questions questions questions

[newbie]

Hi! I have a lot of questions. I'm planning on going to a bike store this week to see if they can help me with some of my questions as well.

My husband wants me to do a big biking event with him. It's 180 miles. I've never really cycled before and literally know nothing. I love my hubby but he isn't really the greatest "coach" We are biking with a large group when we go.

Ok, first question.
I can't figure out my gears. We won't be going up or down any hills (flat coastal area) so I don't think I have to worry about the gears on my left hand? (See I know nothing ) But I can't figure out when or why I'm suppose to shift gears. At all? I've googled and watched a few youtube videos but they aren't really answering my question. Like how often I'm to shift? If it's too hard, too easy, wind? things like that.

Second, How often should I be training? We have training rides every other week to work on longer rides but I'm guessing I should go more than this...but how often?

Third, Do I have to use the clipless shoes? I know they are better etc but I really have NO desire and don't like the idea of being "one" with the bike. It scares me.

Speed, what is an average/normal speed? We are doing this with a group and I don't want to be the slow poke


that might be all-for now

thanks!

[TigerMom]

I don't want to be one to shoot down ambitions, but 180 miles on a bike is A LOT!! Is that 180 miles to be biked in one day? A century (100miles) usually take people from 6-8 hours to bike (I've never done one...but that's how long that I hear it takes).

Even if you are super athletic, your buttocks/crotch will hurt if you just go from never biking to riding 180 miles in one day. Plus, you might never give biking a chance because those 180 miles will practically "kill you".

Obviously, since you are doing road riding, I would choose a road bike (not hybrid nor mountain bike).

Most large bike shops will let you rent a bike (then they usually deduct the rental price from your final bike purchase price). I would highly suggest this as you can try out your dream bike in your price range and work on learning how to do gears. Tell your husband to shout out which left hand gears to be in when going up or down the hill (ie. Largest gear or smallest gear on your left hand). Then you adjust your right hand gears to your preference. You'll know which direction....if you are going uphill and you go the wrong direction on your right hand, then you will have a harder and harder time pedaling instead of easier. I would try learning bike gear shifting in sneakers. Once you are comfortable biking in sneakers, then learn how to go "clipless" (clipless pedals are actually the pedals you see bikers clipped into their bike. It's a long story why clipless pedals are called clipless when people are clipped in).

Clipping in and out won't be learned overnight. It's been 2 months, and I'm still not fully comfortable. There is a lot of Team Estrogen advice on clipping if you search the "threads".

Also, we all love hearing which bike you end up choosing. So please update us!
_______________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle

2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle

[lph]

Gears: most people have a cadence, a rhythm they prefer to pedal at which feels comfortable. Try to pedal faster than that and it feels like you're jumping around and being inefficient, pedal slower and it feels like you're pushing hard. You just have to try it out and see what feels "right". It's a bit like finding a comfortable walking pace, some people take many short steps, some take long slower steps.

You use your gears to stay in a comfortable cadence for you. An uphill, or wind, or you're getting tired, you may want to shift to an easier gear so that each pedal stroke doesn't take that much effort. A downhill or a headwind, you may want to go to a harder gear so that you can put more effort into each pedal stroke.

Training: you could ride every day, but that wouldn't leave you much time for recovery, both from sore legs and a sore butt! But if you haven't biked much I'd say try to ride at least every other day, not too far, but increase gradually. A longer ride once a week is a good idea too, to get the feel of it.

[westtexas]

I agree with what the others have already said.

The right gear to be in is the one that is not too hard and not too easy, and this changes depending on what you are doing and what the environment is doing around you. The shifter on your left controls the front derailleur - and thus moves the chain from the big ring to the small ring where your pedals are attached to the bike. The small ring is for when you want to go easy, the big ring is for when you want to push hard. The right hand shifter therefore controls the rear derailleur, and moves the chain up and down all the cogs attached to your rear wheel. Moving it to a smaller ring makes it harder to pedal, and moving it to a bigger ring makes it easier to pedal. It just takes practice to get the hand motions down and knowing where you are comfortable. My advice is don't look at what others are doing, because for them it'll be completely different. As an example, this morning on my ride we were hammering down into a draw with a bunch of rollers. I prefer to move into a harder gear (we also had a tail wind) and use my muscles more - so I went to the big ring up front and small ring in the back. My partner prefers to "spin" - so he went to the small ring up front and a big ring in the back. We both accomplished the same thing - zipping up and down a bunch of tiny hills at 28 mph - but our gear ratios were totally dependent on our personal preferences for this kind of riding.

I also recommend that you ride frequently with ever increasing distances, but allow yourself enough time to rest. I did 55 miles this morning and I'm beat. I ride 30 most days now and we kept a pretty steady pace of 15-17 the whole time, which is what I usually ride at. There was also low winds with occasional gusts (meaning easy riding). But those extra 25 miles? Oof. At 15 mph, it's almost another 2 hours in the saddle. So ride ride ride ride ride, but don't forget to rest too. That's the only way to get your butt callus and make it long distances.

I also recommend clipless shoes. I've never ridden in anything else. The best part is, when you are tired, you can employ different muscles to move the pedal (ie, pulling "up" on the pedal instead of pushing "down" as we normally do) and it'll help you go farther.

And as far as speed goes - it's too variable to say an average. Most long touring rides I've been on typically keep a 15mph-ish pace. But in a large group, you'll have the people in the back and the people in the front who will come back for those at the end of the line. That's what I did this morning - kept circling back for our slower members. As long as it's a no-drop ride, you won't get left behind (hopefully).

HTH.

[newbie]

I have a bike already and it's a road bike. I have gone a few days this week. I rode 15 miles and after felt a little tired but good. I think I could have gone a little further. The 180 won't be in one day-that would be crazy! It's a two day bike ride. The thought of it alone makes me a little but whatever. I wouldn't say I'm an athlete either


Thanks for the info on the cadence. Makes a little more sense. I guess lots of practice I can't ride too often though bc I have children at home. But I'm going to try and ride 2-4 times a week increasing the distance.

[Bethany1]

If you have the money you can get a computer that has a cadence sensor. I have one on my Fargo and use it. If you know someone with a cadence sensor on their bike you can try it and see how it works. Once you get your cadence going, it's easier to pedal.

[murielalex]

Hi newbie! I'm a newbie, too. I just started up cycling again a couple months ago, and was only able to go a few miles without pooping out at first, didn't know how to shift my gears, had never clipped in before, had never ridden in a group, knew nothing about nutrition for longer rides, and my co-workers had already signed me up for a 165-mile, two-day charity ride in November. Here's what I did:

1. Read every thread here and on a couple other forums.
2. Bought a nice bike and had the guys at my lbs show me how to shift
3. Looked into and contacted a local cycling club (hope to ride with them in about two weeks)
4. Contacted a local cycling performance place (use computrainers), and took a private bike handling lesson in a parking lot
5. Took a basic maintenance class at another lbs
6. Roped two friends into riding with me (they are now totally into it)
7, Bought a bunch of books on endurance cycling. My fav is The Time Crunched Cyclist, which gives you a training program, even for complete beginners, to complete a century
8. Bought a cyclops trainer for my home to do intervals, which I really can't do on the only safe road to ride around here due to lights, traffic, etc.

Right now, I can already do about 50 miles at about 15-17 miles an hour, but I'm hoping to be able to be up to about 18 by the time of the ride. Although this might not be for you, I was able to hire a coach and work with the performance cycling place, signing up for a six-week power training class (two days a week), where they basically measure your thresholds at the beginning, and set a program that's individualized to your level (yes, I'm the worst in the class) on a computerized trainer, work on pedaling, etc. I've only done three classes so far, and already see improvements on my once-a-week long ride (feel stronger, using the whole pedal stroke, rather than just pushing down, am faster). My coach, a woman, also signed me up for an all female, no-drop group ride on Monday nights, and signed me up for a metric century in July. She enters my weekly plan (rides, weight training-i do this already) in an online site called Training Peaks. Plus, I type in comments after each ride, plus enter in everything I eat, and she enters comments, and adds things to work on, etc. It's a free program that you can enter your own plan in if you like (if you find one you like from a book, for example), and they also have programs/plans you can purchase that basically tell you want to do and when to do it. Just type in "Century Rides" and multiple choices pop up, though they seem a bit expensive.

Right now my weekly plan looks like this:

Two high intensity hour-long rides a week (on the computrainer)
One social hour-long group ride
One one-hour long slow ride (heart rate 125ish)
One long ride (right now that's 40-50 miles, but will be increasing)
Two weight training sessions (I'd been doing this prior to getting a bike)

I know that it seems like a lot of time, and if you'd told me two months ago, I'd be doing that, I'd say you were crazy, and that I couldn't possibly fit that in my schedule, but I'm having so much fun, I look forward to it, and have made time.

The group that I'll be riding with on my event (not a named group, but dedicated locals that do this charity ride every year to support local HIV/AIDs support and outreach centers), has group rides starting this week to bring everyone up to speed, starting with 23-mile rides. Since you mentioned you're riding with a group, maybe there is someone you can contact there and see if there is something like that for you.

I know it's been said before, but if I can do this, you definitely can. I'm in my 50s, out of shape, and all I can say is that I'm really having fun, have already met some wonderful new friends, am enjoying hanging out with old friends in a new way, feel better and have even lost 10 lbs so far (30 more to go!). I don't think I'd attempt 180 in one day, but if it's a two-day ride, and you have a few months (hopefully at least three), and you get into it, it's doable. Worse case scenario is you just learn to enjoy getting out there riding, and save the big rides for next year. Have fun!

[Owlie]

Wow. 180?! I hope that's spread over two days. It can be done in one, but...I imagine things will hurt. A lot. When is this event?

No, SOs are usually not the best coaches. They want you to be successful, but they want you to be successful RIGHT NOW. (Ask me how I know!) Get thee a road bike, if you don't have one already. A decent one. If you're buying new, be prepared to spend a fair amount of money on it--you want at the very least Shimano 105 components for a ride that long. And you should also be prepared to spend a lot of time trying them out. The last thing you want is for your bike to become an obstacle. And get it fitted to you! Not just sized, fitted. They'll swap out stems, adjust saddles, etc so that you're comfortable.

Gears: Like everyone else has said, you change gears to keep yourself pedaling at a comfortable rate. What that means is different from person to person. Shift down (toward the frame of the bike) to make it easier (good for hills and when you're tired), up (away from the bike) to make it "harder" (this is good for going downhill and going really fast on the flats). How often depends on conditions--you, the terrain, wind...
If I figured it out, you can too. If you can, put the bike on a trainer (does the husband have one?), and play around, noticing how each gear feels. If you don't have a trainer, find a big empty parking lot and do the same thing.

How often: I ride 2-4 times a week, depending on my schedule. However, I've been riding for 3 years. I started out doing very short (around a mile) rides every couple days, then doing 1-mile laps around campus whenever time allowed (a couple times a week). You need to ride often enough to toughen up your butt, but you also need to find time to rest. That depends on you and your current level of fitness.

Clipless: I like my clipless pedals. I wouldn't ride long distances without them because they me spare my quads a bit and use my hamstrings. However, it took me nearly a year of irregular riding to feel comfortable with the idea. You shouldn't start with them right off the bat. Get used to the bike, and to cycling in general, then get yourself some clipless pedals.

Speed:
That depends on you and your group. I think in the neighborhood of 15mph is average for many groups, but there are slower and faster people out there. If it's a very large group, you'll get smaller groups separated out by speed.

[newbie]

I haven't had a bike fitting. I might do that this week.

I do not have any pain anywhere.

I have 5 months to get ready for the ride.

I plan on doing a long ride once a week. I'd like to ride twice a week but it might be hard bc of the kiddos

thanks

[hebe]

I would recommend getting your dh to mind the children whilst you have a session or two with a cycling instructor to get to grips with gears and any other concerns you have.

Good luck!

[Cynedra]

My suggestion is ride, ride, and ride. The more you ride the more you will start understanding the gears etc. I have no idea how old your children are. I get out for one good training ride without my little ones but other than that, I am generally pulling one or both of them. It is amazing how well I feel I am going on that ride sans children. Speaking of children, thing 2 is trying to climb into the cabinets.

[Jiffer]

If you are trying to do a two day 180 mile event in five months, you REALLY need to ride more than once or twice a week. At the very least, get a trainer and ride at home (I hate riding on trainers, but do it if I can't get out and really want to/need to ride).

You can also take a spin class and put the kids in the gym's daycare thingy. Or pull them in a trailer.

Regarding clips, as someone said, they help you make the most of "all" of your muscles if you are pedaling properly. If you don't have clips, you'll burn out your upper thighs from pushing down only. I got used to mine pretty quickly. Do your research and find clips that people say are easy to get used to. I have Speedplay and love them. They have "float", so I can move my heels a little left and right and not be completely "stiff". I can't even imagine doing 180 miles without clips.

As for shifting, one thing to keep in mind is that the harder the gear you are in, which you might think you like, the harder it is on your muscles. If you watch the pros on TV doing 100+ miles daily, you'll see they "spin" there pedals relatively quickly. It's the inexperienced or unkowledgeable riders who are "grinding" in a slow gear. However, spin too fast and you'll be working your cardio more and breathing harder, so finding that fine line for you is what you need to do. The more you can "practice" using a faster cadence on some training rides, the more it will become natural and you'll realize you can rider longer without wearing yourself out as easily. So while some people "like" to grind in a harder gear and might feel they get more power and can ride faster, it will only last so long, especially on a 180 mile ride.

The most efficient riders shift often, even on little "whoop dee doos", like going under a freeway overpass on a bike trail, or even more mild than that. The goal is to stay in your cadence, whatever gear that means. If you are riding along a flat path at 15 and spinning at a comfortable cadence, and you see a mini hill coming up . . . it might only be 20 feet, the most efficient way to get up those 20 feet is to shift to an easier gear or two just as you begin the climb, then shift right back when you level out again. As a beginner, don't get yourself all worried about that right now, but it's something to keep in mind and work toward. I mainly mention it because doing 180 miles is no small deal and the more you know the little tricks to extend your energy and muscle strength, the better.

I've done a lot of centuries and some with a heck of a lot of climbing, but the furthest I've ever done is 150 in a two day period (75 each day). I was stressing about this even after having done several centuries. I just couldn't imagine getting on that bike a second day after after riding 75 miles. However, I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't that difficult at all. I say that with the reminder that I had a whole lot of "base miles" in me and had been riding for at least two years, maybe three at the time.

Base miles is what you need, why you need to ride more than once or twice a week. The more miles you ride, even the shorter rides which add up, the more your body gets used to riding and the easier the longer rides are.

As for speed, what others have said about 15-ish being "average" is probably the best guess anyone can give. It really depends on the group. Typically, depending on how many riders there are and their levels, group rides will split up between different paced riders, but they may regroup at various places and take breaks together.

Don't underestimate the power of drafting. This is something best to be taught by experienced riders, but if you can practice this technique before your big event, you can use that skill to save your energy and muscle strength. If your husband or another rider (or several riders) are "pulling" you (not actual pulling, of course), they are breaking the wind for you (even if it doesn't feel like there is any), and it makes it easier for you to go faster and farther. Lance Armstrong didn't win all those Tour de France races by riding alone. He had all his team mates pulling him throughout most of the rides and he used all his energy to take of at the end of the stages and win.

Hope all this helps. Good luck! RIDE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN!!!

[hebe]

Jiffer - that's such a helpful post - thank you!

[murielalex]

Jiffer - that's such a helpful post - thank you!

X2 Thanks.

[lovelygamer]

I'm gonna vote no on a 180 miler with your husband, who is not a good coach. lol That's just my two cents. That sounds like it could be painful for both of you.