My first ride. 8 miles.. for your reading pleasure..

[bYuPride]

Originally Posted by MikeWaters

I've done it once. Luckily landed in grass.

I've had numerous close calls, where I started to go down, but somehow at the last second I caught myself.

One time I came to some railroad tracks on a group ride, and ended up doing an endo. Went over the handlebars. Feet unclipped there.

My dad broke his collarbone last fall trying to push someone's seat (don't do it). His collarbone is still unjoined.

I broke my elbow at the age of 14 when my quick release popped off while riding.

The railroad tracks endo sounds brutal! My mother in law had a similar accident. messed up her elbow pretty bad... that happene a couple years ago and she hasn't been on a bike since. I think she's starting to warm up to the idea again though.

[bYuPride]

Originally Posted by SteelBlue

I did it the very first time I tried road biking. We started from my buddy's driveway and headed up a slight incline. I didn't get clipped in on the first push and my momentum wasn't enough to carry the bike forward. It leaned to my already clipped in side and I was toast. Very embarrassing but also I think very common.

It is pretty common from what I understand, but it's still good to hear stories from everybody else.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bYuPride

It is pretty common from what I understand, but it's still good to hear stories from everybody else.

I've fallen, been hit, had bikes destroyed, had bottles thrown at me, been chased by cars, set down an entire peloton, and damn near killed myself several times.

You learn and even the best fall and hurt themselves.

[bYuPride]

Originally Posted by Archaea

One of my spuds. I went to my first race when I had returned from China without the ability to ride. I wanted to U turn but did not have the skill or speed to complete the turn anf fell over. The response to onlooking laughers was, "Welcome to cycling."

Those first few days were but three years ago, but now seem like an eternity ago. Welcome friend.

I can pretty much eat anything, before during and after, but generally, high carbs is good, fat is bad and protein is okay for long rides. Don't do too much too soon. Start with short rides and gradually increase ten to twenty percent per week.

In general are cyclists arrogant jerk offs? I've heard that. I am wondering what kind of reputation people have of those who ride road bikes. From what I've seen, most if not all cyclists have been very cool.

Thanks for the advice on not doing too much too soon. Are 8 miles too much to do everyday to start out? Should I take it down to 5? I guess it would depend on how rigorous the rides were...

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bYuPride

In general are cyclists arrogant jerk offs? I've heard that. I am wondering what kind of reputation people have of those who ride road bikes. From what I've seen, most if not all cyclists have been very cool.

Thanks for the advice on not doing too much too soon. Are 8 miles too much to do everyday to start out? Should I take it down to 5? I guess it would depend on how rigorous the rides were...

My first week I did fourteen per ride. Anything up to an hour is fine. Exceeding an hour should be done incrementally. Your legs will not know how to accept the differing lactate threshholds. You're younger than I so you might adjust more quickly. Welcome, it's the greatest sport, next to sex, alive.

I would not shorten an eight mile ride.

Cyclists have different reputations, depending on whether you're speaking of recreational, century riders or racers. Some racers can tend to be jerks, but the rest are great.

[bluegoose]

I've never Spudded in the 4 years that I've been riding. The closest I came was during my second century in Ashland Oregon when some guy on a STEEL framed bike wearing a BLUE BYU jersey almost took me down while stopping at the first rest stop.

I've also never fallen, been hit by a car, been hit by someone throwing crap at me, or anything else that would make my wife want me to stop riding. I did get run off the road once by a guy who veered into the wrong lane while coming towards me, but fortunately there was a nice level grassy shoulder by the side of the road for me to coast into.

And 8-10 miles is fine for your your first 2 weeks of riding. As much as anything, it gives your butt a chance to get used to sitting on the saddle, which is often the limiting factor for most new riders.

Way to go Pride. keep at it.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

I've never Spudded in the 4 years that I've been riding. The closest I came was during my second century in Ashland Oregon when some guy on a STEEL framed bike wearing a BLUE BYU jersey almost took me down while stopping at the first rest stop.

I've also never fallen, been hit by a car, been hit by someone throwing crap at me, or anything else that would make my wife want me to stop riding. I did get run off the road once by a guy who veered into the wrong lane while coming towards me, but fortunately there was a nice level grassy shoulder by the side of the road for me to coast into.

And 8-10 miles is fine for your your first 2 weeks of riding. As much as anything, it gives your butt a chance to get used to sitting on the saddle, which is often the limiting factor for most new riders.

Way to go Pride. keep at it.

For some reason I thought you were loads more experienced than I. I have completed my third year as a triathlete, which includes cycling. I added up my bike mileage and found I'm approaching 19,000 cumulative miles after three years (not loads, just consistent slow miles). I anxiously await the day I can say I've ridden 100,000 as that appears to be a real milestone for nonUltra cyclists. As a fallback, I can always say, I'm not a cyclist, just a triathlete. We know next to nothing.

Braggart. Never spudded, I suppose you've never been drop on a group or competitive ride as well? I rarely know what it's like to stay with the lead group on a competitive ride, so being dropped is my speciality.

[bluegoose]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Braggart. Never spudded, I suppose you've never been drop on a group or competitive ride as well? I rarely know what it's like to stay with the lead group on a competitive ride, so being dropped is my speciality.

Oh no, I've got plenty of experience getting dropped on group rides. I'm considering taking it up as a second profession. It seems to be happening more frequently this year for some reason. I'm not sure if it is my poor spring conditioning or just that the guys around my are getting so much better. Probably a combination of both.

[creekster]

I started riding a traditional diamond fame with cleated shoes and toe clips in 1972. I started using clipless pedals sometime in the 80s, although I don’t recall the exact year. I have never fallen from being unable to unclip in time, although I have come close a few times. My wife and I ride a tandem a fair amount and if the captain fails to unclip the stoker is going down with little protection and if I did that to my stoker I would suffer more than a little road rash, if you know what I mean. As a result, I am very, very conscious of getting out of the clip in time and this has carried over to my single bike as well.

In my earlier days I was in a few crashes while riding to close or not paying attention enough. I laid it down a couple of times on the Golden gate Bridge when I used to commute to SF from Mill Valley because I was riding too fast, the super smooth cement was wet and there are some really stupid pedestrians. A car that ran a stop sign has hit me, ruining my bike, breaking my wrist, bunging up my back and thrashing my helmet (which saved my head) but also eventually helping me to make the down payment for my first house.

I have had a few things thrown at me (but remember, I have been riding a long, long time compared to most here). I have had the pleasure of beating a dog around the snout with a frame fit pump while he was trying to chase me. I’ve been dropped many, many times. I have had the pleasure of being a fat guy that has dropped guys with lots of expensive gear but no leg strength. I have been the fat guy with no leg strength dropped by everybody.

I’ve been run off the road a couple of times, including once by a supreme court justice of the State of Utah who pulled out of a parking lot without looking and then put-putted along third south in SLC, which annoyed me so much that I sprinted up to his open car window and let loose with a string of profanities I would not now repeat before I realized who he was. This was awkward, you see, because at the time I was clerking for a different Utah Supreme Court justice and commuted by bike and everybody knew me as the bike geek, including this guy. Very awkward indeed.

But, in the end, I have had hours and hours of mind clearing and soul-refreshing rides in heat, cold, mountains, deserts, plains, towns and cities. It always comes back to the bike. Now days I am not fast, and I am not very fit, but I still like to ride. None of the bad things that have happened to me have ever outweighed the enjoyment I experience every time I get on the bike. I think it is the best sport or even activity ever invented.

[SteelBlue]

Originally Posted by bluegoose

I've never Spudded in the 4 years that I've been riding. The closest I came was during my second century in Ashland Oregon when some guy on a STEEL framed bike wearing a BLUE BYU jersey almost took me down while stopping at the first rest stop.

I've also never fallen, been hit by a car, been hit by someone throwing crap at me, or anything else that would make my wife want me to stop riding. I did get run off the road once by a guy who veered into the wrong lane while coming towards me, but fortunately there was a nice level grassy shoulder by the side of the road for me to coast into.

And 8-10 miles is fine for your your first 2 weeks of riding. As much as anything, it gives your butt a chance to get used to sitting on the saddle, which is often the limiting factor for most new riders.

Way to go Pride. keep at it.

I think you should qualify this statement. Surely you've spudded on a mountain bike? Oh, and I don't know who that guy was that almost took you down with him, but I'm pretty sure if that really ever happened it was in a lovely town called Chester.