6 months in and still a beginner.

Rulebritania
Rulebritania Posts: 209
edited January 2013 in Road beginners
I'm putting it down to the fit I can only really manage once a week, therefore I'm not progressing in speed and ability to climb hills. How on earth am I going to get better.

I have decided though to increase distance to almost double my usual rides (30+ miles).
The coldest snowy winter in ages has put me back even further.
I haven't the room for a indoor roller/trainer

What do you do?
Don't call me sir I work for a living

Comments

  • ShutUpLegs
    ShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    Spin or bike sessions in the gym
  • zx6man
    zx6man Posts: 1,092
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    Spin or bike sessions in the gym

    +1

    I still try to commute (10 miles), if not I hit the gym fo a cycle session if during the week.
  • I live in a one bedroom flat & have room for rollers, they get used in the hallway & when not in use are under the bed mine also fold up so could easily go in the cupboard too if needed.

    Or as others have said try a spin class at the gym.
    Pain hurts much less if its topped off with beating your mates to top of a climb.
  • mhj999
    mhj999 Posts: 122
    I live in a one bedroom flat & have room for rollers, they get used in the hallway & when not in use are under the bed mine also fold up so could easily go in the cupboard too if needed.

    Or as others have said try a spin class at the gym.

    +1 space for a bike = space for rollers or sell your sofa
    +1 spinning classes
    Sensa Giulia 105
  • nochekmate
    nochekmate Posts: 3,460
    What do we all do? Prioritise your life and make and find time to ride your bike - simple! :wink:

    Buy some decent winter clothing, lights, guards and ride to and from work if possible. 100+ miles a week achieved easily and does not really eat into family time. Everyone's a winner!
  • Lassic
    Lassic Posts: 32
    I've been cycling for around 7 months too, ~3 days a week.

    The first 4 months were 8 miles each way, then I moved house and it's only 4 miles each way now. So while it's not as far, I'm doing it more often, but still doesn't feel enough.

    Feel like I need to put in some extra work so might do a long stint each weekend, could that be an option for you?
  • djm501
    djm501 Posts: 378
    You don't *have* to take the most direct route to work. My direct route is only 5 miles but several time a week I do more than 30 miles in either on the way back or coming in in the morning. You just need to leave the house earlier, arrive later (or leave w*rk earlier ;-))
  • Muffintop
    Muffintop Posts: 296
    + spin classes and a turbo.
    It really is about prioritising too - meeting friends later so you can get a session in, getting up earlier and spending that half hour on the turbo. You should really look at getting a turbo if you're really stretched and leaving the house isn't an option, and cheaper than the gym. If you store your bike in an 'inside' space - chances are you've got space for a turbo, even if it is just the shed.

    As to being 6 months and still a beginner - I'm 3 years in and I still count myself as 'new' to this. I reacon you stop being a beginner when you've got permenant bike-hat tan and knickers are a very distant memory regardless what's being worn(yours and anyone elses).
    FCN: Brompton: 12, Tourer: 7, Racer: 4

    http://www.60milestonod.blogspot.com
  • kilo
    kilo Posts: 174
    join a club, do club runs.
  • TakeTurns
    TakeTurns Posts: 1,075
    I saw huge gains in my performance when I started doing 7-9 hour solo rides twice a month. I did have more rides completed around those, but that's just an example. After all, this is an endurance sport. You need to work on the fundamentals in order to be able to start building up on specific skills.
  • smidsy
    smidsy Posts: 5,273
    If time is really short then do high intensity work for the hour you can find.

    Be sure to warm up first and include time to cool down and stretch too. This will help.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    Where there's a will there's a way.

    There's no such word as "can't".

    If you want to do it enough you'll find a way to do it. If you don't then you didn't really want to do it in the first place.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.
  • TakeTurns wrote:
    I saw huge gains in my performance when I started doing 7-9 hour solo rides twice a month. I did have more rides completed around those, but that's just an example. After all, this is an endurance sport. You need to work on the fundamentals in order to be able to start building up on specific skills.


    I never actually thought of doing really long rides, if my a$$ is going to ache then let ache longer...

    Rollers are a no I've got winter wear and money is an issue in that the wife says stop spending!

    Commuting I think not I live 50 miles from work and start at 0700hrs.

    I also am fully aware of "Can't" can't means wont and wont means jail (no,no I mean fail I aint in the army now).

    Thanks for the advice mind!
    Don't call me sir I work for a living
  • jordan_217
    jordan_217 Posts: 2,580
    TakeTurns wrote:
    I saw huge gains in my performance when I started doing 7-9 hour solo rides twice a month. I did have more rides completed around those, but that's just an example. After all, this is an endurance sport. You need to work on the fundamentals in order to be able to start building up on specific skills.


    I never actually thought of doing really long rides, if my a$$ is going to ache then let ache longer...

    Rollers are a no I've got winter wear and money is an issue in that the wife says stop spending!

    Commuting I think not I live 50 miles from work and start at 0700hrs.

    I also am fully aware of "Can't" can't means wont and wont means jail (no,no I mean fail I aint in the army now).

    Thanks for the advice mind!

    I live 40 miles from work and drive just over half way, park up, get the bike out of the boot and cycle the rest. 27 miles a day x 4 days per week is a good way to keep the mileage up in Winter. Though the route is flooded at present so I just take my bike into work and do circa 20 miles at lunchtime. I do have to arrive at work earlier to keep the boss happy but once I'm home I don't have to worry about getting the turbo set up and training after the kids are in bed. With two longer rides on the w'end I'm easily able to get in 200-250 miles per week. Do this persistently and you'll notice a huge difference, I have! Once the days get longer I'm planning to ride the full distance twice per week to help get some more miles in.

    You say money is an issue - use your bike for a portion of your commute and you'll save on fuel. It works out a saving of one tank full per month for me (when I can do it 4 days per week). I just drive in one day per week to bring in my work clothes for the days I'm cycling. With the fuel savings get yourself a turbo for when you a really pushed for time or the weather is absolutely terrible.

    You say time is an issue - can you get up earlier? I get up at 0445-0500 to start my commute but I'm in the office, showered and changed by 0730 (If I cycle in, 0645 if I don't) and I leave again at 1600. So I'm home before 1730 every night regardless and don't have to worry about trying to fit training in with everything else.

    I just have to plan my time a little better and sometimes lose an extra 30 mins of sleep but it's worth it IMO. The two biggest advantages for me are that:

    1. Once I'm home from work I get to have dinner with the Missus and kids and spend a few hours with everyone before bed without worrying about needing to fit in some training.

    2. My Missus doesn't mind me getting out for a good few hours on a Saturday and Sunday morning as I'm no longer doing 1 - 1.5 hrs training each day from Mon-Fri.

    So in short, I've found that just managing my time a little better helps.
    “Training is like fighting with a gorilla. You don’t stop when you’re tired. You stop when the gorilla is tired.”
  • simon_e
    simon_e Posts: 1,706
    money is an issue in that the wife says stop spending!
    For the sake of matrimonial harmony you should control your spending. It's just discipline (seemingly a lost art these days, everyone wants it all and wants it now).

    But you could also mention that it's better than if you went down the pub or have a more expensive pastime like motorbikes or golf. You're also improving your health and, in the long term, saving the NHS money.

    Yes, it's easy to be seduced by the C+/Bikeradar advertorials and get carried away and think you need to look 'pro' or have loads of kit. Boll*cks. Comfy clothing doesn't have to be expensive and you don't need a 10-speed carbon bike, £500 wheels and head-to-toe Rapha/Assos to go for a ride.
    Aspire not to have more, but to be more.