Cycling For Beginners Pt5: First Rides

Описание: Your first few serious rides on a bike don’t have to be scary. With a bit of care and practice you’ll soon be riding like a pro,…….well almost. Put on your lycra shorts, we hitting the road!

Before we actually hit the road, there are a few things that you should be taking with you. I cover these in more detail in another film but, briefly, you will need at least one spare inner tube, tyre levers and a pump, your phone, some cash and some ID.

It appears that the old cliche is true; you never forget how to ride a bike but how well you ride one and how confident you are on one can sometimes be open to interpretation.

Confidence is key when getting in to cycling. Anything you can do to improve your on the bike confidence will make you a better rider so begin by riding relatively short distances on quiet roads that you know well.

By not worrying about things like getting tired, negotiating traffic or getting lost you can focus on the more positive aspects of the ride and actually start enjoying them. It also gives you the opportunity to get used to pedalling, changing gears and finding a comfortable position on the saddle.

As you get into the ride, you may also become aware of aspects that , perhaps, need a little work such as your balance when using had signals or feeling unsafe when you are climbing. Take you time and improve anything that you are unhappy with before moving on to the next step. If you need it, you could always ask a friend to join you on these very early rides.

When you finish any ride it is important to do a few stretches to prevent muscle stiffness. Long term cycling actually shortens some muscles but stretches help them return to normal.


Once you feel that you have mastered basic bike handling skills, the next aspect to work on is your endurance. How far you can actually ride depends on two factors: fitness and comfort and they don’t necessarily have any connection. For example you may be physically fit but if you can’t actually sit on the bike for more than half an hour at a time, that will be the initial determining factor for your endurance.

I would suggest going out and riding for what I call seat time, literally training yourself to be able to sit on the bike for longer periods of time and not worrying about how fast you are riding. Typically these rides will take you just past the point where you will start to feel uncomfortable. With each successive ride you will find that you will be able to ride just that little bit longer. If after a couple of weeks of riding you are still feeling uncomfortable then it may be that you need make some changes to the bike. This, actually, is precisely the reason that I highlighted the importance of getting bike fit in episode one of this series!

Once you can sit quite happily for at least a couple of hours on the bike then it is time to start thinking about improving the fitness part of your endurance. Again, its a good idea to do these rides with a friend or as part of a group, particularly if they are fitter and faster than you are . By trying to keep up with them you will be building up your speed and stamina without really thinking about it and hopefully having a great time in the process.

If you don’t know anyone in your immediate circle of friends who are cyclists, joining a local cycling club will put you in touch with dozens of like-minded people. Most clubs will also have some kind of club run which is perfect for improving your fitness and overall on the bike confidence.

Finally you’ll need to ride on increasingly busier roads to feel comfortable riding in traffic. This won’t be easy but the more you do it, the better you will feel about it.

Getting up to full fitness can take time, in fact anything between eight to twelve weeks so be patient. Stretching oneself is one thing but going mad and pushing yourself way beyond your limits too soon can very often lead to injury.


If you would like to follow my efforts on the bike you can follow me on Strava. My profile is here:   / strava  

You are also very welcome to join my virtual cycling club on Strava. By sharing our rides we can help and encourage each other to reach our fitness goals.

You can join the club here:   / strava  

and the Chernobyl Cycling Club Facebook group here:
  / chernobylcyclingclub