If You Ride a Bicycle Regularly...

[Deleted]

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

[HoneyBBQ]

I have my hybrid with toddler seat for 'hobby' riding (REI Novara) and mountain biking and then I recently purchased my 'racing' road bike for my triathlons, hope to some day be able to commute to work in it. I wanted some very specific components (carbon fork at the minimum, Shimano gears, disc breaks, etc) and got tired of stalking craigslist for something comparable, so I just bought it new. 

Cannondale Synapse:

www.rei.com/product/877735/cannondale-synapse-alloy-5-disc-womens-bike-2015

For my triathlons I needed something light and fast yet not $5k lol. This was a good compromise between function and re-useability... as in, I can use it not racing. It doesn't have upper brakes, which are actually difficult to add to this particular design (so I'm told) but I don't mind being in the 'bent over' position. I can add lights, a kickstand, etc if I decide not to race or during the winter/etc.   

I do really enjoy it. There are some nice Cannondales which are slightly heavier (no carbon) which would probably serve your purpose for $1k. 

[Deleted]

There's not a REI anywhere near me. I know because I looked when you all were talking about REI on a thread. I've never been on a road bike, so I need to buy it in person.

I haven't seen Cannondales in the bike shops in my area. They either sell Trek, Specialized, or some of the less popular brands.

I plan to make at least a halfway informed decision with my next bike, unlike when I just went out and bought my mountain bike on a whim lol. I don't see racing in any form in my future, but I'd like to be able to try a group ride at some point and I need a bike that I can ride at an appropriate speed if I get the engine together. It doesn't have to be the best bike ever, just good enough and comfortable enough for me to want to ride it. I can upgrade when/if I figure out what I prefer in a road bike.

I envy people that can just roll out of the garage and enjoy some nice scenery on their bike. My part of town isn't exactly cyclist friendly either, drivers aren't use to seeing bikes on the street. I have to drive to get somewhere like that.

[tskeeter]

Jul 29, 2015 17:08:44 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

I have a variety of older bikes.  At this point I have a 1984 vintage Stumpjumper Sport mountain bike, a 1992 vintage Trek 5200 carbon fiber road bike, a 1995 vintage Trek road tandem, and a 1982 vintage Chris Kvale custom road frame with Campagnolo and Cinelli components on it.  Each of these bikes has some kind of modification to make it more suitable for the way I ride and for my particular physiology (at a minimum, all of the bikes got a saddle that fits my backside better than the stock saddle).  

Cycling is great exercise for a variety of reasons.  First, riding at an average speed of 10 MPH will burn close to 600 calories an hour.  Second, cycling is easy on the joints.  You aren't pounding your ankles, knees, hips, and back like you do when running.  Third, cycling is good for core body strength.  Keeping your balance while cycling really exercises your core body muscles.  Peddling exercises the muscles in your cavles, thighs, butt, and through your waist.  So it's a great lower body workout.  Not the greatest upper body workout, but I did some weight work back when I started racing to build up muscles in my arms, upper back, shoulders, and neck, so that I had the muscles necessary to ride more than 100 miles without discomfort.  Then there is the cardio training that cycling provides.  After a few years of serious cycling, I developed a resting pulse rate around 52 bpm, instead of the more normal 70 bpm range.

Be aware, though, that cycling does pose some risk of bodily injury.  Trying to ride in too high a gear can cause knee injuries.  To minimize the risk of knee injury, ride at 90 - 100 pedal strokes per minute.  Most people's feet can't go that fast in too high a gear.  The other risk is nerve injury in your hands from vibration through the handle bars and from leaning too heavily on your hands while riding.  Wearing cycling gloves will help protect your hands from vibration and will also protect your hands if you take a spill.  If your hands are getting numb, you're carrying too much weight on your hands and arms.  Raise you handlebars to shift some of your weight off your hands and on to your seat.  And work on building up your lower back muscles so they can do a better job of helping to support your upper body.

Check the internet or talk to the folks at your favorite bike ship about local bicycling clubs.  They often sponsor group rides that will introduce you to places you might not normally ride and their members will often coach newby riders to help them develop their cycling skills more rapidly.  Be aware that there ar two types of bicycling clubs.  Recreational riding clubs and racing clubs.  Select a club that does the type of riding that you want to do.

Many people ask which brand of bike is best.  My answer is the brand of bike shop bike that fits you the best.  I find that the top tubes on most Specialized models are too long for me.  I feel like I'm always stretching to reach the bars.   And, unless you are only planning to ride two or three miles once or twice a year, I don't recommend department store bikes.  Especially for kids over 5 years old.  Kids abuse bikes.  And the cheap department store bikes won't take the abuse as well as a better built bike shop bike.  (Nothing makes Moms more unhappy than getting a repair estimate that is 50% more than they paid for a new department strore bike just a month ago.)         

[billisonboard]

I am not currently biking. My bikes are a bit old at this point. I have a REI Novara road bike which mainly ended up sitting on the stationary trainer, a Trek road bike with a hybrid carbon fiber frame with clip in pedals, and a Raleigh mountain bike. I recommend you go to a couple of bike shops and just talk to people. 

Re: N+1. What type tires do you have on your bike? If you are only doing pavement, make sure they are designed for that and not trail riding. 

[Cookies Galore]

Hubs has a Cannondale Caad 8 he bought a few years ago and it's still going strong. At one point he was riding 1500 miles a year. He's been wanting a mountain bike and now that he is into triathlons he wants a tri bike as well.  Sigh....
We are going to get me a bike soon. I like the Cannondale Quick hybrids so I will most likely get one of those. I'm mainly a runner so while I have no issue with spending $300 annually on shoes and more on race fees, I am not looking forward to spending $600 on something that will last me for years. Weird, I realize. Hubs started running with me last year and he's really looking forwcard to riding with me.

We live 1/2 mile from the Schuylkill River Trail, which is a great running and biking trail. We are on it multiple days a week. We also have Valley Forge Park.

[NancysSummerSip]

Jul 29, 2015 17:08:44 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

Well, hello there!


I have a Trek 7.2, which is not the most lightweight bike, but then again, I'm not the most lightweight person. I've used it in a triathlon, and it worked just fine. It's sturdy and can take a beating. Cost about $500.00 two years ago, and I bought it at a bike shop. I had to custom-order it, because I needed a very small frame.

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2015 19:27:25 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jul 29, 2015 17:08:44 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

I have a variety of older bikes.  At this point I have a 1984 vintage Stumpjumper Sport mountain bike, a 1992 vintage Trek 5200 carbon fiber road bike, a 1995 vintage Trek road tandem, and a 1982 vintage Chris Kvale custom road frame with Campagnolo and Cinelli components on it.  Each of these bikes has some kind of modification to make it more suitable for the way I ride and for my particular physiology (at a minimum, all of the bikes got a saddle that fits my backside better than the stock saddle).  

Cycling is great exercise for a variety of reasons.  First, riding at an average speed of 10 MPH will burn close to 600 calories an hour.  Second, cycling is easy on the joints.  You aren't pounding your ankles, knees, hips, and back like you do when running.  Third, cycling is good for core body strength.  Keeping your balance while cycling really exercises your core body muscles.  Peddling exercises the muscles in your cavles, thighs, butt, and through your waist.  So it's a great lower body workout.  Not the greatest upper body workout, but I did some weight work back when I started racing to build up muscles in my arms, upper back, shoulders, and neck, so that I had the muscles necessary to ride more than 100 miles without discomfort.  Then there is the cardio training that cycling provides.  After a few years of serious cycling, I developed a resting pulse rate around 52 bpm, instead of the more normal 70 bpm range.

Be aware, though, that cycling does pose some risk of bodily injury.  Trying to ride in too high a gear can cause knee injuries.  To minimize the risk of knee injury, ride at 90 - 100 pedal strokes per minute.  Most people's feet can't go that fast in too high a gear.  The other risk is nerve injury in your hands from vibration through the handle bars and from leaning too heavily on your hands while riding.  Wearing cycling gloves will help protect your hands from vibration and will also protect your hands if you take a spill.  If your hands are getting numb, you're carrying too much weight on your hands and arms.  Raise you handlebars to shift some of your weight off your hands and on to your seat.  And work on building up your lower back muscles so they can do a better job of helping to support your upper body.

Check the internet or talk to the folks at your favorite bike ship about local bicycling clubs.  They often sponsor group rides that will introduce you to places you might not normally ride and their members will often coach newby riders to help them develop their cycling skills more rapidly.  Be aware that there ar two types of bicycling clubs.  Recreational riding clubs and racing clubs.  Select a club that does the type of riding that you want to do.

Many people ask which brand of bike is best.  My answer is the brand of bike shop bike that fits you the best.  I find that the top tubes on most Specialized models are too long for me.  I feel like I'm always stretching to reach the bars.   And, unless you are only planning to ride two or three miles once or twice a year, I don't recommend department store bikes.  Especially for kids over 5 years old.  Kids abuse bikes.  And the cheap department store bikes won't take the abuse as well as a better built bike shop bike.  (Nothing makes Moms more unhappy than getting a repair estimate that is 50% more than they paid for a new department strore bike just a month ago.)         

Thanks for all the tips tskeeter! The biggest injury I was worried about at first was falling lol. I'm still cautious, but I'm a lot more confident. I've read about cadence and how riding in big gears can mess your knees up over time. I was curious and counted my pedal strokes a few times at what feels like a natural pace for me, while watching the clock (30 seconds x 2) and every time I came up with ~80. Even that seemed high for what it felt like I was doing, but that was what I kept coming up with. I'll focus on that more later, right now I just want to get skilled enough to lessen my chances of falling off the bike lol.

I do wear fingerless gloves and try to move my hands a little every once in a while. I haven't really had issues with anything other than my legs protesting a bit when I first started. I also wear biking shorts, because I don't want my butt to hurt. No problems there. The guy that sold me the bike was very helpful, but I didn't know the answer to most of his questions, so I think I got kind of lucky to end up with a bike that fit me well since I had no idea what I was doing.

The shop that sold me my bike and their sister shop have group rides, a couple of them are a no drop rides. But I'm so slow I don't think I'm ready for even a no drop ride yet. I don't want to ruin anyone else's ride. I can get up to 14mph on flat pavement if I work at it, but I can't keep it up for long. My average lately is usually around 11.5. And I'm terrible with hills.

Until the last couple of weeks, when the high temps have been in the upper 90's every.single.day. I'd been riding 4 or 5 times a week. I want to keep my momentum going, but if I can't go early in the morning, it's just so hot.

The Specialized shop (I think they also sell Giants) is at least 30 minutes from me and the people aren't as friendly and helpful as they are at the closest Trek store that's about 10 minutes away. There's another shop where the people are friendly and helpful but the brands on the frames they had on the floor were Haro and KHS. I'd never heard of either of them. The only other option is a shop that sells Surly and a bunch of brands I still haven't even seen mentioned anwhere else. How important is that? All of them are a lot further from me, and I'll drive if I need to, but I'd rather stick with the friendly Trek dealer that's near me if they have something that fits me well. Should I still check out the other stores regardless?

I really, really appreciate you taking the time to offer your suggestions. If you come up with more to share, I'd be happy to read it. Thank you.

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2015 20:01:57 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

I am not currently biking. My bikes are a bit old at this point. I have a REI Novara road bike which mainly ended up sitting on the stationary trainer, a Trek road bike with a hybrid carbon fiber frame with clip in pedals, and a Raleigh mountain bike. I recommend you go to a couple of bike shops and just talk to people. 

Re: N+1. What type tires do you have on your bike? If you are only doing pavement, make sure they are designed for that and not trail riding. 

Awww Bill. Why'd you stop biking?

I have wide knobby tires lol. I thought about just changing the tires to something more suitable for pavement, but I really want a road bike. And I would like to ride some dirt trails if I ever find a partner or just start feeling brave; the knobby tires will be better for dirt and possible mud, right?

[Deleted]

Jul 29, 2015 20:03:07 GMT -5 Cookies Galore said:

Hubs has a Cannondale Caad 8 he bought a few years ago and it's still going strong. At one point he was riding 1500 miles a year. He's been wanting a mountain bike and now that he is into triathlons he wants a tri bike as well.  Sigh....
We are going to get me a bike soon. I like the Cannondale Quick hybrids so I will most likely get one of those. I'm mainly a runner so while I have no issue with spending $300 annually on shoes and more on race fees, I am not looking forward to spending $600 on something that will last me for years. Weird, I realize. Hubs started running with me last year and he's really looking forwcard to riding with me.

We live 1/2 mile from the Schuylkill River Trail, which is a great running and biking trail. We are on it multiple days a week. We also have Valley Forge Park.

It took me a while to wrap my mind around spending several hundred dollars on a bike too. Then one day I just woke up and decided to do it lol. I think it's great that you and your husband enjoy getting out and doing healthy things together. I like it! Tell me when you get your bike lol.

I have to drive at LEAST 20 minutes to get to any kind of trail or bike route.  I'm so jealous. I'm ok riding on the streets in my immediate neighborhood, but my neighborhood is fairly small. I get nervous about venturing further in the surrounding area because people in my city drive crazy and they're just not use to sharing the road with cyclists in this area. It's better in some other parts of town.

When I was on vacation, I drove almost an hour to ride part of the Great Mississippi River Bicycle Route where it goes through Tunica Mississippi. First, the route was on a street where the speed limit was 50mph. That made me nervous. There weren't many cars and most of the ones that did drive by gave us plenty of room, so that wasn't so bad. But it was also the most BORING ride ever. Endless flat pavement for as far as I could see, not even a curve lol. Cornfields on one side, grass on the other. Not a house, a pond, a cow....... NOTHING. I quit after 5 miles and rode back to my car. LOL! 

[Deleted]

Jul 30, 2015 9:19:19 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jul 29, 2015 17:08:44 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

Well, hello there!


I have a Trek 7.2, which is not the most lightweight bike, but then again, I'm not the most lightweight person. I've used it in a triathlon, and it worked just fine. It's sturdy and can take a beating. Cost about $500.00 two years ago, and I bought it at a bike shop. I had to custom-order it, because I needed a very small frame.

Hello!

I've always been impressed when you mentioned your swimming. I didn't realize until recently that you do more than swim. I can't run because my feet hurt (and I'm lazy anyway), and I can get to the side of a swimming pool but I never learned to swim properly. And I took swimming lessons as a kid! No triathalons for me lol. I'm too lazy to train to participate in athletic competitions. My hat's off to you for staying so active and competing.

I don't know what a Trek 7.2 is, I'll have to look it up. I ordered my bike too. The salesman said the ones I was looking at were too short for my legs, so I ordered the size he said I needed lol. I got really lucky with my purchase, as I mentioned above. I never even got on any of the bikes I was looking at. When we learn better, we do better.

[billisonboard]

Jul 30, 2015 17:42:23 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

... Awww Bill. Why'd you stop biking?

I have wide knobby tires lol. I thought about just changing the tires to something more suitable for pavement, but I really want a road bike. And I would like to ride some dirt trails if I ever find a partner or just start feeling brave; the knobby tires will be better for dirt and possible mud, right?

My life has been a series of diverse chapters. I get into things deeply and then get tired of them. Bicycling was a chapter finished.

Get a second set of rims and tires to trade out depending on the ride.

[billisonboard]

Jul 30, 2015 18:02:39 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

... It took me a while to wrap my mind around spending several hundred dollars on a bike too. ...

My ex had the rule you had to pay your bike cost off at the rate of a dollar a mile.

[billisonboard]

Jul 30, 2015 18:02:39 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

... NOTHING. I quit after 5 miles and rode back to my car. LOL! 

A Bike Zen Koan

A Zen Teacher saw five of his students return from the market, riding their bicycles. When they had dismounted, the teacher asked the students, "Why are you riding your bicycles?"

The first student replied, "The bicycle is carrying this sack of potatoes. I am glad that I do not have to carry them on my back!" The teacher praised the student, saying, "You are a smart boy. When you grow old, you will not walk hunched over, as I do."

The second student replied, "I love to watch the trees and fields pass by as I roll down the path." The teacher commended the student, "Your eyes are open and you see the world."

The third student replied, "When I ride my bicycle, I am content to chant, nam myoho renge kyo." The teacher gave praise to the third student, "Your mind will roll with the ease of a newly trued wheel."

The fourth student answered, "Riding my bicycle, I live in harmony with all beings." The teacher was pleased and said, "You are riding on the golden path of non-harming."

The fifth student replied, "I ride my bicycle to ride my bicycle." The teacher went and sat at the feet of the fifth student, and said, "I am your disciple."

[tskeeter]

Jul 30, 2015 17:37:07 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

Jul 29, 2015 19:27:25 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

I have a variety of older bikes.  At this point I have a 1984 vintage Stumpjumper Sport mountain bike, a 1992 vintage Trek 5200 carbon fiber road bike, a 1995 vintage Trek road tandem, and a 1982 vintage Chris Kvale custom road frame with Campagnolo and Cinelli components on it.  Each of these bikes has some kind of modification to make it more suitable for the way I ride and for my particular physiology (at a minimum, all of the bikes got a saddle that fits my backside better than the stock saddle).  

Cycling is great exercise for a variety of reasons.  First, riding at an average speed of 10 MPH will burn close to 600 calories an hour.  Second, cycling is easy on the joints.  You aren't pounding your ankles, knees, hips, and back like you do when running.  Third, cycling is good for core body strength.  Keeping your balance while cycling really exercises your core body muscles.  Peddling exercises the muscles in your cavles, thighs, butt, and through your waist.  So it's a great lower body workout.  Not the greatest upper body workout, but I did some weight work back when I started racing to build up muscles in my arms, upper back, shoulders, and neck, so that I had the muscles necessary to ride more than 100 miles without discomfort.  Then there is the cardio training that cycling provides.  After a few years of serious cycling, I developed a resting pulse rate around 52 bpm, instead of the more normal 70 bpm range.

Be aware, though, that cycling does pose some risk of bodily injury.  Trying to ride in too high a gear can cause knee injuries.  To minimize the risk of knee injury, ride at 90 - 100 pedal strokes per minute.  Most people's feet can't go that fast in too high a gear.  The other risk is nerve injury in your hands from vibration through the handle bars and from leaning too heavily on your hands while riding.  Wearing cycling gloves will help protect your hands from vibration and will also protect your hands if you take a spill.  If your hands are getting numb, you're carrying too much weight on your hands and arms.  Raise you handlebars to shift some of your weight off your hands and on to your seat.  And work on building up your lower back muscles so they can do a better job of helping to support your upper body.

Check the internet or talk to the folks at your favorite bike ship about local bicycling clubs.  They often sponsor group rides that will introduce you to places you might not normally ride and their members will often coach newby riders to help them develop their cycling skills more rapidly.  Be aware that there ar two types of bicycling clubs.  Recreational riding clubs and racing clubs.  Select a club that does the type of riding that you want to do.

Many people ask which brand of bike is best.  My answer is the brand of bike shop bike that fits you the best.  I find that the top tubes on most Specialized models are too long for me.  I feel like I'm always stretching to reach the bars.   And, unless you are only planning to ride two or three miles once or twice a year, I don't recommend department store bikes.  Especially for kids over 5 years old.  Kids abuse bikes.  And the cheap department store bikes won't take the abuse as well as a better built bike shop bike.  (Nothing makes Moms more unhappy than getting a repair estimate that is 50% more than they paid for a new department strore bike just a month ago.)         

Thanks for all the tips tskeeter! The biggest injury I was worried about at first was falling lol. I'm still cautious, but I'm a lot more confident. I've read about cadence and how riding in big gears can mess your knees up over time. I was curious and counted my pedal strokes a few times at what feels like a natural pace for me, while watching the clock (30 seconds x 2) and every time I came up with ~80. Even that seemed high for what it felt like I was doing, but that was what I kept coming up with. I'll focus on that more later, right now I just want to get skilled enough to lessen my chances of falling off the bike lol.

I do wear fingerless gloves and try to move my hands a little every once in a while. I haven't really had issues with anything other than my legs protesting a bit when I first started. I also wear biking shorts, because I don't want my butt to hurt. No problems there. The guy that sold me the bike was very helpful, but I didn't know the answer to most of his questions, so I think I got kind of lucky to end up with a bike that fit me well since I had no idea what I was doing.

The shop that sold me my bike and their sister shop have group rides, a couple of them are a no drop rides. But I'm so slow I don't think I'm ready for even a no drop ride yet. I don't want to ruin anyone else's ride. I can get up to 14mph on flat pavement if I work at it, but I can't keep it up for long. My average lately is usually around 11.5. And I'm terrible with hills.

Until the last couple of weeks, when the high temps have been in the upper 90's every.single.day. I'd been riding 4 or 5 times a week. I want to keep my momentum going, but if I can't go early in the morning, it's just so hot.

The Specialized shop (I think they also sell Giants) is at least 30 minutes from me and the people aren't as friendly and helpful as they are at the closest Trek store that's about 10 minutes away. There's another shop where the people are friendly and helpful but the brands on the frames they had on the floor were Haro and KHS. I'd never heard of either of them. The only other option is a shop that sells Surly and a bunch of brands I still haven't even seen mentioned anwhere else. How important is that? All of them are a lot further from me, and I'll drive if I need to, but I'd rather stick with the friendly Trek dealer that's near me if they have something that fits me well. Should I still check out the other stores regardless?

I really, really appreciate you taking the time to offer your suggestions. If you come up with more to share, I'd be happy to read it. Thank you.

Pink, feel free to PM me and ask any questions you might have.  With 10 years of bicycle racing under my belt, I acquired quite a bit of experience with fitness and training techniques, bicycle mechanics, bike fit, and other bicycling related topics that I'd be pleased to share.  I'm not up to date on all of the latest bicycle components.  But, most of what I know still applies.

By way of experience, in addition to riding, I maintain my own bikes, assembled my bike out of a custom frame and components that I selected to suit my physiology and the way I was going to use the bike, and built the wheels that I rode and raced on.

All of the bike brands you have mentioned are well known, reputable brands, so I think the shops around you sound like good shops.  Pick that has the most hlelpful staff and that is convenient for you and become a regular.

You sound like you've got your cadence pretty well dialed in and understand the consequences of over gearing.  Your 80 rpm is a good cadence range for a mountain bike.  

(Here's a couple of cheats for you to help you ride faster.  Increase the air pressure in your tires.  (And check and top off your tires before every couple of rides.  I still top off my tires before every ride.)  When I'm riding my mountain bike on the road, I pump the tires up to about 50% more than the pressure stated on the sidewall of the tire.  Riding on 60 or 70 psi is a lot easier than riding on 40 or 45 psi.  If your bike came with knobby tires and you're not riding narly single track, you might consider changing to a set of tires that has a continuous ridge of rubber in the center of the tire tread.  These will ride better on the street, yet have aggressive enough tread to work acceptably in off road situations.)  

My gem of the day:  If you don't already have one, get a bag for your bike.  I prefer the "tire sock" style that fits snugly under your saddle.  The first thing that goes in your tire sock is a spare innertube and a set of tire levers (I'm assuming that you already have a frame pump.)  Flat tires are inevitable.  The spare tube and tire levers will have you back on the road within five minutes of a flat.  The second thing that goes in your tire sock is a large garbage bag, folded compactly.  This is your emergency rain gear.  It's compact, light, and can be used for a variety of purposes in addition to protection during an unexpected rain storm.  To use as a poncho, simply tear a hole in the bottom for your head and a couple of holes in the sides for your arms.  To minimize flapping in the wind, pull excess material to your front and tie in a knot.  If you want designer rain gear, try to find a large plastic bag with a business logo on it! 

Your tire sock is also a great place to carry your car or house keys and some ID.  Actually, wearing ID or something similar to a medic alert bracelet would be a good idea.  When I think about the thousands of miles I've ridden without any ID on me, I realize how not very smart that was.  If you should need medical care and aren't able to provide medical personnel the information they need, you'll get much speedier treatment if you've planned ahead and made the information they need available.     

[tskeeter]

Jul 30, 2015 9:19:19 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jul 29, 2015 17:08:44 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

What kind of bike do you ride? Details please, lol. What do you like most about it compared to other bikes? Where do you ride?

Last and most importantly, how has cycling improved your overall health?

I recently discovered the joys of riding a bicycle, but I don't know anyone IRL that enjoys it, so I have no one I "know" to learn from. I have a Trek Skye mountain bike. That I ride on pavement lol. I bought it because I wanted to see if a "real" bike would help me enjoy riding as an adult, but I didn't want to spend a whole lot of money not knowing whether it would end up just sitting in my garage.I already have the N+1 affliction. I want a road bike and I still want to keep my mountain bike. I'd like to ride easy dirt trails (I don't want to get into real mountain biking), but I'm kind of nervous about being isolated in some woods somewhere by myself. So I won't get to that until I can convince someone else to go with me. In the meantime, I'd like to have a bike that will be a little easier to go faster with on pavement.

Cycling is the first exercise, sport, whatever you want to call it, that I've actually enjoyed and I'm really excited about it. Well, I enjoy yoga, but that's different.

I think billisonboard, HoneyBBQ, tskeeter and NancysSummerSip ride bikes. If I'm correct, I hope you all don't mind chiming in along with whoever else enjoys cycling. I'm pretty sure I can come up with a lot more questions for whoever's willing to answer them.

Well, hello there!


I have a Trek 7.2, which is not the most lightweight bike, but then again, I'm not the most lightweight person. I've used it in a triathlon, and it worked just fine. It's sturdy and can take a beating. Cost about $500.00 two years ago, and I bought it at a bike shop. I had to custom-order it, because I needed a very small frame.

For Nancy and other women who find it hard to find bikes that fit them, check out the line of bikes by Georgena Terry.  Georgena is a retired bike racer and engineer who has designed a line of bicycles that meet the unique needs of women.  Terry Precision Bicyles also sells a variety of women centric bicycling products to make your riding more pleasant.  While Terry sells a full line of bikes at a variety of price points, this is the only source of racing quality bikes that I know of that are designed for a woman's physiology.  That's why Mrs. Tskeeter rides one. 

[Deleted]

Jul 30, 2015 18:21:50 GMT -5 billisonboard said:

Jul 30, 2015 17:42:23 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

... Awww Bill. Why'd you stop biking?

I have wide knobby tires lol. I thought about just changing the tires to something more suitable for pavement, but I really want a road bike. And I would like to ride some dirt trails if I ever find a partner or just start feeling brave; the knobby tires will be better for dirt and possible mud, right?

My life has been a series of diverse chapters. I get into things deeply and then get tired of them. Bicycling was a chapter finished.

Get a second set of rims and tires to trade out depending on the ride.

I see. After I asked, I realized I was being nosey and started hoping it wasn't something bad like an injury or something. I'm glad it was just you moving on to something else.

I've thought about doing that, and if I'm still at it in a year or so, I can get a road bike then. I actually think that's the best thing to do instead of buying another bike now and possibly losing interest. Sigh. Why you gotta be all sensible and stuff?

[Deleted]

My ex had the rule you had to pay your bike cost off at the rate of a dollar a mile.

I like that rule. My current bike is over halfway paid off. Do I have to ride the cost of a new bike too before I can buy one? I kind of want you to say yes, because I'm being impatient. But that seems like foreverrrrr from now.

I like the story too. That's the only time I've gotten bored riding. I don't have to have a specific destination, but I'd at least like to feel like I'm actually moving along. I might as well have been on a stationary bike, because nothing ever changed and there was never an end or a even a curve in sight.

[Deleted]

tskeeter, I actually considered sending you a PM asking if I could pick your brain when I saw a post where you mentioned you use to ride bikes. So thank you for the offer.

I need to sign off for a minute, so I'll have to read your post more thoroughly in a little bit. But I wanted to say I do have a small bag under my saddle. It has a spare tube, levers, and a small multi-tool in it. I have a mini-pump on my frame. I don't know how to use any of it except maybe the tool to tighten a bolt. A friend had been going on most of my rides with me, so I was counting on him to change a flat if I had one. And he laughed at me for buying all that stuff..... until he needed to use my pump several miles from the car. I need to learn to do it myself, I know. But at least I have the stuff!

I always carry my ID in a pocket on the back of my jersey. I thought it was better to have something on my body in case I got seperated from my bike. And yes, I bought a couple of jerseys even though I didn't know a thing about cycling. I'm glad I did, because it's so much more comfortable in this darn heat..... I've wondered if I could get away with wearing my cycling gear when I cut my grass. LOL!

I took everything unnecessary off my key ring and I tuck my keys in my saddle bag when I go for a ride. I don't want them on my back in case I fall. I still worry about falling lol. I'll have to add the emergency rain gear aka trash bag.

It's good to know I'm doing at least a few things right, so thanks. People I know IRL think I'm just being weird again.

[NancysSummerSip]

Jul 30, 2015 19:04:49 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jul 30, 2015 9:19:19 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Well, hello there!


I have a Trek 7.2, which is not the most lightweight bike, but then again, I'm not the most lightweight person. I've used it in a triathlon, and it worked just fine. It's sturdy and can take a beating. Cost about $500.00 two years ago, and I bought it at a bike shop. I had to custom-order it, because I needed a very small frame.

For Nancy and other women who find it hard to find bikes that fit them, check out the line of bikes by Georgena Terry.  Georgena is a retired bike racer and engineer who has designed a line of bicycles that meet the unique needs of women.  Terry Precision Bicyles also sells a variety of women centric bicycling products to make your riding more pleasant.  While Terry sells a full line of bikes at a variety of price points, this is the only source of racing quality bikes that I know of that are designed for a woman's physiology.  That's why Mrs. Tskeeter rides one. 

I took a look at her website. That's a yikes or two above my price point, though if I had the extra money, I'd certainly invest it in her company. Love to see a woman doing great things for other women! Very nice and clean design to her bikes.

[tskeeter]

Jul 30, 2015 19:53:23 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

tskeeter, I actually considered sending you a PM asking if I could pick your brain when I saw a post where you mentioned you use to ride bikes. So thank you for the offer.

I need to sign off for a minute, so I'll have to read your post more thoroughly in a little bit. But I wanted to say I do have a small bag under my saddle. It has a spare tube, levers, and a small multi-tool in it. I have a mini-pump on my frame. I don't know how to use any of it except maybe the tool to tighten a bolt. A friend had been going on most of my rides with me, so I was counting on him to change a flat if I had one. And he laughed at me for buying all that stuff..... until he needed to use my pump several miles from the car. I need to learn to do it myself, I know. But at least I have the stuff!

I always carry my ID in a pocket on the back of my jersey. I thought it was better to have something on my body in case I got seperated from my bike. And yes, I bought a couple of jerseys even though I didn't know a thing about cycling. I'm glad I did, because it's so much more comfortable in this darn heat..... I've wondered if I could get away with wearing my cycling gear when I cut my grass. LOL!

I took everything unnecessary off my key ring and I tuck my keys in my saddle bag when I go for a ride. I don't want them on my back in case I fall. I still worry about falling lol. I'll have to add the emergency rain gear aka trash bag.

It's good to know I'm doing at least a few things right, so thanks. People I know IRL think I'm just being weird again.

Oh heck, they always consider anyone who has an afinity for wearing lycra to be kind of weird.  Along with guys who are sporting the hairless legs look.

[tskeeter]

Jul 31, 2015 9:50:24 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Jul 30, 2015 19:04:49 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

For Nancy and other women who find it hard to find bikes that fit them, check out the line of bikes by Georgena Terry.  Georgena is a retired bike racer and engineer who has designed a line of bicycles that meet the unique needs of women.  Terry Precision Bicyles also sells a variety of women centric bicycling products to make your riding more pleasant.  While Terry sells a full line of bikes at a variety of price points, this is the only source of racing quality bikes that I know of that are designed for a woman's physiology.  That's why Mrs. Tskeeter rides one. 

I took a look at her website. That's a yikes or two above my price point, though if I had the extra money, I'd certainly invest it in her company. Love to see a woman doing great things for other women! Very nice and clean design to her bikes.

Yes, Terry bicycles aren't inexpensive.  I do realize that cost wise, such an expensive bike isn't worth it for most people because they aren't hammering out a couple of century rides a month.  Or doing the weekly USA Cycling circuit. 

My admiration of Terry bicycles comes from the fact that they really fit shorter women well.  While trying to find a bike for DW, the only things that were small enough were kids bikes.  There didn't seem to be any such thing as a high performance women's racing bike avaliable.  The female racers that I knew just put up with using whatever they could get that sorta fit, wonky frame geometry, goofy handling, and all. Then they spent hundreds of dollars hanging high end components on mediocre bike frames that did not fit or handle all that well.  Terry gives girl racers access to the same quality bikes that the guys have.   

[The Captain]

Jul 30, 2015 19:04:49 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

Jul 30, 2015 9:19:19 GMT -5 NancysSummerSip said:

Well, hello there!


I have a Trek 7.2, which is not the most lightweight bike, but then again, I'm not the most lightweight person. I've used it in a triathlon, and it worked just fine. It's sturdy and can take a beating. Cost about $500.00 two years ago, and I bought it at a bike shop. I had to custom-order it, because I needed a very small frame.

For Nancy and other women who find it hard to find bikes that fit them, check out the line of bikes by Georgena Terry.  Georgena is a retired bike racer and engineer who has designed a line of bicycles that meet the unique needs of women.  Terry Precision Bicyles also sells a variety of women centric bicycling products to make your riding more pleasant.  While Terry sells a full line of bikes at a variety of price points, this is the only source of racing quality bikes that I know of that are designed for a woman's physiology.  That's why Mrs. Tskeeter rides one. 

Well I'll be damned. You learn something new about someone every day. I had no idea you were so into, and knew so much about, biking!

[tskeeter]

Aug 3, 2015 11:32:55 GMT -5 The Captain said:

Jul 30, 2015 19:04:49 GMT -5 tskeeter said:

For Nancy and other women who find it hard to find bikes that fit them, check out the line of bikes by Georgena Terry.  Georgena is a retired bike racer and engineer who has designed a line of bicycles that meet the unique needs of women.  Terry Precision Bicyles also sells a variety of women centric bicycling products to make your riding more pleasant.  While Terry sells a full line of bikes at a variety of price points, this is the only source of racing quality bikes that I know of that are designed for a woman's physiology.  That's why Mrs. Tskeeter rides one. 

Well I'll be damned. You learn something new about someone every day. I had no idea you were so into, and knew so much about, biking!

I keep telling DW that I'm so much more than just a pretty face 

[Deleted]

A male coworker that's been riding bikes for years went riding with me and a friend this morning. He brought a "granddaddy" bike instead of his road bike to help him ride slower. He rides faster than both of us and I ride faster than my friend. I was happy to have a chance to ride with someone that's faster than me, because I've heard that helps you eventually get faster. But we couldn't just take off and leave the 3rd person lol. Or ride so far that she couldn't get back. It was fun.

He said he started off riding mountain bikes on dirt trails, but he changed to roads because he kept breaking stuff on his bikes. I told him I've been wanting to ride a dirt trail since I do have a mountain bike, but I'm scared to go in the woods by myself. He said I was going to make him dig up a mountain bike. I told him that's not necessary if he's going to have me always breaking something on my bike lol.

He does group rides, so maybe I can get some pointers and info about them from him about it. I hope we get to ride together again so I can see how I do trying to keep up with him. And he showed me where the trail we rode connects to another one to ride further into the city. We didn't keep going this morning because we'd already rode more miles than my friend had ever done.

I'm still resisting the temptation to go look at road bikes.

[tskeeter]

Aug 3, 2015 13:26:59 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

A male coworker that's been riding bikes for years went riding with me and a friend this morning. He brought a "granddaddy" bike instead of his road bike to help him ride slower. He rides faster than both of us and I ride faster than my friend. I was happy to have a chance to ride with someone that's faster than me, because I've heard that helps you eventually get faster. But we couldn't just take off and leave the 3rd person lol. Or ride so far that she couldn't get back. It was fun.

He said he started off riding mountain bikes on dirt trails, but he changed to roads because he kept breaking stuff on his bikes. I told him I've been wanting to ride a dirt trail since I do have a mountain bike, but I'm scared to go in the woods by myself. He said I was going to make him dig up a mountain bike. I told him that's not necessary if he's going to have me always breaking something on my bike lol.

He does group rides, so maybe I can get some pointers and info about them from him about it. I hope we get to ride together again so I can see how I do trying to keep up with him. And he showed me where the trail we rode connects to another one to ride further into the city. We didn't keep going this morning because we'd already rode more miles than my friend had ever done.

I'm still resisting the temptation to go look at road bikes.

Every committed bikie needs a fleet of bikes.  A mountain bike, a great road bike, a road touring bike with a triple crankset, maybe a city bike, and, if you want your significant other to keep you company on your rides, a tandem.  As you gain experience, you'll want to try racing.  So you'll need a few more bikes.  A good road racing bike.  A tight framed crit bike.  A track bike for the velodrome.  And probably a cyclocross bike, to help you keep in shape for the summer road and track season.  And you'll need a clunker, for those winter days when you don't want to get you good bikes dipped in mud and slop.

Now, call your insurance agent and ask them if your standard insurance policy covers the $30K or so that you've invested in all those top of the line bikes, bike racks, and other related accessories.  (If you really get into it, it's not a cheap hobby.)

[Deleted]

Pink makes every effort to not pay attention to tskeeter's post.

[Deleted]

My friend dug out her old cruiser to try bike riding since I kept going on about how much I liked it. She liked it and went and bought a used Trek hybrid. I warned her that you don't just buy a bike. If you start riding, you buy gear.

I was surprised by the amount of money I was spending on gear and accessories just to be comfortable riding and have what I "needed". I quickly discovered I didn't know what I was getting into when I bought my bike. Once I got all that together, I thought I was done, at least until it got cooler and I needed warmer clothes.

Then I started wanting a road bike.

Now tskeeter is cracking jokes about a whole stable of bikes. I don't see me getting THAT carried away. LOL!

[tskeeter]

Aug 3, 2015 14:28:35 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

My friend dug out her old cruiser to try bike riding since I kept going on about how much I liked it. She liked it and went and bought a used Trek hybrid. I warned her that you don't just buy a bike. If you start riding, you buy gear.

I was surprised by the amount of money I was spending on gear and accessories just to be comfortable riding and have what I "needed". I quickly discovered I didn't know what I was getting into when I bought my bike. Once I got all that together, I thought I was done, at least until it got cooler and I needed warmer clothes.

Then I started wanting a road bike.

Now tskeeter is cracking jokes about a whole stable of bikes. I don't see me getting THAT carried away. LOL!

Bad news.  Ain't no limit to what you "need".  Soon you're going to graduate to new pedals and cycling shoes, so you can ride more efficiently.  Then are tights and long sleeved jerseys, so you can continue to ride outdoors in cold weather.  And the shoe covers, to keep your feet warm.  And a cycling jacket, with wind resistant front panels and breathable back to help wick away perspiration on those cold days.  And lights.  Cause in the winter time it gets dark before you've got your daily ride in.  And a good floor pump, cause those frame pumps take a lot of work to top off a tire before every ride.  And the repair stand, to hold your bike while you clean or service it.  And tools.  Chain breakers, freewheel tools, cone wrenches, third hands, allen wrenches and pedal wrenches.  Cause who wants to leave their bike at the shop for two or three days for a minor repair or adjustment?  And the roof rack, cause you're gonna want to explore new places to ride and get to races in other places.  And you'll ride with your buds, so you've gotta have a rack for at least four bikes.  At least you haven't bought a rack for the car and another rack for the truck, or your own wheel truing stand.  Yet.      

[billisonboard]

Aug 3, 2015 13:26:59 GMT -5 @pinkcshmere said:

...

He said he started off riding mountain bikes on dirt trails, but he changed to roads because he kept breaking stuff on his bikes. ...

It is certainly a pain when things break on your bike when you are in the back country. Of course, there are worse things to break. I never broke anything but did have one crash that left me unable to ride and limping about a mile to get out.

When I started on the mountain bike a few years after seriously riding a road bike, I kept going over the front handlebars. Couldn't figure out why. Then one evening my ex looked up from her computer with a smile on her face. She had found an article about a bicycle company which had given bikes to motocross riders as a promo. They were also going over the front of their new bikes. She asked me what hand I used to engage the clutch on my motorcycle. I told her my left. Yes, I was locking down the front brake hard. Never went over the front again once I was aware.