newbie needs help

[Melodylynn]

Hi everyone,
My BF (boyfriend/Fiance)is into cycling and I am trying to get there. I love the idea of going on a ride but he leaves me in the dirt and I struggle to keep up. I don't have a road bike yet but reading the posts here, a road bike might be what I need. I am in good physical shape, about 40lbs over weight but I do lift/workout 3 days a week. I need more cardio to loose weight and cycling might just help me accomplish this before our wedding in April, 2006.

Any way I need some help to push me in the right direction. I have decided that in order to ride with BF I really need to get myself together first. So here are some questions that maybe you all can help me answer and understand:

1. What is a good road bike for a newbie and is it possible to buy it used?
2. What type of clothing would you recomend and again is it possible to buy used?
3. Does anyone know if there are any seminars in Northern California (north of Sacramento) any time soon?

Thanks for all of your help!

[CorsairMac]

Try EBay for bikes and clothes. Also Craigslist.com. Also look at local pawn shops, police auctions, and Goodwill/Salvation Army stores.
As for him leaving you in the dust: maybe you can work out a route where you both leave together, he can take off and do his speedo ride and you ride your pace and the 2 of you meet back up towards the end. I know several women here do that with their SOs.
As for the best bike for a newbie: bikes are like shoes! You need to just go try them out and pick which one fits you the best, then see if you can find a used one. You may also find a road bike too squirrely or too hard to ride due the bent position. So test riding would give you an idea what style of bike you're looking for.

[n2deep2win]

Hi Melodylynn, I'm new to cycling too. My husband has been riding/racing for a few years. I had always been active but 3 years ago I had a traumatic experience and I didn't handle it very well. I ended up in the hospital then became a recluse for the next few years. I saw all the fun my husband was having with his biking and was actually jealous. So one day I got on a mountain bike I had from years back. I rode that around "the block" struggling the first few weeks. My husband would ride with me a few times a week then go on his normal ride by himself. Slowly I got better and better, then my husband took me out and bought me a road bike. WOW, what an increase in speed! I believe from using the heavier bike I built up more strength. Also I finally got clipless pedals as well. When I ride with my husband now, we go about 18mph (slow for him but a work-out for me). He's pretty good about not dropping me, he will turn his head around every so often to make sure I'm still there. I usually ride about 15mph on my solo ride which keeps me in a good heart rate zone. Riding with him makes me work harder and I'm glad to have someone to push me. I've only been riding for about 6 months now but it's done wonders for me emotionally and physically. I plan on going on my first group ride soon, but still a little nervous about it.

I don't know enough to make suggestions on road bikes, but I have bought some of my riding clothes off of ebay. I would go to your LBS and try on some of the clothing there first to know your sizes in different brands.

Congrats on your upcoming wedding. Good luck on dropping the extra weight. I think you are right about cycling being the key to help you drop it.

[Melodylynn]

Thank you n2deep2win!

I really want to do this for the benefit of both of us, but I need to get up to speed for myself first. We have a salvation army store just down the road from my work so I think I might stop by there after work.

I like the idea of riding my mountain bike for a while before I get on a road bike. It is fairly cool today, under 105, so I might go for a ride this evening.

Thanks for the encouragement. I really love this Message Board. I am really glad that I found it.

[archibella]

Congrats on wanting to get further into cycling Also on the upcoming wedding!

I found my bike used on craigslist-- Got a fairly good deal for an entry level road bike (trek1000). The guy who was getting rid of it was apparently getting out of cycling and gave me all of his stuff too . I took a friend with who knows a bit about bikes to look it over before I forked over cash.

You may want to ask around at your local bike shops-- sometimes they will carry used, or they might have heard about an available bike through the grapevine. Whatever you do, you definitely want to try it out before you buy. While I was looking, I learned that a 54cm bike from one brand, is not the same size as a 54cm bike from another brand... slightly different geometry can change the fit. Something they told me to look for to determine how old the bike was were placement of the gear shifters-- on newer road bikes they're typically in conjunction with/part of the brake levers.

For clothes... I went to nashbar and performance and bought some entry level stuff. Jersey's weren't a big deal, but shorts-- I wish I'd invested in a better pair (read better chamois, lol). Gloves are a good idea, and aren't that expensive. I also found a camelbak worth the investment-- although you may not need one until you do longer rides. Clipless pedals are also worth it, in my opinion. Some LOOK pedals came on my bike, so I just started with those- it makes you SO much more efficient!

Hope none of this is too basic for you--

Good luck!!

[julbee]

Hi!

Welcome to the TE forum!

You have been given great advice! I would stress taking your time in finding the bike that's right for you! I know of too many people who purchase and are sorry a month or two later! Some places rent bikes and have quite a selection to choose from. You might want to try that in order to get the "feel" of various types of bikes?

Most definitely shop around...even if you are buying "used."

A really good fit is very important! My LBS offers "fitting sessions" to everyone...even if someone bought a bike anywhere else! It's great PR for them and allows them an opportunity to establish a relationship with bikers who have purchased a bike elsewhere! Some shops will "charge" for an extensive "fitting" session, some will not!

My husband can (and often does) leave me in his dust! We both understand we are at different levels of "fitness" and we both have different needs. So... we often start out together and decide to take different routes which end up in the same place. He may go further and/or choose larger hills, etc. In the end..we are back together! Our next ride might be a "recovery" ride for him... and we ride together throughout most of the ride!

He sometimes rides with friends who travel very fast. I sometimes go on rides with friends who go more slowly.

I think you both can find ways to "compromise" so you can each have your fitness needs met and spend some time together!

Now that we both have gained some endurance (we have just started riding this summer), we are actually looking into various forms of two way communication. He wants to go off and "push" himself in training... beyond what I am ready for and he is concerned about where I am and how I am doing. So..we are looking into a way he can meet his need to train and lessen his concern with whether I am doing okay!

He is much happier if I encourage him to go as fast and ride as hard as he wants to. I am much happier if he also lets me "push" myself at my own pace.
In the end... we have ridden... we have crossed paths... we may have met at a "rest area" to drink water...and ultimately we are both back at the car, placing the bikes on the rack in order to go home!

We both feel better and don't feel "limited" or "pushed" by the other!

Good luck with this!
Congrats on your wedding plans!
Keep us posted on how it's going!

[SadieKate]

Here's a bit of a road course in Sacramento. I'll keep looking because I've got some friends I'd like to push in that direction. http://www.safercyclingsac.org/index.html

Where abouts are you? "North of Sacramento" is could still be hundreds of miles away.

[Melodylynn]

I am about 30 miles north of Sacramento in Lincoln. I work in Auburn. I would be interested in riding with others once I get comfortable and get a better bike. It sounds like almost all of the No. Cal. girls are in the Bay area...

[SadieKate]

It sounds like almost all of the No. Cal. girls are in the Bay area...

No, not really, it's just that we've found that Mt. Diablo and the Placerville area have been conducive to group road rides and goals. The actual Sacramento girls have been tied up in Team in Training (Hillslug) or school (Xeney and Petunia), etc., etc., etc. I live in Davis but my DH set this hill climbing goal so we seem to be heading for the hills every weekend. Maybe when the cool weather returns I'll see which roadies we can tempt out for the flat, flat fields of Yolo and Solano Counties.

In the meantime, give Sue the VP at the local mtb club a call. The women-only mtb group merged with the co-ed group recently, but I think she tries to have periodic women-only rides at Granite Bay which wouldn't be far for you.

http://www.fatrac.org/default.asp

Have you checked in with the local shops to see if they have any weekly rides you could join?

[Melodylynn]

okay I went on a ride last night on my mtn bike. I road 7.5 miles with an ave speed 10.2 of in about 40 min. I had my BF take me on fairly flat route. (Lots of rolling hills in my book) But in all a good experience. My butt is paying for it this morning. Can't wait to get a better bike.

Thanks for all of your words of encouragement!
Melody

[Honeywell23]

I am also a newer rider and I am currently riding a mountain bike. But I am getting a bike fit done at my local bike shop. I don't think I would go pick out my bike without it. Plus they can tell you what you would be looking for in the different brands.

[Melodylynn]

Hi there Honeywell 23! I finally found the bike of my dreams that fits and I bought it last night! It is a Trek 1000 in a 43cm frame. (I have the short leg, long body syndrome) It is wonderful! I plan on going on my first ride tomorrow morning. It is well above 102 in the evenings when I get home from work, so I will have to wait one more night!!!! My LBS next to my work in Auburn had a smoking deal and I got the bike and a few accessories for about $580. I am soooooo excited!!!!!
Melody