Old Git On A Bike battles with the wind (2000 miles ridden)

Old Git On A Bike

Hi all, I'm new on the forum, why am I here?

Well, I aim to end my days of being an unfit fat slob, who spends day and night sitting in front of this computer with zero excercise, as I have been doing continuously, since I found the internet in early 2001.

I have put on a lot of weight in that time, and had quite a lot of muscle wastage through complete inactivity, it's time to get some of this weight off, I need to do it now, I'll be 42 in 5 months time, and I can't leave it any longer or it will be too late.

I now get out of breath very easily, for example, if I was to stand up now and jog on the spot for 30 seconds, I would be sweating heavily, out of breath and my pulse rate would be racing up to about 150ish, and it wouldn't recover to a normal rate for quite some time, that's how unfit I am, which is down to smoking heavily for the last 28 years since I was 13, and probably not helped with all the asbestos dust I used to breathe in at work.

I'm dreading do excercise again, because I also get cardiac arrythmia quite a bit, that has put me right off doing excercise before, thinking that my heart might pack in whilst doing it, but then again, if I don't excercise now, it will pack in anyway, so my new years resolution is going to be, get back in to (some sort of) shape.

So then, to get fit again, I recently placed an order for this mountain bike:

CBR 26 Ins 24 Speed Dual Suspension Bike

Four bar linkage alloy dual suspension frame with semi integrated headset.
24 speed Shimano Acera gears.
Front and rear mechanical disc brakes.
Black 32 hole spoked wheels with lightweight alloy double wall rims.
SR Suntour branded performance chainset.
Quality branded 'Tioga' saddle.
Ahead alloy handlebar stem.
Alloy micro adjust seat post.
Alloy quick release front and rear wheel.

Does anyone know anything about CBR bikes, anyone here ever owned one?

I wont be doing any off roading on this bike, well certainly not at the moment anyway, this bike will be used for riding on roads, tarmac seafront cycle paths and around parks, I probably would have been better of with a road racing bike for that, but I wanted something a bit more comfortable in my old age, I'm not bothered about the rolling resistance with these chunky tyres, that will just make me have to work that little bit harder.

Anyone got any good cycling regimes for someone as unfit as me, I was thinking of trying to start of with 10 - 15 miles a day, just a nice slow steady pace to work myself in and build up a bit of fitness so that I don't get breathless so quickly, but that's probably a bit to much to start with, right?

woodywmb

Follow the advice in the fitness section. Look for a series of posts by Dave Piggot. Keep us up to date and you'll find the feedback motivational. The bike's a bit over the top for roads and paths - better with a hybrid. Decathlon and Edinburgh Bicycle Co-op have some super hybrids at great prices. Anyway, you've done it. Use your trusty steed until you lose weight, when you will be psyched up for making more progress and you're out cycling with others ... then think about changing. Make a new bike your reward. Best of luck. It's the start of a new life and a new lifestyle.

Old Git On A Bike

Cheers Woody, I'll check out the Dave Piggot posts out you mentioned

I was pretty much stuck with a small selection of bikes I am able to purchase out of the catalogue, as I can only afford to pay for my bike on a weekly basis from the catalogue I ordered it from, the rest of the bikes they had were mostly all the same sort of thing, apart from a couple of real cheap ones for about £80, which would probably fall apart in no time, so I though I would get the one posted above, looks sturdy anyway, as you say, it might be a bit over the top for roads and paths, but at least I'll be comfortable on it , and if I do decide to ride in woodland tracks etc when I get a bit fitter, it will do nicely for that I think.

woodywmb

Don't get taken in by all the bike snobbery out there. Your bike's fine. It'll do the job. I thought I'd inspire you with a few words of eary morning encouragement. From a 51 year old!

dunker

10-15 miles might be a bit of a shock to the system i'd suggest aiming at more like 2-5 miles about once every other day for a few weeks just to wake up all those muslces and tendons that have been asleep, but once on the bike after a few hills you'll get an idea of how far you'll want to ride.

oh and get a helmet and enjoy the rides try not to push yourself too hard just have fun

dave_hill

Old Git On A Bike wrote:

I'm dreading do excercise again, because I also get cardiac arrythmia quite a bit, that has put me right off doing excercise before, thinking that my heart might pack in whilst doing it, but then again, if I don't excercise now, it will pack in anyway, so my new years resolution is going to be, get back in to (some sort of) shape.

I would also advise paying a visit to your GP. Discuss with him/her what you intend to do and ask if they have any pointers.

It may be worth trying to loose a little weight first before you start trying any vigorous exercise - I'm not saying go on a crash diet, just watch what you're eating, drink plenty of water and resist getting the car out for journeys under a mile!

griffsters

I read the first three paragraphs of your post and this could almost be me except four years younger. I think computers and the internet must be having a serious impact on the fitness of the nation! I've got a bike on the way and really keen to get out there. Luckily I have some ideal off road routes literally up the road - part of the pennine bridleway I believe (Hollingworth lake / Milnrow / Piethorne res). I didnt even know it was there until i started checking out possible bike routes off the beaten track but local.

All the very best when you get started, I know how you feel. I look at my little un and think if I carry on I wont see her wedding day. Christ, will somebody pass me a tissue i'm blubbing here!

xcracer

Erm...I've no idea what cardiac arrythmia is exactly - although I would guess that it is something to do with your heart - but it sounds serious!

I agree with Dave Hill. If you are as unfit as you say and you have a serious medical condition, I would contact your GP first before attempting any strenuous exercise. I am sure that they would be only too happy to advise you and agree an exercise regime.

Good luck! I hope you get in shape and learn to love cycling as much as I do.

kokomojoe

As a relative new boy , aged 55+, being grossly over weight. having had my coronary arteries rebored last year I would recommend that you:
1) see your GP-you will at least know that cycling will or will not be "safe"
2) As previously recommended start out with short rides of say 20- 30 minutes. take in the scenery and enjoy the fact that you can do this.
Do not try to keeep up with the local kids
3) Stop smoking for good-use the money on kit for your bike

foregoneconclusion

Just wondering if I'm the only one here who has read the opening post and thinks it's a bit of wind up?

FSR_XC

Old Git - how far is it to work?

If it is only a few miles, why not aim to be able to cycle to work?

Look for incentives. If you are going to continue smoking. Cycle to the shop whenever you need a packet (or do without!)

Whatever you do - Start gently!

Celtic Dragon

I smoke 25 - 30 a day and I'm 31, over weight by 2 stone. IF cycling did 1 thing it highlighted that I need to stop smoking. I used to ride 4.5 miles each way to work, that was untill the GT got nicked.

Never had a problem just jumping on the bike after 10 years of not riding, legs held up, skills were rusty but there. However the hills were the problem, they really hurt the lungs.

dave_hill

foregoneconclusion wrote:

Just wondering if I'm the only one here who has read the opening post and thinks it's a bit of wind up?

For what reason(s)?

foregoneconclusion

It's difficult to tell I know, and if it is genuine then I can only apologise.

My immediate reaction was, 'why would you feel the need to share all that personal info?' It's a rather pathetic picture that's been painted, and just feel it's a little too sad to be true

Plus the whole layout of the posting doesn't appear to fit the profile of the person he's describing. The post has been written out thoughtfully and spelt correctly, and reference to his increased heart rate under exercise indicate he seems intelligent enough.

Now go back to his second post, that he can only afford to pay for a bike on a weekly basis. Yet can still afford to smoke heavily AND is able to keep up with an internet subscription without a problem. It's not rocket science to see what the solution is!

It may be me reading too much into it, and I'm happy to be corrected.....but I just don't buy it.

Old Git On A Bike

@ Foregoneconclusion, you're completely off track there mate, what I wrote is completely genuine, I wouldn't even term what I wrote to be, personal details, it's just very basic general information, so that people can see my level of fitness, if people are to give me informed advice, I think it's best for them to know my level of fitness, and what I am, and am not capable of doing, rather than me say nothing, get loads of advice and then say I couldn't do that due to my general health and unfitness, then members might have to repost again with something more suitable, which wastes their time having to repost different advice to fit in with what I am capable of doing, hence the basic details I gave.

Plus the whole layout of the posting doesn't appear to fit the profile of the person he's describing. The post has been written out thoughtfully and spelt correctly, and reference to his increased heart rate under exercise indicate he seems intelligent enough.

Are you serious, what does the way I post have to do with anything, maybe I should write without thought and make loads of spelling mistakes? :? Perhaps you have a preconceived view of someone who is fat, unfit, and a heavy smoker, who might not be too bright, I am not Wayne, the fat slob from the Harry Enfield show

I will send you a PM with answers to your questions, you might then see what I have to contend with, I could have written it here, but that WOULD be giving too much personal information out in public.

woodywmb

Ouch! Steady on guys. We're a friendly lot who happen to like cycling. That's it. There's room for everyone - all shapes and sizes. Life's hard enough without falling out over a few words. No hidden agendas, no conspiracy theories, no hoaxing. Happy new year!!!

gizzardman

Hi there,
I think what you're doing is great. But please, please make sure you get a helmet. I bought a MTB 3 months ago and been mainly riding off-road but a few miles on road in the evenings. Believe me it's a very dangerous place to be. I doesn't seem to matter how careful you are there is always someone in a car not paying attention.
If you have a park/woods somewhere nearby then use that, the air will be alot cleaner too!

P.S Please try to get off the ciggies. A hypnotist did the trick for me 8 months ago after 15 years of 20 a day and countless attempts at quitting the normal ways, patches etc. Best £100 i ever spent. Try it if you can.

Hope everything goes well my friend. Keep us all posted!

tonyrees68

hiya old git . same here 40 and unfit i know what you mean by getting out of breath on a jog on the spot thing dont let that bother you . i have only had my bike for a couple of weeks and ride every possible moment , i was doing about 30 mins to an hour and now up to 2 hours riding around my local woods just after 2 weeks . i used to ride a lot when i was a lot younger and its all coming back just take it easy and enjoy the moment the hardest thing i found was to get up early and do it but once your outside your front door in the morning its brilliant
iam doing about 45 mins 3 times a week befor i go to work in the morning and it really gives you a energy buzzz for work and its great having the shower after your ride and you never feel tired either
stick with it woods and trails are better than roads with cars
tony

Old Git On A Bike

Thanks for all the encouragement.

I don't think I could stop smoking for good on any given day, if I tried to, I would fail miserably, but I have made an effort to cut down as of January 1st, on Tuesday, I smoked 22 roll-ups, which is about a third of what I normally smoke in a day, I'm starting off by trying to keep it at around 2 smokes per hour, then increase the time between smokes until I wean myself off them completely, I smoked 25 on Wednesday up till now (early Thursday am), but I'll be going to bed soon, so that's my lot for the day, even by smoking two thirds less than normal for now, the savings I make will pay for my new bike 8)

I can see your points about wearing a hat for safety reasons, but I would never wear one, it's just not my thing, I wont be doing whole load of road riding anyway, I'll only be on the road to get to get to a cycle path, then on to that or the park, although the park is not very big, and it's got those red gravel paths at the bottom of the park, and a muddy track at the top of it, so probably not ideal, plus there are loads of bloody hills whereI live, I live on top of the cliff, I like hills :roll:, might be walking up those for a while.

I should be moving to Hastings in around March, I had a look on the Sustrans site and there are plently of nice cycle routes down that way, some hilly but others described as easy rides, which will be all the better for me until I get my bike legs back.

clas

YOU SMOKE SIXTY ROLL UPS A DAY!!!!!???????
bloody hell when you die youll have so much tar in your lungs they could split you open and turn you into a carpark!
well done on starting to ride again and you only "cant" stop smoking because you dont actually want to yet... You will

BlackSpur

Old Git On A Bike wrote:

I can see your points about wearing a hat for safety reasons, but I would never wear one, it's just not my thing, I wont be doing whole load of road riding anyway, I'll only be on the road to get to get to a cycle path, then on to that or the park

No matter where you a riding, you should always wear a helmet. It "won't be your thing" untill you hit a pothole coming down a hill and resurface the road with your brains.

cjw

BlackSpur wrote:

Old Git On A Bike wrote:

I can see your points about wearing a hat for safety reasons, but I would never wear one, it's just not my thing, I wont be doing whole load of road riding anyway, I'll only be on the road to get to get to a cycle path, then on to that or the park

No matter where you a riding, you should always wear a helmet. It "won't be your thing" untill you hit a pothole coming down a hill and resurface the road with your brains.

So true. I always wear a helmet especially off-road; it is easy to come off and hit your head on a tree (or the ground) at speed (say 20-25mph down light forest trails). Only a month ago I was doing my usual short trail (nothing techncal) with a short wooden footbridge over a bit of marshy ground. Front wheel slid out (it was slippery and slimy) and down I came. My head almost hit one of the uprights of the bridge, missed it by about a millimeter of so. Extra few mills of sliding would have meant a nasty head cut (or worse) if I hadn't been wearing a helmet. I've never taken a tumble on this trail before as I know it so well :roll:

terra

This is a picture of my mates hat with a big chunk missing when he fell off and hit his head on a rock. This was on a quite gentle incline, on an otherwise wide gravelly track.

clas

If I didnt wear a helmet I would be dead
If my wife didnt wear a helmet she would be dead
It might not be your thing but have you got a family? they will of course be happy if you stove your head in without a helmet they will say " thats fine it just wasnt his thing"

tonyrees68

hey please wear a helmet it does not have to be expensive but if the fags dont get you a head injury will dont be silly about this but your asking for advice take it
tony

jimmyp1873

i must admit a helmet isnt my thing, i hate them. i got my bike a year ago (1st one for about 18yrs) went round a couple of back roads to get back into the swing of it, no probs there.
but as soon as i went off road the lid went on and TBH i think i would feel more of a sap if i didnt wear it. and after about 10 secs you dont even realise its there. at the end of the day it just might save you from getting a sore one......

stumpyjon

Helmets are standard (gross generalisation coming up) it's the inexperienced who don't wear them, anyone serious about riding wears a helmet (in the MTB world anyway). A well fitting helmet (doesn't have to be expensive) fades into the background once it's on. You nearly always fall off where you'd least expect to, and even if you don't hit your head on the ground there's plenty of hard pointy bits on a bike to give your head a good smack as it lands on top of you.

Old Git On A Bike

Ok ok, I'll wear a hat, I can't argue with all of you, damnit

After reading this forum and getting further info via Google, I decided to phone the catalogue and cancel the order for the bike in my first post, at the same time, I ordered a slightly different one, the replacement bike is the same make, model and cost as the previous one, the only difference is, this one has no rear suspension on it, and instead of the "Shimano Acera gears" on the other one, it has "SRAM X-series gears" on this bike, which from what I have read, are better than the Shimano's.

I thought it might be another few weeks for delivery due to cancelling, but they said it will only be about 4 days for this one to arrive, they will phone me tomorrow to confirm that 8), this is the new one I ordered:

24 speed CBR Front Suspension Twin Disc Bike

My reason for changing the order was, I noticed quite a few posts where it said, having a rear suspension can cause you to lose quite a bit of power through the gears as you pedal, and I think I will need as much power as possible without it being wasted, so changing to a hardtail looked the better option, also, I wont be riding on mountains or very rought tracks, so it's probably not necessary and I can do without it.

teacherman

That'll be better for you - lighter and you won't waste so much energy bouncing around with each pedal stroke.

giving up smoking is mind over matter - treat each craving like something you can physically fight - they generally only last a few minutes and then go away - it worked for me.

Good luck buddy

BlackSpur

Old Git On A Bike wrote:

Ok ok, I'll wear a hat, I can't argue with all of you, damnit

After reading this forum and getting further info via Google, I decided to phone the catalogue and cancel the order for the bike in my first post, at the same time, I ordered a slightly different one, the replacement bike is the same make, model and cost as the previous one, the only difference is, this one has no rear suspension on it, and instead of the "Shimano Acera gears" on the other one, it has "SRAM X-series gears" on this bike, which from what I have read, are better than the Shimano's.

I thought it might be another few weeks for delivery due to cancelling, but they said it will only be about 4 days for this one to arrive, they will phone me tomorrow to confirm that 8), this is the new one I ordered:

24 speed CBR Front Suspension Twin Disc Bike

My reason for changing the order was, I noticed quite a few posts where it said, having a rear suspension can cause you to lose quite a bit of power through the gears as you pedal, and I think I will need as much power as possible without it being wasted, so changing to a hardtail looked the better option, also, I wont be riding on mountains or very rought tracks, so it's probably not necessary and I can do without it.

If it's not too late, I would cancel and order this instead:
http://www.discountcyclesdirect.co.uk/product_info.php?products_id=6421

It's actually cheaper and a better bike in every way.

Old Git On A Bike

@ BlackSpur, I couldn't buy that bike you posted, my only option is to buy my bike from the catalogue where I have ordered it from, where I will be paying for it weekly. Just out of interest, In what way is that Mongoose bike better?