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In response to the OP, just ride. Pockets in jerseys carry all you need. Always have a back up plan (dont get stuck 40 miles from home)
But mainly just have fun, road riding is just as much fun as mtb in a different way:)
Hi,
slight hijack -
Just about to get my first road bike in order to try and regain some fitness - how many miles do you have to put in a week to see any real rise in fitness? How many times should I aim to get out? At the moment I am averaging an off road ride about once a month and am struggling to make them last due to fitness levels!
Cheers,
Rich.
You shouldn't have knee pain. When people talk about 'the pain' of road cycling (or MTBing for that matter) they are talking about extreme exertion, aching leg muscles, burning lungs that kind of thing. Not niggling tendonitis, a sore neck or sharp pain in the palms
Well I must have a setup problem still then I guess. I can't actually tell whether it's leg muscles but it seems too close to the sides of the knee and a different kind of pain to what achey leg muscles feel like. Never had it on my SS Langster with flat pedals.
Rich, start by doing a couple of hours steadily on sat/sun. Build it up gently and fitness/weightloss kicks in before you know it. Im currently riding about 8-12 hours a week on the road (collarbone injury stopping me off roading) It never gets easier but you find you art riding harder/farther and climbing faster then ever:)
Well I must have a setup problem still then I guess. I can't actually tell whether it's leg muscles but it seems too close to the sides of the knee and a different kind of pain to what achey leg muscles feel like. Never had it on my SS Langster with flat pedals
It could be an imbalance in the muscles around the knee - I get a pain to the top outside of the kneecap and that is what it is.
Stretch before riding - I find just sitting on my haunches good as it stretches loads of bits but it is not very technical.
Also avoid mashing on the pedals in favour of spinning, at least for a while. To monitor your spinning getting better unclip one foot and trying cycling smoothly with the other leg.
Ensure your pedals have a good amount of float, and if you are bandy your could consider whether you need them canted, like ski boots.
I have the contact number of an osteopath in London that my friend went to with hamstring problems after a year of seeing various physios and getting nowhere. The guy runs runs a lot and knows a lot about muscles and sorted him out. If you are near London and things don't get any better contact me for his number and try him.
Rich - I'm not able to get out a massive amount, perhaps 2-3 hours a week on the road bike and a session or two on the turbo. I ride the mtb 2-4 hours a week.
But every little helps!
look at interval training...
plus check out if you have any stairs at work and do some reps of those (not on the bike...)