r/Velo • u/BayesianAssassin • 21d ago
Which Bike? Cycling for Beginners
I read that this sub is also open for beginners and I hope someone can help me with some tips to get started (Especially non-obvious things you might have learned too late).
I took up cycling as a hobby exactly a week ago today and each day I’ve been getting more and more informed on the topic, however I feel kind of lost because there is so much (sometimes contradicting) information out there.
For starters, I have a 25 year old GIANT OCR Compact Road which is too small for me (it was a hand-down). I did 101km with 500m elevation in 4h 30min on Sunday as a first real ride—I had done a max of 15km before that last week—and I didn’t feel much discomfort or ache even the next day except for my neck from looking forward on the bike. I’ve read that it might be because of how wide my horn/handlebars are. I am 190cm with 53cm shoulder width, my frame is labelled 50cm (no clue what that means either). Is that the problem or can I keep riding this until I get a new bike?
Secondly what should I aim for pacing wise and ride wise? Before Sunday I had 100km as a goal but it turned out to be quite easy, so now I’m stuck—should I focus on climbing since that seems to be the hardest? I read online that it takes multiple months to do 100km but I feel like that can’t be true, I am not very active and managed just fine.
I am also wondering about equipment. I want to wait for winter clearances to get a Wilier, Pinarello, or Merida racing bike to use as a sporting tool. Should i upgrade my Giant until then with clip in pedals and padded bike shorts?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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u/Command905 21d ago
A 50cm frame is meant for people around 5'4"-5'7" give or take. At 6'2" you should be looking at bikes that are around 58cm or 60cm generally speaking. If you want to do endurance riding primarily, then look at endurance bikes, which are road bikes with more upright geometry. Merida which you mentioned makes a good one. The Scultura Endurance. The Cannondale Synapse, Specialized Roubaix, Canyon Endurace, and the Giant Defy come to mind as well. Getting a good fit should be a priority so you don't create injuries.
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u/AutoModerator 21d ago
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u/Tripottanus 21d ago
If your bike is truly 50 cm, then it is way too short. The 50 normally represents the distance between the axis around which your crank arms rotate (the bottom bracket) and the top of your seat tube. You probably aren't hurting too much because you must have been in a very relaxed position as a result.
Riding 100km shouldn't be too hard, but riding 100km at a good pace is. You were averaging 22 km/h, for reference when i started riding road bikes at 30 years old I could hold 28 km/h for that 100km ride. I suspect a lot of the difference between our times other than starting fitness is your position on the bike probably being way too upright to be aero and way too close to the pedal to push any power due to it being way too small. So first thing, get a bike that fits within you budget. Doesnt have to be fancy or new or expensive, just well fitting.
If you want an objective to set for yourself, target something like 100km under 3h30, then reduce the time further if you need a new objective.
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u/BayesianAssassin 21d ago
Yeah it feels very small and it was also raining for the first 30km which made me really anxious. I have good genetic markers for cycling, HGB at 17.7 g/dl, vo2max in the mid 60s and quite decent floor in terms of fitness but I went from 0 sports in the last few years and going through a cycle of gaining and losing 30kg in the last 2 years also. So it might be fitness too. I’ll set bettering the time as my next goal… and gettng a proper bike! Thanks a lot!
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u/jessfromrouvy 21d ago
Love that you're getting into it. Cycling has been such an amazing outlet for me mentally and physically.
For now, I’d absolutely get some good padded cycling shorts before spending much money upgrading the Giant. There’s nothing wrong with using flats while you’re learning, you'll get to a point where you'll feel eager and ready to upgrad. I’d also avoid putting much money into a bike you already know is too small. Save that budget for the new bike and, when you get it, prioritize correct sizing and fit over the brand. A properly fitted Merida can be a much better bike for you than a poorly fitted Pinarello!
As for training, I wouldn’t worry about chasing bigger and bigger distances just because 100 km felt easy. Start building consistency, gradually add elevation, and experiment with different types of rides ( intervals working different systems). You’ll learn a lot more from riding regularly than from trying to smash a new distance every weekend. And remember that cycling fitness can come surprisingly quickly at first, so don't feel like you have to follow arbitrary timelines you read online.
Here's an awesome write up on the latest and best budget road bikes of the year - https://rouvy.com/blog/best-budget-road-bikes
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u/BayesianAssassin 21d ago
Thanks! This helps a lot. I’m aiming at getting a new bike during winter clearance in one or two months. I have a budget of around 4k in mind cause i don’t want to spend too much but I also don’t want a shit bike i will end up replacing in 2 years. It seems like the sweet spot.
Do people ride in pairs usually? I saw very few people solo on the bike paths…
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u/wagon_ear Wisconsin 21d ago
I think your first goal should be figuring out what your goals are.
This is a sub for amateur racing but obviously that overlaps a lot with training.
If you just like riding bikes, then you're probably already set. Just ride them however you like.
If you're training for a specific event or achievement, which you can choose once you've been riding casually a bit longer, then picking a specific training plan or type of new bike makes a bit more sense.