That's it!
The first bike ride!
I'm knackerd :P
But actually it was OK.
Nice day, not too hot, minimal wind, traffic was quiet. We cycled about 3 or 4 miles (into town and around about to different shops) and then the same home again.
This has been said in so many places but I now know why. It is SO important to spend the money and get the right bike for you and the job.
The reason I have been semi- putting it off is the memory of the daily cycling I had to do to get to work as a teenager on a bottom range mountain bike. I kept thinking "God, it was so much hard work and I was really fit and light then! How will I haul my fat arse up the hills to town now!?"
Well I can tell you I got up all those hills and didn't have to stop once.
I have 21 gears on my new bike and so it was low geared enough for me to keep peddling, all be it at a sedate speed.
So anyway I want to give a big shout out to my bike dealer Pedal power.
He took me through the bikes, convinced me to take a larger frame size which I was convinced would be too big for me but now I know he was right! He showed us how to check a bike was the right size for you and has been patient with out newbie questions.
Anyway, I only have one problem. Despite the shock absorbers my wrists were playing up at the end of each session. Any tips? I used to get carpal tunnel swelling and it makes my hands numb.
Any advice would be gratefully received.
Numb fingers are a problem when I hit the downhill parts and want to brake ;)
Yay!! That's great that you had a good first ride!
ReplyDeleteI fought Odum a bit on spending lots of money on a bike but like you I'm glad I got a new one that "fits" me. It definetly makes riding enjoyable, I love my bike!
Do you have gloves? Odum had a lot of problems with his wrists and gloves helped tremendously. I also got gloves, however, my gloves are cheapo ones and don't have the gel padding at the strategic points, so they are useless. They made my hands go numb. So again I think its a place where you need to spend a bit more money to get something that will actually be helpful.
And you're doing pretty good if your wrists are you're biggest problem! My legs where jello after my first ride!
Oh man I couldn't feel my butt for ages!! lol
ReplyDeleteMy legs remembered what to do, I was worried they would give out first, I had worried about my Asthma but it was fine! I htink my lungs are a lot stronger through diet changes and a gradual increase in exercise over the last year but its still a worry and I told husband where my inhaler was just in case!!
I may look into gloves...I had carpal tunnel syndrome bad when I rode race horses, its an RSI thing, used to wake me up with the pain, so I'm keen not to go back there!
Anyway Gloves yes..maybe even splints to ride in so that I don't forget and end up letting my wrists bend...want to nip it in the bud before it gets worse!