rmr1923

i've got a bit more knowledge about weight training than endurance training, obviously i'm trying to build up to both higher speed and more endurance while riding.

my first month of riding i felt lucky if i could make it 30 minutes before my legs wanted to give out on me, but now i find myself with seemingly more energy after about 30-40 minutes into a ride than when i first started.

the first 10-15 minutes i can really feel the burn in my legs, but it seems like the longer i ride, my legs become almost numb to this burning sensation (not literally numb, just don't feel it as much, despite pushing harder and longer). is there an explanation for this? is this common? yesterday evening i went for a 20 mile ride, and the last 7-8 miles i was pushing the pace way harder than prior to that point, and my legs just weren't getting fatigued like i would have expected.

i had pretty decent cardiovascular endurance to start out with, i always lost my legs before i got winded, but now what's shortening my ride is soreness in my shoulders/neck/upper back. those muscles get fatigued to the point where it's just painful to ride any longer. i've gotten a little better at riding no-handed, so when i get onto a section of the trail where there are no hikers or cyclists i'll ride upright to give my neck a rest. are there any exercises i should be doing to strengthen these muscles, or is the best cure to just keep riding?

Carbonfiberboy 

The explanation is that you are starting out too hard. Go easier to begin with. Your legs haven't opened up yet when they are hurting near the start. Ride with lower gears near the start, spin more. Everyone's different about this. Some people I ride with need several miles of flat at a moderate pace before they are ready to go. I always go better several hours into a ride. If you ride enough, you'll get that way, too.

More riding will fix your neck/back problem. It'll just go away. Gradually increase your weekly mileage. Good exercises are dumbbell presses, lat pulldowns, horizontal rows, hyperextensions, Roman chair.

rmr1923

that's what someone told me when i first started riding, that he needed at least 10 miles before he got warmed up, and i was thinking "are you crazy? i'm lucky if i can make it 5 miles before i want to turn around and go back home". i do think i've been pushing it too hard at the beginning of my ride. i've had some nagging knee pain but it always seems to be the first 10-15 minutes of my ride, then it goes away... about the same time the burning sensation in my legs goes away. i'm planning to ride tomorrow after work so i'll focus on trying to keep the first 5 miles or so at a moderate pace before i ramp up the intensity to normal (or what's normal for me at this point).

valygrl

Knee pain + neck & shoulder pain = maybe you need a professional bike fit.

rmr1923

i've done that but i may try another LBS and get re-evaluated. my neck and shoulders don't start hurting until an hour or so into a ride, and since i've only been riding about 2 months now, i'm hoping that it's mainly due to the fact that those muscles just need to strengthen up a bit.

as for the knee pain, when i was more active a few years ago i tweaked my knee a bit playing soccer and had some nagging tendonitis after that for a while (until i became more sedentary) so it doesn't really surprise me that it's come back. the only surprise is that after i get "warmed up", the pain just goes away. if the problem were poor fit, wouldn't it continue to hurt no matter how long i ride? i've also been stretching at least twice daily to improve my flexibility, and i've found that the more flexible i've gotten, the less pain i've had.

valygrl

That makes some sense, to give it some time to adapt - but if the knee pain becomes chronic, pay attention, you can ride yourself into an injury. I did that, and my knee will never be the same.

Pat

It sounds to me as if you are pushing too big of a gear. Gear down and slow down. Also learn to spin (high RPMS). Spinning puts more burn in your quads but it eases off the problems in your knees. There is no way that cycling should be that painful.

It is hard (nay impossible) to tell what your problem is with the neck or shoulders. It would be good for you to either ride with an experienced cyclist or talk to someone who knows the basics of bike fit (hopefully at your local bike shop). If you are riding properly and fitted properly, you should not be having these problems.

But ease off and do things to avoid the pain. Performance can come later. You need to learn how to ride without destroying your body before you worry about speed records.

Carbonfiberboy 

Yes, you're right. The wife and I frequently get a little knee pain which goes away, both hiking and biking. As long as it goes away, you're OK.

Hydraulic

I had the same issue with the legs burning when I first get on my bike to ride. After 8 miles it would go away, but I guess I also need to find a lower gear when just starting on the ride. For the upper body pain, you might want to check the seat height or get a stem that can be raised/lowered with an allen wrench to help with the more upright position.