Returning to cycling after a long break

veganrun

I started back cycling about two weeks ago after more than a twenty year break. I don't have my own bike so I am currently using those city bikes.

The first spin was pretty bad as I was very unsteady and wobbly. After a few days though I quickly got better. One thing I've noticed though is that I still get a bit unsteady if I have to slow way down to navigate some tight space or something and I often just stop and sort of walk the bike through. Tight turns can also be tricky.

I'm guessing being on a different city bike each day doesn't help but had anyone else been a bit like this after a long break?

sparrowcar

veganrun wrote: »

I started back cycling about two weeks ago after more than a twenty year break. I don't have my own bike so I am currently using those city bikes.

The first spin was pretty bad as I was very unsteady and wobbly. After a few days though I quickly got better. One thing I've noticed though is that I still get a bit unsteady if I have to slow way down to navigate some tight space or something and I often just stop and sort of walk the bike through. Tight turns can also be tricky.

I'm guessing being on a different city bike each day doesn't help but had anyone else been a bit like this after a long break?

Balance diminishes with age if you're not doing something that keeps it fresh. I would suggest practicing some balancing skills (look up ideas on YouTube)

Other than that just practice and confidence building.

monkeyslayer

You'll get used to it. I was and still am a bit like that on Dublin bikes and iv been cycling pretty much every day for the last 30 years.

Miklos

The Dublinbikes, handy as they are, are not exactly confidence inspiring in terms of their handling. I'm sure you would be more comfortable and confident on something less unwieldy.

Lusk_Doyle

Plenty of folk can't cope with low speed and staying on the bike. A few years ago, I was doing a big event in the Dolomites and it was very slow at the first climb. The amount of "competent" cyclists (one assumes that you need to be to get into such an event) who really struggled with moving a bike at less than walking pace then was surprising.

Don't sweat it. There are plenty out there with much more time in the saddle that struggle just like you. Hopefully, with practice you will get steadier!

Boscoirl

You need a new bike

Kaisr Sose

sparrowcar wrote: »

Balance diminishes with age if you're not doing something that keeps it fresh. I would suggest practicing some balancing skills (look up ideas on YouTube)

Other than that just practice and confidence building.

I am curious about the balance diminishing with age. At what age does this start to become noticeable? I would have thought that anybody that is reasonable active (eg up and about, day to day,) would maintain the motor neuron skills necessary to maintain good balance well into their 60's.

I would put the wobbles down to the long break (eg weird sensation / forgotten skills) , maybe bad position on the bike (saddle too low) or just lack of fitness to keep the bike at a speed that the wobbles pewter out.

But I am still interested in the loss of balance with age theory

Carawaystick

I'm better at trackstanding now than I was 20 years ago, but that's down to practice.

Dublin bikes are pretty unwieldy at low speed. I never felt confident to go no hands on then ever, whereas I've been no hands on any bike I ever owned after about a year of starting cycling aged 6

sparrowcar

Kaisr Sose wrote: »

I am curious about the balance diminishing with age. At what age does this start to become noticeable? I would have thought that anybody that is reasonable active (eg up and about, day to day,) would maintain the motor neuron skills necessary to maintain good balance well into their 60's.

I would put the wobbles down to the long break (eg weird sensation / forgotten skills) , maybe bad position on the bike (saddle too low) or just lack of fitness to keep the bike at a speed that the wobbles pewter out.

But I am still interested in the loss of balance with age theory

Google "vestibular system"
Its what gives us balance and as we age the cells in this system die off decreasing its productivity.

Kaisr Sose

sparrowcar wrote: »

Google "vestibular system"
Its what gives us balance and as we age the cells in this system die off decreasing its productivity.

It's all very general though..the same can be said of eyesight and lots of elderly people have better eyesight than younger people. Equally, with general cognitive skills. I don't think it's correct that you are quoting a pseudo/ possible medical cause based on age. You don't even know the age of the OP. I did not cycle a bike for almost 10yrs, yet I was only 37 when I resumed. This person could be the same age or even younger.

Riding a bike is a skill, a learned skill. The OP said they found it easier with practice and after a long layoff that's understandable. Loss of balance or reduced balance through degenerate processes, once gone, is gone! Riding Dublin Bikes is not easy....and that plus the layoff is probably the cause!

OP, welcome back to two wheels and enjoy. If you are liking the feeling again, take the plunge and buy your own bike. Bike to Work or second hand...personally the latter for value. Buying new is not necessary and thanks to the artificial demand / stimulus of Bike to Work, there are little or no bargains to be had new, in Ireland.

veganrun

OP here.

Thanks for the replies. I'm 39 and haven't cycled since I was a teenager but I was surprised how quickly it came back after a bit of practice. I'm using the Belfast bikes although from what I can see, they are almost identical to Dublin ones. They can be hit and miss though. Sometimes the saddle doesnt feel right even when I've adjusted the height. One time the handle bars were not centered so I had to turn the handlebar on a slight angle to go straight (didn't realise until after I'd rented the bike), gearing is inconsistent in terms of feel etc.

I'm planning to buy my own bike as I've been finding it enjoyable and would like to go on longer spins at weekends and when the evening's get brighter.

onmebike

Interesting comments about the Dublin Bikes. I would cycle approximately 5000 km per year and had took my first opportunity to use a Dublin Bike last year. I wobbled like mad at first, wondering what the story was and then I got used to it.
They do seem to handle a bit odd!

Chuchote

The Dublin Bikes are awful. Very heavy and with very wide handlebars that make you unstable unless you're a great muscular thug who can wrestle them.

ED E

veganrun wrote: »

OP here.

Thanks for the replies. I'm 39 and haven't cycled since I was a teenager but I was surprised how quickly it came back after a bit of practice. I'm using the Belfast bikes although from what I can see, they are almost identical to Dublin ones. They can be hit and miss though. Sometimes the saddle doesnt feel right even when I've adjusted the height. One time the handle bars were not centered so I had to turn the handlebar on a slight angle to go straight (didn't realise until after I'd rented the bike), gearing is inconsistent in terms of feel etc.

I'm planning to buy my own bike as I've been finding it enjoyable and would like to go on longer spins at weekends and when the evening's get brighter.

Maintenance down here has become a small issue too. When the scheme started youd never find a bike wanting but now you sometimes do. I suspect when they ran the expansions they kept the service team the same size. Stations get "balanced" less and you do find some wonky ones.

If the saddle feels wrong its probably not quite straight and you havent noticed.

onmebike wrote: »

Interesting comments about the Dublin Bikes. I would cycle approximately 5000 km per year and had took my first opportunity to use a Dublin Bike last year. I wobbled like mad at first, wondering what the story was and then I got used to it.
They do seem to handle a bit odd!

Chuchote wrote: »

The Dublin Bikes are awful. Very heavy and with very wide handlebars that make you unstable unless you're a great muscular thug who can wrestle them.

Interesting to hear those complaints. They feel different but Id never have called them difficult. The OH is terrible on a bike but has no problem with DBs. That said, at 6'1 and 85kg my perspective may be different. For me the low CoG makes them really stable and the only letdown is mushy breaks which arent great for ped dodging.

onmebike

I'm not sure what it is with the Dublin Bikes. It felt like my usual balance - as in arms and legs working in harmony - didn't work on them. Maybe it was unexpectedly low gearing that when I pedalled, my arms weren't expecting my legs to move so fast.

I got used to it quick enough, but I did have that initial WTF moment.