My cycling experience involves cheap mountain bikes that got me from A to B with a few attempts to ride into School/ Uni until my bikes were stolen. I often need to stop for obstacles since my sense of balance is rubbish.
Last May (2011) I bought myself a new road bike. Friends would ask me what I have got and my answer is it is white and green....typical girl I know. In fact is is a Merida Race 901 with Sora group set ...erm that's about it. My 1st ride was outside the shop and I went down a couple of streets and back. My 1st impressions were that it felt wobbly, I couldn't touch the floor easily whilst seated, and I was going to die because I was too frightened to even trust myself to stop safely. Somehow, money changed hands and I was a nervous owner of a brand new bike.
These posh bike do not come with pedals so I negotiated some toe caged ones and gave it a go on some local outings a few times. I knew of clipless pedals and the term makes no bloody sense to me since you need to 'clip' your shoes in yet they are called 'clipless'. The fact is that the soles a rigid and allows better power transfer so much better for hilly rides. I did my research online and thought I might as well give it a go but to try SPD's which are usually for mountain bikes but are somewhat easier to clip in and out of, either side, compared to road bike ones (LOOK, SPD-SL, KEO are all the same type but different brands and require matching cleats, the things that fit under the shoe and attach to the pedal). So I bought new SPD shoes and pedals on the pretense that it is easier to also walk in for short distances. On reflection the walking part is a load of nonsense. You end up walking like a robot since you cannot flex your foot and if it does flex it is not doing its job on the bike. Anyhow I took my bike and SPD's out for a spin and I got myself into so many muddles because I didn't know how to unclip sensibly. Forums were of some help and so was you tube to some extent. However it was nice to learn on the forums that some people were worse than I was.
TIP #1 : When braking look ahead to keep balance. Transfer your weight to one leg (R) and shift forwards so you are standing off the saddle. When you are near to stopping unclip the other leg (L) and put that (L) foot down.
When learning, just unclip early to avoid mishaps. I am still learning and I still get butterflies in my stomach when I get out on the bike sometimes. I didn't get on with my SPD's mainly because I bought shoes that were too small even though they were my usual size (My size 8 flipper feet). I thought it was a good opportunity to go for road pedals along with new shoes. They are suppose to spread the load on your feet more because the pedal is larger which is more comfortable for longer rides. I suffer from cramp in my feet due too so it seemed a good idea to try it and see if it was better. However it only clips in on one side of the pedal so it is a little bit trickier to clip in...just takes practice and patience.
Tip #2: Check your shoes have enough toe wiggling space. Often bike shoes are made on the tight side and most people order a size up. Trying shoes on late in the day simulates puffy feet on a long cycle ride, hence a good idea.
Tips #3: Ride with others, relax, cake stops are good!
FACT: When using clipless pedals you will probably fall at some point! Even for the most experienced riders as my colleague demonstrated in the car park one day.
FACT: Cycling is a bloody expensive sport. Kit to keep you warm, kit to keep you on the road e.g. spare inner tube, basic tool kit and tyre levers to fix spares, pump...it goes on. But my fears aside it is an enjoyable sport and you get to see so much you wouldn't do if you are walking or driving. Also very necessary when training for triathlon!
Tip #4: Get cheap kit form Lidl and Aldi. Check out their newsletters. Also other cyclists are wise to this so get in early, stuff sells out really fast!
Tip #5: Get a bike fit.
To get the best performance, take the guess work out and get a bike fit. If you are spending more and more on your bike, like some triathletes, it makes sense to make the most out of it. Text books offer advice on height of the saddle and angles, even 'you tube' does but you cannot do it by yourself because you need to look from afar and get on and off making tweaks etc. Check out local bike shops and ask what they have to offer. Word of mouth is best. However it takes a while for your body to get used to these tweaks so be patient. Probably not a good time to do this just before a race.
So my saddle gets moved up some more and I definitely cannot reach the floor whilst in the saddle anymore. Work on tip #1!
My stupidest moments on a bike
- Riding sub-zero temps and skidding off my bike.
- Having rubbish balance I rarely drink whilst riding for fear of falling off. One time I bailed my bottle into a grass verge when I felt a bit wobbly.
- Not checking my bike after a fall and trashing the rear derailleur later on....if you fall on the right always check the hanger and that all your gears are working properly before moving off. Same applies when you have moved your bike out of the car etc.
- Stopping for the most minor of obstacles which leads to my husband behind cursing at me profusely.
- Not being able to cross a junction that was steep downhill so I got off and crossed the road...embarrassing.
- Not being able to stop fully on a 20% downhill gradient nearly led me to smash the back of a car on a mini roundabout. Luckily the road cleared just in time...I was 3 cm from the back of this mini.
