Bikes? Bikes!

Chairs

I’m retroactively amending all my comments for privacy’s sake. I know they’re cached in places, but this is still a best attempts effort. Mods - if any rules have been broken, please revert this post.

Grumpyrocker

I'm going to be doing the same. I cycled a lot in my youth but haven't much for years. Madly when my twins were born I bought a new bike - seven years later it still looks brand new. But I've got some new tires, changed the hand grips for comfy ones and will be venturing out tomorrow. I used to love cycling - but this is about getting fit now and having a  long and healthy life. I can also combine it with my love of photography.

The only slight problem where I live is the rural location below some pretty big hills. Fine when you're fit - but when starting out it's not the best location. But I've scouted a great 8 mile ride a short drive away, so I'll have to put the bike in the car. But once I'm there it's a dedicated cycleway/walkway away from scary rural (60mph) traffic.

Best of luck to you - hope you keep it up.

racefaceec90

well done to you 

i used to cycle a lot,but due to different reasons (depression/laziness) haven't ridden like i used to for a long time.

i do plan on changing that though (have a charge duster hardtail mountainbike).

may i recommend you check out a cyclocross bike for your future bike purchase.it will do all that you said in your post.will be better offroad than a hybrid,but still fast on the road too.

something like this 

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_992074_langId_-1_categoryId_165710#tab3

£599.99 2014 boardman cx comp 

ROOG

Hi @Chairs, I'm a keen bike-a-list. Took it up about 5 years ago.

Good to hear that you are getting on with your Hybrid, I moved mine on after a couple of years for full on road bikes but I do miss the Hydraulic disk brakes it had, perhaps they will fit them to mass market road bikes soon!

Great for the commute, hopefully you can find a cycle friendly route, I remember my first attempt I did wonder if I was going to get there never mind get back, but after a coupe of months it'll ease up.

Weight loss is fine but I tend to eat more too. Leg muscle definition really does change though, it's really rather good!  

Now if the rain would just hold off, I can have a nice ride home.

joneve

Bought myself a modestly priced road bike last September and am slowly increasing the miles - I'm a bit of a fairweather sportsman, so I don't go out if it's raining - and we've had a lot recently. But I'm training for a sprint tri (in 3 weeks) and will be doing a 100 miler up and down the mendip hills (eeek!) in August  

Love it and although I try and push myself and feel like I want to give up every time I get out on the bike, it's very rewarding when you get PB times and get quicker and quicker. Real sense of achievement (and relief) when you get to the top of a proper hill too! 

Here's my steed:

Few upgrades from stock and a few more I'd like to do when I finally have the money to do so. Great bike for the money though! Plus it's red, which is ossum! 

If you have a smart phone, I would recommend downloading Strava (http://www.strava.com) and use it to record your rides. It's a great tool for tracking your distances and progress, really good for motivation.

Also, if you haven't already, invest in a semi-decent pair of padded shorts. £10 ones from sports direct are fine in the short term, but the padding is useless after a couple of washes. Spend £30-£35 and you can get a decent pair which will keep you comfortable for 30+ miles and won't put you off using the bike. 

ROOG

+1 for good cycling shorts, you too can be a lycra warrior! or in my case a MAMIL  :-S

Gagaryn

I remember when I bought my first bike since being a kid about 20 years ago. I cycled home from the shop on it, only about 3 miles but mainly up (steep) hills and was absolutely knackered and thought I'd made the biggest mistake of my life. But I persevered, used it for my daily commute for 10 years, as well as shopping trips and weekend jaunts etc. Fitness level soon improves although I always found big climbs a pain - I had a mountain bike that I gradually adapted to suit commuting with slick tyres, full length mudguards (held on with cable ties as the frame had no fixings!) and a rear rack etc.

I do very little cycling now - my office is less than 2 miles from home so I walk, not worth cycling that distance but I get out now and again although my fitness level has really dropped off. I cycle round Arran every year though with a few friends but I find that pretty tough, it's almost 60 very hilly miles and the weather is always variable, but usually windy and rainy! My friend all do triathlons and stuff and have good road bikes so I really slow them down!

Well worth making a continued effort though - you'll soon feel the benefit.

ROOG

Got me one of these

 

and couldn't resist one of these either, it's as bad as collecting guitars

 

crunchman

You go on bike forums and they have an n+1 rule as well!

joneve

ROOG said:

Got me one of these

 

and couldn't resist one of these either, it's as bad as collecting guitars

 

Oof! Well sexy! Well jel. 

racefaceec90

roog that colagno is bloody lovely 

littlegreenman

ROOG said:

Got me one of these

My Bianchi may be just a tad older than yours

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/264336_1987131870185_5120960_n.jpg

joneve

racefaceec90 said:

roog that colagno is bloody lovely 

This might be the understatement of the century. 

ROOG

joneve said:

racefaceec90 said:

roog that colagno is bloody lovely 

This might be the understatement of the century. 

Thanks chaps, very lucky find that one, saw it in a shop window whilst passing, the Mrs went off to shop for something in M&S and I did a quick side step into the bike shop. Tried it for size and I was sold on it.

It turned out to be a used example, private sale through the shop, and in lovely condition. Haggled a modest amount, Probably the only bargain I have ever acquired.  

ROOG

littlegreenman said:

ROOG said:

Got me one of these

My Bianchi may be just a tad older than yours

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xpf1/t1.0-9/264336_1987131870185_5120960_n.jpg

May be true but a proper job, none of this plastic nonsense.
>:D<

Grumpyrocker

In my youth my bikes were all road bikes. But the one I bought is a hybrid. I've recently changed the tires to ones a little more road than offroad as I'm not that likely to venture onto dirt very much. Much as road bikes appeal to my youth, I'm too heavy and inexperienced for skinny tires these days.

I quite like the look of some single speed bikes I've seen though - they seem like the valve amp of the bike world, not entirely necessary but you show you're a proper hobbyist if you have on.

ROOG

Grumpyrocker said:

In my youth my bikes were all road bikes. But the one I bought is a hybrid. I've recently changed the tires to ones a little more road than offroad as I'm not that likely to venture onto dirt very much. Much as road bikes appeal to my youth, I'm too heavy and inexperienced for skinny tires these days.

I quite like the look of some single speed bikes I've seen though - they seem like the valve amp of the bike world, not entirely necessary but you show you're a proper hobbyist if you have on.

Are we talking "fixies" ? if so we are defiantly talking the bike style of the moment.

I like the idea of the tweed run, They have valves for sure! 

Grumpyrocker

No I don't think I couldn't handle a fixie, I'd still free wheel. But no gears.

thermionic

Excellent taste there @ROOG, I've had mine for 15 years and it still looks new:

I also have a plastic one:

In fact, I have the same number of bikes as I do guitars...

littlegreenman

Oh dear, I have an awful feeling that this thread will result  in me getting a new bike over the summer

Anyone planning on going to Le Tour in Yorkshire next month?

xSkarloey

Don't be too hard on yourself for feeling knackered at the start. For years I've cycled short and medium distances on a bike with a child seat, taking my kids places.

After two weeks off ill, I came to collect my son from nursery today and felt...knackered.

I have a cunning plan to get round this though: now the littlest is 3 I'm finally getting...a nice new car.