Brand-spanking new Roadie. What am I in for?

[SpecRuby]

EEK!
So, I am very new to cycling. I'm so pleased to have found this site but hope I don't annoy you with all of my questions!

Besides the typical department store special that you'd hop on to ride to your friends house when you were a teen, I've never actually purchased a quality bike for any purpose. My boyfriend is an avid mountain biker and has done a few adventure triathlons, and it is his zest and love of this sport that has sparked my interest in trying something new with him.

My sport of choice is Eventing with horses, so cycling is a little out of my comfort zone.

Spending the weekend at the National Bike Show got me so psyched to try road cycling. Prior to the show, I did some informal research on buying road bikes for beginners, recommended brands, price ranges, frame composition etc. I understood that a budget of around $1000 for an aluminum frame would be a good starting point for such a beginner as myself, which was my plan. But the show didn't offer anything in my size or my budget. But we did meet a wonderful triathlete fellow who owns a cycle shop in the city, and went to meet him the following week at his shop.

... to make a short story long, after being professionally fitted and sized, and trying MANY models, I ended up purchasing a Specialized Ruby, full carbon XL (I'm 5'9" and all leg). The Spec Ruby was THE bike that I wanted but couldn't justify affording being a beginner. But the $2700 bike was a 2009, and trying to get rid of an XL frame gave me the chance to buy the bike for a mere $1800. SOLD! And very excited to have such a bike for my first one!!

Well that's nice. I have the bike, the padded bum shorts, the clipless pedals and shoes, the gloves, the helmet, the computer and the camelbak. But....I have no idea how to ride a road bike!! lol. Oh gawd.

Now, I'm assuming riding a bike, is riding a bike. But riding a bike with your feet clipped into its pedals on roads frequented by vehicles/trucks, on a bike that weighs less than my purse is concerning.

I have lofty goals to do the 50K Becel Ride for Heart and some mini-biathlons around the city, but where do I start?? What distances should I start with? How many days a week?

Any tips for training the absolute beginner would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys, talk at you soon!

 

[frenchyge]

Wow, so much to learn for someone brand new, but the first principle is to get comfortable and confident (and safe) on the bike and the roads. Any thoughts of training should come secondary to that (and there are lots of great training threads over in the training forum).

Clipless pedals - find somewhere quiet to practice getting into and out of the pedals without crashing. It'll become second nature fairly quickly, but it's not unusual to take a tumble or two at first and you don't want to do that in traffic.

Find a friendly road/path with little traffic for your first rides while you learn to use the gears and ride comfortably in a straight line while reaching for the bottle to take a drink, taking something from a back pocket, using one hand to signal a turn, etc. Make sure you know the rules of the road and how they apply to cyclists (including safety tips for riding defensively and predictably in traffic).

Your bum is going to be uncomfortable at first. Part of this is conditioning but if it persists or gets very bad then you may not have the right seat for your body or your riding position could be off.

Start by riding distances that you are comfortable with and go from there. 45min to an hour is a good distance to start, up to a few times a week. Listen to your body and be attentive for knee, back or neck pain which might require adjustments to your position to fix. You can ride through little aches and pains, but be patient and don't overdo it -- give you body a chance to catch up. Riding should be fun, not torture. Enjoy!

 

[64Paramount]

That's a very nice bike for a newbie. Heck, that's a heck of bike for a veteran!

Frenchy about covered it all, I will add that if you even think there's a possibility you will need to stop, unclip one foot from the pedal ahead of time to be prepared.

I've been riding clipless pedals for many years, but every Spring I ride up and down my quiet street a few times clipping in and unclipping just to make sure I have it committed to muscle memory.

Ride a lot and have fun!

 

[Billcycle]

Well congrats on jumping right in! Very nice bike BTW...

I bought my first road bike a month or so back, after starting back into cycling last year with a hybrid. The hybrid had regular platform pedals at the time, so I pretty much just had to get used to riding, shifting, etc..

When I bought the road bike, I decided to try clipless since it seems almost universally accepted that they enhance the riding the experience. But, being unsure how I'd do with them, I sort of compromised--I actually bought some mountain SPD pedals that have a black rubber surround, so you can either clip in or ride like a platform pedal.

As it turns out, I used them as platforms maybe once...then I followed the advice above and just practiced clipping and un-clipping while holding onto my porch, then trying a few rides in very protected environments.

We have a track here that's normally not used much, and it offered the perfect opportunity to work on shifting, braking and even stopping/starting with the pedals.

You will probably take a tumble or two at zero speed--more than likely the only thing that will get hurt is your pride, but just remember everyone experiences it at some point, and try to concentrate on why it happened so as to prevent it.

 

[Dansky]

I concur with all of the previous posters' helpful comments.
Don't worry, and remember this...it's just like riding a bike.

 

[daveryanwyoming]

....Any tips for training the absolute beginner would be greatly appreciated....

Make sure you have a pump or CO2 cartridges, a spare tube, tire levers and know how to use them. Practice changing a tire at home a few times so you can actually get home if you have a flat out on a distant road. The question is not 'if' you'll get a flat tire, the question is when you'll get your first one and whether you'll be alone when it happens.

Welcome to the sport and to the forums.

Good luck,
-Dave

 

[alfeng]

My sport of choice is Eventing with horses, so cycling is a little out of my comfort zone.

If you're doing Three Day Eventing, then you're probably as fit as (or, fitter than) most cyclists ... you can probably do a 50K ride as soon as you acclimate to the bike.

You may-or-may-not need to find a more comfortable saddle than the one which is currently on the bike ...

If you find that the the current saddle on your bike is uncomfortable, then consider a BROOKS B17 (i.e., the wider, "standard" width) ... start with the rails parallel to the ground. As I've tried to impress on people before, equestrians do not ride on padded saddles.

If the notion of clipless pedals seems unnatural, then switch(-back) to a good pair of old-fashioned pedals & toe clips (you do NOT need to cinch the straps down ... you may want to find the type of slotted cleat that cradles/engages the rear edge of the pedal, but it's not really necessary for non-competitive cycling) ... metal toe clips are vastly superior to plastic toe clips. Shimano makes a touring shoe (SH-T092) which will be suitable for clipless pedals or pedals with toe clips.

Almost as important as with stirrups, being able to get your foot "out" is as important as the control they provide ...
​

Jacqui Phelan (a renowned MTBer) still uses pedals w/ toe clips.
​

 

[SpecRuby]

Wow! Guys, thanks so much for helping me out with this. So much fantastic advice and great tips to absorb.
I really appreciated the comparison to riding in a horse saddle, lol.

I'm going tomorrow to get a second fit done and finally bring it home. I may venture out Saturday for my first ride...

Interesting point about changing the saddles. With it being a women's frame, I had assumed that the saddle would be a women's specific saddle.
(lol, and yes, riding a horse 5 days a week also makes your nether regions sore). Is that something I have to look forward to with cycling in such a forward position?

Also, will a carbon frame take well to potential tumbles as I get accustomed to clipping in and out of the pedals? (I could care less about me, but don't want to damage the bike, haha)

 

[daveryanwyoming]

...will a carbon frame take well to potential tumbles as I get accustomed to clipping in and out of the pedals? (I could care less about me, but don't want to damage the bike, haha)

Yeah, those pedal release related tumbles are generally the comedic slow motion variety. You roll up to a traffic light, and as you stop you forget in the panic to twist your heel out and pull out of the pedal as you slowly tip over. You still don't want to tip over in front of a car or hit the curb hard but as a rule they're more embarrassing than damaging to you or the bike.

-Dave

 

[jagonz456]

hello and welcome to the forum. When your at the bike shop getting your second fitting make sure they adjust the petal tension release. They can use an Allen key to turn a screw and make the release of your pedals easier. This will help with the clicking on and off once you get good you can tighten it back. I would also ask if the bike shop would swap out your tires for some tires with Kevlar in them to prevent flats. If your Bumm keeps hurting after a few long ride you can change the specialized saddle for another womans specific saddle specialized makes a bunch to fit everyones needs.

 

[64Paramount]

Yeah, those pedal release related tumbles are generally the comedic slow motion variety. You roll up to a traffic light, and as you stop you forget in the panic to twist your heel out and pull out of the pedal as you slowly tip over. You still don't want to tip over in front of a car or hit the curb hard but as a rule they're more embarrassing than damaging to you or the bike.

-Dave

Yep, and you can just put a hand down to catch yourself, make sure you get a nice set of padded bike gloves, and then you can look around to see how many people saw you fall over.

You should post some pics of your new bike when you get it so we can drool over it....

 

[Billcycle]

You might be pleasantly surprised by the stock saddle on your new bike--especially if you're already, "toughened" from the horse back riding.

Give the new one a few rides to see how it feels--remember most new saddles will feel hard or stiff, but they do break in somewhat after a bit. If the saddle does bother you, your shop guy should be able to hook you up with a loaner saddle of a different width, maybe different style or padding to see how you like it before you have to commit to buying.

And a big "+1" on posting pics of your new ride!

 

[phil ctc]

wh

EEK!
So, I am very new to cycling. I'm so pleased to have found this site but hope I don't annoy you with all of my questions!

Besides the typical department store special that you'd hop on to ride to your friends house when you were a teen, I've never actually purchased a quality bike for any purpose. My boyfriend is an avid mountain biker and has done a few adventure triathlons, and it is his zest and love of this sport that has sparked my interest in trying something new with him.

My sport of choice is Eventing with horses, so cycling is a little out of my comfort zone.

Spending the weekend at the National Bike Show got me so psyched to try road cycling. Prior to the show, I did some informal research on buying road bikes for beginners, recommended brands, price ranges, frame composition etc. I understood that a budget of around $1000 for an aluminum frame would be a good starting point for such a beginner as myself, which was my plan. But the show didn't offer anything in my size or my budget. But we did meet a wonderful triathlete fellow who owns a cycle shop in the city, and went to meet him the following week at his shop.

... to make a short story long, after being professionally fitted and sized, and trying MANY models, I ended up purchasing a Specialized Ruby, full carbon XL (I'm 5'9" and all leg). The Spec Ruby was THE bike that I wanted but couldn't justify affording being a beginner. But the $2700 bike was a 2009, and trying to get rid of an XL frame gave me the chance to buy the bike for a mere $1800. SOLD! And very excited to have such a bike for my first one!!

Well that's nice. I have the bike, the padded bum shorts, the clipless pedals and shoes, the gloves, the helmet, the computer and the camelbak. But....I have no idea how to ride a road bike!! lol. Oh gawd.

Now, I'm assuming riding a bike, is riding a bike. But riding a bike with your feet clipped into its pedals on roads frequented by vehicles/trucks, on a bike that weighs less than my purse is concerning.

I have lofty goals to do the 50K Becel Ride for Heart and some mini-biathlons around the city, but where do I start?? What distances should I start with? How many days a week?

Any tips for training the absolute beginner would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys, talk at you soon!

 

[rparedes]

EEK!
So, I am very new to cycling. I'm so pleased to have found this site but hope I don't annoy you with all of my questions!

Besides the typical department store special that you'd hop on to ride to your friends house when you were a teen, I've never actually purchased a quality bike for any purpose. My boyfriend is an avid mountain biker and has done a few adventure triathlons, and it is his zest and love of this sport that has sparked my interest in trying something new with him.

My sport of choice is Eventing with horses, so cycling is a little out of my comfort zone.

Spending the weekend at the National Bike Show got me so psyched to try road cycling. Prior to the show, I did some informal research on buying road bikes for beginners, recommended brands, price ranges, frame composition etc. I understood that a budget of around $1000 for an aluminum frame would be a good starting point for such a beginner as myself, which was my plan. But the show didn't offer anything in my size or my budget. But we did meet a wonderful triathlete fellow who owns a cycle shop in the city, and went to meet him the following week at his shop.

... to make a short story long, after being professionally fitted and sized, and trying MANY models, I ended up purchasing a Specialized Ruby, full carbon XL (I'm 5'9" and all leg). The Spec Ruby was THE bike that I wanted but couldn't justify affording being a beginner. But the $2700 bike was a 2009, and trying to get rid of an XL frame gave me the chance to buy the bike for a mere $1800. SOLD! And very excited to have such a bike for my first one!!

Well that's nice. I have the bike, the padded bum shorts, the clipless pedals and shoes, the gloves, the helmet, the computer and the camelbak. But....I have no idea how to ride a road bike!! lol. Oh gawd.

Now, I'm assuming riding a bike, is riding a bike. But riding a bike with your feet clipped into its pedals on roads frequented by vehicles/trucks, on a bike that weighs less than my purse is concerning.

I have lofty goals to do the 50K Becel Ride for Heart and some mini-biathlons around the city, but where do I start?? What distances should I start with? How many days a week?

Any tips for training the absolute beginner would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks guys, talk at you soon!

ride for a few weeks with platform pedals (16-20 bucks) and get comfortable with the bike and saddle. Once you have a good fit and you feel confident on the bike, then make the jump ti clipless; have someone hold the bike or hold yourself up against a door opening or wall and practice clipping in and out, then go to flat area and clip in just one foot and pedal with only one foot, one you have learned to gain speed (momentum) with only foot clipped, you can clip the other foot. Practice unclipping and stopping/starting BEFORE you get on the road.
It may seem stupid but you should also learn how to get on and off the bike BEFORE you try clip pedals.
Bicycle Technique: Starting and Stopping

 

[SpecRuby]

So excited, so excited, so excited!

We had our fitting and picked the bikes up on Saturday, and lucky for us, it was a semi-nice day to try them out. I have never picked up a piece of equipment that is as light as this bike, it's unreal. You can pick it up with a finger and toss it across the room in one smooth swoosh.

The fitting of the bikes was timed perfectly. We did my bike first, then left it in the trainer as they fit the boyfriend's for him, so I had a good hour just playing with the pedals and learning the movement for clipping and unclipping. Finally got the concept: kick out with your hip, not with a raised heel.

We started on a quiet dead end road and just lapped a few circles so I could practice the unclipping, and when it was one smooth movement, we headed out!

Road bikes feel so flimbsy and wobbly, but I'm sure that will come with better balance and muscle control. But man! Are they ever fast!! Smooth and so fast! We went out for a 20K ride on Saturday, then again only for a 15K on Sunday, and both rides felt like nothing. I wanted to keep going, but the cold was biting my fingers and feet. And I learned that bike saddle-ass is different than horse saddle-ass. My tush is sore in a whole new area! But that will eventually go away? I also felt the difference between pushing the pedals down and using the clips and lifting the pedals up on each stroke. That's a neat feeling!

Luckily and unluckily, the boyfriend pinched his rear tire and flatted out. But that gave me the opportunity to learn how to take the tire and tube off, change them out, use the CO2 pump and put a rear tire back on again.

When we were done, we took them inside the house, put them on their stands, and just stared at them, haha!! I was sure to take lots of pictures to share, but they are on his camera right now.

Now some more questions, lol. How often do you, or should you clean your gears, oil, lube etc? After each ride?

 

[rparedes]

So excited, so excited, so excited!

Now some more questions, lol. How often do you, or should you clean your gears, oil, lube etc? After each ride?

I do it once a week after my last ride on Sundays. Wipe the chain clean with a rag and then put one drop of lubricant on each link (I use Prolink), wipe excess; you're ready for next week's rides. Once a month I lube derailleurs and brake pivots, clean rims, cassette and brake pads...

 

[Billcycle]

Congrats on the new bikes! Did you both get the same kind of bike?

I had the exact same reaction to my new road bike after riding my hybrid for a year--"whoa, slow down there pardner!!" . And yeah, everything seemed more sensitive--steering, breaking, shifting, the whole show. You will get accustomed to it very quickly.

I'm embarrassed to admit I haven't gotten into a really good routine on cleaning yet--I look over the chain and gears, and if they're a bit gritty I'll wipe them down and add a few drops of chain lube. I did buy one of those chain cleaner things, but I've only used it once so far--it worked pretty well.

If the bike is grimy after a ride, say if the roads were damp, or if I've sweated a lot on the ride (pretty much the norm down here in the Summer), I'll hose it off and wipe it dry after each ride.

I'm sure there are some folks here with better established cleaning routines than I've developed at this point...

 

[SpecRuby]

Long time no update!

I've had the Ruby now for about a month, and I'm in love. It's light, smooth and super fast. I'm now at the point where everything has been worked in and needs to be taken in to be adjusted and tightened.

Quick question though. I have the chain cleaner, bio solution and lube, but I can't seem to wrap my head around how to hold the bike up, run through the gears to clean and hold the cleaner all at the same time.

I haven't yet purchased a bike stand, so how to you clean the chain and run the gears?? Have someone else hold the bike up? I didn't know if there was a trick that I was missing, lol

Also, I'm trying to post pics, but the little mountain button above the reply box doesn't seem to accept the URL link I'm putting in it. Any tips?

 

[64Paramount]

Glad to hear the bike is working well for you.

Yes, you'll need three hands to use one of those chain cleaners if you don't have a repair stand or some way to hang the bike so you can turn the pedals.

I've seen people hang them on a bike rack on the back of their car, just so they could turn the pedals and run through the gears.

It doesn't take long to do, so if you can get someone to help you, you'll be done in a just a few minutes.

I always use the "Manage Attachments" button below in the addtional options to attach pictures. It may request you log in again, I'm not sure why it does that, but then you should see where you can upload your pics.

 

[cyberlegend1994]

Also, I'm trying to post pics, but the little mountain button above the reply box doesn't seem to accept the URL link I'm putting in it. Any tips?

Create a free account on a photo hosting site such as Photobucket of Flickr, then upload the pic there and post a link to it using IMG code.