How do I start off for bike riding?

Question

I have a bike that is half mountian bike & half road bike. What do I have to do to get starting for riding my bike? For examble I want to ride 20 miles a day. How would I begin training to ride tha far?

Answer 1

If you are trying to ride distance, chances are you going to come across a hill or two. Practice downshifting your gears to the lowest or second to lowest and keep on riding.

The real challenge with hill-climbing on a bike is to keep your feet on the peddles. As your bike slows down, you will have the urge to get off the bike and walk. Don't do this! Remain in your seat and just take it slow. Your balance and your patience will be put to the test, but once you've mastered it, you will be able to ride the steepest hills with total confidense and ease!

Besides learning your gears, make sure you learn pedaling cadence. Riding long distances can take a toll on your body, so learn to pedal at a steady pace; 60 pedals per minute will keep you coasting at a nice speed without wearing you out.

And of coarse check your tire pressure. Keep your tire pressure at or around its maximum pressure. With proper tire pressure you will be able to cover more ground using less effort. A portable pump that straps to your frame is a good investment.

The only other things you really need are a lightweight multitool for quick fixes and a pair of shades to keep your eyes from watering up.

Happy Riding!,
SierraSurfer3

P.S. Don't forget to take it slow after a ride. Do some easy laps on your bike when you get home to cool down instead of heading straight for the shower. I learned this one the hard way once and ended up hobbling blind from the shower to my bed where i passed out for an hour.

Answer 2

Nobody has mentioned this yet, but make sure you are prepared for a flat and have enough water. Buy a pouch that hangs from the back of your seat and fill it with:
-Spare Inner Tube
-Flat repair kit (usually a couple of stickers and a piece of sandpaper)
-$1 bill (To put between your tire and tube if you slice the sidewall of your tire)
-2 Tire removal levers
****Practice removing your tire from the rim so you know what you're doing before you actually need to do it. ****

Also buy a CamelBak for water. It is much easier than messing with a water bottle while riding.

Gradually get into it. Start with 5 miles, then 10, etc. Finally, throw some hills into the mix. Don't push yourself too hard because you'll either burn out or injure yourself.

Riding every day might be an overkill. I personally ride 3 times per week....Tue, Thu, Sat.

Answer 3

Other respondents have given excellent advice. My 2 cents:
*start even slower, and add distance/effort (more hills) more slowly if you are overweight or over 30.
*observe your pulse (6 times the number of beats in 10 seconds). Don't generally exceed 60-70% of your max rate at first. Many formulas for this, but 220 minus your age is fine for people just starting an exercise program. Your max rate will be much higher than this once you have a few thousand miles in your legs however. 80-90% is possible but approach this level slowly
*take it easy on the knees. A high cadence (rate of pedal revolutions per minute) in medium to low gears (the bigger rear gears, smaller front ones) is sustainable, causing relatively little damage to soft tissues in the knees. Cycling is much easier on the knees than running, but many long term riders have knee pain anyway--wear and tear is almost inevitable eventually.
Your cadence should be between about 70 (beginner, and when climbing steep hills) and 100 (experienced, flats and downhills). Most people seem to settle at between 80 and 90 after a few months of regular cycling.
*ride low traffic back roads or zero-traffic trails until you have good bike handling skills. Practice rapid avoidance of holes, sewer grates, parked cars, dogs. Swerve both left and right. Work up to jumping bumps, rocks, curbs.
*wear a helmet and good leather gloves at all times. Elbow and knee pads are handy but cumbersome. Almost everyone falls eventually. Have a good first aid kit for abrasions at home. Carry large band-aids/adhesive pads and soap if you're in the backcountry (soap and water is excellent wound cleaner).
*last word, re Andrew H. on CamelBaks--excellent in temperate or cold climes, but losing a large percentage of your evaporative area (skin on back) to the pack is uncomfortable in tropical climates. You need to evaporate the sweat to keep cool. I prefer bottles for that reason. It's a tradeoff.

Have fun out there!

Answer 4

I've always felt that walking was the best form of exercise. So I did that daily. But since my mate is an avid cyclist, he surprised me with a bike. After so much walking, I was in shape to ride 35 miles the first week and didnt even realize it. That first summer, I rode over 500 miles! It even surprised me.! That certainly convinced me why his passion is so strong. It's a lot easier than walking!

Answer 5

go a step at a time like for example go 2 miles one day then the next day do some more then go on from there till you get to 20 miles

Answer 6

Ride lots. Ride a little further each time you go out. Pretty soon you'll be doing more than 20!

Answer 7

Just like any exercise, start slow and work up. Ride a couple of miles further each week and then go for it. good luck

Answer 8

It is a good start, but you must step by step,you can't overexercise at first, it easy makes you to give up.You can riding 10 miles at first several day,then 20 miles,30miles............The most important is continute till sucessful

Answer 9

Wear an approved cycling helmet, bright jersey(cycling kind) would be nice and find a training route that has a wide shoulder ,low traffic.

Have fun, do it with a friend.

Answer 10

go around the block to start out.