Bicycle Network Victoria: Great Escapade New Zealand

Hi I'm Ian Wilson. I've been on loads of Great Escapades and Great Vic Rides before. I am a doctor in the Volunteer Care Team. Hopefully I won't be seeing you in a professional capacity on the Ride. Although I will be giving talks on bike riding and health during the trip.

So you are going on the Great Escapade?  What are you doing to get ready for the ride?

Most of us have learnt to ride a bike as a child. We often forget the struggles we had with that. Riding 60km to 100km per day has a new set of skills we need to learn. Just by riding regularly our brain learns to control various muscle in a controlled pattern of relaxing and contracting. These become automatic over time.

In the first 3 months of riding distances that is the chief skill we are learning.

It doesn't matter how fit we are; whether we run marathons; swim everyday, unless we train for riding we won't enjoy riding 60km per day because of all the aches and pains.

Have you got a bike? Not sure how to start?

I recommend that women check out the Women's Website. It's specially for women - with information about all the bits that hurt, advice about taking kids, what to do about your hair and getting getting the right sized bike.

Also, check out the Bikes and Riding Section, with good hints on why we should ride in the health section.

How are you going to find a place to ride?

If you have joined with a friend typically you will be meeting up for some rides. Make times to do it. If you go away with the family on a weekend trip take your bike and go for a morning ride as part of the weekend.

If you are meeting a friend for coffee ride your bike there. There is nothing cooler than looking like one of the cycling set who has just finished a 50km ride. They won't know that you have just taken shortest route there (if you have got yourself appropriately rigged out with shorts and top). Find a bike route with a coffee spot at half way and meet your friends there.

Come on you lot, be inventive!

Can't motive yourself?

Plan you are going for a ride the next day. Lay out clothing. Check your bike. The next day comes. Put your bike gear on, while you are getting breakfast, organising kid lunches taking rubbish out...

Whatever else happens you will go for a ride.

Now that you are starting to ride. Where and how? You need to make time, whether it is the morning early, riding to work or part way to work e.g. to the station, weekend rides either on a bike path or with a group of friends.

You need to ride. You have to get all your bits working together to ride.

Your legs. Even if you are a fit runner using them in a different way still gives you a pleasant burn in the legs.

The area on your seat that gets a bit tender... it will improve as you ride.

Your hands, where they initially are trying to strangle the handle bars and slowly relax to an easy grip.

Your back as you slowly learn to relax into it, get the seat height sorted out and as you get your fitness up the ache settles.

More tips from me over the coming months!

Dr Ian