The pain...

Mark Derricutt said:

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

Congratulations on doing it. The toughest part when you start riding is consistency, riding
regularly without quitting. No need to kill yourself; just gradually increase your time and speed.
Once you're over the beginner's hump, you'll be hooked.

I've seen cycling change the lives of many formerly sedentary people for the better. You can be
one of them.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Terry Morse said:

Congratulations on doing it. The toughest part when you start riding is consistency, riding
regularly without quitting. No need to kill yourself; just gradually increase your time and speed.
Once you're over the beginner's hump, you'll be hooked.

Yup - the worst thing was, when I got the bike ( GT Aggressor 3 ) the handle bars were quite low,
more like a racing bike position, and with having a somewhat large belly, I kept kneeing myself in
the gut which really put me off (and theres alot of hills here as well grrr).

But after getting the stem replaced raising the handlebars to the same level as the seat, things
are much better... I'm also currently unemployed so I have more time to try and force myself into
doing it :P

Mark

Mark Derricutt said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I decided
to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride, apart from
the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which is another
incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the hardest part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

I have been putting off getting back on a pushbike ( I haven't ridden since they made helmets
compulsory) to escort my young daughter around until her road sense improves.

Your description isn't helping 🙂

...tom

"Mark Derricutt" <[email hidden]> wrote in
:"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I
decided to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride,
apart from the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which is
another incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the hardest
part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

The pain is a good sign in general. The more you ride the better you'll feel. I guarantee it.

You might want to consider warming up in some fashion. Maybe stretching? OTOH knee pain or back pain
shouldn't be ignored. Usually, adjusting your setup is enough to solve the problem. Consult a doctor
for persistent pain
. As you've just seen small adjustments in setup can make a big difference in the handling
and comfort.

TomV said:

Quoted message said:

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

I have been putting off getting back on a pushbike ( I haven't ridden since they made helmets
compulsory) to escort my young daughter around until her road sense improves.

Your description isn't helping 🙂

Don't worry Tom. It is like any physical activity... you get better and fitter very quickly. I went
from being able to comfortably able to cycle 50km in a day (fully loaded with clothes, camping gear,
cameras etc) to 150km in a day within about a month.

Same with swimming. I was unemployed for a couple of months at the start of one of my moves to the
UK. I visited the pool every day, and while I'm still a non-natural swimmer, I was soon knocking off
a couple of km in a session with boredom being the limiting factor rather than tiredness.

And all the exercise will make you feel great. I'm heading out for a ride later this afternoon, once
it gets a little cooler.

David

In article <[email hidden]> in newsgroup nz.general on Sat, 01 Feb 2003
17:37:03 +1300, TomV([email hidden]) said...

Quoted message said:

Mark Derricutt said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I
decided to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride,
apart from the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which
is another incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the
hardest part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

I have been putting off getting back on a pushbike ( I haven't ridden since they made helmets
compulsory) to escort my young daughter around until her road sense improves.

Your description isn't helping 🙂

You can expect a sore backside for several weeks, but it will eventually pass. Grit your teeth and
ride on 🙂

LeftBaiter wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]> in newsgroup nz.general on Sat, 01 Feb
2003 17:37:03 +1300, TomV([email hidden]) said...

Quoted message said:

Mark Derricutt said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and
oh joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I
decided to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride,
apart from the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which
is another incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the
hardest part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

I have been putting off getting back on a pushbike ( I haven't ridden since they made helmets
compulsory) to escort my young daughter around until her road sense improves.

Your description isn't helping 🙂

You can expect a sore backside for several weeks, but it will eventually pass. Grit your teeth and
ride on 🙂

Sore backside ... grit your teeth ... hmmm ...

But ... but ... he keeps his teeth in his mouth (or so I should hope!)

8-)
--

-Nicolaas

"Mark Derricutt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Yup - the worst thing was, when I got the bike ( GT Aggressor 3 ) the handle bars were quite low,
more like a racing bike position, and with having a somewhat large belly, I kept kneeing myself in
the gut which really put me off (and theres alot of hills here as well grrr).

I also knee myself in the gut when not sitting properly. I don't have a big gut but if I don't arch
my lower back I will hit my tummy with the knees. This is on my roadbike, not the MTB.

--
Replace the dots to reply

Perre

TomV said:

Your description isn't helping 🙂

Heh - well, this computer programmer needs more exercise, and I'm assured it gets better... :-)

garmonboezia said:

The pain is a good sign in general. The more you ride the better you'll feel. I guarantee it.

Yeh - so they say ;-) Heres hoping or theres heads to roll :-)

Quoted message said:

You might want to consider warming up in some fashion. Maybe stretching?

Had done a little bit of stretching, but probably not enough.

Quoted message said:

OTOH knee pain or back pain shouldn't be ignored. Usually, adjusting your setup is enough to solve
the problem. Consult a doctor for persistent

No back or knee pain, although I'm finding lately I have a really sore heal on my right foot which
is making standing really annoying in the mornings, but I think thats something irrelevent - need to
go see a doc about it sometime thou.

Quoted message said:

pain . As you've just seen small adjustments in setup can make a big difference in the handling
and comfort.

Definitely, a friend of mine was telling me about one the large "around the bays" type bike rides
coming up, but I think I'l not quite ready for that yet :P

Just one note. Mussle pain is good when you're starting out! Don't give up, I road many thousands of
miles, wore out two bikes, did numerous centurys. Just remember this, Christipher Reaves would give
all he has to be able to feel the pain you are feeling after riding a few miles. Do you think he
would complain or stop riding? So just think how lucky we are to be able to work our bodies to the
point of pain and exhaustion.. "Mark Derricutt" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I
decided to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride,
apart from the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which is
another incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the hardest
part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

Quoted message said:

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

If you continue to ride, you will get stronger and your cardio-vascular fitness improve.

One day soon you will be riding along and come to a hill or may a stop sign. You will put the
hammer down, push hard and you will be amazed at yourself, your body responds and away you go in a
mad dash of joy.

And then you will be hooked and you will be riding because you like to ride rather than because you
believe you need to.

jon isaacs

Yes, you can do it

Mark Derricutt said:

TomV said:

Your description isn't helping 🙂

Heh - well, this computer programmer needs more exercise, and I'm assured it gets better... :-)

It does and surprisingly quickly as well :-)

--
Karen Hayward-King

'But you tell me over & over & over again my friend Ah, you don't believe we're on the eve of
destruction' Barry McGuire 1965

Mark Derricutt said:

I'm finding lately I have a really sore heal on my right foot which is making standing really
annoying in the mornings...

Does the pain go away a while after you've been out of bed? If you sit on the floor with your legs
outstretched and flex your foot, do you feel the pain in your heel? If the answers are yes, you may
have plantar fasciitis:

familydoctor.org140.htmlOpen ↗

I get this from time to time, and it can be very annoying. I can get rid of it through stretching
for a few days.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

TomV said:

I have been putting off getting back on a pushbike ( I haven't ridden since they made helmets
compulsory) to escort my young daughter around until her road sense improves.

C'mon, don't let something as trivial as a h*lmet law get in your way. No excuses. Get back on that
bike and ride, ride, ride! You'll be glad you did.
--
terry morse Palo Alto, CA terrymorse.combikeOpen ↗

Mark, as a newbie myself, perhaps my remarks will help.

Have a medical checkup to ensure that the exercise is OK for you. If so, keep at it, resting every
other day and extending the ride about twenty percent whenever you feel you are up to it. When you
get over about 5 miles a day get a good pair of cycling shorts to protect your bum (as Brits and
NZ'rs say). If you do not like the looks, get a light pair you can wear them under your regular
pants. Using this strategy I came from once around the block to ten miles a day in 6 months. Now my
problem is that the ride takes to much of my time.

Regards, Ernie

Mark Derricutt said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

Sadly now I feel pain - just rode the bike - 3-4 times further than normal, and steepish hill, I
was lucky to still stand after I got off the bike :P

All in the name of attempting to get fit :p I normally just do once around the block, but I
decided to explore one of the alleyways and looped around the greater "block", not a bad ride,
apart from the hill, but from there to the flat its all down hill, till the last 10 feet, which is
another incline - then I have to carry the bike down a path about a story to the flat (the hardest
part) :p

Darn my legs giving way on me - hopefully that'll dissapear as I get fitter and increase my leg
muscles/strength.

Mark Derricutt said:

So after 10 or so years of not riding, and getting hideously unfit, I got a bike last year, but
somehow never got around to using it much, just replaced the stem to raise the handle bars and oh
joy - the bike is so much nicer to ride...

The pain will go away as you ride more. Also, your position on the bike will change as your fitness
increases. So you may end up with that old stem eventually....

Same thing for saddles, as your fitness increases you will be riding longer and likely find a
different seat comfortable.

Its not good to force your body into a racing position on a bicycle until your body is ready for it.

Dont forget to stretch!

G

Terry Morse said:

Does the pain go away a while after you've been out of bed? If you sit on the floor with your legs
outstretched and flex your foot, do you feel the pain in your heel? If the answers are yes, you
may have plantar fasciitis:

familydoctor.org140.htmlOpen ↗

Thst does sound very familiar, after being out of bed the pain does go away, I can still feel it
slightly thou, as thou theres a huge bruise or something there.

*goes reads webpage*

Jon Isaacs said:

One day soon you will be riding along and come to a hill or may a stop sign. You will put the
hammer down, push hard and you will be amazed at yourself, your body responds and away you go in a
mad dash of joy.

I'll be more amazed at the day I look down and don't see my stomach :P

Mark