First week of road biking

MikeWW

So at 46 got my first road bike on Sunday. Did my first club event tonight-great fun but a long way to go! Quick bunch of guys racing round a 3/4 mile tarmac circuit. Slightly damp and was a bit nervous on the tight corners but managed over 20 mph for the hour session. Including the spin down to the circuit did 25 miles at 20.5 mph so maybe averaged 21-22 for the hour. Think I will need to be up nearer 25 mph to really start mixing it. Anyway great fun and a very friendly bunch. Only popped down to have a look and they quickly shouted me over and persuaded me to join in. Never ridden in a bunch and they were happy to explain things and got loads of encouragement.In fact dropped my bottle at one point and someone grabbed it and got it back to me. For anyone umming and arring about joining in I think its just a question of biting the bullet and getting stuck in. A lot friendlier than I expected and made to feel very welcome.Will take a while but looking forward to mixing it up a bit and I think once I'm used to the bike my cornering speed should be a lot quicker. Hope my post gets at least one person off the fence and into a club ride/race or something

STEFANOS4784

Your 1st road bike? That is quick! You must have had pretty good fitness to start with?
Congratulations

MikeWW

Started mountain biking year last Xmas as I'd given up smoking the July before and started to put on weight. Done a fair bit since so I think I've got a reasonable base fitness(need to find some more pace)
I guess the main reason for posting is that I'm sure there are plenty of beginners about that are my age or probably younger who wonder whether they should join a club or not and whether they are quick enough etc etc. I reckon you should just do it. Worst that happens is you get dropped- I was by the lead 4 who passed me twice. Doesn''t matter(for now) as they race a lot and there is always going to be someone quicker. Have decided I want to do a 25 mile time trial in an hour as this seems to be a magic number. Reakon it might take me a year to get there but should be worth it.

STEFANOS4784

25 miles at over 20 mph average is not really beginner pace to be honest. Keep training and you'll be winning races before long 8)

Mettan

MikeWW wrote:

So at 46 got my first road bike on Sunday. Did my first club event tonight-great fun but a long way to go! Quick bunch of guys racing round a 3/4 mile tarmac circuit. Slightly damp and was a bit nervous on the tight corners but managed over 20 mph for the hour session. Including the spin down to the circuit did 25 miles at 20.5 mph so maybe averaged 21-22 for the hour.

A 21-22 mph Avg for an hour sounds like a good effort Mike - congrats - and good luck dipping under the hour for the 25

STEFANOS4784

Edit: scratch that i have a plan.......

MikeWW

STEFANOS4784 wrote:

Out of curiosity what did you use to quit the smoking :oops:

Read the Alan Carr book(can't remember the title but its a well known book) Wife bought me it and I think it was 2 years before I actually opened it :oops:
I'd smoked 20 a day for 20 years but reading the book was a revelation. Recommends you continue to smoke until you finish it and in the end couldn't wait to finish it so I could stop! Didn't use anything else. Just chucked everything away-cigs/lighters/matches/ashtrays. First 24 hours were really hard, first week was tough but after a month knew I was on the way. Best decision I made. Put on some weight as I started eating more(but have lost it now) and feel so much better(didn't know I felt bad before)
A few friends did the same and got the same result. Once you get to the point where you want to stop rather than being at the point where you know you should stop it gets easier

STEFANOS4784

My plan is that i'm going to portugal with 6 mates all non smokers. My mates i usually see locally are all smokers as are my family. If i get back and i'm still puffing away i'll give that a try. To be fair i've never 'really' tried to stop so about time i got a grip i think, cheers for the tip (no pun intended)

Anyhoo i'm signing out now, see everyone in a cpl o weeks 8)