folgore

Good day everybody!

I'm 47 years old, was 277 lbs up to three weeks ago, and then I bought a great Trek 7100 for $150 on Craigslist and from that moment on, I haven't been able to stop!

Thanks to a great bike path, I've started riding more and more every day. First day 4 miles, then 9, then 17.5 and now every day I ride the whole 25 miles of the path. My butt and legs are killing me, but I've lost 18 lbs in three weeks (also watching what I eat or drink) and it seems like everyday I want to take a day off, but comes 5pm I can't keep from just going there and ride.

Now the big question that all the experience people here can surely help me with: my legs are really destroyed, so today I've decided to take a day off. What is the right amount of time to take off? 1 day, 2 days or until my legs dont hurt anymore?

Thank you in advance!!!!

Alex

NUTNDUN

It's good to get a rest day after doing a longer ride. Just like weight training your muscles need the rest to rebuild and get stronger.

folgore

Thank you for your reply. I have put some rest day here and there (mainly rainy days) but still legs are still shot on the next. Should I push more now or let them rest and then push even harder?

jack002

Find some training programs, google something like "how to train for a bike century". The training will outline just what you are asking. I have seen plans that start out a week where you'll go a few miles and increase by maybe 20-30% for 4 days and then rest a day and do it again. There is VALUE in rest and not riding. Those sore legs need to recoop and rebuild, then they'll be stronger and ready for another run.

I'll see if I can find you something like what I mean.

You'd have to plan some kind of cross training for the days it has that there (you can adjust your miles lower since you're not going to ride a 100 mile day)
https://californiatriathlon.org/wp-c...ingProgram.pdf

NUTNDUN

I would take another rest day or two if they are that sore. You could still go for shorter rides in the meantime say 5 mile or under if you just need to get out. Just don't be smashing the big gears and just spin on lower gears. Once your legs feel better then go for a 25 mile ride then take a day off. Rinse and repeat and you will feel each time you go out you will be stronger than the last time.

folgore

Thank you everybody for your inputs and thanks Jack for the link!

I guess it's just the newbie enthusiasm + the quick weight loss that are pushing me to do more before the summer is over and we go back to freezing temps!

Milton Keynes

Or if you don't want to take a rest day, just go on a recovery ride. Do a nice, slow ride where you don't push yourself. You still get to get out there and enjoy riding while allowing your legs to recover by not pushing them hard. Keep it in a low gear and just do a slow roll.

JLDickmon

When I started working out in the winter, I was in such poor shape I needed a week to recover.
Now, I'm still working out once a week, but doing cardio on the bike on a day in between.
Get a cyclometer with a cadence meter or just keep the "flying monkeys" music from Wizard of Oz running through your head..
Started at 295 as a big tub of goo, now 245 with some definition coming in my legs

folgore

Congrats!!! Hope to achieve same results. I've quit smoking after 30 years at 2-3 packs a day, 13 months ago and my body blew up!

Hope I can go back to my 200 lbs or even less

JLDickmon

Keep at it.. you'll get there..
Personally, I'm aiming at 220lbs.
Dr said 180 would be more his liking, but I think he's been gettin' in the pharmaceutical samples..

masi61

C.Jester

Congratulations man. That’s awesome and I always get a kick out of hearing stuff like this. I started at 6’ 2”- 260 lbs. and now holding a steady 190 to 200 lbs. (depending on how long since my last dump).Working out and cycling stresses the muscles. Resting allows your muscles to heal the little micro tears from stressing them which is what actually builds the muscles.

I’m no professional trainer by any means, but everything that I’ve seen and practiced has stated that 24 to 48 hours is best for resting muscles. Really really sore would be more of the 48 hour time frame. This doesn’t mean that sitting around and doing nothing is best. Five to ten really slow easy miles or even a good mile or three walk will keep the muscles lubricated and getting them the added blood and oxygen to heal a little better. Looking into a good low fat/high protein diet will always help with weight and muscle maintenance too.

Sounds like you’ve really found something that you enjoy that is good for you.

Keep with it and update on the progress.

SunDog70

Congrats on the progress, that is awesome! It truly is incredible how quickly people can make distance gains on bikes, when a few miles seem like a read toward death to suddenly doing 15, then 25, etc.

Sorry to hear about the pain though. Maybe it was mentioned above or you already have taken care of it, but do you think everything is adjusted properly for you? I guess it would concern me a little bit if you are still experiencing a lot of leg and knee pain after this time, even with frequent riding. Ex. is your seat too high/low, too forward/back. That can make a huge difference with even small adjustments - one knee can hurt like hell if I have my seat just a hair too low. Then as someone said above, making sure you are not grinding too hard in your pedaling and instead doing more easy spinning. If you are on a flat trail that may not be the issue, but thought I'd bring it up anyway. Hopefully a little rest will bring your legs back around. And some good bike shorts for your rear!

folgore

Wow! I can honestly say that no other forum has this much empathy and encouragement! Thank you all very much!

I am also trying NOT to look at road bikes on eBay and in stores. I am a big sucker for modern design, so naturally these beautiful carbon fiber machines are magnets to me, BUT I have a really bad back (I usually say BAD BACK and BEYOND) so I should stick to a more upright position.

Thank you again everybody!

C.Jester

Cycling may be really good for your back depending on the cause and issues. Someone with a PhD could tell you better than me.
I road raced sport bike for seven years and wrecked at between 40 and 140 mph several times and just in general beat the crap out of my body. I used to visit the chiropractor pretty frequently. I've quit racing, but cycling was brought up by my chiropractor as a good way to help strengthen my hips and work the muscles in the lower back and upper legs that help maintain the hip's alignment. Haven't been to the chiropractor in over a year thus far.
Good luck.

folgore

Then I'm gonna go for it!!!

Milton Keynes

Cycling is certainly much better for your back & knees than jogging.

mynewnchome

I added potassium and iron to my supplement regiment cause I just seemed to hurt all the time, seems to have done wonders.

TGT1

Sore muscles =good

sore joints =bad

Mix it up on "rest" days. Active rest!

go for a walk, hike etc,

rumrunn6

with weight training, I've read the ideal is to take 48 hrs off between sessions working the same muscles. cycling is different, meaning you can ride every day. running & swimming are the same like that. but where you are in your training, sounds like you can easily benefit from 24 - 48 hrs of rest. feel free to do something else of course, like a walk. even on the same trail you ride your bike. that might be interesting for you. once you get to a certain fitness level you can ride every day if you like. but right now, it would be appropriate to have at least 1 rest day per week. is your saddle height correct? a saddle too low, can cause unnecessary leg strain cuz you're not straightening your leg enough on the down stroke. too high is not good for other reasons, but check your saddle height, that might help immediately

cyclist2000

I understand what you mean about fancy bike being eye candy. I look more at steel bikes but then I look at shiny equipment. I got a Waterford with R8000 equipment and this year I am planning on getting a Brompton, the reason for the Brompton is that it will fit in the trunk of my roadster. I have had a bad back and at some point, riding a road bike seemed to help stretch the back and relieve some pain. That was until that no longer worked, then I had surgery, that was one of the good things that I had done 15 years ago.