Road Cycling Technique for a n00b

klargon
klargon Posts: 18
edited June 2008 in Road beginners
Hello!

Picked up my first road bike the other day, and it's quite a change from the hardtails I'm used to riding. Just been out for about 17 miles (bout 8 miles constant uphill before the same of downhill) and I found myself completely lacking in any technique. If someone could tell me the very basics, it's be much appreciated. Things like when to use the drops, when to leave the saddle, how frequently to change gears on a hill and any other general pointers.

I guess I've got a lot of setting up to do on the bike. As my posture transfers more of my weight to my arms, I found that my elbows and shoulders start to ache - is there a likely culprit for this? I've gotta be capable of 100 miles a day by this time next year!

Thanks in advance.

Comments

  • clanton
    clanton Posts: 1,289
    Did you get the bike from a shop? They should be able to help you with bike fit.

    FWIW I tend to ride on the hoods mainly, drops on downhills or into the a headwind, tops of the bars for climbing sometimes. I sit almost all of the time, occasionally stand to accelerate, for short sharp climbs but not very often.
    Gears: change early and as needed.
  • Sea_Green_Incorruptible
    Sea_Green_Incorruptible Posts: 431
    clanton wrote:
    Did you get the bike from a shop? They should be able to help you with bike fit.

    FWIW I tend to ride on the hoods mainly, drops on downhills or into the a headwind, tops of the bars for climbing sometimes. I sit almost all of the time, occasionally stand to accelerate, for short sharp climbs but not very often.
    Gears: change early and as needed.

    Wot Clanton said!
  • pjh
    pjh Posts: 204
    Hi Klargon,

    Not sure there's any hard and fast answers to your questions.

    With things like using the drops my answer is 'when it's windy and I want to get underneath it a bit' or 'when I'm trying to get maximum speed' or sometimes 'just for a change of position' to give something a rest :D

    Same with standing and sitting down on climbs. I tend to change between these to give myself a rest except the obvious i.e. when you have to stand because the hill is too steep to sit on!

    With regard to gear changing I try to keep my cadence as high as possible within reason (about 95 for me) as much of the time as I can so I'll swap cogs as frequently as I need to keep things thereabouts.

    Road bikes tend to position you with your weight forward on your hands (not so much on your arse) ... and so it's usual (for me anyway) to get some discomfort on hands/wrists/shoulders on longer rides. Again I just vary my hand positions ... tops/hoods/drops ... just to mix it up a bit. It's also worth getting some decent padded gloves and/or bar tape to make the handlebars more comfortable.

    Sorry NOT to give you much specifics but IMHO it's about what feels right for you really :D

    It's great to be .....
  • klargon
    klargon Posts: 18
    No need to apologise, dude. That's a great help, thanks. The main thing is that I'm not doing something very wrong when riding. Seems like it's just gonna take some adjustment to the road cycling position before the pains go away on short rides. Cheers for the replies, guys.
  • pdstsp
    pdstsp Posts: 1,264
    On long up-hill drags the wisdom (and it works) - get in a comfortable gear, hands on the tops (to open up the chest and maximise air to the lungs) and peddle like billy-oh until you get to the top. Say thank f... for that. Put hands on drops/hoods, shut off brain and descend, breathing as required. By bottom of hill hands wll be clawed to exactly the same shape as brake levers so you wuill be able to order new ones from LBS. Ride along valley on hoods/drops dependng on wind direction. Find new hill.... start again.
    Only leave saddle when personal wind habits demand :oops:

    Enjoy - ther's no secret - but its all great.
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    Klargon - I started cycling a few months ago. I found the whole thing rather unsettling, being on a somewhat friskier steed to the BMX's and Mountain Bikes of my youth.

    I asked the same sort of questions as you and people very kindly supplied some good answers.

    However, the truth is, you'll figure it all out yourself and have a great time doing so.

    I used find it hard to go from drops to the hoods and vice versa - now I don't think about it. One of my 'great' achievements was figuring out how to remove the water bottle from the cage, drink and put it back again without painting the road in Hint of Nuggs....

    The best advice I can give is just to get out there and enjoy the learning experience. So much technique will develop just by putting miles under the wheels.

    I'm still in awe of the guys who have been cycling for a long time and who seem so comfortable on the bike - they make it seem so fluid and effortless. They didn't get that way by reading Fora (although I'm sure it helps!) but by riding mile after mile, learning their craft.

    So - get out there and enjoy the sunshine!
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    If you're worried about position, then hopefully your LBS will set you up, or look up some information in books (more time consuming though).

    Don't worry too much about technique too much, so long as your body is in a comfortable position which works for you, there shouldn't be too much to worry about. As for fluid pedling style, I have seen n00bs which "better" style than someone who has been cycling for years and goes much faster.


    A few things though, try and pedal at 90rpm and remember that on the road some car drivers are tw@s (most aren't though) above all though have fun, do things (such as standing up, going on the drops) when you feel you need to.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • madturkey
    madturkey Posts: 58
    I can second Nuggs' comments - it's all about getting time on the road.

    I started late last year (completely from scratch), and got my first drop bar bike a couple of months ago. I still haven't dared to drink on the fly as the one time I tried I had a serious brown trouser moment, and I'm still finding it hard to move to the drops, but I fully expect with time to be able to master both.

    Every mile I feel more comfortable and iron out a few more creases in technique.
  • Nuggs
    Nuggs Posts: 1,804
    madturkey wrote:
    Stuff
    Completely O/T: Madturkey, are you the guy that put a loop from Haywards Heath to Crowborough on Bikely?

    I saw that route this morning and think it looks great - can't wait to give it a go! :D
  • madturkey
    madturkey Posts: 58
    Yep - that's me

    I've not done it yet on a bike (but know the roads well in the car!) but am planning to do so in a few weeks. Should be nice and rolling through the Ashdown Forest :)

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