I'm new and need advise

[nchoppin]

I just bought my first road bike earlier this week. I have not ridden a bike much at all in 11 years. When I was younger I raced BMX at my local track and loved to be on a bike. I used spin classes to get back in shape and loose some weight last spring before I got married and it left me wanting the real thing. Anyway, I bought a Cannondale CAAD 10 and picked it up on Monday. I rushed home after the fitting and went out for a ride. I lasted about an hour and had to get off, not because my legs were sore but because my rear end was killing me. The first 40 minutes were fine. The last 10 felt like I was just sitting on the seat post. I had a blast and felt like I had ridden pretty far. My computer is not in yet so I was unsure of the distance. To my dismay I had only ridden 11 miles. My goal is to be able to ride a century by the end of the summer. As a new cyclist, if I can even be called that yet, I have some questions.
1. Please confirm that my backside will learn to be more accepting of sitting on a saddle for an extended period of time. I didn't have any chaffing or irritation it was just soar.
2. Clearly I was not riding nearly as fast as I thought I was. What is the best way to increase speed and what sort of expectations should I have for myself? Is a century by the end of the summer unrealistic?

I am 5'10" 175 pounds and in pretty decent shape. After the first ride my legs could have taken more, just not my seat. Any advice, even if it is unrelated to the above, would be much appreciated.

 

[Ulle Relaxes]

Get cycling shorts? Get better cycling shorts?

 

[nchoppin]

Just a point of clerification, I have DNA Italico shorts. Not sure the quality of these shorts. They weren't giving them away so I wouldn't think they are trash. Thought knowing this might help.

 

[JayKosta]

Yes, a sore **** is to be expected in your situation.
The good news is that your **** muscles will strengthen quickly and the seat will be more comfortable.

At 5'10" 175 pounds, you are a little heavy for 'ideal cycling' - I'm 5'10" and 170#, and I'd like to lose some.
But of course it all depends on how you are built - I've got extra weight around my middle....

'Racing' seats are designed for strong riders who support a lot of their weight on the pedals.
As you get stronger your legs will support more of your weight, sso less will be on the seat.
A lot also depends on where you place your hands on the bars. Hands near the stem makes you sit up more and puts more weight on the seat.
Hands on the hoods is more aero, and makes your legs support more weight. If having hands on the hoods is not comfortable due to hand/wrist position, then have them adjusted.
Rotating the bars so the hoods are more upright is sometimes the easy solution - that might also allow having your hands on the 'drops' be more comfortable.
The position of the hoods on the bars can also be changed, but that is more work and requires re-wrapping the bar tape.

It might also be that the 'stock' seat is not best for you (but it sounds like some type of racing or long-distance touring seat would work for you).
After you've ridden the stock seat for about a month, if still not satisfied talk to local shops to see if they have 'loaner' seats available for testing.

Yes, a century at the end of summer is doable, if you ride & train regularly.
Riding 2/3 times during the week, and longer rides on weekends should be enough.
For a century you need decent leg strength & endurance, decent aerobic conditioning, a comfortable seat, and good nutrition - before and during the ride.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Afrank]

When you first start riding the first thing you want to do, to build your endurance and leg strength is simple, ride alot. Do as much riding as you can. The more you ride the more use to the bike you'll get as well. As you get stronger you should start some interval training or hill workouts, but for now just get out and ride. Padded cycling shorts will definitely help with any seat pain, and they will be more comfortable.
For a century food will be one of the most important things, you don't want to get 6o miles in and then bonk, so you want to make sure you have plenty of food that will give you energy (gu packs, chomps, drink mixes, snickers or any kind of candy bar also works).

 

[greenedge]

On the subject of food also pack bananas. When you go out on the 100 Mile ride maybe have some stops along the way if only for a minute or so.

 

[Mostyn]

The more you ride - the stronger your hide! So Saddle up and head off on the road; a hundred miles is doable providing you bear the load!

But first - get yourself a comfy saddle! Why suffer? - although there's no gain without pain.

 

[Mishrak]

Road saddles aren't exactly meant to be comfortable. If you do get a new saddle, make sure it's a road bike saddle. Don't get one of those fat saddles with 5 inches of padding. That's just silly. Ride for a few weeks to get used to it first. It should get easier as you get more used to the bike.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Much of rear end hurting is lack of conditioning. My guess is your bike setup is different than the spin class setup.

Saddles are very personal. I was lucky and found the Selle Italia Turbo (yeah, that long ago) and then the Flite Ti were perfect for me. A saddle that isn't comfortable tends to produce hot spots and in the worst cases, just can't sit on them without having to move around quite a bit.

Give it 4 weeks of regular riding maybe 4 days a week before moving onto another saddle. The length of your rides is long enough to discover what's working and what's not.

The best way to improve speed is a hot topic in these forums. I am partial to short, fast rides and developing strength with < 20 reps of squats in the gym. Maybe one long ride (3 hours?) a month. That's what works for me. Less time training and much more speed on the bike.

Be aware that your new spouse may not like the new hobby as much as you do in a few weeks/months. So, don't be too tired to do stuff with your spouse after riding. That kind of partnership takes attentive work.

 

[Quixote]

This is all great advice above. The only thing I would add is even more patience than previously suggested. When I started cycling, I didn't hit a good, strong plateau of leg strength and endurance for three months. I was riding a lot, even then, and was amazed when it all came together.
About the soreness, this will also improve gradually. Don't be too quick to get a new saddle until you have a good idea what you want. Most beginning cyclists start with a lot of cushion and graduate to harder, thinner saddles. But your saddle should not hurt...have the fit checked or try a different one. Most good LBSs will allow you to demo one or two.
Century by the end of summer? No problem! Set yourself some reasonable goals, allow for some days off (very important), and keep having fun.
Be sure to choose a reasonable century for starters (there are some that are brutal even for advanced riders). A century that has less than around 4500ft total elevation gain would be okay...less would be better. Keep us posted on your progress.
Good luck.

 

[Sidbike]

The pain eventually goes away. Just have to build up little by little.

Interval workouts are a very good way to get faster. There are good examples listed all over the web. For example, go around a track 8 times sprinting the 1st half of the straightaway at 90% effort and rest for the rest of the track...stuff like that.

 

[online-rider]

As you get stronger your legs will support more of your weight, sso less will be on the seat.

I am partial to short, fast rides and developing strength with < 20 reps of squats in the gym.

The advice above is very good. I know that "seatpost up your ****" feeling because it happens to me every first ride I do after a long lay off. But as has been said the muscles eventually harden up to it.

 

[Swifty's Cakes]

Aye, seats are narrow and firm so there is a reduced contact area. A larger and more padded saddle is ok of you are doing relatively short distances but if you are aiming for a 100m+ then it will cause more rubbing and can be more painful than getting your backside used to a racing saddle. It will get better.

 

[JayKosta]

thoughts about 'getting faster'...

Intervals should NOT be considered until your speed / time for a '25 mile fast training ride' stops making noticeable improvements.
Using a 25 mile ride as a test is a good way to determine when you have reached a level of good 'base fitness'.
Having a good base fitness should be achieved before adding the extreme strain of interval training.

To start pseudo-intervals, I suggest forcing a higher speed in the the last 80-90% of the ride (and relax a little in the last 10%).
Also being more aggresive on short climbs is a good way to start.

Real 'for racing' interval training is brutal, but it does work.

For recreational / fitness / social riding, interval training is not needed - for success in racing, yes.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[MarkvW]

I just bought my first road bike earlier this week. I have not ridden a bike much at all in 11 years. When I was younger I raced BMX at my local track and loved to be on a bike. I used spin classes to get back in shape and loose some weight last spring before I got married and it left me wanting the real thing. Anyway, I bought a Cannondale CAAD 10 and picked it up on Monday. I rushed home after the fitting and went out for a ride. I lasted about an hour and had to get off, not because my legs were sore but because my rear end was killing me. The first 40 minutes were fine. The last 10 felt like I was just sitting on the seat post. I had a blast and felt like I had ridden pretty far. My computer is not in yet so I was unsure of the distance. To my dismay I had only ridden 11 miles. My goal is to be able to ride a century by the end of the summer. As a new cyclist, if I can even be called that yet, I have some questions.
1. Please confirm that my backside will learn to be more accepting of sitting on a saddle for an extended period of time. I didn't have any chaffing or irritation it was just soar.
2. Clearly I was not riding nearly as fast as I thought I was. What is the best way to increase speed and what sort of expectations should I have for myself? Is a century by the end of the summer unrealistic?

I am 5'10" 175 pounds and in pretty decent shape. After the first ride my legs could have taken more, just not my seat. Any advice, even if it is unrelated to the above, would be much appreciated.

I started riding about eight years ago. It took me about thirty days for my rear to get used to the bike. It's been fine ever since. Some days I ride in the saddle twelve hours (on a Brooks B-17, though).

In the beginning, you're all about building a base. Forget speed. If your **** is adapting, so are your legs. Push to hard and you will hurt yourself.

 

[nchoppin]

Thanks for all of the advice. I went out for a ride over the weekend and things went a lot better. I moved my saddle forward about 3/4 of an inch and it seemed to make all the difference in the world. I think it is still tilted downwards a little much as I find myself sliding forward a bit and having to push myself backwards every so often. With this one small adjustment left I think most of my saddle issues will be resolved for now. I didn't get to ride as far as I had hoped. We had a cold front come through on Friday and Saturday and the weather was a bit chilly (45F 7C) and very windy. The weather was not very enjoyable but I figured I had to make a go at it anyway. Again thanks for all of the advice.

 

[JayKosta]

It is cirtical to STAY SAFE while riding.

Some of my 'methods' are:
1) Get out of the way in tight situations. The doofus in a rusty Yugo WILL win.
2) Don't expect drivers or pedestrians to see you - make sure they are looking and make eye-contact.
3) At stop lights I get directly behind the car, that way the driver know where I am. I won't get cut-off at a corner, and I can start fast enough to get out of the way for the cars behind.
4) Always be most concerned about safety - not speed or time.

rubber DOWN, skin UP

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[MarkvW]

It is cirtical to STAY SAFE while riding.

Some of my 'methods' are:
1) Get out of the way in tight situations. The doofus in a rusty Yugo WILL win.
2) Don't expect drivers or pedestrians to see you - make sure they are looking and make eye-contact.
3) At stop lights I get directly behind the car, that way the driver know where I am. I won't get cut-off at a corner, and I can start fast enough to get out of the way for the cars behind.
4) Always be most concerned about safety - not speed or time.

rubber DOWN, skin UP

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

And don't trust eye contact alone!! They may not see you even if they "see" you.

 

[Fiemme]

Agree with MarkvW. I got wiped out once and the guy even admitted that he saw me but JUST FAILED TO STOP. Then proceeded to tell me I was in the wrong because cyclists shouldn't ride that fast.

 

[avanti]

Pay for at least a minimum bike fitting. Many riders ride with their seats too low.

 

[DirtyWorks]

Thanks for all of the advice. I went out for a ride over the weekend and things went a lot better. I moved my saddle forward about 3/4 of an inch and it seemed to make all the difference in the world.

In bike culture, measurements are metric. Moving the saddle forward suggests that maybe your stem is too long. I know it's cheaper to just slide the saddle forward, but my advice to you is to source a 1cm shorter stem and see how that goes.

I think it is still tilted downwards a little much as I find myself sliding forward a bit and having to push myself backwards every so often.

It is definitely pointed down too much. This is why micro adjusting seat posts are so important. How much could be a tiny bit.

I didn't get to ride as far as I had hoped.

Then do some squats and/or maybe 10 minutes of max effort on one of those fancy bikes at the gym. Less than an hour and definitely benefits you on the bike. After a shower, do something fun with the SO. Your new hobby will not be welcome if it absorbs too much free time. (Too much just depends on the person)

 

[Fiemme]

In bike culture, measurements are metric.

This comment is not entirely correct. Although some measurements have converted to metric, for example stem length and some handlebar diameters. Most bicycle measurements are based on the old imperial system.

Chains pitch 1/2" (12.7mm)
Chains Internal width 3/16", 5/32", 1/8", 3/32" 11/128"
Seatpost 1"1/4 (31.8mm) 1"1/16 (26.8mm)
Handle bar 1"1/4 (31.8mm) 1" (25.4mm)
Steerer tubes 1" (25.4mm), 1"1/8 (28.6), 1"1/4 (31.8mm), 1"1/2 (38.1mm),
Bottom bracket 1"3/8 x 24TPI.

All bicycle measurments have stayed the same they have just been converted to metric equivalents. Some sizes are even at odds with the imperial and metric system, like 27.2mm seatposts. Chains are now sold as Track/BMX Chains or 8, 9, 10 or 11 speed chains to help avoid confusion.

And one common error that has always left me dumb founded is the Bolt Circle Diameter. It is should be refered to as a Pitch Circle Diameter! A pitch is the distance between regularly spaced objects such as rivets, bolts etc. How can bolt form a circular diameter.

 

[flyor64]

Another thing you can do is check with your bike shop where you were fitted and bought the bike.

Oftentimes they have a saddle "swap" and a stem "swap" program. I know fizzik and Specialized BG saddles both have demo programs where a bike shop has a host of available saddles. It´s worth a shot.

Also I second Dirty Works recommendation to check your stem length (again the bike shop may swap for you at no extra cost). You can only slide your saddle so far forward before you start realigning the entire fit you went through. 3/4" sounds a little long to me.

Someone mentioned a Brooks saddle above. They are fantastic after you have broken them in. It can take upwards of 500 miles but afterwards they are pure bliss for long rides, i.e. centuries.

 

[straydog]

Only just seen this thread. Apologies but it made me laugh so much beer came out my nose

I feel your pain though I do, honestly. So here is my advice. Build up your mileage sensibly, your backside will toughen up. In the short term get it measured for saddle width (it's actually sit bone width but you get the point). Most bike shops who stock specialized will have this capability.

Make sure you don't ride with any, repeat, any broken skin in that area. Use a decent saddle cream, liberally. Wash your shorts, every time you use them. If there is any numbness anywhere stop riding and adjust your saddle height and it's fore/aft position to make sure you aren't sitting on your perinaeum or blocking blood supply to any serious bits.

Other than that, you have to kind of suck it up. It will get better. Well when I say better, I mean the base of your cheeks will start to resemble two tired old bits of leather. When that day comes....you should be pain free.

Good luck and keep riding.

Peace

 

[nchoppin]

I just thought I would give an update on my progress since people were nice enough to give me some good advice. I went out for my longest ride thus far and did fairly well I suppose. I rode 40 miles (65 km) and averaged 17.3mph
(27.8 kph). The roads were mainly flat, but I feel fairly accomplished seeing as I have been on a bike for about a month. Before today the furthest I had ridden was about 25 miles. I'm not going to lie; the lactic acid in my legs was pretty painful when I got of the bike. It felt like I had been beaten with a hammer. This is turning into the best sport I have ever hated and worst sport I have ever loved. Thanks again for your help in the early going.