new to cycling and have a few questions

[flagrl]

im 21 and im new to cycling i have this bike, yes it is from walmart http://www.walmart.com/ip/Schwinn-700c-Men-s-Crossfit-Road-Bike/19582526, but i love it and its perfect for me right now, i first got it because it my means of transportaion besides the bus, im a college kid, but i have started going on longer bike rides, about 12-14 miles, and i really enjoy it. so i was wondering, about the clothes, i see people have them and i just thought they were a waste of money, but ive been reading, and they are not lol, but i was wondering, i have a pair of strech yoga pants, kinda like under armor kind of thing, will that work just the same until i am able to get some, hopefully here in the next few weeks, hopefully? or should i just wait? do i really need cycling shoes? sorry im new to all this, any advice you can give me about anything would be great, thank you in advanced oh and right now im riding 12-14 miles at a time, do you think if i pushed myself in 8 months time i could be riding 30 miles at a time or is that unrealistic?

 

[flagrl]

oh right now im only riding about 12-14 miles do you think in 8 months time if i really pushed myself i could ride 30 miles at a time?

 

[tottenham21]

It's all about how comfortable you feel and also your wallet mate, if ya have the money for it go get you a nice pair of bibs from your local bike shop or from performance if ya have one near, as far as cycling shoes yes they are better but only if you are thinking about going clipless on your pedals, you won't be able to use yer shoes if you don't change the pedals you have now..no worries about asking questions mate we all learn from scratch..

 

[spanj007]

Last question first: At your age, and if you are reasonably fit, you can be riding 30 - 50 miles within a few weeks if you train just a few days weekly.
As far as the bike and clothes, let your wallet be your guide. You should probably invest in bike shorts with padding if you plan on being in the saddle for an hour or two. Shop your local bike shop during sales and sign up for their e-mail ads. There are a quite a few online sources for clothes and accessories, but it would be best to try on different brands for fit before buying on line. Stick with it and your riding will improve quickly.

 

[alienator]

oh right now im only riding about 12-14 miles do you think in 8 months time if i really pushed myself i could ride 30 miles at a time?

Absolutely.

 

[flagrl]

thanks so much for all the advice, i am only have a couple of nights a week and the weekends to go out on my bike but i plan on pushing myself and really getting fit and being able to ride long distances. right now im broke untill about the 3rd week of august, my brakes sucks on that bike, and have now given up completly, so i wont being riding all that much untill i get it fixed, dont know how much it will cost to get new brakes put on but we will see. also i have took the clips off my pedels, i had never used them and didnt think i would like them so i took them off, whats the difference with them on or off, since i took them off i will need to get shoes for the bike right? and i will be getting a nice pair of shorts in august as well, i have a cateye wireless computer and i love it, i bought it on a whim and so glad i did, i need some bike tools for the road, i have none, but will be able to spend most my money on getting bike tuned, and brakes fixed, bike shorts and maybe shoes
again thanks for the advice i really apperciate it alot..

 

[Dave Pace]

Originally Posted by flagrl .

oh right now im only riding about 12-14 miles do you think in 8 months time if i really pushed myself i could ride 30 miles at a time?

Yes. 3 weeks ago when I started I was 290lbs at 6'2" barley able to do 4.5 miles. I had to pull over 2 times just to catch my breath. Now I am 280lbs and doing the following.

17.47mi Distance


1:20:22 Duration


13.0mi/h Avg Speed

On a mountain bike till I can get a road bike. You can do it if you want to, just don't let your mind overwhelm your true ability. By the way I am also a former smoker of a little over 5 month. If I can do this in 3 weeks you will get to 30 in I bet 3 months. Just set a goal and a time and then try for it. That is all you can do. I have a goal of 33 miles by the end of next month, and a goal of 105 miles in June of 2013.

 

[flagrl]

thanks for that. 105 miles sounds awesome, we have horrible weather this week, hurricane comming, but once it clears up im going to try for 20 miles and see how i do with that, then after a few weeks t 20 ill try for 30.

 

[Chavez]

Originally Posted by flagrl .

thanks for that. 105 miles sounds awesome, we have horrible weather this week, hurricane comming, but once it clears up im going to try for 20 miles and see how i do with that, then after a few weeks t 20 ill try for 30.

My only advice is that every time I was thinking of riding further I'd have a "gee, I don't know if I can do that" thought, and as long as I wasn't making some sort of ridiculous jump (say, going from 10 miles to 80), it was almost NEVER a problem.

Anyone can certainly feel free to correct me on this, but in my experience if you can are consistently able to ride distance (a) in a reasonable time and amount of comfort, you can probably ride distance (a)x2 without too much trouble.

 

[Radiati0n]

Originally Posted by Chavez .



My only advice is that every time I was thinking of riding further I'd have a "gee, I don't know if I can do that" thought, and as long as I wasn't making some sort of ridiculous jump (say, going from 10 miles to 80), it was almost NEVER a problem.

Anyone can certainly feel free to correct me on this, but in my experience if you can are consistently able to ride distance (a) in a reasonable time and amount of comfort, you can probably ride distance (a)x2 without too much trouble.

Agreed. On my days off when I don't have anything to do for the day, I'll go out riding on my normal route and sometimes get done and not be tired, so I'll go out again and keep riding.

 

[flagrl]

thanks yall, my biggest concern was going too far and then be so tired i can barly make it back lol. as soon as the weather clears up im going to try for 20 miles, it will probably be friday or saturday, im excited, the other day i went for 12 miles in 52 minutes and i slowed down some on the way back because it was a nice night out and wasnt humid or nothing so i just enjoyed mysel f, but that was my fastest time yet, i know not that fast but im working on speed.

 

[Dave Pace]

Originally Posted by Chavez .



My only advice is that every time I was thinking of riding further I'd have a "gee, I don't know if I can do that" thought, and as long as I wasn't making some sort of ridiculous jump (say, going from 10 miles to 80), it was almost NEVER a problem.

Anyone can certainly feel free to correct me on this, but in my experience if you can are consistently able to ride distance (a) in a reasonable time and amount of comfort, you can probably ride distance (a)x2 without too much trouble.

100% right. Also I would like to point out that you have to remember like I do is not to kill yourself. By that I mean you may be able to go that 15 miles 1 way, but just make sure you leave enough for the 15 back. I don't have any advice on the way to go, but what I did is I planned a 22 mile ride that I did yesterday that has a steady 200+ foot accent going out of town for the first 11 miles. But on the way back it is a nice 200+ food decent. Some people may not like it like that and per fer the opposite, but hey to each their own. I'm just saying for right now study your maps and gps. Go with routes you are familiar with. Then slowly move out in to unfamiliar waters. Also, always make sure you have a spare tubes, and or are close enough to get help out to you.

 

[Brian Wilson]

I myself a new to the whole road cycling thing difference is my budget is bigger. Shorts are nice but not needed but if you can get them do, cycling jerseys are awsome and I will not ride distance without one again, shoes and pedals are great but expensive so dont stress on them until you can really afford them (check craigs list if in your area), As far as distance goes you need to be the judge on going farther or holding back but what helped me was going to google maps and using the directions to pick my house for a starting and ending point and then draging the route to the roads I knew I wanted to be on then found the distance I knew I could go and then every week or everyother week I would add 5-10 miles to that ride. If I didn't have a plan to go further that day I would not have been able to do it, I had to put myself into a situation that forced me to go that extra distance, once I am out in the middle of nowhere I have no choice but to get myself home. I can not ride during the week so weekends are my only chance, I started riding in the spring and over last weekend I rode 116miles over the four day weekend (25,25,25,41). If I wanted to at this time I am sure I could go out to 50-60 miles I just haven't tried yet but I will be soon.

 

[Chavez]

Originally Posted by Brian Wilson .

I myself a new to the whole road cycling thing difference is my budget is bigger. Shorts are nice but not needed but if you can get them do, cycling jerseys are awsome and I will not ride distance without one again, shoes and pedals are great but expensive so dont stress on them until you can really afford them (check craigs list if in your area),

I'd go the other way - jerseys are nice but not 100% necessary, but get yourself some bibs (not shorts) ASAP. Your perineum will thank you.