First ride on road bikes today!

jamie_liverpool
jamie_liverpool Posts: 21
edited June 2015 in Road beginners
Hi everyone ,

Yesterday I went up to wheelbase in Kendal and purchased my trek 1.2 2015 road bike. Made up with it and was excited to get out on Sunday morning for the first time!

Woke up this morning and it was pouring down and very windy, great! Still went out anyway and bike was great. Didn't realise how unfit I was to be fair I honestly thought it would be easier , there a few hills around here, which didn't look so bad until I was on them!!

Ended up doing about 12 miles. Think my saddle height may be wrong as my thighs where aching quite a lot so I dont know if my legs where too bent and there for required more effort ? Also the saddle is not comfy at all, can feel the bones at the bottom of my pelvis quite a lot, wondering if this is because im new to the bike or could be down to saddle height again?

I'm hoping to commute to work which is 10 miles each way, I honestly thought I'd be able to do that straight away but can defo see my having to build my fitness up first! I'm certainly not the marco pantani I hoped I would be !!!

Comments

  • sirmol
    sirmol Posts: 287
    I found the saddle just needs 'wearing in' although you can explore with different positions etc. Your saddle height trying raising it and going for a little ride then change it whilst out, spend a few miles trying to find the most comfortable and best riding position. I ended up putting it a lot higher than i firth thought i should have it. Enjoy :)
  • kingofthetailwind
    kingofthetailwind Posts: 575
    Get a proper bike fit. There are guides on the internet to do this yourself, but it's worth getting it done properly.

    I went through five saddles before I found one that suits me. (Specialized Toupe) But the one you have may be fine. If you have pain on your sit bones (what you're describing) then the saddle is doing it's job - your weight should be on your sit bones and not your perineum. You may just need to get used to it.

    Well done on getting out in bad weather. :)
  • lmcamoes
    lmcamoes Posts: 51
    Could you recommend any online bike fit?
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    lmcamoes wrote:
    Could you recommend any online bike fit?

    Go on youtube and search for GCN, they have a few videos on getting a good fit. It won't replace a professional bike fit but it gets you close.
  • alexul
    alexul Posts: 69
    Yes, go on youtube and search for some bike fitting videos. Also trust your body. Medium muscle pain is fine at first but joint paint is not good at all. Knees, wrists, neck if something hurts, stop, ask on forum, search online etc.
    A bike fit is good, depending how much you ride. However at this moment I wouldn't recommend it. The fitter will adjust your bike based on your fitness level. And if you keep riding it will change and you'll want a new bike fit.
  • jamie_liverpool
    jamie_liverpool Posts: 21
    Thanks for the advice everyone. I think a bike fit is defo the way to go!

    I cycled to work yesterday for the first time , 10.5 miles each way left at 5:50 to make sure I was there in plenty of time to start at 7. On the way it took me 37 minutes, really nice ride had the roads to myself basically. Adjusting my saddle height has certainly helped.

    On the way back the wind was absolutely terrible nearly blowing me backwards!!! Took me 56 minutes , I just couldn't get any momentum going.

    Still having the burning thighs , just above my knees, it's a weird feeling. I'm fairly fit , I used to play semi pro football so have always been in half decent shape although at the minute it's probably the worst iv been. But the burning in my thighs it almost makes me want to stop , the burning in my thighs happens before I'm getting out of breath so I'm thinking it's got to be my set up surely ?
  • dj58
    dj58 Posts: 2,217
    Regarding bike fitting, have a read through these, may give you some pointers.

    http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/fitness/bike-fit
    http://www.jimlangley.net/crank/bikefit.html
    http://bikedynamics.co.uk/FitGuidecranks.htm
  • simon_masterson
    simon_masterson Posts: 2,740
    Don't make any assumptions about what's right for you just yet. Bike fitting is something you can do yourself - this whole idea of 'I'm not comfortable on my bike so I should pay a professional' is a scam. You'll get much more out of a pro bike fit if you've put some hours in anyway, as they will determine the fit based on your biomechanics.
    Retro(ish) TT 2017-
    Fixed TT 2015-2016
  • keef66
    keef66 Posts: 13,123
    Assuming they've sold you the right size bike, the most common beginners' mistakes are:

    Saddle too low / high.

    Rough starting point is to have it so that with your heel resting on the pedal at it's lowest point your leg is nearly straight. That way when you're pedalling with the ball of your foot over the pedal axle you'll have a slight bend in your knee at the bottom of the pedal stroke. Check both sides; legs are frequently not the same length. If your pelvis is rocking as you pedal you've overdone it and set the saddle too high.

    Pushing too hard a gear.

    Change gear as frequently as necessary to keep you spinning the pedals at a comfortable rate . It should feel easy. No grunting or grimacing at this stage! When you've built a bit of bike fitness you can start to experiment with gears and cadence. Some suggest aiming for 80-90 rpm, but this is a very personal thing.

    Going out too fast.

    For the first 5 mins just spin the pedals in a low gear, then up the intensity a bit when you've warmed up. You should aim for a level of exertion you can sustain for the whole ride. If you want to push yourself, give it a go in the final third of the ride, but then warm down again for 5 mins easy spinning.

    Don't do what our eldest son always does, invariably sprints up the hill back to the house then collapses, purple faced, on the lawn. Then he wonders why his legs are still aching 2 days later...

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