I bought a nice mountain bike with 24 gear ratios (eight sprockets in the back, three up front,) 29" knobby tires, and shock absorbers front and back.
It's nothing like what Bev and Ang and Cyclist ride, but it suits the dirt road and trails around here. In fact, it's probably less expensive than just the frames that they have. It appears to be made out of aluminum, not titanium or graphite.
Alas, I have my work cut out for me. It went downhill just fine on our tenth of a mile of driveway. Going uphill and against the wind on the dirt road was a different story. Going back downhill with a tail wind was easier. I even made it about half way up our [puff puff] steep driveway.
Obviously, I have some work to do before I take any more twenty or thirty mile rides like I used to do in my youth.
But that's why I bought the thing. I need to get into shape. It's the final step (after diet, sleep, light, and prozac) to defeating this depression.
At least I'm no longer thinking up ways to kill myself. I would never do it because of what it would do to my family, but that didn't stop me from thinking about it.
The hard part is going to be consistently getting my carcass on that bike every day and increasing my stamina. I can't believe that three quarters of a mile of riding on a dirt road gave me so much trouble.
Fortunately, all of my cardiac indicators are good, so I don't have to worry about keeling over.
Comments
Best of luck!!!
Now you have the hard part ahead... Getting BACK on the bike. :-)
Cycling can be a lot of fun - but solo can get old. Once you get a little fitness, try finding a group to ride with! (This is experience talking... As long as I could ride with my daughter, things went well for me... When she stopped... :-( )
Glad things are turning up! Just keep an eye out for crazy ladies when it's dark and rainy out...
Annette
Thanks for the encouragement!
My wife just got a shiny new bike, and one of my boys is having fun riding with his friend and wants me to come along, so it's just a matter of getting myself into enough shape to keep up with those young whipper-snappers.
Hmmm... I wonder if my hunny would like to take a ride with me deep into the national forest, where we can unpack some sleeping bags and spend some quality time. Now that's what I call incentive. :-)
Are you sure?
About no longer thinking how to kill yourself? You did buy that bike, after all! LOL!! I'm supposed to be exercising more after my heart surgery, but one try on a bike liked to kill me! Turns out everything is out of adjustment. Who assembled yours? I wouldn't trust anyplace but a reputable bicycle shop.
“When a clown moves into a palace, he doesn’t become a king. The palace becomes a circus.” - Turkish Proverb
Assembly
It actually came pre-assembled. I saw what I wanted at the sporting goods store, pointed it out, and the employee took it off the rack and wheeled it to the front while I finished shopping. It turns out that all their stock was out on the floor.
If I had gotten it in pieces, I would have put it together myself. I've been doing things like that since I was a pre-teen. As it is, all I had to do was to inflate the tires to 65 PSI and adjust the seat. Then, after giving it a test ride around the parking lot, I had to remove both of the wheels to get it into the back of the truck. We're definitely going to have to rig some kind of a bike rack.
We're planning on taking a day trip to Ludington State Park on Lake Michigan this summer. Mary thinks that we ought to all ride to the lighthouse. Another option would be to canoe/kayak to the lighthouse, but I guess that'll be for another trip.
Get some different tyres
if you get narrower less knobbly tyres, it takes less effort. The quality or value of the bike is only relevant if you come to sell it or it gets pinched. What is important is that you enjoy the experience of cycling, which as you will remember from your youth and hopefully your recent experiences, is great fun if at times a little sweaty.
Good luck with your recovery from depression, I hope you enjoy your rides, but think about the tyres.
Angharad
Tyres etc
Angharad has beaten me to it...but there are some tyres that work well on both tarmac (road) and dirt. Look for ones with either a central smooth band or a central smooth ridge. This leaves you with lumpy knobbles on the sides for the dirt but much reduced rolling resistance on the road.
29" wheels? A 'big wheel' mountain bike, or a hybrid? I note you also have full suspension. That can be a pain in a cheaper bike, because the quality is generally not that good. You end up with the bike bouncing around as you pedal rather than the energy going through to the wheels. If possible, tighten/stiffen the settings as much as possible.
Saddles are personal, but padded shorts do make a big difference. What I would consider is a change to your pedals. Ang, Bev and I all use clipless pedals, which are odd things where a metal cleat on your shoe locks into the pedal to make the action more efficient. They take experience to learn, and I don't suggest you start just yet. They are called 'clipless' because they replace the old system of a clip and a strap around your shoe, which I also do not recommend. What you can get are a sort of broad hook that bolts to the front of your pedal and which you slip your toes under. That does a lot of Good Things.
Firstly, it positions your foot in just the right place for best pedal action. Then, it stops your foot slipping off when it gets rough. Finally, it makes restarting easier. You don't have to push the pedal back to get it to the right angle, just lift your leg and the pedal comes with it.
http://www.specialized.com/gb/gb/bc/SBCProduct.jsp?spid=5321...
Is my daily bike. My MTB cost me £100 in France in 1994, and that sum again to replace all the 'transmission' for something I preferred. It works. That is what matters, in the end, that and getting out on it and having fun.
Glad riding helps....
To keep you in shape. I hope it still is. We need you healthy to stay alive writing more stories for us to fangirl over, I mean read!
Wil
Aine