i got a mountain bike so i could use that to get to and front work vs spending 600/m on uber. i haven’t ridden a bike in YEARS. first two strides are nearly 6 miles. it’s been hard, i like it tho. it’s freeing. but my inner but cheeks hurt. if that makes any sense.
by fkn_kade
6 Comments
forgot to add – i learned this morning that high 6th speed is my best friend. it’s an 18 speed 26” huffy mountain bike. i got it on sale at walmart for $98. uber was EATING my income.
another add – i’m 6’3, around 200 pounds, 23 years old
The riding gets easier the more you do it. Have fun and enjoy the outdoors and money savings.
Always happy to welcome a new rider!
I could be wrong, but for what I can see on the photo the bike seems (way) too small for you. If you start riding and after a while go more often and ride faster geometrics become more important, also to prevent injuries. My recommendation would be to adjust a few things the next rides, starting with your saddle height (higher) and perhaps tire pressure (check tyre pressure guides). After you feel more comfortable, consider changing the angle of the saddle a bit and move the saddle horizontal to the back an inch (if possible).
If this all doesn’t work out, an new saddle could be an option, or start wearing a bibshort. But the size of the bike might also just be to small, if you really start liking cycling then it would be better to invest in a better size if it doesn’t work out.
Soreness goes away pretty quick and you acclimate really quickly. In a couple weeks that 6 miles will feel very casual.
Your butt will be sore but that too gets better. An hour in cotton underwear doesn’t help. Most people ride with padded underwear or shorts but for longer rides.
What kind of riding are you doing? Are you on trails or dirt paths? Or did you get a mountain bike just in case? I ask because they tend to be heavier and the inexpensive ones don’t necessarily perform as well as most people imagine. It’s not going to be an issue for a while but if you find yourself really enjoying riding look into upgrading to something that meets your specific needs.
I had a new hybrid which was fine but not really my style, then low end trek mountain bike I got used for cheap and that was my first REAL bike as an adult that fit what u wanted to do and I wore it into the ground. Then got into gravel riding and only recently bought a high end mountain bike. It’s a great hobby to enjoy nature and stay healthy
First, good job on your first couple rides! Get a helmet, I want you to keep riding.
You’re 12 miles in, nobody should be seeking out bike clothes at the 12 mile mark.
Even a properly fitting saddle, will leave a new rider sore for the first… oh.. two weeks? it takes 20ish hours of riding over several days to get your butt accustomed to sitting on a saddle. It should be lightly annoying, it shouldn’t stop you from sitting down.
You MIGHT be sitting to far forward on the saddle, and that can make for excess rubbing between the cheeks. Chafing is ~something different~ and shouldn’t be a thing at these distances.
You say you’re 6’3″, so that saddle is probably too low for you. A properly adjusted saddle means you can AT MOST get one foot down while sitting on the saddle. I bet you can get both feet down.
You should be using at least some of your gearing. Being in top gear suggests you’re mashing everywhere. The ideal pedal speed. (We call it cadance) is 1-1.5 rotations per second, or 60-90 rpm. Going much slower isn’t great for your knees, or endurance. Going faster you end up fighting physics.
PS: why is your ryobi battery charger upside down?