Just thought I would post about my first year in the saddle. Please feel free to comment as I have learnt a lot from this forum. Mostly lurking.
At the age of 44 about 16 months ago one of the lads in work kept on saying to me go out for a cycle on the push-bike your farther in-law bought you for Christmas a few years ago. In the end I gave in and said ok there is a local sustrans route close by why don't we cycle that. Come Saturday my workmate turned up on his bike, I wheeled out the push-bike out and put some air in the tyres and off we went.
What an eye opener I had not been on a push-bike since leaving school, about three miles into the ride I started feeling a little ferteagead. To cut a long story short I done 14 miles that day most of it in third gear, the last mile I had to walk. But cycling through the countryside was fantastic I guess the bug must of struck.
The next few months I had a surf around the internet and stumbled across this forum and read the thread “My advice to newbies”
From this the following information stuck in my mind
Well it was to late for point three my farther in-laws Christmas present was a cheap Chinese bike £50 pounds from a newspaper add. Only one thing to do here is start using the cheap Chinese bike to start out on until I know what sort of bike I wanted to progress to.
My first ride in January was 5 miles, every week after that I decided to add another two miles. Finally I was doing the 14 mile run from a few months before. I spent the next month doing the 14 mile run until I was comfy with it, in the mean time I progressed from jeans to cycling shorts(what a difference). Also from woollen gloves to cycling gloves.
In March I went out for a cycle with the chap from work a 20 mile sutrans rout, he could not get over how much I had improved and kept saying to me ditch my cheap bike and a get a decent bike.
In April I had a good idea of what sort of bike I wanted and how much I could spend, so £530 pound later I come out of the LBS with a Claud Butler Shaman MTB with luggage and a few other accessories. All I can say is what a difference.
The next few months I spend plodding around on Saturday building up my mileage enjoying the countryside, I even replaced my car for a bigger vehicle so I can fit two bikes in the back so I can go cycling with mates.
Saturday comes around, off to the shed to get the bike out only to find it has been nicked. The strange thing is they never touched anything else including motorbikes and a pile of tools.
After getting a crime number and contacting the insurance company, I was entitled to get a replacement bike from Wheelies Direct. I decided not to rush into any decision about a replacement bike. So spent the next six weeks deciding what to get. I opted for a specialized hardrock pro running on 29”, got luggage and accessories again.
The Saturday after getting this bike went out for a ride with another of my mates. All I can say is what a fantastic bike, if noobs are still reading this long post there is a reason for buying a more expensive bike. The hardrock is fantastic.
Winter is hear now and I still go out every Saturday come rain or shine and love it.
So what’s on for next year, more exploring around the countryside. Another stone plus lost in weight would be nice. I am toying with the idea of getting a road bike as I live close to Castle Coombe race circuit and fancy going round the track on a Wednesday evening.
A big thanks to this forum for information and words of wisdom I have read over the last 16 months, also all noobs like me starting out enjoy and don't over do it.
At the age of 44 about 16 months ago one of the lads in work kept on saying to me go out for a cycle on the push-bike your farther in-law bought you for Christmas a few years ago. In the end I gave in and said ok there is a local sustrans route close by why don't we cycle that. Come Saturday my workmate turned up on his bike, I wheeled out the push-bike out and put some air in the tyres and off we went.
What an eye opener I had not been on a push-bike since leaving school, about three miles into the ride I started feeling a little ferteagead. To cut a long story short I done 14 miles that day most of it in third gear, the last mile I had to walk. But cycling through the countryside was fantastic I guess the bug must of struck.
The next few months I had a surf around the internet and stumbled across this forum and read the thread “My advice to newbies”
From this the following information stuck in my mind
- Build up the mileage slowly
- listen to your body – ie. Do not over do it
- Don’t buy a cheep Chinese bike
Well it was to late for point three my farther in-laws Christmas present was a cheap Chinese bike £50 pounds from a newspaper add. Only one thing to do here is start using the cheap Chinese bike to start out on until I know what sort of bike I wanted to progress to.
My first ride in January was 5 miles, every week after that I decided to add another two miles. Finally I was doing the 14 mile run from a few months before. I spent the next month doing the 14 mile run until I was comfy with it, in the mean time I progressed from jeans to cycling shorts(what a difference). Also from woollen gloves to cycling gloves.
In March I went out for a cycle with the chap from work a 20 mile sutrans rout, he could not get over how much I had improved and kept saying to me ditch my cheap bike and a get a decent bike.
In April I had a good idea of what sort of bike I wanted and how much I could spend, so £530 pound later I come out of the LBS with a Claud Butler Shaman MTB with luggage and a few other accessories. All I can say is what a difference.
The next few months I spend plodding around on Saturday building up my mileage enjoying the countryside, I even replaced my car for a bigger vehicle so I can fit two bikes in the back so I can go cycling with mates.
Saturday comes around, off to the shed to get the bike out only to find it has been nicked. The strange thing is they never touched anything else including motorbikes and a pile of tools.
After getting a crime number and contacting the insurance company, I was entitled to get a replacement bike from Wheelies Direct. I decided not to rush into any decision about a replacement bike. So spent the next six weeks deciding what to get. I opted for a specialized hardrock pro running on 29”, got luggage and accessories again.
The Saturday after getting this bike went out for a ride with another of my mates. All I can say is what a fantastic bike, if noobs are still reading this long post there is a reason for buying a more expensive bike. The hardrock is fantastic.
Winter is hear now and I still go out every Saturday come rain or shine and love it.
So what’s on for next year, more exploring around the countryside. Another stone plus lost in weight would be nice. I am toying with the idea of getting a road bike as I live close to Castle Coombe race circuit and fancy going round the track on a Wednesday evening.
A big thanks to this forum for information and words of wisdom I have read over the last 16 months, also all noobs like me starting out enjoy and don't over do it.
