Be gentle-I`m new..............

[joemaxi]

As it says,be gentle!

You`ve probably heard this a million times but here goes.........

I`m 40, fron Grangemouth,not too fit but a keen trier! I`m a lorry driver (oops maybe shouldn`t say this on a cyclist website.....) but have been bitten by the cycling bug!

The company I work for is a member of the cycle to work scheme so I have about £700 to treat my self to a bike to commute to work.It`s about a 10 mile round trip,nothing too energetic.

Having been to my local bike shop for some advice,he reccomended a Specialized Vienna Hybrid for £450. My only concern is that there is no front suspension-is this important on a mainly commuting bike?

Not knowing anything about bikes I thought I would ask the experts!

Basically all I want is a very light bike,capable of eating up the miles if I decide to go for a longer run and one that would be at home on a canal path-no off roady stuff for me!

The shop I visited in Falkirk,GW Smiths,are Specialized and Trek agents,so It would probably be one of those two brands.

Just another quick question about gears.

Which would you reccomend-normal levers or those push button thingies!

Hope you can help!

 

[Norm]

Welcome, Joe.

Front suspension is not necessary, a tow path should be ok without and it does add weight. It also takes some of the power which you are trying to put onto the road.

However, I like front suspension, even on tarmac. If it takes some of the pedalling power, it's only likely to be marginal and many bikes have lock-outs so you can ride on tarmac without suspension.

If you do want suspension, I'd also be looking at the Specialized Crosstrail Comp. They are about £650 and come with disc brakes, which give more assured stopping power in wet conditions, but still has the larger 700c wheels, so you can fit road tyres to it for dry / summer use. The Crosstrail weighs just over 13kg, according to Evans, so it's "only" a couple of kilos more than something like the Globe Vienna.

Big difference, though, is that the Vienna has internal hub gears, which are easier for daily maintenance.

 

[Rhythm Thief]

Hi Joe, nice to see another lorry driver on the forum. There's quite a few of us here, believe it or not.
If you want a bike for commuting and perhaps longer distances as you get fitter, a tourer is ideal. This looks like a pretty good bet for £700, or - if your local bike shop can get one - this. A rear rack and mudguards are about the only things I'd say are essential for commuting. Oh, and good lights, especially if you work the kind of hours most drivers do.
If you're a tramper, a bike is a very useful thing to have strapped up to the back of the cab - I used to take one everywhere with me so I could explore the areas I was parked up in. Who do you drive for?
Good luck, let us know how you get on!

 

[BentMikey]

Hiya Joe!

Welcome, no problem with being a lorry driver. Most are brill, and I've seen far more positive comments than complaints, IIRC.

p.s. that's not you in Magnatom's 20cm from death video is it? Only kidding...

 

[Arch]

Hi Joe, welcome!

As Norm said, you don't need suspension. Actually, all bikes have suspension front and rear - annular pneumatic suspension, or 'tyres'. That should be all you need for tarmac and all but the roughest paths. You can also learn to ride in a way that minimises bumps - lifting up out of the saddle a little and letting the bike pivot under you.

Some people do find they get a bit of stress in the wrists - padded gloves and good bar grips see to that.

 

[downfader]

Hi Joe! Everyone is welcome here!

I will say this, you dont need much to start with. Dont worry about sports or cycle clothing too much, you could just take a spare set of clothes in a bag if you find yourself getting sweaty.

My advice is always for beginners to first check out the cyclists part of the Highway Code (which I'm sure you have already). And if riding in poor weather, low light or night then invest in some good lights. Good advice on lights is to use 2 on front and rear incase one fails, breaks or batteries die. You can stick one on constant and one on flash mode.

Plenty of good bikes for even around the £250 mark. It doesnt have to be a roadie bike, just go with what you feel is comfortable. A lot of beginners around here like the cheap Kona, Carrera and Specialised. The Carerra Subway 1 will take a rack, lights and is pretty sturdy.

Other advice, dont worry about hills. If you have to get off and push just allow yourself extra time for that. You will get fitter over around a 6 week period. If you start the first 2 weeks on a Mon, weds and fridays type of rota for cycling, and rest on the others your fitness/recovery should be aided. Then go for a full week after. Drink plenty of water during the day too as this will stop cramps and you seizing up.

Hope that snt too confusing, good luck!

 

[mark i]

Good luck in your new sport! As most have said I do not have an issue with any particular mode of transport, just bad drivers. The best and worst I have seen are bus drivers!
I started my commute around 2 years ago aged 35, by train both ways so did 4 miles then 2 in the morning, 2 then 4 in the evening. When I had finished the week in the early days I was cream crackered. I stuck with it, and started cycling all the way home in the evening (there is a lack of showers at work). At the end of the week I am not quite as spritely, but certainly nowhere near cream crackered. The weight loss and fitness gains are well worth it (2 stones over the last year).
Last note, I found the first winter demoralising towards the end of February. This year has been fine. Also perhaps start seriously when the commute will be daylight, the cycling is more pleasant so more likely to keep going.
Lastly, good luck.

 

[johnr]

Enjoy. It is hard for a few weeks, but I wouldn't travel any other way. Decent clothes make a big difference... and Aldi and Lidl are good places to pick up decent stuff cheap when they do their spring bike weeks.

I picked up lots of good advice from a site like this when I started... give it a few months and you'll be dishing out sage advice to people in the same position as you are now.

I've got a Specialized Tricross, on which I fly like the wind and conquer hills like a leaping salmon... honest

Have fun.

 

[Norm]

I've got a Specialized Tricross, on which I fly like the wind and conquer hills like a leaping salmon... honest

Me too. To the Tricross, that is. Less of leaping salmon, more a waddling penguin. Anyway...

If you want a bike for commuting and perhaps longer distances as you get fitter, a tourer is ideal. This looks like a pretty good bet for £700...

Indeed, the sort of riding mentioned in the OP is pretty much exactly why I bought mine, but I don't like to bang on about them every time I post.

As most have said I do not have an issue with any particular mode of transport, just bad drivers.

+1! And, you may find you become considerably more conscious of unintended consequences of your actions when you see things from the un-powered two wheeler's perspective. Not meaning to dis anyone else's riding / driving styles, certainly no sweeping generalisation intended, but it certainly helped me.

 

[ttcycle]

Welcome Joe!

Glad to hear you've got the bug!
All I can say is not to worry re the front suspension as that can make it harder work on the roads.

It can be quite tricky choosing your first bike but my advice without repeating too much of what's already been posted is simply get out and try a few bikes at your local bike shop and go with what feels most comfortable.

Happy riding!

 

[HLaB]

As it says,be gentle!


I`m 40, fron Grangemouth,not too fit but a keen trier! I`m a lorry driver (oops maybe shouldn`t say this on a cyclist website.....) but have been bitten by the cycling bug!

Nothing wrong with that , welcome to the forum.

Just another quick question about gears.

Which would you reccomend-normal levers or those push button thingies!

Hope you can help!

I'm not sure what you mean by this
If you mean grip shift (where you rotate the hand grip to change gear) IME they tend to irritate the inside of the hand (between the thumb and fore finger), I'd avoid those.
There's trigger shift, (where you push/ pull triggers to change gear) they work well IME and are simple to use. Sometimes the same thing is also called rapid EZ fire shifters or something similar.

Hope that helps,

 

[Two mile commute]

Having been to my local bike shop for some advice,he reccomended a Specialized Vienna Hybrid for £450. My only concern is that there is no front suspension-is this important on a mainly commuting bike?

Basically all I want is a very light bike,capable of eating up the miles if I decide to go for a longer run and one that would be at home on a canal path-no off roady stuff for me!

I have a similar bike, Specialized Globe Sport, and it does pretty much as you describe: regular commute, off road cycle track and sometimes a 25 mile ride. I don't have suspension forks, never used them so not too bothered.

Which would you reccomend-normal levers or those push button thingies!

I use the push button gear changers and find them easier to use than the friction shifters/normal levers.

Tortec reflector mudguards, reelights, are good, as is changing the pedals as the ones sold are often cheap and poor quality.

 

[ACS]

 

[joemaxi]

Wow-what a response!

I have to say that I'm a member of a few forums and the responses I have received on here are outstanding compared to the other forums. I'm at work, sitting in my truck somewhere in Glenrothes and I will have a look at some of the bikes suggested when I get back on my home p.c.

The main issue,for me anyway, is that the bike should have straight handlebars rather than the curved racing bike type but apart from that, I'm open to suggestions! I've got a cheap and cheerful halfords MTB which I'm using to cycle to work at the moment but it weighs about as much as my car!!

I'm going back to the bike shop in the next couple of days just to make my final choice but I think, what ever kind of bike I choose, I would like it to have a set of panniers( dunno if that is the correct term!) just to carry some work gear in.

Once again, thanks for the many replies, I really am amazed with the responses!

 

[Moodyman]

This isn't a forum maxi - it's a family. Like families, we help after each other.

Panniers is the correct term and yes, they're great for carrying stuff. I started off with a rucksack but moved to panniers when the back got sweaty and the spine started to hurt due to the weight.

As others have said, a rigid fork hybrid will be better for the type of riding you're going to do.