Ernest_T_Bass

I'm a fat 60 year old trying to lose weight and get fitter. I was very athletic years ago doing martial arts and running. So I'm trying bike riding and so far I truly suck. But that's alright cause I expected to do bad at first. Not as bad as this but bad. Don't feel sorry for me cause I'm not a quitter. I know I will do better and I know I will stick with this.

So I got this BBB (Big Box Bike) yes I know it's a dog, but I bought it before I started reading here. My first day of riding was about 3 weeks ago and I was shocked at how poorly I did. Not only di I not go far but I could hardly control the the bike. I had a real fear of falling, but I never did (so far.) After that eye opening start, it gave me the will to get better. And so far it hasn't happened but I know it will. Now I ride only .6 of a mile around my neighborhood, that is all I can manage for now. It is such as short ride that I am doing it twice a day hoping to improve more quickly. I also work on a Total Gym, think chuck Norris if you don't know what that is, to help my over all fitness level. I have been reading the forum for a few days to much info for me to take in at one time. But I will get there. I want to read more first before asking to many questions as I know people get tired of repeating the same answers. I am open to help and will appreciate the input from all you forum members.

I'm very glad to be here.

MRT2

Welcome to the forum. You took the first step, so congratulations there. Because you are riding a big box store bike, you are somewhat hamstrung, so start planning for your next bike purchase from a LBS.

In fact, I would advise you to take a trip to a LBS and test ride some bikes there to know if your troubles are because of equipment or just because you are new to cycling. Last year, my cousin from Chicago came for a visit and borrowed my old hybrid for a 20 mile ride. At home he has some kind of cheap, department store bike, and he seldom rides more than a couple of miles. He told me it was amazing how much easier and efficient cycling was when you aren't fighting the bike.

Don't give up. We all started somewhere. Imagine yourself a couple of months out doing 10 mile rides, or 6 months or a year from now taking the bike out for a 30 mile ride. You will get there.

SammyJ

Welcome, and keep riding. Second on a test ride at a local bike shop. A quality bike that FITS will make a huge difference.

Really, do not feel embarrassed at least you are out trying.

59 year old Clyde.

Beachgrad05

Welcome! Kudos for getting out and riding. Small steps lead to bigger ones. Keep at it and you will get there. Don't compare to others only to yourself and work on improving in increments compared to what you did previously. Excellent idea to test ride bikes of various types and brands. Looking forward to following your journey.

Mvcrash

Welcome and good luck. Keep at it, you will improve quickly and start enjoying the rides very soon.

salreus

I just started myself 8 weeks ago. My first ride was 1.8 miles and I did 25 miles yesterday. Don't worry at all about your first ride. My biggest difference lately was seat height. I was sitting way too low and applying way too much pressure on my knees. I did a rough fix yesterday before my 25 mile ride and feeling much better. I don't think our bodies can take the same abuse from a wrong fitted bike like in our youth. Box bikes are a great start to see if the person is interested in riding. But once you know it's for you, it's fun getting one you really like and want.

Willbird

Good place to start :-).....getting off the couch :-).

you could post up what bike you bought and we might have a better idea how it is handicapping you :-).bicycles and motorcycles more or less want to stay upright and moving forward if you do your part :-).

bbeasley

Welcome to BF!

I was 52 when I started, my first ride was 1/4 mile and I was whooped. I started on a poor quality bike, it lasted about 200 miles, just long enough for me to know I enjoyed riding.

Enjoy your ride!

oddjob2

Most of the big box stores have pretty liberal 30 day return policies.

No need to buy new. Plenty of great mountain bikes from the 1990's that are outstanding values between $50-$150. Stick with steel framed, non-suspension major brands like Trek, Specialized, or Gary Fisher, mid line models. A pair of $25 26 X 1.5" road slicks and you will have a great all around bike.

1986raleigh

Congrats on a life change, a philosopher once said a journey of a thousand miles begins with one step and you eat a elephant one bite at a time.. ride... ride.. ride...it will get easier, you will loose weight and feel great...

linnefaulk

Welcome. I just started riding again after a long break and I was surprised how unsteady I felt. But Iwent out (almost) everyday and after 2 months, I feel a lot better. Still not 100% confident but I am not worried about falling just turning a corner.

mapeiboy

Welcome to BF . Its good you start with a cheap bike to see if you like cycling . I have a friend who has never done any cycling his whole life till few years ago . He gone to the LBS and bought a $6000.0 bike buy now it sits in the garage most of the time . What a waste of money .

nkfrench 

Check to make sure your bike saddle is at an appropriate height. Usually they are set up too low which is tough on knees and robs your power/speed. Sometimes they are set up this way for new riders who are unsteady and want to be able to put a foot on the ground without getting off the saddle. Get comfortable standing on one pedal when you need to put a foot on the pavement rather than remaining seated.
Also do a basic equip check to make sure that your brakes aren't hitting the rims when they aren't supposed to, or that nothing else is rubbing.
Stand, hold your bike up so the front tire is off the ground, and spin the front wheel. It should spin easily for a while. Repeat with the back wheel. If it only makes a few revolutions before stopping, something's wrong. Is the wheel wobbling? Maybe the wheel isn't centered.
Check your tire inflation. Underinflated tires slow you down. The tires should indicate proper psi. Clydes usually need to go with the higher psi appropriate for the tire.
Do you have slick road tires or knobbies or something in between? Knobbies are great for fields and dirt but suck your speed on pavement.
If your bikes have gears, check that the equip is shifting gears correctly. You know which one is the easiest gear, right? Lots of new people do not understand the concept of gears and that you should use a range of gears based on terrain speed and momentum. Shift to maintain a smooth cadence probably 60-80rpm.
If you are having trouble controlling the bike, check that handlebars are not loose. The front fork/wheel should turn freely when you lean the bike into a turn. You shouldn't have to muscle the handlebars. You should have a relaxed grip on the handlebars and avoid tensing up. It saps your energy.
Finally, losing weight helps. A lot. It's easier to breathe, less force required to move the mass, easier heat management, etc.

Hope this helps.

My first rides were measured in blocks. I was in swimming shape but not in bicycle shape. Different activities place different demands on your body. Give your rump some time to get accustomed to mr. saddle too.

Ernest_T_Bass

Thank you all for your great replies and info. I will continue to progress, not fast but steady.

Ralar

All of your experiences are making me feel better. I picked up my brand-new Trek 7.2 FX WSD on Friday, and rode the first 5 miles home from the shop, then my fiancé picked-up me and the bike and took us home. Today I only made it 2.2 miles, but the trail I was on was pretty hilly. I'm hoping I'll be able to do real rides sometime soon.

BTW, I am a petite female, almost a Clyde, age 49. My fiancé is a male Clyde, tall, age 57.

Null66

Every start is a great start!

Hope you have lots of fun!

rommer25

Congratulations on your start. At age sixty, I was about 400 pounds. Then I lost about 130 pounds. This was about four years ago. I started riding my old Huffy go keep the weight off. I started at 1 mile. My wife had to follow me in the car the first time to make sure I could do it. I have been leveling off and fill a lot better since I started riding. I now am at a consistent 250 +/- and riding 26 miles twice a week. I have left the Huffy behind and now ride a Fuji. I feel good after so many years of carrying all that weight. I still have more to lose but that will come in time. I lost most of my weight by diet and life style change (got away from fast food).

I am confident you will improve your health several ways by ridding the bicycle. Don't get in a hurry. I too, was not steady in the saddle at first. I even took a couple of falls by riding into road cracks and other stupid things. As you ride more, you will get that balance and confidence you had when you were a kid.
I left the Huffy behind when I felt it was no longer efficient. I got to ride a Trek and realized the difference; the decision to change was made right then and there. When you do decide to get a more efficient bicycle, shop and ride as many as you can. The information on this forum is excellent.

Remember, this will take time and will require more than just riding. I am of the opinion that my weight loss was a result of diet.

Willbird

I agree eating a calorie deficit is IMHO required to lose weight unless you just need to lose a handful of lbs.

But bicycling is a form of exercise that for many quickly becomes an addiction.....:-).....a good addiction :-).

Bill

decotriumph

Congratulations on getting started to better health. You'll find lots of helpful advice and good experience here. I too am an over-50 (way over; I'll be 64 in September) Clyde (6'2", 285 when I started riding in March; 270 now). I'd be willing to bet that your new bike is too small for you. The BBS bikes are usually equivalent to a small or medium frame in more expensive bikes. If so, you can probably make it work for awhile by adjusting the seat and maybe tilting the handlebars. Eventually you'll want a bike that fits you. It makes a HUGE difference. There are lots of used bikes on Craigslist and also previous model year closeouts and used bikes at a LBS (local bike shop). I personally favor getting the right fit at a LBS even if you buy a used bike. The LBS will have gone through the bike and adjusted and lubed everything so it works correctly. I have a Cannondale hybrid and a Trek road bike that fit me great and I can't wait to go on my morning rides.

My first ride was 2.5 miles and I thought "what have I gotten myself into?" Now I routinely ride 12-16 miles in the morning before work and 25 miles per ride on the weekend. And believe me, I was no athlete!

DnvrFox

Hi!!

74.5yo and still a clyde, but not by much.

I started riding "seriously" when I was 58yo and 197 lbs in about March, 1998, then did the "Ride the Rockies" about 400 mile ride over Colorado passes in June, and some Centuries later on.

I did this on a mtn bike!!

Keep up the good work.

Get a decent bike. It makes a difference.

Here is a picture from 1998

Ernest_T_Bass

Again thank you all for your input, it is much appreciated. I have been twice a day riding everyday but July 3rd that was the day my plastic peddles broke and it took me a day to get better ones. I'm up to over a mile now LOL! It's not funny yet but in a month I'm sure I will be laughing at that range myself. I got the Runtastic rode bike app on my phone, I'm sure you all have bike computers but for now it really helps a lot. MY BSO is holding up for now every now and then the brakes don't release for a while but I can deal with that for now.

DnvrFox

You might also try "My Tracks" android - it's pretty neat.

1986raleigh

I been using map my ride, great ap for android, syncs with desktop, can also track food, other workouts, weight etc... free ap or premium for a couple bucks.

Willbird

I have a cycle computer, but I also use cyclemeter on my Iphone5s. For 90 minute rides I keep the screen on, for longer rides I let the screen shut off, went 340 minutes and still had 75% charge. These are less than $20 shipped from Amazon. It is kind of nice to have TWO methods in case you forget to reset one :-). The one I use now is a cateye mini III, small and simple but apparently no longer made.


CatEye Velo 7 Bicycle Computer CC-VL520

decotriumph

That might just be a lubrication issue. Try a little squirt at pivot points and at the end of the cable sheath (don't get any on the brake pads though!)