Guidance

[Go-slow]

About 2 years ago someone gave me a 2005 semi-carrera as a present. I relocated to a new town in December and decided to start riding for exercise and maybe someday (when I am a grown-up) do a bike race or two.

Past few weeks (roughly 4 weeks) I have been cycling every second day casually, roughly about 10km per ride, but feels as if I am doing something wrong. So turning to the professionals for guidance.

I am 50, weight about 60kg, have not ridden a cycle since school days, in a new town where I know no one and have not seen other cyclists except for MTB's, so buddy cycler is out of the question.

My first 2 or 3 km are hard. Legs burning and I end up granny gearing. After the first 2 km granny gearing is a thing of the past and my legs are fine and I can push all the way to my turn around point and back home without a problem.

My problem comes when stopping where my legs simply just stop working and my +- 10kg bike weighs a ton and I duckwalk just to get from A to B. Give it 20minute rest and I am all good again. 

Is this normal for someone getting back in the saddle or is it a fitting problem? Like I said I am in a new town and have not seen any cycling shops anywhere apart from MTB's, so did the bike fitting best I could through what I found on different website.

Any advice to check if it might be a fitting problem? If not advise on how to get past the leg problem.

[robbybzgo]

3 hours ago, Go-slow said:

I have been cycling every second day casually, roughly about 10km per ride, 

I am 50, weight about 60kg, have not ridden a cycle since school days, 

My first 2 or 3 km are hard. After the first 2 km granny gearing is a thing of the past 

when stopping where my legs simply just stop working and my +- 10kg bike weighs a ton and I duckwalk just to get from A to B.

Give it 20minute rest and I am all good again. 

Is this normal for someone getting back in the saddle

Firstly consider genetics - what you inherited from ma and pa could well determine your athletic abilities.

Getting going again at 50 means a lot of time to be spent in the saddle before, not only just getting fit but adjusting your body to an new (maybe extreme) exercise regime that it is not used to.

All strong exercise regimes require a warm up. Also nutrition before exercising is important.

To me it doesn't sound like the bike set up in general because the first thing you'll normally feel there is strain/ pain in joints, back, neck, knees, ankles etc.

Saddle height is very important to ensure that your hips are not getting involved in the pedalling action. There should be very little to no hip sway when pedalling and this might result in your duckwalk after your ride.

I'm no professional but I guess these point might meet with some resonance with your riding experiences so far?

 

[Go-slow]

My next ride will be on Friday morning. I am assuming (we all know who the mother of assumptions are) that if my hips swy the seat would be too high? Will concentrate on that friday morning and see what my hips dies during riding. Fortunately "ma and pa" was very active. "Pa still dived and and skydived till about 3 years ago and "ma" is still doing her morning jogs aged 77. 

Think you have a good point on the seat height. As said I fitted from what I could get off the internet, "google is my friend" kinda thing.

Will report back Friday. Unfortunately I am not fit enough for a daily ride......but will get there eventually.

Thank you for the advice. Much appreciated 

[robbybzgo]

Kudos to Ma & Pa..💪🏻👍🏻   

Yes, saddle would be too high.

Also consider blood flow to your nether regions. A bad saddle could constrict flow and give you a very numbing experience.

A simple way around this is to stand and peddle for 10-20 seconds every 5 mins. 

If this is the case then another/new saddle with a concave section to facilitate better blood flow would be a good idea.

A saddle tilted too high up in the front would also give a constrictive effect.

Edited Wednesday at 10:02 PM by robbybzgo
Added info

[RobynE]

I got on a bike for the first time in 25+ years back in 2022 aged 41 as I prepared for a spine op.

Those first rides were HARD. I pushed a lot. I couldn’t even ride up my driveway at the end of a short ride. I was absolutely knackered. Lots of granny gear during the rides. 

What helped my riding a lot was standing up and pedalling. I did some rides with my kiddo where I pretended I was on a single speed and stayed in the same gear no matter what. 

My first 10km at my local trails felt like I’d run the Comrades. 

Gradually I got fitter, and stronger, and 5km turned to 10km etc. Now I do between 30 and 40 at the trails place and I rarely need granny gear and spend most of my time in gears 1-7 (of 12). 

So, fitness and saddle time are important. Graduate it and you’ll get fitter and fitter every day. 

BUT - it does sound like maybe a nerve or something is getting compressed, in your case. I would check saddle fit (size and shape). There’s a reason there’s a million different saddle types and they can really be the difference in good and bad rides. 

[Go-slow]

Just returned from my ride. Again just about 10km. Concentrated on hip movement and yes there was. Lowered the seat maybe 2cm. With it at that position I could feel it pushing in very uncomfortable places so tilted the tip of the seat slightly down. She rides like a dream. Now instead of having numb legs I end up with burning legs. Thank you for everyone's advice. Never thought that a simple seat adjustment will make such a huge difference. 

[Mike Dewing]

1 minute ago, Go-slow said:

Just returned from my ride. Again just about 10km. Concentrated on hip movement and yes there was. Lowered the seat maybe 2cm. With it at that position I could feel it pushing in very uncomfortable places so tilted the tip of the seat slightly down. She rides like a dream. Now instead of having numb legs I end up with burning legs. Thank you for everyone's advice. Never thought that a simple seat adjustment will make such a huge difference. 

Cannot advocate for regular bike fitment sessions more.. they are worth it..

[Go-slow]

My closest major city is Kroonstad.

Anyone know of shop that does bike fitting?

I buy parts and spares from Sally's but they do not offer fitting and do not know of someone who does.

[W@nted]

For a good start at setting up your own bike, I have used Neil Stanburys methods.

 

 

[W@nted]

He has many videos on the different aspects like seat for/after, tilt, reach etc.

[Go-slow]

Not sure what the one was that I used just now but I hit a brick wall where the front of my knee with the ball of foot on pedal at 3 O'clock, should then align with the pedal axle. My seat is now adjusted all the way back (maximum) and front of my knee is still infront of the pedal axle. Let my google your suggested method then will see where I do get stuck. I love small towns but sometimes they are a pain in the butt and this seems to be one of those cases. I can go 300km to Bloemfontein or 300km to Johannesburg or 50km to kroonstad where I cannot seem to find a fitting shop.

[W@nted]

22 minutes ago, Go-slow said:

Not sure what the one was that I used just now but I hit a brick wall where the front of my knee with the ball of foot on pedal at 3 O'clock, should then align with the pedal axle. My seat is now adjusted all the way back (maximum) and front of my knee is still infront of the pedal axle. Let my google your suggested method then will see where I do get stuck. I love small towns but sometimes they are a pain in the butt and this seems to be one of those cases. I can go 300km to Bloemfontein or 300km to Johannesburg or 50km to kroonstad where I cannot seem to find a fitting shop.

If that is the case, the frame might be too small, or you have a zero setback seatpost? The balance test (Neil Stanbury) is a better indication on your saddle for/after for me.  Seat back as far possible to allow you to let go of the handles (While in the normal hoods position) and not let your face fall to the handles. Only using your core to keep your upper body in position.  That gives a good ball park indication of your centre position on the bike. If you are too far forward, you will experience pressure on your hands and you will not have sufficient hamstring engagement, which can lead to sore quads during/after cycling.

[RobynE]

I’d say when you have a gap take the bike with and pop in to Mellow Velo in Broadacres, which is essentially Fourways. Mitch will sort you out 💯. A good bike fit is the bees knees! I remember once riding to the shop feeling like the most unfit, pathetic human, and rode home after the fit like I was finishing podium in the Tour de France. It’s really significant. 

[shaper]

1 hour ago, Go-slow said:

My closest major city is Kroonstad.

Anyone know of shop that does bike fitting?

I buy parts and spares from Sally's but they do not offer fitting and do not know of someone who does.

Maybe see if there is a bike shop in Welkom that can do a bike fit

[Go-slow]

Currently reading up on the frame sizes. The PTP (top frame bar) measure at 530mm and from what I found it is a Large frame (cannot find anything larger), Height test (25.4mm from top bar when straddling) seems to be about right. And seat has an offset of maybe (guestimate 20mm). Will be doig the balance and (45/90) degree test in a few. Something I did have was hands getting tired. That happened this morning and before I started fidgeting the seat was all the way to the front. I did mark all the original positions of this morning just incase I muck up. I have an appointment with a MTB rider later this afternoon who says he will assist me in bike fitting to the best of his knowledge. He used to ride Road bikes but then changed to MTB's. I cannot see it doing any harm by going. 

[Go-slow]

Fourways... possibly only July this year. Have jot tried Welkom. Will do a google search and see maybe I am lucky and they have one. Thank you.