Cycling for newbies!

Miss165

I'm considering taking up cycling but was looking for some advice first.

I've tried contacting a local community cycling group but not heard back from them yet.

I don't know the first thing about cycling to be quite honest (I haven't cycled in probably 15 years when I was a child!) and I've never cycled on the road so to be honest, it's quite daunting. (Especially reading these stories about cyclists being hit by cars on the roads!)

Where do I even begin?

Norman_Castle

Contacting your local group is possibly the best thing you can do. Also look for cycle training nearby.
Search for cycle routes near you. Some councils provide cycle route maps.

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/forumdisplay.php?f=225

spadoosh

Firstly as much as you might read about it in the news accidents arent actually that common.

From 2014:

Deaths:113
Seriously injured: 3,401
Slightly injured: 17,773

When you consider how many users and how many miles etc it isnt really that bad. (obviously it is for the affected but chances are you shouldnt be affected)

Have a read through the highway code. If you drive you will have your experience of the highway code, cyclists do certain things differently.

Have a look on youtube. Cycling mikey, evo lucas, imo, are good channels for cyclists, they show good/bad examples of cycling. Theres plenty of other channels to look through, avoid reading the comments.

Buy safety gear. A decent helmet and lights are a must (Even if you dont plan on driving at dark, you can get caught out, particularly in bad weather). While the stats show your less likely to be hit not wearing a helmet, you are more likely to have a serious injury not wearing a helmet. Bear in mind its not just about getting hit. The only time ive come off my bike there was no one else involved, my helmet prevented what couldve been a penny sized dent in my head.

Being a bit scared is a good thing, reduces the chances of you taking risks. However a certain element of confidence is needed as to prevent yourself getting in bad situations (something the YT channels can help with), emphasis on road positioning.

Also worth noting that the average life span (taking in to account accidents/deaths etc) of a cyclist is higher than a non cyclist. Overall its beneficial!

TiredTrophy

Do you have a bike?
Borrow one from a friend of about the same height, and pootle about on a bike path or in an office car park on a sunday morning when it's empty. Choose a warmer dry day.
Your bum will be the most uncomfortable bit. It takes a while for this to go...involves adjusting the saddle height, tilt and forward /position and time.
Practise turning, making signals, looking over your shoulder and stopping, ensure that tou can cycling in a straight line while changing gear.
Many towns offer classes in basic bike maintence...really basic like adjusting the brakes and fixing punctures.....that would be a good place to find further help if the club is not suitable.
An alternative approach is to go on a residential beginners mountain bike course. ....no cars, just amazing!

DavidT67

Agree Helmet, lights at all times and comfortable cycling shorts for starters.

British Cycling can help with finding local affiliated clubs for all disciplines, track, road, off-road,etc.
https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/membership
Also provide insurances

Cycling UK formerly CTC
http://www.cyclinguk.org/local-groups
Again offer membership and insurance packages
Also have local groups and led rides.

If you feel you need some confidence boosting
Bikeability as well as the above can help
https://bikeability.org.uk/

HTH

davomcdave

Miss165 wrote: »

I'm considering taking up cycling but was looking for some advice first.

I've tried contacting a local community cycling group but not heard back from them yet.

I don't know the first thing about cycling to be quite honest (I haven't cycled in probably 15 years when I was a child!) and I've never cycled on the road so to be honest, it's quite daunting. (Especially reading these stories about cyclists being hit by cars on the roads!)

Where do I even begin?

I hope this doesn't sound like I'm taking the mick but get on a bike and ride (as Queen once said!). The best way to start cycling is to cycle! The great thing about cycling is it's just like riding a bike, you don't really forget how to do it!:D

I went back to cycling about 15 years ago after about 15 years not riding. I was sick of taking the commuter train so decided to ride in instead. I bought a bike and had a few practice goes up and down a local completely off-road bike path which went pretty well.

I think, in fact I'm positive, that it helped that I bought a halfway decent bike. It was a £300 Marin hybrid bike. Once it became clear I was enjoying things I got a proper pair of cycling shorts and shirt from the sale rail of a bike shop. I didn't bother with cleats (the weird shoes that attach your feet to the pedals) for many years, well over a decade, but now I use them all the time and think they're great.

In the years since taking up riding again I've cycled up most of the famous Alps for cycling up, cycled the Thames Path and the South Downs Way as well as riding in many amateur events in several countries. I've made some brilliant friends, got fit and saved a fortune in commuting costs.

This started from me being a 30 year old 20-a-day smoker who drank too much and worked in an office who really was not fit at all. I have always been rubbish at all sport so I wasn't some chained athlete waiting to spring free. Even now I am remarkably slow, I just keep turning the pedals and get there in the end.

justme111

I am not sure what you mean by "taking up cycling". Is there any particular root that you would start doing by bike? Or do you mean buying a bike and cycling somewhere on the weekend? If the latter than you get a bike, lights, pump and helmet from anywhere (gumtree for example) and google cycling routes. If you will have to get to those routes by car then do not forget bike rack for the car (if you can not fit the bike in the boot). If the former then again google it, may be chose "bicycle" on your GPS and after getting the above listed gear go on that route when there is no traffic like sunday morning for example first

FBaby

I started cycling 4 years ago. I started mountain biking and going off roads. I did find it quite scary but enjoyed the effort. I then took on spining classes at my local gym in the winter and that got me much stronger. I then gave road biking a go and loved it, first with my OH, then with friends who I managed to convince it was great! It was a bit scary at first as I wasn't so confident with the bike, but as everything, confidence came with experience. The first time I used click on I cried in fear. Now I laugh at it and couldn't imagine not doing so!

What really did it was doing my first sportive. Exhausting and thought I'd never see the end of it, but of course then got the bug!

It really depends what you mean by 'taking up cycling' and whether you mean as a sporting discipline or as a hobby?

MABLE

Miss165 wrote: »

I'm considering taking up cycling but was looking for some advice first.

I've tried contacting a local community cycling group but not heard back from them yet.

I don't know the first thing about cycling to be quite honest (I haven't cycled in probably 15 years when I was a child!) and I've never cycled on the road so to be honest, it's quite daunting. (Especially reading these stories about cyclists being hit by cars on the roads!)

Where do I even begin?

One good bit of advice is if overtaking a cyclist on a cycle path overtake on the right and not the left. The times I have nearly come off my cycle with some idiots around my area not knowing the correct procedure.

And always obey traffic signs and lights.

renalt

Might be worth taking up a free gym offer and using their exercise bikes for a month to build up fitness.

Otherwise, you may find that you get left for dead by others at the cycling group. Nothing more de-motivating than that.

[Deleted User]

spadoosh wrote: »

you are more likely to have a serious injury not wearing a helmet.

Not if you don't get hit in the first place.

To my knowledge there has been only one real-world experiment done on helmets, and that was the one done on motorcycle helmets in America in the 1970s. Half the states of the US retained the compulsory helmet legislation, and the other half revoked them, making helmets optional. The result was that the compulsory helmet states had the higher death rate.

All the rest of the research revolves around testing how well a helmet protects against an impact, which is fatuous because it doesn't account for any differences in the likelihood of the impact occurring in the first place.