Quote Originally Posted by QueenCarlotta View Post
Hi everyone. I'm brand new to the site and to cycling. I'm overweight and I'm hoping to get into shape with cycling among other things. I do have some concerns. First of all, I'm SLOW. Second of all, I don't know a whole lot about the do's and don'ts of cycling. Finally, I'm easily intimidated, so I don't know if a cycling group is for me at this point. I haven't purchased a bike or any gear yet, so any recommendations for a beginner would be great. I've read over lots of the old beginner posts and I've gotten some great info. Just hoping to connect with some folks in my area who can make recommendations, be a riding buddy, mentor, friend, that kind of thing.

Thanks!
Carla
First of all, welcome!!!!! And congratulations for getting into cycling. I may be a bit biased, but it is a great sport, and one that could definitely benefit from more women getting involved.

Don't worry about being slow for now. As you get more and more into cycling and discover what kind of riding you like to do (racing, club rides, solo rides, charity rides, etc) you can decide whether getting faster is something you are interested in.

If you want to learn about the do's and don'ts of cycling, I would recommend riding with a group, at least now and then, to learn from the more experienced riders. It is amazing how much you will learn in your first group ride alone!!! (I learn new things all the time). And don't be intimidated. You should be able to find people to ride with who are eager to help out someone getting into the sport. Here in chicago we have group rides, clinics, etc, dedicated to helping introduce women to cycling, so maybe a women's only group would be worth seeking out for you - less testosterone = less competition on your group ride = no reason to be intimidated!!!!