At 50 I have bought a bike. I tried it today and there's much pain in legs. Howlong before the ppain goes?

Question

I would like to know what sort of distances I should start with. And how long does it normally take for your legs to get used to cycling?

Pete

Answer 1

Hey Pete,

   This pain is normal. Its caused by a build up of lactic acid in your muscles. You can speed up recovery by taking Zinc, getting enough sleep and eating lots of protein. After a while of cycling, the pain will not last as long or hit you as readily as it does when you're first starting out. Your muscles will strengthen and adapt.

Best Wishes.

Answer 2

Hey I'll just add...

Get fitted for that bike by a pro if possible, that is a huge factor in pain.

Remember to use your gears and no embarassment using the "granny gear" - we're not hip young studs anymore - no need to strain - really ever if we don't have too.

When I first started riding 16miles daily for my commute (at age 34) it took about a year for me to really get through a week without having to put much thought into my exertion level or face aches and pains -and exhaustion!

I still have to take it easy sometimes or I have nothing left on Friday.

I would also recommend your local library for some books on cycling and training - very informative and there area a ton of good ones for beginners.

Answer 3

Hi Pete... congratulations on your decision. Here are a couple of things that you can do.

I assume that your bike is properly fitted and adjusted.

First, eat a banana about 15 minutes before your ride. They contain a high level of potassium which will help energy conversion. Although there are other sources of potassium, bananas are the best and fastest acting.

Next, about 30 minutes before your ride, take 2 Tylenol. This is a trick many racers and tourers alike use to alleviate muscle pain before it happens. I have tried Advil and aspirin but it seems Tylenol does the best.

Just before you ride, stretch your legs. Len forward against a tree or wall. Bend your right leg back and grab your ankle with your left hand. Pull slightly towards you until your heel touches your butt. Repeat 3 or 4 times, don't bounce. Repeat with the other leg.

I would suggest starting with stints of 1 to 2 miles. Try to concentrate on keeping your pedalling speed- your cadence- smooth and even. Try to maintain 30 to 40 rpm over all terrain whether it is uphill or downhill or flats. Use your gears to maintain this. Gradually- over several months- increase your cadence to 60 to 70 rpm- one full rotation of the crank about every second.

Be sure to carry a supply of water, and if you have the ambition carry an extra banana. Make sure to wear a helmet!

As time goes on you'll probably want to take a little time and learn how to use pedals with clips and straps or clipless pedals (pedals that use cleats on the bottom of the shoes to "clip on" the pedals. Then learn how to power through the entire stroke instead of "push-push" or push-pull".

One of the VERY best things you can do is to develop a relationship with a local bike shop. It will be amazing the stuff you can learn as you further your riding efforts.

Good luck!

Answer 4

I also bought a bike after I was 50 years old and started out only doing a mile or two. I did not have leg pain. I do hope you got the right size bike and your seat is adjusted properly for you. When you foot is on the pedal in the down position, your leg should still be slightly bent, not stretched out to the max, so check that first. Anyways by about 2 months, I was able to bike 20 miles with no problems. Now I can do 70 miles in a day with lots of breaks in between. I'm now almost 59 years old and still bike almost daily. I was in terrible shape when I started, like 50 lbs overweight and never exercised. I have changed a lot since then.

Answer 5

I agree with everything migaru said except the use of pain meds for rookie athletes before exercise.  If you exercise all the time and use it to alleviate soreness, knock yourself out.

However, if you don't exercise much and pop a few Advil or Tylenol before a workout, you can very easily mask a pain that would have told you to smarten up and not hurt yourself.  I actually have a friend that worked her way into a stress fracture by masking the onset pains with Advil before exercise.  Use your own judgment and listen to your body as it gives you feedback.  Soreness is OK and will heal quickly, pain is too much and could lead to injury.

Keys to success: nutrition, hydration, stretching, and proper recovery.

A tip for roughly fitting of your bike is that your seat height should allow you to have a fairly straight leg with your heel on the pedal axle at the bottom of the stroke.  This will result in a less-than- 90 degree bend in your opposite knee.  When you move your foot back to have the balls of your foot over the pedal axle, this will provide a comfortable bend in your knee at full extension, and allow for maximum efficiency.  If you have to rock your hips to reach full extensinon, you are too high.  If your leg is bent more than 90 degrees at the top of the stroke, you are too low.

This seat height is for the best efficiency and best effort to avoid knee and leg injury.  HOWEVER it will typically be higher than being able to reach the ground with both feet WHILE on the saddle.

Last tip (other than having your bike shop fit your bike for you) is to make sure you have a good saddle.  Contrary to popular belief, gel seats and seat covers ARE NOT the way to go.  They are soft and comfy for very short rides, but if you ride more than a mile you will experience chafing and maxiumum rawness.  The reality is because these seats are so squishy, they are in constant contact with your rump and cause maximum friction.  The best seats will fit your sit bones properly and be firm.

Answer 6

Your legs do have to get used to biking.  Assuming your bike fits you properly and such, then the next thing to check is the gear you are pedalling in.   Trying to motate in too high of a gear will lead to pain.  A good rule of thumb is to pedal at about 80 rpm.   Bring a watch and time yourself;  count the number of times your right knee comes up in 15 sec.   That number should be about 20.

Start with just riding around town for about an hour ( or half hour if you havent exercised in a while).   Gradually increase your time (or distance if you have an odometer or GPS on your bike) each week and rest when your body tells you to.   Usually the weather makes you take a day or two off a week anyway, but if not, make sure you stay off the bike at least one day a week.   Drink plenty of liquids and eat good carbs and you should be ok.