Would like to start road riding

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by Brad1711
Hi all

I am a 16 year old (17 in Nov.) from Northwest Ohio (Toledo area). I haven't done much regarding physical fitness in the last couple of years, but I'm not in too bad of shape. I'm about 6'0", 175-180 pounds. Not obese, but with a couple extra pounds. I recently picked up an interest in biking. I've been looking around this site for about the last half hour, so I'll try my best with the lingo.

At my disposal are a Palomar 21-speed hybrid standard frame that is a couple of years old and a Schwinn World Tour 10-speed standard frame which is a road bike (with the narrow low-drag tires and the handlebar with several grips).

I went for a ride in the park this morning on the Palomar for about an hour and a half and covered probably 10-15 miles, but there were a few hills, some loose gravel, and thick mud on one of the trails that I got stuck in 🙄 . I wasn't really pushing myself, and barely broke a sweat (though I think that was more from the hot sun).

I see quite a bit of the serious bikers riding on the two-lane highway that goes by my house. It's a good road, mostly flat, but a few hills. I'm still not sure if I would want to do that though, with cars zipping by at 50 mph.

If anybody has any advice on like an exercise plan, what type of equipment I should get, and anybody in the Toledo area who knows some routes that I should try, please let me know.

Thanks,
Brad

Sounds like your off to a good start but for an exercise plan it really depends on your goals. It sounds like you just want to get in better shape which is a good goal but can be difficult to measure. What I would suggest for a beginner is to ride for enjoyment first and fitness second, this way you will want to continue riding more and the fitness will just happen. After you've put in more miles you will likely be able to decide what areas of riding you want to improve on and can set some specific goals (i.e. longer distance, better climbing, or faster speed). As for equiptment, you definitally need a water bottle and a cage. Other things you will likely want eventually would be a bike computer to track speed and distance.

Hope this helps, I'm sure others will chime in with more ideas.

Dan.

Quoted post said:

Originally posted by BanditManDan
I would suggest for a beginner is to ride for enjoyment first and fitness second, this way you will want to continue riding more and the fitness will just happen.

Another way to look at this -- if you are really interested in doing something to increase your fitness by all means, just do it!!! (LIke the Nike add says). A love of cycling is likely to follow. If you get one of the bikes you have tuned up (pretty cheap to have done at a local bike shop, and not too hard to learn to do yourself) and spend some time riding it, you'll be able to gauge 1, whether you're interested in spending some $$ on a new one, and 2, what kind of bike you are interested in.

If you are really interested in the fitness part, I'd recommend investing a few bucks in a heart rate monitor (like an entry level Polar model www.polarusa.com).

I agreen with the previous advice. First and foremost have fun. I wouldn't ride anywhere your not sure about. Stay safe. Also make sure you invest in a good fitting helmet if you don't have one already. A bike shop can help you with that. I'd use the bike you have now that you enjoy riding the most. You might check with the local clubs in the area since they might have organized rides you can participate in. Many times they have people that help new riders out. A local bike shop might be able to help you with that also.

Okay. I took the old ten-speed for a ride this morning. Was a little unstable at first, but then got pretty used to it. Gears were a little clackety and the cassette didn't shift too well (in the high end it kept popping back and forth between one gear and the other) so after I got back I took it to the local bike shop and asked them to tune it up as it hadn't been serviced in probably about 10 years. He told me it would be $39.95 and would take a week and a half. Told me all the stuff they would do...sounded like a pretty thorough job. Is that a pretty good price, or did I just get suckered?

Also was looking at helmets there. Seem to be in the $25-$50 range. Is that decent? I don't have a whole lot of money to blow here. Was looking at shorts online--30's and 40's seemed to be the low end. Took one look at a jersey shirt price tag and didn't look at them again 😄 Also need to buy a water bottle cage. How much can I expect to spend on that? I'm also planning to get a computer. Definitely want speed and odometer, most likely Avg. speed, too, but we'll have to see about that. What is a good price for one like that? Is there much price difference for one with the HRM too?

Any other suggestions about what I should buy and what prices are good for entry-level biking?

Oh and thanks to all those who have already posted suggestions.

Hi. The helmet is a must. The brain matter is the only body part that won't grow back!

You will want good short soon, just for comfort. No seams in the crotch area. As far as jerseys, I have bought several NEW ones from EBAY, at 1/3 the cost online or in shops. Just one ride on a hot day, and I swore off cotton.

I started on an OLD varsity. As it broke, fixing it again became a real problem, finding parts the replace on a old bike is a real chore. That’s when I decided to invest an a new machine. But that was after many, many miles.

Good luck, and keep it FUN, keep on riding!

okay thanks for the advice. i'm still not sure if i trust ebay though--got scammed out of about $60 one time. i now consider ebay a gamble (but with pretty good odds). if they don't cost too much, i'll think about taking my chances buying one off of there

keep it coming people 😄

Try www.performancebike.com or nashbar.com for clearance items as well as your local bike store for a bargain bin. Usually some good clothing deals there. Sounds like decent prices for the helmets as they can range from there up to mid 100's. Water bottle cages usually run 5 to 10 dollars. Shop around for a computer. You can get a basic model on sale for under $20.

20 ounce gatorade bottles fit waterbottle cages perfectly. Though screwing the top on and off gets annoying.

Looked at those sites...seem to be pretty good deals. Thanks.

Don't like Gatorade, but thanks anyways 😎