cycle commuted for the first time today!

Hi all! Just here to share my win. I’ve been considering taking up cycling as a hobby and a nice way to fit some exercise into a daily routine by commuting. Well, recently moved closer to work into what feels like a more doable commuter distance for a total exercise novice in general, and figured I had no more excuse.

Got the ol’ bike out, and the rim brakes needed some adjustment. Freaked out and put it back in the garage for a week. Then I found a doable youtube tutorial and got the bike all tuned up! Woot.

Hopped on and cycled to a local coffee shop (half a mile on back roads) and was RIDDLED with anxiety because I haven’t cycled in over 5 years. Felt like I forgot all the rules of the road lmao. It was NOT as easy as riding a bike. Also cycled there in like 5th gear all the way there and convinced myself I was too out of shape for this. Cue my typical reaction, I panicked and put the tuned up bike back in the garage for like 4 days.

Proceeded to read how I made every rookie mistake in the book on my first go-round. Reached out to the local bike shop and they were nice enough to help me put a backroads route to work together for me so I could be less anxious. Well today, I figured it’s a holiday and given that I don’t have any family things going on, it might be a low-traffic day to try out the route. I had accepted I was going to go the speed of a grandma and probably be nervous, but that if I was ever gonna do it, today was the day!

And I DID IT! There and back, and I don’t even feel too dead! I was careful to take my time and stop when I needed, and a typically 35 minute route took me 45 or so to go 5ish miles to work! Yay!

Anyway, during my panicked moments, I got a lot of secondhand support from this thread. So, if there are any other beginners out there, just know, it’s okay to screw up! And, it’s doubly okay to ride your beater bike after it’s youtube tune up on your special backroads path at the speed of a grandma if that’s what it takes to get you out and about.

Cheers, r/cycling. I appreciate you.