New to cycling

Do you know what you need to do...
at least once per week, you have to ride at least twice that distance...
in about one month, do one ride on a Saturday of maybe 30-40 miles. It might sound like a lot but it's the only way to get stronger.

Intervals will help a lot, too. Obviously you aren't going to invest in any power measurement devices, since you are still new to the sport and they are extremely expensive, but you should be able to pick up a cheap heart rate monitor for around $70 or so. Use it to measure you're heart rate during 3-5 minute intervals depending on how intense they are. (Example: Get your heart beating at, say, 90% max heart rate (MHR) and try to hold it for 4 minutes, then recover to a lower heart rate during a 2 minute interval, and repeat a few times.)
MHR = 220-your age

Aussie Steve said:

Do you know what you need to do...
at least once per week, you have to ride at least twice that distance...
in about one month, do one ride on a Saturday of maybe 30-40 miles. It might sound like a lot but it's the only way to get stronger.

Join a club, get a road bike. I can fit in school and work 6 hous a week...still manage to ride 600km's plus a week easily but its not a good idea to be doing this until you get more fit.

600kms per week is not workable and incredibly unrealistic... unless your name is Robbie McEwan or Brad McGee and have a Pro contract...

then someone can cook for you and all you need to do each day is ride, ride, and ride; someone cooks and cleans for you, and you have masseurs and nutritionists, etc etc...
for those of us who have to work at a normal job and cook our own meals, 300kms is only just feasible.
I must say I find it a huge leap of faith to believe your mileage.

Aussie Steve said:

600kms per week is not workable and incredibly unrealistic... unless your name is Robbie McEwan or Brad McGee and have a Pro contract...

then someone can cook for you and all you need to do each day is ride, ride, and ride; someone cooks and cleans for you, and you have masseurs and nutritionists, etc etc...
for those of us who have to work at a normal job and cook our own meals, 300kms is only just feasible.
I must say I find it a huge leap of faith to believe your mileage.

I go to school 5 days a week. 33 hours. Then I work as a delivery boy on the bike for 4 hours a week. I wake up at 5:30am if I need some mileage then when I get home its straight on the bike (ride to school as well) for another 4 hours (take lights). Then I get home do chores, eat dinner etc etc. Obviously I dont do this every day...I avg about 450km's a week yet its totally possible to fit a hell of a lot more in if you are commited enough.

By the way the pro's are riding 1000km's a week when in there base training phase.

You gotta love it...if you do then waking up early or riding late isn't a big issue. I am still very young so the km's will only be increasing.

dm69 said:

I go to school 5 days a week. 33 hours. Then I work as a delivery boy on the bike for 4 hours a week. I wake up at 5:30am if I need some mileage then when I get home its straight on the bike (ride to school as well) for another 4 hours (take lights). Then I get home do chores, eat dinner etc etc. Obviously I dont do this every day...I avg about 450km's a week yet its totally possible to fit a hell of a lot more in if you are commited enough.

By the way the pro's are riding 1000km's a week when in there base training phase.

You gotta love it...if you do then waking up early or riding late isn't a big issue. I am still very young so the km's will only be increasing.

Maybe but how many of those pros are going to school full time? Also how many of your 450km are from your messenger job? It is easy to talk when you don't know how the OP's daily or weekly schedule runs.

dm69 said:

Join a club, get a road bike. I can fit in school and work 6 hous a week...still manage to ride 600km's plus a week easily but its not a good idea to be doing this until you get more fit.

Did you come to this forum to brag too? Some of us saw enough of this from you as macca123 on bikeforums.net.

A little bit of social graces go a long way.