Day 1: Ass firmly handed to me. I love it
#1
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Personal progress log of sorts
Today, the lady and I took our new bikes out for their inaugural spin, and boy did we get our asses kicked!
First, thanks for all the encouragement, it's really helpful.
So I ended up with a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 and the lady got a Specialized Roll Sport. We picked them up Wednesday but life delayed the actual ride until today.
We "accidentally" did 5 miles. I know thats not a lot for most, but for day 1 on these things, getting home was hard. We didn't notice before hand the way in was downhill, and I had to stop and recoup a few minutes just to get my legs to work again, but i pedaled the whole trip. I saw accidentally because it is apparently 1.5 miles to the park alone plus we did several laps of the walking trail as well as a "back loop" with a very steep hill.
All in all, after getting home and dying for a few minutes on the floor, it was a great time. The seat sucks, grips eat my hands, my ass took a beating and I need a way to bring water, but those are minor.
AND, I've had 1 soda all day (Im usually 6000 calories in soda a day...) and am feeling good.
Midway thru ride
When I was able to sit up at home, took this. Figure I'll show both sides of the coin.
First, thanks for all the encouragement, it's really helpful.
So I ended up with a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 and the lady got a Specialized Roll Sport. We picked them up Wednesday but life delayed the actual ride until today.
We "accidentally" did 5 miles. I know thats not a lot for most, but for day 1 on these things, getting home was hard. We didn't notice before hand the way in was downhill, and I had to stop and recoup a few minutes just to get my legs to work again, but i pedaled the whole trip. I saw accidentally because it is apparently 1.5 miles to the park alone plus we did several laps of the walking trail as well as a "back loop" with a very steep hill.
All in all, after getting home and dying for a few minutes on the floor, it was a great time. The seat sucks, grips eat my hands, my ass took a beating and I need a way to bring water, but those are minor.
AND, I've had 1 soda all day (Im usually 6000 calories in soda a day...) and am feeling good.
Midway thru ride
When I was able to sit up at home, took this. Figure I'll show both sides of the coin.
Last edited by Deadman; 06-19-17 at 04:09 PM. Reason: Dont want to clutter the board
#2
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Nice work! Give the saddle time. It does get better over time. That said, if you start riding regularly and don't notice an improvement, then you may want to try a different one. For your hands, I'd recommend finding some cycling gloves. I love them.
Keep at it. I've tried a lot of different forms of exercise but cycling is the one way to workout that actually feels like fun to me.
Keep at it. I've tried a lot of different forms of exercise but cycling is the one way to workout that actually feels like fun to me.
Today, the lady and I took our new bikes out for their inaugural spin, and boy did we get our asses kicked!
First, thanks for all the encouragement, it's really helpful.
So I ended up with a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 and the lady got a Specialized Roll Sport. We picked them up Wednesday but life delayed the actual ride until today.
We "accidentally" did 5 miles. I know thats not a lot for most, but for day 1 on these things, getting home was hard. We didn't notice before hand the way in was downhill, and I had to stop and recoup a few minutes just to get my legs to work again, but i pedaled the whole trip. I saw accidentally because it is apparently 1.5 miles to the park alone plus we did several laps of the walking trail as well as a "back loop" with a very steep hill.
All in all, after getting home and dying for a few minutes on the floor, it was a great time. The seat sucks, grips eat my hands, my ass took a beating and I need a way to bring water, but those are minor.
AND, I've had 1 soda all day (Im usually 6000 calories in soda a day...) and am feeling good.
Midway thru ride
When I was able to sit up at home, took this. Figure I'll show both sides of the coin.
First, thanks for all the encouragement, it's really helpful.
So I ended up with a Specialized Rockhopper Comp 29 and the lady got a Specialized Roll Sport. We picked them up Wednesday but life delayed the actual ride until today.
We "accidentally" did 5 miles. I know thats not a lot for most, but for day 1 on these things, getting home was hard. We didn't notice before hand the way in was downhill, and I had to stop and recoup a few minutes just to get my legs to work again, but i pedaled the whole trip. I saw accidentally because it is apparently 1.5 miles to the park alone plus we did several laps of the walking trail as well as a "back loop" with a very steep hill.
All in all, after getting home and dying for a few minutes on the floor, it was a great time. The seat sucks, grips eat my hands, my ass took a beating and I need a way to bring water, but those are minor.
AND, I've had 1 soda all day (Im usually 6000 calories in soda a day...) and am feeling good.
Midway thru ride
When I was able to sit up at home, took this. Figure I'll show both sides of the coin.
#3
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Nice work! Give the saddle time. It does get better over time. That said, if you start riding regularly and don't notice an improvement, then you may want to try a different one. For your hands, I'd recommend finding some cycling gloves. I love them.
Keep at it. I've tried a lot of different forms of exercise but cycling is the one way to workout that actually feels like fun to me.
Keep at it. I've tried a lot of different forms of exercise but cycling is the one way to workout that actually feels like fun to me.
And the pisser of it all is Im looking in to adding a second bike now...something more road...
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For the hands, when you do have the funds, I just put Ergon Grips on my bike, much more of an improvement than gloves.
#5
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Yeah, oddly the saddle on the model a step down was more comfy when I tested it out. Im going to get gloves but right now, Im tapped for spare funds. I was using a smart water bottle but it bounced out and got squashed before I could get back to it.
And the pisser of it all is Im looking in to adding a second bike now...something more road...
And the pisser of it all is Im looking in to adding a second bike now...something more road...
#6
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Great start and embrace the sweat suffering it will get easier with time and miles.
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I should have been clearer . I still wear the gloves as well - just got much more improvement in hand comfort with the ergon grips that with gloves alone.
#9
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As to the saddle. Give yourself a bit. It takes time to get used to sitting that way. Make sure the back of the saddle is supporting hip bones and that you aren't sitting on "soft" tissue or your perineum.
Several of the water bottles you can buy in store as well as sport drinks come in a bottle that will fit in to the cage nicely. Cages can be picked up for .99 online. Alternately, some people like to use camelback, etc.
Great job! Keep at it.
Several of the water bottles you can buy in store as well as sport drinks come in a bottle that will fit in to the cage nicely. Cages can be picked up for .99 online. Alternately, some people like to use camelback, etc.
Great job! Keep at it.
#10
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As to the saddle. Give yourself a bit. It takes time to get used to sitting that way. Make sure the back of the saddle is supporting hip bones and that you aren't sitting on "soft" tissue or your perineum.
Several of the water bottles you can buy in store as well as sport drinks come in a bottle that will fit in to the cage nicely. Cages can be picked up for .99 online. Alternately, some people like to use camelback, etc.
Great job! Keep at it.
Several of the water bottles you can buy in store as well as sport drinks come in a bottle that will fit in to the cage nicely. Cages can be picked up for .99 online. Alternately, some people like to use camelback, etc.
Great job! Keep at it.
#11
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Took yesterday off the bike thinking my legs would go back to normal in a day, still went and walked Boone Hall Plantation in the sweltering heat (in all black no less).
Woke up today and felt like ass in general, not really my body but my head was defeating me and my stomach (which is usually iron clad) wasnt having any of it.
"I know what will cure my ails...a nice vigorous ride!" I said aloud to no one.
Nay nay, it was not the cure all I had envisioned! Alas, I was only able to put down a very interrupted 4 mile loop, stopping as needed to as not to fall off the bike. I did end up making one excuse to stop which I still say is justified as I REALLY didnt want to get into rush hour traffic on the way leaving the shipyard... so yeah.
BUT, I did not walk the bike, and I didn't call for a chariot home, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.
No pics, I was inglorious today. This was not a pretty battle by far, but it was hard fought.
Right now, my biggest pains are tops of my thighs, left arm/shoulder (years ago, left arm was severed at the elbow and glued back on.) and ass. Im convinced no seat gets better with time, your ass just gives up and dies.
Woke up today and felt like ass in general, not really my body but my head was defeating me and my stomach (which is usually iron clad) wasnt having any of it.
"I know what will cure my ails...a nice vigorous ride!" I said aloud to no one.
Nay nay, it was not the cure all I had envisioned! Alas, I was only able to put down a very interrupted 4 mile loop, stopping as needed to as not to fall off the bike. I did end up making one excuse to stop which I still say is justified as I REALLY didnt want to get into rush hour traffic on the way leaving the shipyard... so yeah.
BUT, I did not walk the bike, and I didn't call for a chariot home, so I've got that going for me, which is nice.
No pics, I was inglorious today. This was not a pretty battle by far, but it was hard fought.
Right now, my biggest pains are tops of my thighs, left arm/shoulder (years ago, left arm was severed at the elbow and glued back on.) and ass. Im convinced no seat gets better with time, your ass just gives up and dies.
#12
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Check fleabay, if you can wait for shipping, it's often possible to get things for very cheap.
These are my gloves which I bought last year:
. Probably not really Pearl Izumi, but probably 50-80% as good, for 10% the price.
I usually search with 'lowest price+shipping' and 'buy-it-now', check out prices from Asia, and then narrow the search to US Only and see whether the price for the same thing jumps very much, usually it's not much more and it shows up in a few days.
I also have these cheap grips, which are something like Ergon-branded ergonomic grips. I've never tried real Ergons, but these made a pretty significant difference to me.
These are my gloves which I bought last year:
. Probably not really Pearl Izumi, but probably 50-80% as good, for 10% the price.
I usually search with 'lowest price+shipping' and 'buy-it-now', check out prices from Asia, and then narrow the search to US Only and see whether the price for the same thing jumps very much, usually it's not much more and it shows up in a few days.
I also have these cheap grips, which are something like Ergon-branded ergonomic grips. I've never tried real Ergons, but these made a pretty significant difference to me.
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I'd suggest being open to seatpost, saddle, stem and handlebar alterations. you might find changing one or more of those can make a world of difference in terms of comfort and how enjoyable the ride is.
#14
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Great start. About 2 miles longer than I did my first day back on a bike (now 12+ years ago). I had to walk my bike up the hill to my house, so I didn't even pedal the whole way.
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Some gloves can be had for as little as $5:
Cycling Gloves in Clothing | Bike Gloves | Bike Nashbar
Nashbar also has inexpensive bottles and cages as well.
Check Amazon and input " Bike padded liner shorts" and you will find some nice shorts as inexpensive as $10.
Cycling Gloves in Clothing | Bike Gloves | Bike Nashbar
Nashbar also has inexpensive bottles and cages as well.
Check Amazon and input " Bike padded liner shorts" and you will find some nice shorts as inexpensive as $10.
#19
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Also shop eBay for used baggy mountain bike shorts. A lot of good stuff for cheap, if you can throw it in the wash and get over the ick factor.
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awesome. reminds me what one actor (maybe Matthew McConaughey) once said about his running. "I run as far as I can, and then I turn back". doubt I'd take that philosophy literally, tho
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"AND, I've had 1 soda all day (Im usually 6000 calories in soda a day...) and am feeling good. "
Please tell me you aren't drinking that many soft drinks in a day............
Please tell me you aren't drinking that many soft drinks in a day............
#22
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pain and suffering is addictive...
keep it up!!
keep it up!!
__________________
Rule #10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
Rule #10 // It never gets easier, you just go faster.
#23
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not anymore. But I used to go thru a case in a couple days, plus what I drank at work and out to eat. I wish I was kidding when I say this, but there was about 2 years where I know I never drank water (I considered tea to be water).
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I love ur attitude! Keep it up, it does get easier over time. As far as equipment fies you really don't need to spend a lot. There are usually sum shops that carry the cheaper equipment if you can't wait or mail order if you don't mind. In my experience some sort of padding on the butt is a must yet I cannot wear gloves as my hands go numb. Everyone is different and you will need to experiment to find out what works for you.