Any rides for beginners?

I don't mean beginner cyclists. I used to be into mountain biking (a long time ago), my bike is my main form of transport when I'm not working but now I've bought a new road bike with the intention of getting into road cycling properly.
Anyone into going on some rides out of town, building up distances as we get fitter? Or is anyone already doing this and I could tag along. I'm not unfit but I'm definately need to start small and build up.

Cheers.
James

Try Regent's park or Richmond park, as a start.

Thanks for the suggestion, I think I could handle a bit more that a few laps of the park (if that's what it is?)

I'm going to start putting in more miles, longer rides, as I build up for a charity ride in September, from talking to Stonehedge and others I have an idea that I need to get out and just stick miles under my belt for the time. Building up to doing fast miles eventually. So I'd be up for.

There are rides on here that could suit your needs.

And the RP 3 lap challenge is 20miles in 1hr.

He's probably either referring to the HoP in regents park, where you do as many laps as you can in an hour, or the 3 lap challenge in Richmond park, which is 3 laps as quick as you can.
I need to get more miles in too. Been about 6 months since I've actually gone over about 30 miles in a go and it shows.
You can try taking people's routes from Strava or whatever and just do them at whatever pace you like until you get faster.
Personally, I don't get any time to cycle during the week while working evening/night shifts so I've bought a turbo to build fitness during the week then go for longer rides at the weekend.

He's probably either referring to the HoP in regents park, where you do as many laps as you can in an hour, or the 3 lap challenge in Richmond park, which is 3 laps as quick as you can.

Not the HoP, but eight laps of Regent's Park (which is just above an hour, for me) and the 3 laps.

I'd also like some recommendations, because for the first time I'm starting to do proper distances.

there's a routes database thread here somewhere. Take some from that? All it takes is to post in the last minute rides thread or just ask around your friends or on here if anyone's up for a ride on a certain day/time/distance. You could always go on Tricitybendix's afterworker rides, I understand they don't normally go too fast but are decent distances.

^
http://www.lfgss.com/thread14523.html

As a relatively recent beginner and improver who enjoys leading rides I'd be really happy to go for a few rides with anybody who'd like to do something at their pace or push themselves a little bit out of their comfort zone.

I'm totally unable to commit to week days at the moment but I can always fit in something at the weekends. I'm sure there are plenty of other forumengers who'd be happy to do the same.

That said, many of the forum organised rides are suitable for beginners...nobody ever gets left behind and if you are suffering (unlikely!) there are often train stations on the way.

You'll find that the faster and more serious rides tend to happen off the radar a bit...organised by PMs etc. Its not often that a proper forum ride is intended to be quick or punishingly hilly. With a few exceptions :D

Try Regent's park or Richmond park, as a start.

These are the exceptions! When we go out as a forum to ride the RPs we normally aim to break 20mph...that said, slower groups normally fall off the back and ride at their chosen pace so even these rides are totally inclusive and a good way to increase pace if that is what you are after.

If its miles you are yearning for, these are not for you.

there's a routes database thread here somewhere. Take some from that? All it takes is to post in the last minute rides thread or just ask around your friends or on here if anyone's up for a ride on a certain day/time/distance. You could always go on Tricitybendix's afterworker rides, I understand they don't normally go too fast but are decent distances.

This is true. They are the equivalent of an after dinner stroll, except you don't get dinner and I normally get lost.

The great thing about tricitybendix's rides is that they always tend to go at the pace of the people who have turned up.

With the notable exception of one participant suffering from bad stomach cramps and having to jump on a train a few miles out (with company) nobody has ever really suffered.

Amazing response thanks guys!

Start taking longer routes home?

^similarly start trying to find new routes home and get lost/have to find your way back.

To be honest I'd just get out and get some miles in your legs to start off with. Perhaps a 20 mile out to somewhere and back? At least that way your never more than 20 miles from home.

Once I've build my new bike up I'm going to start gradually increasing my mileage - hoping to start doing rides with my local club soon too.

^similarly start trying to find new routes home and get lost/have to find your way back.

^^ This exactly - I work in Kings Cross, wanted to up my fitness and miles so started after work cycling to Richmond Park doing a couple of laps then all the way back to Alexander Palace (home), very quick and effective way to up my distance from a paltry 30-40 miles a week to around 200+, and being that far from home you have no choice to HTFU and keep going, been doing this for about a year and bit now, absolutely love it.

Though wife thinks I'm bonkers still doing it in this weather, but nothing beats that feeling of being shattered but totally rewarded for my efforts - just make sure you wrap up warm nothing worse than being 40 miles from home tired and cold! I can handle tired but cold just saps you!

You just had to see the state of the Essex Afterworkers last night to confirm that...they were frozen.

I'd be more than up for joining in with you guys on any of the above suggestions. I'm used to 30-50 mile rides at weekends in the quiet Hampshire countryside but the streets of London seem rather daunting. I've been living here a couple of weeks now and I've hardly been out on the bike at all. It doesn't help that I know absolutely no one in London and I work from home so I have no commute to get lost in.

These http://www.lfgss.com/post1990472-14.html are quite good to begin with. Easy to get to and a lot more enjoyable than riding around soot congested London

These http://www.lfgss.com/post1990472-14.html are quite good to begin with. Easy to get to and a lot more enjoyable than riding around soot congested London

These look good. Unfortunately I don't/ can't cycle to work as I need van + tools so weekend rides for me. I'm going to try this one Saturday.

http://www.freewebs.com/cycleroutes/

These look good. Unfortunately I don't/ can't cycle to work as I need van + tools so weekend rides for me. I'm going to try this one Saturday.

http://www.freewebs.com/cycleroutes/

I did the chingford route on the weekend a couple of weeks ago.

Train from Hackney downs to chingford is about £7. I haven't riden any further than about 10miles at a time in years and found it ok.

The Windy Millers ride is a few months away and a century, but looks pretty bloody flat, go check that out.

Going for a loop put to Epping on Saturday morning with a mate who is slow! If Anyone wants to tag along we'll be on lea Bridge Road, just beyond the roundabout (heading east) for around 9am.
Its a fairly easy one and there is a tea stop in the forest that makes for a nice halfway pause.

buy a cheap second hand garmin 705 and nick routes from sportive websites, strava or some of the forums. It's great being able to concentrate on the ride rather than worrying whether you've going the right way. Best purchase I ever made (apart from the actually bike of course)