Just stopping by to say Hi

General Discussion
#1

Hi
I’m Michael from Lincoln in the UK and I haven’t started riding yet because I ordered a ‘Trainer’ and am waiting for it to be delivered. At 75 and slightly overweight due to being cooped up for 11 months because of Covid, this is just what I need. I own a 26in wheel Mountain Bike so I’m good to go as soon as the trainer arrives (a week). I’ll probably start off at 30 mins a day and work up from there. Let everyone else race by for the time being until I get used to riding on a circuit but standing still in my kitchen, (a bit weird when you think about it).

In the meantime, I want to get to know more about the Zwift platform as it’s the first one I’ve been on. Hope to be back in a few days.

#2

Hi @Michael_O_Callaghan, welcome to the forums!

What trainer are you getting, is it a wheel-on or direct drive (rear wheel off)? If you will have a wheel-on trainer then I would suggest you also put on a smooth tire specifically for using on a trainer.

Check out www.zwiftinsider.com for tons of tips and tricks, route information, fastest bikes, etc…

Enjoy,
:ride_on:

2 Likes
#3

Hi Mike
Its a wheel-on but because it’s my only bike at present and in use every day for trips to Tesco and other shopping trips, I won’t be getting a smooth tyre for it.

I intend to get a second-hand racing bike and fit it with custom Zwift gadgets over time. (As a pensioner I have to watch the pennies). I’ve also got to keep an eye on my overall health as I’m 75 it varies from week to week, but hopefully, Zwift will iron out a lot of problems over time. Will have to wait and see.

Best wishes and stay safe.

Michael.

#4

Get 2 fans and put a towel on the floor.
If you don’t get a smooth tire, at least try to get one with a center bead.
If your using you mountain bike to commute and errands, I bet it has one.
When you say mountain bike, do you mean a full suspension (front and rear shocks), hard tail (front shock only) or rigid (no shocks).
My old rigid MTB is no longer considered a mountain bike.
It’s a flat bar exercise bike.

#5

Hi Mike,

I’m just down the road from you in Louth.

If you need any help and advice I’m happy to oblige.

#6

Hi Michael!

Welcome to the forums! Zwift is great fun, great exercise, and a lovely community to be part of. Let us know how it goes with your set up when your trainer arrives. When I first started I just rode around the different courses in the different worlds and enjoyed the scenery. You can take pictures, wave at other riders, and give and receive the thumbs-up Ride On greeting. I live in an area where Covid keeps us home, but also where the traffic is so awful (Houston, Texas) that I am perfectly happy to ride indoors all the time. Someday we will live somewhere where the riding is lovely and I will look forward to putting my Zwift-acquired fitness to the test in the real world.
Once you’re used to things a bit, you can join group rides and meet up with other riders. Zwift Hacks is a site that has lots of interesting information as well, including a list of groups and events if you are interested in getting into that at some point https://zwifthacks.com/app/events/.

Hope to see you out there soon!

#7

Welcome, Michael! I recommend you try everything on Zwift at least once. You might just like exploring the worlds, you might like workouts, you might like socialising in group rides, you might like competing in group rides! What I love now is very different to what I thought I’d enjoy, so try it all! :slight_smile:

1 Like
#8

Hi
Thanks for the reply

Do you really think it’s possible to find 10, 75yr miserable old farts that want to ride together and share the highs and lows of senility?

Then I’m definitely up for it.

The only problem will be finding 10 ambulances to cart us off to an already overstretched NHS.

Thanks again for the reply and Stay Safe out there. (Hill St Blues) You’d have to be in our age category to remember the US detective series.

Michael.

1 Like
#9

Hi Michael,
Among the many 75-year-olds on Zwift there are bound to be way more than 10 of them who are miserable! :wink:

Get involved in the chat and get involved in rides of your ability, and you’ll find people. Remember ability isn’t just linked to age - you’ll find people of all ages who put out the same w/kg as you and who have a similar sense of humour. Get involved and you’ll find people like you, and people you like.

As for Hill St Blues, I never watched it and I don’t think I could watch it without constantly thinking of Police Squad! :wink: