New to Cycling and..

Wether you got the right bike or not is really a question for yourself and what you feel comfortable rideing. But seeing as though your asking, what are your intentions??? Do you intend to increase the distance you are rideing?? Do you intend on group rideing or raceing??? Do you only want to ride on paths or roads, or do you want to ride off road??? Depending on the answers to these questions, could depend on what bike will best suit you.

As for equipment, the basics are helmut, water bottle, pump and probably an under seat bag with a spare tube and levers. It's a good idea to carry some spare change with you if you need to make a call, or carry a mobile.

Cycling clothes can be alot more comfortable as they have padding, a set of gloves is also a good idea. As for a back pack, I dont see any problem with carrying one.....if you have the need to carry it.

Hope that helps

in your post, you state thay you do a 18 mile trip - is that one way and if not, when you get home do you feel you'd like to do more. Also, what general speed do you ride. Some people may do 18 miles in a half an hour, it may take you 3 hours (or the opposite). Do you ride only for recreation & greater fitness or do you have larger training/racing goals in mind?

no, cycling shoes are not necessary (they alllow for easier pedaling esp. on hills and better power transfer but really are only needed if you plan on racing or doing any REALLY long rides

if your not careful, a backpack allows you to carry a lot of unnecessary stuff (weight) and your back will not ventiate as well. IMO a hydration pack is better than a backpack and I use one when riding my MTB, but on my road bike I just use water bottles and whatever I need goes in my jersey or the seat bag. if you need to carry anything big/bulky, it's better to get some form of a rear rack setup (your LBS can help you with your specific bike)

cheers,

Rustyhole said:

in your post, you state thay you do a 18 mile trip - is that one way and if not, when you get home do you feel you'd like to do more. Also, what general speed do you ride. Some people may do 18 miles in a half an hour, it may take you 3 hours (or the opposite). Do you ride only for recreation & greater fitness or do you have larger training/racing goals in mind?

no, cycling shoes are not necessary (they alllow for easier pedaling esp. on hills and better power transfer but really are only needed if you plan on racing or doing any REALLY long rides

if your not careful, a backpack allows you to carry a lot of unnecessary stuff (weight) and your back will not ventiate as well. IMO a hydration pack is better than a backpack and I use one when riding my MTB, but on my road bike I just use water bottles and whatever I need goes in my jersey or the seat bag. if you need to carry anything big/bulky, it's better to get some form of a rear rack setup (your LBS can help you with your specific bike)

cheers,

The 18-mile is a go & back trip. Two-way. It takes me usually 2 hours almost every time, unless somehow my bike breaks down. I only ride for fitness. Thanks for your help. 🙂

If you are riding for fitness, then a back pack might be a bit much. You should be able to get away with your seat pack and some pockets in the cycling jersey that you should have to ride in. I would also advise that you purchase a pair of cycling shorts with chamois padding in the crotch as it really improves the comfort of the ride. If you are like me and you don't look good in tight spandex cycling shorts, they make baggy shorts with a padded inner spandex liner. It also has pockets with zippers so you don't lose anything.

Your bike is sufficient for fitness riding right now. If you decide down the road that you want to compete or want to do longer distance touring, you might start looking for more gearing.

Welcome and keep cycling! Coyote Creek is a nice ride for sure! If you want a little more of a challenge on the same ride you can ride on the road for a mile or two and climb up onto anderson dam. It is a short climb, but a little steep. Nice to stop on top of the dam and enjoy the view while drinking some water.

Rustyhole said:

in your post, you state thay you do a 18 mile trip - is that one way and if not, when you get home do you feel you'd like to do more. Also, what general speed do you ride. Some people may do 18 miles in a half an hour, it may take you 3 hours (or the opposite). Do you ride only for recreation & greater fitness or do you have larger training/racing goals in mind?

no, cycling shoes are not necessary (they alllow for easier pedaling esp. on hills and better power transfer but really are only needed if you plan on racing or doing any REALLY long rides

if your not careful, a backpack allows you to carry a lot of unnecessary stuff (weight) and your back will not ventiate as well. IMO a hydration pack is better than a backpack and I use one when riding my MTB, but on my road bike I just use water bottles and whatever I need goes in my jersey or the seat bag. if you need to carry anything big/bulky, it's better to get some form of a rear rack setup (your LBS can help you with your specific bike)

cheers,

18 mile in half an hour( 58 km/h ), you could name the people who could do that on probably one hand...:p

Scotttri said:

18 mile in half an hour( 58 km/h ), you could name the people who could do that on probably one hand...:p

That's exactly what I was just thinking!!!!

. . . actually what I was thinking was, "wow some of the folks on this forum are crazy fast and would kick the sh** out of our chicago area racers!"

hehehe 😉 sorry my bad
but my statement really was just an analogy to whether one rides fast or slow
nor was it meant as an indicator of my general speedy-ness (...or lack thereof)

cheers,

Rustyhole said:

Some people may do 18 miles in a half an hour, it may take you 3 hours (or the opposite).

Oh man! Was that a typo? I went full out for 7 miles to work the other day, staying off the side walk and using the bike lane. I felt I pretty much exceeded my bike's gearing, pedaling really fast in the last gear, and my droid GPS app showed my highest speed at 19 MPH according to a chart I was able to review (with a 5 second resolution). To do what you suggested, 18 miles in a half hour, I would have to nearly DOUBLE that speed! And I was wiped out at the end of the ride. To do 18 miles like that would take a version of me 20 years younger and in a LOT better shape. Even then, my gearing wouldn't allow it. (Schwinn Varsity 700c 14 gears).

I'm sure people do it, but I simply cannot get my head around even going that fast, let alone sustaining that speed for 18 miles. If what you said was what you intended, I'm certainly in a major lower class of speed and endurance. WOW!

Regards,
Gary
Hopworks

36 mph on a bike is not that unusual......on a long down hill with the wind at your back🙄.

Ascension said:

The 18-mile is a go & back trip. Two-way. It takes me usually 2 hours almost every time, unless somehow my bike breaks down. I only ride for fitness. Thanks for your help. 🙂

I think Ascension was saying that the 18-mile trip took two hours. In my math (V=d/t) that computes to 9 mph.

Ascension, if you're enjoying your ride then you have the right kind of bike.

I was replying to rustyhole actually, if that comment is what you replied to. 18 miles in a half hour at my pace is ludicrous. On my 7 miles to work, I average 13 mph, sometimes peaking at 18.5 mph, doing the trip in almost right at 30 minutes. It's a pretty brisk pace for me, using mostly my last gear since I usually stay just one gear below (HIGH - 6 or 2x6) on a 14 speed.

Hopworks said:

I was replying to rustyhole actually, if that comment is what you replied to. 18 miles in a half hour at my pace is ludicrous.

18 miles in a half hour is so ludicrous that I can't understand why you're even pursuing it. Obviously rustyhole was pulling numbers out of his sleeve without paying any attention to what they mean. I see now that rusty postulated his 18 miles in a half-hour example before Ascension told us he was actually taking two hours. I only butted in to try to give Ascension, apparently the only sane one in this discussion, a bit of encouragement. Now I think I'll butt right out. This is getting crazy.

Rustyhole said:

Some people may do 18 miles in a half an hour, it may take you 3 hours (or the opposite).

I'm so glad that people pointed out that 36 mph isn't a normal thing. I read that and got so bummed (fairly new to cycling). I was just stoked to average 17 mph yesterday...to think that someone could ride twice as fast as that is insane.

i sure hope you people are referring to average speeds.

HappilyAccosted said:

I'm so glad that people pointed out that 36 mph isn't a normal thing. I read that and got so bummed (fairly new to cycling). I was just stoked to average 17 mph yesterday...to think that someone could ride twice as fast as that is insane.

Don't hang up your wheels yet. 17 mph is quite respectable.

oldbobcat said:

Don't hang up your wheels yet. 17 mph is quite respectable.

Thanks man...Plan on keeping at it for some time...

Maybe i'll be one of the few that push 36mph

(in my dreams)

HappilyAccosted said:

Thanks man...Plan on keeping at it for some time...

Maybe i'll be one of the few that push 36mph

(in my dreams)

well, with all the new screenames and new objectives i'm not sure how to respond but all i can say is forget your bike computer and ask is there someone in front of you? if so than why?..eh.
lose your computer.

oldbobcat said:

Don't hang up your wheels yet. 17 mph is quite respectable.

Exactly what oldbobcat said. 17 mph is just fine. Besides, average speed doesn't really say much at all without context: was it on perfectly flat roads with a 20 mph tailwind at your back the entire time? was it over 80 miles with 3,000 meters of elevation gain? was it on a trainer? was it in a headwind? You get my meaning. Also, average speed is completely useless without the context of your needs and goals. Here's a perfect example. It's not a rare thing for someone on a bike forum to talk about how they flew by someone on a mega-expensive bike, while themselves only riding their rusty Schwinn frame from 1972 with only 5 gears. These comments are asinine because Johnny Rocket had no idea what that other rider was doing. He could have been on a easy spin day. He could have been on the tail end of a 150 mile ride. He could have been recovering from injury. The point is, it doesn't matter.

Just ride and don't worry what other think about your speed or whatever.

As an aside, it doesn't matter a single bit if on a ride someone is in front of you or not. It only matters if your obsessed with such things. Just worry about what you want out of the ride.