Getting into cycling

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  • Going to be doing a bit of bike touring over the Summer, so I've got some new stuff to allow me to do walking and cycling without needing to carry a spare pair of shoes. Walking in road cleats really is a no-no so a pair of Giro Rumble and some Shimano 520's seemed to fit the bill. Will be spending tomorrow morning riding round the block repeatedly with an allen key in pocket trying to figure out 2-bolt  cleat positioning. Shoes seem comfy enough and look pretty cool.

    Image may contain shoes

    littlegreenman < My tunes here...
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  • ewalewal Frets: 2558
    Today's ride. I'm so lucky to have so many empty roads on my doorstep.

    https://www.relive.cc/view/2509494703

    It was  a pretty leisurely ride - too much beer and not enough food yesterday meant I was a bit sluggish.
    The Scrambler-EE Walk soundcloud experience
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  • ewal said:
    Today's ride. I'm so lucky to have so many empty roads on my doorstep.

    https://www.relive.cc/view/2509494703

    It was  a pretty leisurely ride - too much beer and not enough food yesterday meant I was a bit sluggish.
    Any 80+Km ride is a good one. I struggle to fit in one 100Km a month. Sluggish or otherwise!
    littlegreenman < My tunes here...
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  • ewalewal Frets: 2558
    My problem is getting out for shorter evening rides midweek - there the ones you can put a bit of effort in to, so in theory get  fitter as a result. I just can't be bothered these days. Yet I know i'd enjoy it once I got out.
    The Scrambler-EE Walk soundcloud experience
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    Rollers are good for a quick spin, it's pretty much all I have time for now! A quick half hour blast is good, you can cane it in your hardest gear. It's still not as good as a proper ride but does the job. 
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  • cbakaycbakay Frets: 67
    I’d avoid small upgrades here and there. It’s a real rabbit hole with little or no effect (unless u get a wider ratio cassette) Ride out your current one for a year or whatever then sell and get a proper one. Also those fake Chinese brands are built so shady that it’s proper dangerous. I’ve seen several snapped forks for no reason.

    Out of the embarrassing sums of money I spent in racing days, the best investments have been: Assos bibs (as others have said)...pro teams remove and stitch assos padding’s on their sponsored brands (that good)

    a nice set of veloflex tires with latex inner tubes (best mimics tubular ride feel) 

    Proper fitting shoes (Bont for me as I have wide feet)

    and making sure ur pedals/clips are fitted right..a few degrees off will ruin ur ride and ur knees..




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  • littlegreenmanlittlegreenman Frets: 4959
    edited July 2019
    Oops, I did it again! Road shoes this time. After getting the Giro's the other day my old Garneau shoes were looking very old and tired, and with my upcoming ride with Andy Schleck it seemed like the only reasonable course of action, haha. Mavic Cosmic Elites and new cleats.

    Image may contain shoes


    littlegreenman < My tunes here...
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    crunchman said:
    Got the cobwebs off the road bike (literally) and just did 16 miles.  Feel quite good afterwards - could have carried on for another half hour at the same speed.  Knees are fine as well.

    5 weeks to build up to 46 miles.
    You'll be fine, if you can do 16m you can do 46m. First time I did 100Km last year I'd never riden longer than about 30Km in one go since I was in my 20's and it was nowhere near as hard as I expected (6 months away from 50 now!). All about the food and liquids, get that right and you'll smash it.

    I'm not too worried about it.  I did 2 and bit laps of Richmond Park yesterday for a total of 22 miles including getting to and from the park.  Legs were feeling it a bit the third time up Sawyer's Hill, but I actually feel pretty good today.

    The nice thing is that the hills are  a lot easier now than they were 3 weeks ago.  I'm getting a bit closer in speed to the serious cyclists as well.  They aren't totally out of sight a couple minutes after they have overtaken me.  Based on what I did yesterday, I'm wondering whether I can crack 3 hours now.

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  • fields5069fields5069 Frets: 3826
    I miss cycling, but if I can't include it in my daily routine easily then I lose interest. I used to cycle about 150-200 miles a week. Although thinking of those times coming back from Almondsbury to Newport, having to pedal down the off-ramp of the M48 bridge, having to stand up just to keep moving on the flat sometimes, maybe I don't miss it that much.

    It was a fantastic way to lose weight though, especially if you're spending 5 - 6000 calories a week, sometimes more.
    Some folks like water, some folks like wine.
    My feedback thread is here.
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    I miss cycling, but if I can't include it in my daily routine easily then I lose interest. I used to cycle about 150-200 miles a week. Although thinking of those times coming back from Almondsbury to Newport, having to pedal down the off-ramp of the M48 bridge, having to stand up just to keep moving on the flat sometimes, maybe I don't miss it that much.

    It was a fantastic way to lose weight though, especially if you're spending 5 - 6000 calories a week, sometimes more.
    I cycled across the bridge on Saturday. Had to lean into the cross wind to stop from being blown over the barrier into the Severn! 
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  • NikcNikc Frets: 627
    tony99 said:
    Nikc said:
    Decent bib short are a must there are loads of makes available - personally I like Planet X's 365 range I've ridden plenty of miles over quite a few years in them - Often on offer at around 25 quid. The key to cycling is cycling you need to just get out and ride - your butt, arms, shoulders, neck and hands will all ache and hurt as you adapt - but you will adapt and it becomes second nature. Enjoy it don't go to war with every other road user it really isn't worth it. If you want some training tips just ask I've done my coaching qualifications and I'm happy to give pointers but the truth is there are no short cuts just hours in the saddle ;)
    What do you do if there's a bit of road you come to, only wide enough for one vehicle, and you have right of way, but the double decker bus coming towards you decides not to wait and comes straight down at you?
    I wouldn't think twice I'd just wait - take down the reg and write a strongly worded letter to the local rag naming and shaming ;)


    I wouldn't really I 'd just wait and then ride on safely ;)
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  • joneve said:
    I cycled across the bridge on Saturday. Had to lean into the cross wind to stop from being blown over the barrier into the Severn! 
    That will be next weekend, Hill church hall near Berkeley Castle do cake and it'll be the first Sunday of the month... 
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  • fields5069fields5069 Frets: 3826
    Yeah, gets interesting when debris flies off the road and across the path at chest height!
    Some folks like water, some folks like wine.
    My feedback thread is here.
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  • DrJazzTapDrJazzTap Frets: 2158
    I started cycling to work about two months ago its not a huge distance (16 mile round trip), I used to commute to work and back a lot and dropped a few stone doing that.
    So far I've lost just over a stone. I've cut my calorie consumption down and have started strength training again. In terms of cycling I'm using a dedicated trek commuter, it weighs a ton. The bike has mud guards and a bike rack.
    I had a puncture on the way to work. I bought some marathon plus tyres, so fingers crossed that'll be a thing of the past. I'm keeping it cheap atm. Goal number one is to shift the blubber, one stone down and two to go.
    I would love to change my username, but I fully understand the T&C's (it was an old band nickname). So please feel free to call me Dave.
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  • NikcNikc Frets: 627
    DrJazzTap said:
    I started cycling to work about two months ago its not a huge distance (16 mile round trip), I used to commute to work and back a lot and dropped a few stone doing that.
    So far I've lost just over a stone. I've cut my calorie consumption down and have started strength training again. In terms of cycling I'm using a dedicated trek commuter, it weighs a ton. The bike has mud guards and a bike rack.
    I had a puncture on the way to work. I bought some marathon plus tyres, so fingers crossed that'll be a thing of the past. I'm keeping it cheap atm. Goal number one is to shift the blubber, one stone down and two to go.
    Well done keep it up - Have you heard of SCR yet? if not don't worry a time will come and you'll understand :)

    look up Bike radar silly commuter racing 
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  • crunchmancrunchman Frets: 11413
    Getting there.  25 miles tonight including 2 full laps of Richmond Park, plus some part laps - went up Sawyer's Hill 4 times.

    Reasonably optimistic about the PRL 46 next week.  Will take it easy now and just do some light stuff this week.
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  • jonevejoneve Frets: 1468
    crunchman said:
    Getting there.  25 miles tonight including 2 full laps of Richmond Park, plus some part laps - went up Sawyer's Hill 4 times.

    Reasonably optimistic about the PRL 46 next week.  Will take it easy now and just do some light stuff this week.
    Sounds like you’ll be fine! just enjoy the day and you can aim for the 100 next year! :)

    century training ride for me yesterday (well, 99 miles)....hard slog and I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to manage to run a marathon afterwards in 3 weeks haha. 

    Was a nice day to be out though and my bike tan is looking much crisper now. :)
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  • joneve said:

    ....hard slog and I’m not entirely sure how I’m going to manage to run a marathon afterwards in 3 weeks haha. 


    You don't. You shuffle...
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  • ESBlondeESBlonde Frets: 3576
    Just checked my endemondo app. it's 4 months since I rode the damn Bicycle. Deeply unfit I decided to venture out yesterday afternoon on my heavy hybrid.
    Did 7.26 miles in 45 Mins.
    Not at all spectacular, but considering I found walking a mile and a half left me breathless not two weeks ago, I was pretty chuffed.
    I am intent on improving this fat old body and the bike seems to be a good tool to use.

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  • Currently sat in a pub in the Lake District having completed day one of C2C, the Coast to Coast ride. Doing it over 5 days as a biking holiday rather than the endurance thing a lot of people do. Even so, 50km with approx 1000m of climbing was not easy, and Komoot does like to find the not so easy routes. Winlatter Pass by sheep tracks is a sadistic bitch!
    littlegreenman < My tunes here...
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