How old are the newbies to road cycling?

Sesquepidilian

30 yrs old and have been riding about 8 weeks, doing 10 miles a day between and around Amersham and Chesham, Buckinghamshire, in the evenings and weekends. Riding a Raleigh Airlite 100; my "starter" 'Racer.
The last two friday evenings I've done Chesham to Rickmansworth which is about 20 miles round trip. Last time was through the chesham valley via Chenies.

Fatamorgana

47 and coming from Mtn biking as I am carrying some training injuries that seem not to be healing when I ride XC.

So, my 1st road ride with a club is this Sunday with the guys at Ashwell in N Herts.

Looking forward to it, aside from the fact that I am a little hesitant about riding for 3hrs, which is longer by a full 1hr than I have ridden in 2yrs, plus the fact that I am still on an eBay £165 Special mtn bike with some road-ish tyres! Less than ideal.

Me thinks I might be working my little socks off on Sunday trying not to be the last man, and if I am and I'm clearly the gooseberry I will cut-loose and find my way home and maybe work on my fitness in the summer and try again in the autumn.

Wish me well!

Note: v.poor weather forecast has thrown the Sunday ride into doubt - don't see many turning out in this weather TBH. Any fool can be uncomfortable after all.

thefd

Fatamorgana wrote:

47 and coming from Mtn biking as I am carrying some training injuries that seem not to be healing when I ride XC.

So, my 1st road ride with a club is this Sunday with the guys at Ashwell in N Herts.

Looking forward to it, aside from the fact that I am a little hesitant about riding for 3hrs, which is longer by a full 1hr than I have ridden in 2yrs, plus the fact that I am still on an eBay £165 Special mtn bike with some road-ish tyres! Less than ideal.

Me thinks I might be working my little socks off on Sunday trying not to be the last man, and if I am and I'm clearly the gooseberry I will cut-loose and find my way home and maybe work on my fitness in the summer and try again in the autumn.

Wish me well!

All the best. Better than having all the gear and lagging behind. I'm sure you will enjoy it.

dynamictiger

If you had told me 10 years ago I would be a keen road cyclist I would have told you you were dreaming.

2 years ago, my wife bought me a K Mart special bike as she thought it would be fun. I never even got on it. Mind you I had bad knees, smoked two packets of cigarettes a day and weighed in at 130 kgs.

In fact when i think back I was never overly keen on riding a bike even in my youth. Yes I owned one, and did use it for a year or so to ride to school. However I cannot recall using it once I turned about 13.

Now at age 50 I took up cycling as a newbie only a few months ago. Mind you I have quit smoking, lost nearly 20 kgs and been going to a spin class for nearly a year. The spin class has strengthened my knees to the point where I was comfortable to try a road bike. Now you struggle to find me in a car unless She Who Must Be Obeyed insists we can't cycle that far...

paulmgreen

just got my first road bike today age 48!

Dsquared

I was 54 yrs old in late 2011 when I started biking again after a loooonnnng hiatus. I developed asthma and taking medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I have a Giant OCR-2 and I started doing 10 mile rides in 2010. In 2011, I started seriously training for my own personal satisfaction and improvement. At the end of 2011, I logged over 4,000 miles on my Giant with several metric centuries and 1 century ride.
In Jan 2012, my doctor took me off all my medication for my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I also lost over 35 lbs and back to my high school weight. So far, I've logged over 1,000 miles for this year and I just rode the Sea Otter Classic Gran Fondo century ride in Monterey, CA.
I just bought my new bike: 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 3 - Ultegra as an upgrade. I'm also doing a 3-day ride from the SF Bay Area to Yosemite National Park next month. I think I've inspired my co-workers. A friend just bought himself a new road bike and another is shopping for a road bike. I cannot say enough good things about cycling.

p9uma

dsquare wrote:

I was 54 yrs old in late 2011 when I started biking again after a loooonnnng hiatus. I developed asthma and taking medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I have a Giant OCR-2 and I started doing 10 mile rides in 2010. In 2011, I started seriously training for my own personal satisfaction and improvement. At the end of 2011, I logged over 4,000 miles on my Giant with several metric centuries and 1 century ride.
In Jan 2012, my doctor took me off all my medication for my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I also lost over 35 lbs and back to my high school weight. So far, I've logged over 1,000 miles for this year and I just rode the Sea Otter Classic Gran Fondo century ride in Monterey, CA.
I just bought my new bike: 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 3 - Ultegra as an upgrade. I'm also doing a 3-day ride from the SF Bay Area to Yosemite National Park next month. I think I've inspired my co-workers. A friend just bought himself a new road bike and another is shopping for a road bike. I cannot say enough good things about cycling.

A great inspirational story, a fantastic achievement.

simon59

I am almost 53. I used to ride a lot when I was a teenager but haven't really since then apart from a couple of years when my kids were young when I tried mountain biking.

I have put on a little weight over the years and the doctor told me my cholesterol levels were too high. I got an exercise bike a and tried it but it is very boring. I had chatted to my wife about getting a bike, so when friend said he had taken up cycling and got hooked it was the final push that made me get on with it. I didn't have a clue where to start so he advised that i shouldn't get anything too cheap and to go to a bike shop rather than Halfords. I did and I suspect I didn't get great advise but I bought a Viking Urban Elite hybrid as I was planning to start off on cycle tracks and they can be a bit rough (although the roads these days appear to be worse). This was 5 weeks ago. First couple of rides were probably only a couple of miles around the block. But as I am an early riser (5am, another story) I decided to ride along a track to a local village in the morning. It turned out to be 11.6 miles and took me 1:15 the first day I did it. I ride every other morning and got that down to 45 mins.That has now extended to 14 miles on the road, rather than track, and takes me about 55 mins.

5 weeks on and I am looking out for my first road bike to buy and would love some advice. If anyone knows a good place to start learning about the different gear sets, etc that would be great as I would like to make an informed decision. I think my longer term goals is longer road rides rather than short sprints so I have been looking at sportive bikes.

5 weeks and I have lost 9 pounds in weight, feel much better and am impatient to move on.

p9uma

simon59 wrote:

5 weeks on and I am looking out for my first road bike to buy and would love some advice. If anyone knows a good place to start learning about the different gear sets, etc that would be great as I would like to make an informed decision. I think my longer term goals is longer road rides rather than short sprints so I have been looking at sportive bikes.

5 weeks and I have lost 9 pounds in weight, feel much better and am impatient to move on.[/quote]

That's a fantastic achievement, nearly two pounds a week. Excellent. Have you got a target weight?

cyclefitness.co.uk

I think its great people of all ages shapes and sizes are taking up cycling as it is increasingly becoming more popular in this country. More mature riders tend to take it up primarily for health reasons but also enjoy time out with thier families etc. Others like to set themselves new challenges and goals such as charity rides. Teaching someone new to get back on thier bike or get that old bike out of the garage is very rewarding.

velocitygirl

dsquare wrote:

I was 54 yrs old in late 2011 when I started biking again after a loooonnnng hiatus. I developed asthma and taking medication for high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
I have a Giant OCR-2 and I started doing 10 mile rides in 2010. In 2011, I started seriously training for my own personal satisfaction and improvement. At the end of 2011, I logged over 4,000 miles on my Giant with several metric centuries and 1 century ride.
In Jan 2012, my doctor took me off all my medication for my high blood pressure and high cholesterol. I also lost over 35 lbs and back to my high school weight. So far, I've logged over 1,000 miles for this year and I just rode the Sea Otter Classic Gran Fondo century ride in Monterey, CA.
I just bought my new bike: 2012 Cannondale SuperSix 3 - Ultegra as an upgrade. I'm also doing a 3-day ride from the SF Bay Area to Yosemite National Park next month. I think I've inspired my co-workers. A friend just bought himself a new road bike and another is shopping for a road bike. I cannot say enough good things about cycling.

dsquare.. congratulations! First, training for your own personal satisfaction and improvement starting with 10 mile rides.. and then within a year or so being taken off of your High BP and Cholesterol meds.. Fantastic! Sounds like you have a new lease on life! May I ask if your breathing/asthma has improved?

velocitygirl

I've just turned 44 and started riding in September of last year.. I'm getting experience so I can handle a proper road bike soon.. I've been running for 5 years before that.. done a few 5K s and a 10K.. running certainly has it's own benefits.. but I love the feel of cycling.. there's nothing like it.. it's addicting! And my legs know when I've not been riding.. I'm the same weight but there are huge differences in muscle tone even after not riding for 2 weeks!

Nico Adie

I'm 28. Looking forward to getting rid of my office belly!

DrFeelgood40

First post here

Pick up my new bike tomorrow at the tender age of 40 - spent the last couple of months collecting components (eBay, last years bits, clear-outs, ex-display stuff, you know what I mean), dropped it all off at the shop on Tuesday, and ready to collect tomorrow

Cycling always seems to have just passed me by - did a bit of mountain biking for fun as a student, but nothing for at least 15 years. Always kept in fair shape with running, weights, intervals and a fairly recent Crossfit convert. Got persuaded to enter the Scottish Coast-to-Coat in September, so decided I probably needed a bike! We also decided to embark on a year of austere living, so we're getting rid of the car next month, and the bike will become my main commuting tool too.

Steve John B

40. Various reasons for giving it a go: cross training for running; fancy having a bash at a triathlon one day; my stepdad's been riding for a couple of years and seems to really enjoy it; general fitness and belly shrinkage.

Fitness history: running on and off for a few years (inc a few fell races) but regularly injured. Did 12 mile round trip bike commute in London a few years back before moving back up north.

Bike: 2nd hand carbon Scott CR1 bought on here for the bargain price of £500 - not sure I'm worthy of it but it's an incentive to train!

ErikH

Hi Everyone,
Am 35, bought my first road bike 4 weeks ago, Specialized Allez. Hadn't been on a bike since I was a kid so still getting used to eveything.

tubsolard

I'm 30.

I've always been a keen mountain biker and enterred my first XC races last year. I have tried taking my full suspension mountain bike out for a casual ride on the roads and it's hard work so I wanted a bike I can just pick up and go for a spin without the need to drive anywhere.

So far I'm loving it!

SupraMel

I'm 24 and have recently got into mountain biking however as I've dicovered a liking for the extremely muddy ditches I'm needing chunkier tyres that aren't so great for my commute so I'm saving for a road bike too! Would really like to get into the charity ride thing too.

speedo

Took it up 4 years ago,when I retired at 63
Main hobby prior was medium to long distance road running including marathons.
Currently out cycling 3 days a week doing around 120 to 140 miles week.
Joined a local road cycling club,and even had a couple of trys at time trialling
Absolutely love the sport.

wgordon

Age 61, and had not been on a bike since I was 16! Had never been on a bike with gears. Started cycling in order to enter a 200km weekend ride - a fundraising event for cancer research. Got on my bike for the first time 9 weeks ago, can now do 90 to 95 km over a weekend. I also go to 2 spin cycle classes a week where I can do 50km in a 2 hour session, and two other training classes for strength and flexibility (which I was doing previously). Four months to go before my big ride. Was reasonable fit and healthy before, but now feel super fit.

madtam

I am not sure I am a newbie as such, more of a returner.
49 years now and I have always had a bike since I first learnt to ride as a kid. I got a 2nd hand road bike when I was 10-11 years old from a retired local frame builder. It was far too big but over the next few years as I rode it for local transport I grew into it. I knew next to nothing about bikes at the time but with hindsight it was a nice bike with Reynolds tubing and some fancy brazed lugs as well as Campagnolo kit. I sold it about 10-12 years ago to someone who knew the original builder so it went to a good home at least.
I got a mountain bike when they first started arriving in the UK about 26-7 years ago and played around with that and a couple of replacements. I mostly rode at weekends just locally and for fun, but about when money was tight some years ago I started commuting by bike pretty much everyday for 3-4 years.
A couple of years ago my frame broke on the Felt Pro mountain bike and as I was soon to go camping in Holland with the family a bike was required so I got a cheap GT mountain bike from a friend. It was pretty old and not great and I always intended to replace it but as I seemed to spend most of my time on local roads rather than tracks/bridleways I finally elected to get a CX bike which was a 49th birthday present. This has proven to be an excellent choice as I have commuted on it and ridden it around many of the local routes I used to do anyway. There are some off road descents that I wouldn't attempt now but otherwise i think I can tackle most things I want to and it is certainly quicker than the knobbly tyred previous bikes on the road.
I have recently discovered Strava for logging routes and this is proving to be a dangerous toy as I find myself wanting to repeat short local rides only pushing myself to get round quicker than last time. The segments that others have also recorded are also tempting targets and I have been know to remove the panniers now in order to go for a quick blast round.
I am not sorry that I have finally come full circle back to a road bike but am still hanging on to the mountain bike in case I get the urge to follow my kids through the local wood where someone has built a few ramps and berms to play on.

baldwin471

I'm 18. Just got my first road bike, the 2011 Boardman Team Carbon. Loving riding so far. Problem is i live in a small village at the top of a hill, the only way out of the village is either down a long hill that is about a mile long and 10% incline, and the other hill is about half the length and about 18% incline. Now they are fun going down, but horrible coming back up, especially with the horrible drivers around. Also, it's pretty difficult getting clipped back in when going uphill, after stopping to catch breath

kluens

29, I've gone back to Uni and while I work nights over the summer, I needed something to do during the day!

My metabolism is noticeably slowing down now so the exercise is very welcome

It's quite addictive though, especially with Strava and it's damn segments. I think once i'm confident with my ability i'll be joining a local club and thinking about the sportives in order to take the hobby a little further.

AAG

Hi,
Im 39 and i feel older most of the time and my works only 3.7 miles each way. ive been cycling of and on for 6 months but in January i got hit from behind by a car on a busy/fast roundabout, and finally after my shoulder is 90% sorted ive now done 2 straight weeks and im loving it. and strava is great for giving me a push.

I have a Cannondale SL2 MTB for crappy weather and a Saracen racer(2nd hand) for half decent days, and hopefully this time next year im hoping to by a decent carbon bike.

jonomc4

Hello - I think I am like a lot of people here.

I am 46. 2 years ago I bought a Sirrus Expert to start commuting to work (it was supposed to be cheaper) it is definitely faster!

I used to do a lot of sport up to the age of 30 (was a national schoolboy sprinter) and then played a reasonably high level of Rugby. At 30 a combination of too much work, getting married and having kids and a number of serious sporting shoulder injuries (from lifting heavy weights in the gym for about 30 hours every week - finally took it's toll).

A couple of years ago I was desperate to find an exercise that I could fit into my daily routine, the bike fitted the bill exactly - it would only use time taken on the train usually and didn't have too much impact on my shoulders.

To the current day. I bought the sirrus because I thought it wouldn't need much in the realm of upgrades - well £800 later on new wheels and groupset and saddle I can only say how wrong I was. So now I have just built my first proper road bike, A De Rosa R838 with Zipp Cockpit, Sram Red/Force Groupset and Mavic wheels.

I am aiming for the 70 - 80 miles distance this year and have started going to the gym to improve my performance - weight is steady (I have always kept it reasonable at 78kg). I am just a lot fitter now and muscle is gradually replacing fat with muscle. I do about 5,000 miles a year between commuting and weekend rides.

All in all I am totally addicted and love the sport!

robjons21

Hi all

I'm 51. Never owned a road bike before. Retired from motorcycle endurance racing in 2008 and have been looking for new hobbies ever since. Been toying with the idea of cycling for a while now and finally taken the plunge under the cycle to work scheme. Just bought a secteur elite and looking forward to getting out and doing a bit. The ride to work is 10 miles each way; I'm also hoping to get out and put bigger miles under my belt at weekends.

I currently stay fit at the gym and MT kickboxing. It'll be nice to have a hobby that doesn't involve bruising my shins, elbows and knuckles ..... errr, unless I fall off this bike as often as I used to on my motorbikes lol

AllezGaz

47. Gave up the gym 3 years ago due to ill health. Done a little bit of cycling on MTB for a bit of excercise, but very little. One day heard about C2C and thought that would be a challenge, so in October last year bought an old CB San Remo off a guy at work as I thought would be a bad idea to try C2C on a full suspension 12 yr old MTB.
Now totally addicted to cycling Bought a Specialized Allez in April and did my first Sportive the other week....Rutland CiCle. Found it hard work after just 7 months of biking, completed 3hrs 54 in the pouring rain and bl**dy wind, but Ive upped my hill training now (bit flat in Lincs unles you know where to look ) in prep for next Sportive..bottled the Lincoln GP!!

Hoping to do C2C over a weekend next year.

CyclingObsession

I am 26 I go into it last year and originally it was on the gym bike to lose weight and then got hooked

dick_sternum

I'm 40, ridden mountain bikes since my teens but never seriously considered getting a road bike until now. The last few years have seen me do practically no riding at all due to work (near on 7 days a week and nearly always travelling), so we moved to Plymouth at the end of last year for a change in lifestyle. Started to get back on the MTB a few months ago after knackering my back not long after the move. I've enjoyed getting back on the bike (easy with the moors on the doorstep), I've lost 2.5 stone since I started, have added a second mountain bike to the fold and now I'm about to add my first road bike when the bits arrive this week (hopefully).

DS

buzzwold

Age now: 50 , First proper road bike 15. Big gap in the middle and have come to cycling as a means of getting fit. Have had a mountain bike for 3 years which I bought so that I could ride the ridgeway with my son. Found that I was doing all my cycling on roads.

Just bought a Bianchi Via Nirone 7, not because it's the best I could have bought for the money (if you believe the Cycling Plus star system) but because I liked it.

Objectives are to get a) get 100 miles in a week (not as easy as it sounds as I work two hours from home and I like my family) and then b) get a 100 miler in on a day and feel able to walk and talk.

Note - accomplished 75 miles over three days last week. If I can get 40 miles in by Sunday, I'll have achieved objective a.