep up with the group amazed me.

The 2nd thing I discovered was that you don't have to run knobbly tyres on a mountain bike. So I just had new tyres - called city/country - put on. They still have a bit of tread for those off dirt rough patches of road, but compared to the knobbly mountain bike tyres, they are like slicks. Now I can keep up with the front of the group.

I am learning all the time with my cycling - people who have been cycling for a while assume newbies know everything. That's why this forum is so great - everyone is so keen to help.

So maybe you could have a look at getting new tyres that are less heavy and therefore less grippy on the road.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pardes,
don't worry about your speed. It's your health and your fun that matter.

I'm 54, and have been biking about 2 years now. Before that I hadn't exercised a day in my life. (except for waitressing off and on). I went from doing 3 mile rides the first year to actually riding 3400 miles last year. Why? because I love riding my bike and I love how good it makes me feel.
My speed has improved slowly. The first year I averaged 9mph. Last year I averaged 10mph. This past couple of weeks I seem to be averaging 11mph.
I figure by the time I'm 85 I'll be averaging 40mph.

I do like to see that I am getting faster- because it tells me I am getting stronger. I don't care so much about speed, I care about the beauty of enjoying my rides. Do what makes you happy and don't worry about everyone else. Good for you getting off the couch!

[Jolt]

Wow, talk about an old thread being pulled up! I have to say, not too much has changed as far as my speed (or lack thereof)--still a fairly slow utility cyclist who does the occasional longer ride. To the person who's just starting out, I like your attitude! The important thing is that you're riding rather than sitting on the couch eating Twinkies.

[wackyjacky1]

My speed hovers at about 8 mph which is wonderful when you consider I was a former couch potato only one week ago riding a sofa at 0 mph.

Most awesome thing I've read all day!


PS I'm a former couch potato and current 8-9 mph-er, too.

[pardes]

Thanks for all your lovely response to me digging up this old post about "being slow."

I'm on vacation today and I did 8.6 miles today on the bike.... bus to downtown Newark - do half the miles around U of Delaware campus and the Hall Rail to Trail - bus to the grocery store and then bus home on the next bus.

It was only 8.6 miles but it was Mt. Everest to me. Here's the scenic half.



The view was quiet and spectacular on the Hall Trail.



At midpoint is the old Newark train station that is now home to the Newark Historical Society. That's my Trek before I loaded down the empty pannier with groceries.



I took another bus to the grocery store that is about 3 miles from home. This was my first grocery run with the bike and it was interesting trying to guess how much the pannier would hold.

As I strolled the aisles, I realized that on this trek to the summit, I really needed a sherpa. Then I remembered, Sherpa was patiently waiting outside strapped to a grocery cart corral.



The load filled three plastic grocery bags but I sat down like a bag lady and found that it all fit in the back pannier. I didn't even have to put anything in the front bag. Amazing! I have the regular grocery pannier at home but the set of 2 are too heavy and cumbersone to use daily on the bike. I save the clunkers for going to the laundromat or for when I'll be going directly to the grocery store and back. This Sunlite pannier doubles as my work attache case and is always on the bike or at work with me in the lab.

Meanwhile, I managed to miss the bus home.....possibly on purpose to see if I could actually bike a very heavy load home for the remaining 3 or so miles. I stopped halfway for iced tea since I'd drained my water bottle on the Hall Trail in 90 degree weather.



The icing on the cake came only a block away from my house. I was panting and trudging up a miniscule hill when I saw a female pro biker coming in the opposite direction. She did a double take and then said, "Hey you really ARE out and about!"

She was a pro biker I met at the LBS the day I bought the bike a week ago. She does very long distance rides and regaled me with stories of biking UP and down and UP and down the Blue Ridge Parkway. She was full of encouragement and ideas about purchases for my new bike and I wondered that day if she really thought I'd take biking seriously and hibernate back to the couch.

I felt wonderful pulling into my garage. Sherpa is such a good friend, non-judgemental and always willing to lag behind with me.

I'm exhausted. Time for bed!

[platys]

That is so awesome. I have grocery shopping goals, but its about 2 miles away and I need to find a non busy way to go. And there's a hill.

My little 0.6 ride to the train station is killing me, I'm so out of shape. But some of it is getting comfy on my bike - I accidentally missed a turn and went over a little curb . I was like "AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH" until I realized I was on a mountain bike, for heaven's sake. It likes bumps. I was barely jolted.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I love reading your stories of your beginning rides.

Hey ladies, do remember that when you are doing city type riding, you are stopping and going a LOT- stopping for lights, stop signs, intersections, traffic, stores... all this combines to bring your average speed WAY down. Don't let that bother you in the least! Someone zooming down a highway or bike trail with no stops or intersections is going to go 5 times faster easily.

You guys are making biking a part of your everyday lifestyle and using your bikes for actual transportation instead of cars, which I think is ultimately cooler than just doing recreational rides. Wonderful!

[rij73]

Pardes, you are doing GREAT!!! You are an inspiration, actually...