Join in the fun; The Calorie-Count Cycling Club...

Welcome to all who have an interest in anything cycling of any kind.( road, mountain, commuting, stationary, whatever).

This is the place to come to ask that question you have been wanting to ask,

or tell that story about your latest adventure riding your bike,

find out how to use cycling to get in better shape, or anything else you can think of.

So, to start, tell us, what you ride, where you ride and what type of riding you enjoy.

Come back often too check out what's going on and see what's on everyones mind or add your knowledge to the group. 

 

Count me in.  I have been riding a lot latley, due to a foot and leg injury from running.  I have stress fractures in both my left foot and leg.  The doctor told me I could ride a bike and swim to keep in shape untill my bones heal.  After I get well, I plan on continuing to cycle, as I am really starting to enjoy it.  It also helps to cross train to keep from getting injured.  I ride a Trek 6000 that is about 9 years old.  I've been riding about 20 miles a day or so, which is about 90 minutes for me.  I like riding on pavement rahter than off road, but where I live you have to go off road sometimes.  The wind out here can be a real pain in the butt sometimes, but I guess that just comes with the territory.

I would like to join! I've recently started biking again... it's a normal 10 speed bike, I don't know what kind though.

Hello all!  Glad to see this is up and running.  ;)

So, for those that aren't painfully aware of who I am:  My name is Jenn, although people frequently call me panda or PJ here.  While I am a runner at heart, I recently got a bike for communting purposes and am enjoying myself quite a bit so far.  The bike store guys even said I was pretty hard core, because I'm out there rain or shine!  My ride is a Trek 7.3 FX, a hybrid bike.  I've had it for just over a month now and have logged around 200 miles so far.

Mostly I ride to and from work, which is about 8 miles round trip.  And to soccer games, and softball games, and from job #1 to job #2, etc.  ;)  Point A to point B.  I did a 15 mile non-commute ride this weekend, my first ever, and it was fantastic because I went out at 6:10 Sunday morning and there was no traffic.  :)  Learning how to ride in traffic is not overly fun, but it does keep me on my toes!

I do have a question:  The last couple of days I've noticed sometimes when I shift down there is a delay, and then the gear catches, sometimes hard.  Not sure exactly how to describe that.  Happened to me on a busy stretch of road going up hill on the way home, and I lost a lot of speed and nearly lost my feet off the pedals when it finally caught the gear.  Is this something I can adjust easily, or is this something I should have the guys at the shop look at?  Or is it operator error that is just now manifesting?  (I truly do need to shift at these times, I don't believe I'm shifting prematurely, which I know can be problematic.)  I welcome any thoughts!

Hey All,
Would like to start using my bike again.  Also a hybrid: Trek 7500. 

I have extra motivation lately as the new man in my life is a pretty avid cyclist.  Would like to ride for pleasure and if I really start digging it, perhaps move up a bit regarding my intensity.

Today it is pouring down rain and I'm afraid I'm just not that hard core.  Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow...

Jenn, your bike may be ready for a tune up. New bikes need a tune after a couple hundred miles because the new cables stretch with the initial use. That gets the shifting out of step a little & could produce exactly the delay you are experiencing. Your shop should offer a free post-purchase tune up to get the shifting back in order. Beyond that, there are limit screws that adjust the derailleurs & cable lengths to tweak your shifting. I don't have the expertise to advise on what to turn which way to smooth out your problem, but it's a pretty easy fix & your shop should be able to show you how to adjust the limit screws yourself (or someone on here can maybe describe it :-)

Also, if you are shifting once you are on the hill, that's a little too late. You should shift before hitting the incline if at all possible. Once you are going uphill, the drivetrain is under a lot more pressure and shifting is much more difficult & harder on the drivetrain. That could be the cause of the difficulty you're having with shifting. It's not always possible, so sometimes you have to shift on a hill, but try to downshift early to minimize the strain on the bike if you end up shifting on the hill.

Anecdote, I recently saw a guy who had tried to start up from a standstill at the bottom of a hill. He immediately had tried to shift out of his large chain ring in the front, and he had "taco'd" the chain ring (that is, he bent it back on itself!) and rendered his bike completely useless for the rest of the day!

Panda: It sounds like your rear derailleur cable is starting to stretch.  That is normal for a new bike.  There is any easy adjustment.  The bike store guys probably won't mind showing you what has to be done.

I am mostly a commuter new to road biking. I ride a 30 mile commute roundtrip. My road bike is a 2006 schwinn fastback sport.

I also enjoy mountain biking on some single track. My mountian bike is 2000 Gary Fisher Hoo Koo E koo. This summer I am going to ride a 2 track moutain pass that will sumit at 12,800 feet above sea level and cross the continental divide.

Panda,

At the end of the cable where it enters the derailleur (I never could spell that) there is an adjustment knob. If the bike is new the cable has probably stretched as jc stated and all that probably is required is to make the adjustment with that knob.

Are we going to have little assignments like riding x miles x days/week/month? Just a suggestion :)

Back: I am not sure how anybody else feels but the easiest thing to do is set your own goals and report your progress every once in a while.  We are just finishing up a challenge period.  One thing that led to the club idea was the disparity in levels.  Some people here are shooting for 10 to 12 thousand miles this year others have more modes goals and some people are just beginning.  So we end up with each person setting a goal that satisfies their interest and needs.  What we get by participating is support and companionship.  I keep track of my miles on an Excel spreadsheet but you can use a notebook or calendar.  Good luck and HTH.

Hi!   Count me in.  I'm very new at cycling and I recently bought a Schwinn mountain bike. There's a forest preserve near my house with gravel paths, and the main path is a large circle and is 9.5 miles long.  Some parts of the path are extreme up and down hill with sharp turns. 

It's still a challenging workout for me (fellow cyclists are always passing me!)  I already fell off and rolled some distance away from my bike ( I took a wrong turn off path and got stuck between large tire tracks that were indented into the gravel/muddy road, hit the side and flew off my bike)...so I bought a helmet.  I'd like to start riding  2 laps soon but I get tired and my legs literally start feeling numb towards the end.

My bike is pretty new, and I'm having problems with my gears too. They don't click into place right away, there's usually a grinding sound when I ride.  I don't know bike terminology, so I don't understand how I can fix this problem.   

going off backtobasics idea and jc's response

let's all set down a goal we wish to acheive.

My goal for this year is 10,000 miles and that will reguire me to ride an average of 30 miles per day.

BTW I'm leaind (dan), 51, have lost 45 pounds using this sight (current weight is 142) and i'm maintaining at this point, I road ride with 2 clubs and my wife is also a cyclist (very good one I might add), we live 30 miles west of Cleveland Ohio.

Welcome to all so far and as soon as I figure out how to do it I will make a list of those who join in and post it in the original message so we all know who we are.

have a great day, DAN

shelz, Where did you buy the bike?  Sounds like it may need a tune-up, new bikes ususally need this after their break-in period.

If you bought it at a shop it should be free, if you bought it at a retaliar (ie- wal-mart) then take it to a shop and it will cost you around 20 bucks but worth it to get it shifting correctly.

DAN

Hi, my name is Tom and I have been riding a bike since I was 6.  The first 10 or so years it was strickly an issue of transportaion but since then it has turned into a passion.  Although I have been in a race or two and even a triathalon, I am not a racer but I do enjoy following European racing and have done so for more than 20 years.  Over the years I have had periods of time when I rode a lot and was very fit and times when I don't ride at all and gained weight.  The change has usually been triggered by some type of life changing event, new job, new baby, etc.  Over the last 4 years, I haven't been in shape and I gained about 45 lbs. to 215, an all time high.  I started riding my mountain bike mid March and switched to the road bike when the weather got better.  I have put about 750 miles on the road bike since then and I weighed in this morning at 193.  My weight goal is 170 and I have picked out a few local rides to do over the summer and fall so I want to be fit enough to enjoy them.  The first is a 100k June 9th.  My longest ride this spring was 50 miles.  I'm up to riding 125 to 175 miles a week depending on my schedule.

Those of you with new bikes, I agree that you should take them back in for a tune-up after the first few weeks/hundred miles.  Not only will cables stretch but other nuts, bolts, spokes, etc. can work lose as well.  It's best to have it all check out.  As mentioned, if the bike came from a bike shop this service is part of the initial price.

Modern indexed derailleurs eliminate much of the learning curve when it comes to shifting a bicycle these days but there are still techniques to learn.  The bike will not shift correctly when the pedals are under too much stress, like on a steep hill.  It is best to learn to anticipate what gear you will need and select that gear before you start the climb.  You can shift while climbing but the bike will shift best if you "soft pedal" during the shift.  It won't shift when you are not pedaling so you can't wait until you can no longer pedal to shift either.  Keeping cadence high helps when shifting during a climb.

Hi guys, name's James.  I'm new to biking and commuting by bike.  In fact, I will make my first full home-to-work commute on Friday, National Bike to Work Day.  So far, I've been biking to the Metro and back, a significantly shorter distance. 

My problems are two-fold.  After have a guide on Friday, I'm on my own to commute.  Washington, DC was one of the top road rage cities this year.  What should I know about commuting in a crowded, urban environment?  I.e. - How do I bike in downtown DC without getting myself killed?

2nd, I work in a professional environment.  I have a shower/locker at my office, but what about transporting the clothing?  How do you transport a shirt/tie/slacks combo 6 miles in a gym bag and not look like you rolled out of bed in it?

Thanks in advance!

I work in an office at home now so I don't have to commute.  I used to commute occasionally when I lived in the New York area.  I had access to a gym & showers at the office so what I did was to take clothes to the office the day before the planned commute and then I arrived earily enough to shower, dress, and eat. 

In the city, stay to the right but own your space.  Obey all traffic rules and be careful of car doors openning in front of you.  Be cautious, assume the cars don't see you.  Signal your intentions.

jhedrick, 2 quick notes in response (Welcome to bike commuting!!)...

http://bicyclesafe.com/ has some great tips for "How Not To Get Hit By Cars". I recommend all new commuters read it & it's a good place to start. Obey traffic signals as if you were in a car, because the rules of the road still apply to you on a bike. Be visible and always ride in traffic as if the drivers don't know you are there - look out for yourself, don't expect them to make tons of room for you. Be courteous, even in the face of aggressive drivers, and recognize that most drivers don't "get it" & don't appreciate you're right to be there.  A smile & a nod or wave of thanks to drivers never hurts. S ome drivers do "get it" and are very courteous to cyclists, so it's not all bad out there.

You can carry your stuff in any sort of pannier, trunk bag, or backpack, or you can leave it at your office ahead of time on days you drive.  I especially recommend leaving heavy shoes at work so you don't have to carry those back & forth. Invest in wrinkle-resistant shirts & slacks, or learn to fold neatly - if you pack them in the morning they'll only be folded for a short time, so they shouldn't get too wrinkled.

Good luck on Friday!! There'll be lots us out there with you!

Hi James!  As a new commuter, I can say the one thing that has helped me the most is to ride with confidence.  I know that's a bit abstract, but it's the best way I know how to describe it.  I don't hug the edge of the road so closely that I can get smooshed, but I do try to be as courteous as possible.  I am constantly checking my surroundings and try to make sure I always know where the cars are around me.  And I'm always looking into parked cars to see if there is someone in them that might open a door into me as I bike past.

Also, assume the cars are going to move around you as if you are going 5mph.  In other words, they will pull out in front of you, they will cut you off and then want to make a right turn in front of you.  So be prepared for it.  I'm both agressive and defensive while I ride, which can be a tricky combination.  But so far it's working for me.

As for clothes, I wear a suit and heels/nylons every day at the office, so I carry my stuff in this.  A bit awkward in a strong wind, both otherwise fantastic!