Bought Carrera Parva. Starting cycling advice + tips for a taxi driver

[Reynard]

Don't go overboard and buy everything that you *think* you might need straight away - if you do, you may well end up with stuff you don't actually use. Buy things when you actually see a need for them.

Except for some spares and tools: a spare inner tube, a puncture repair kit, some tyre levers, a pump and a decent multi-tool. For the last two, it's worth spending a little more as some of the cheap ones are made of cheese. Topeak products usually get the thumbs up on here. You may also want something like a small saddle bag or bar bag to put these items in.

Other than Lidl, Decathlon are also good value for cycling gubbins. Wilkinsons have a lot of the basic stuff like puncture repair kits, tyre levers, the more common sizes of inner tube etc. I have a set of their USB chargeable lights as my "be seen" lights and they do the job nicely. Their high intensity (battery powered) rear light is also very good.

You can probably start off fine in normal clothes, but do wear a wicking shirt as there's nothing worse than a wet t-shirt sticking to your back. Gloves / mitts are wise too, because if you fall off, you won't skin your palms.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

my plan is to start off with 10-15 miles after finishing work at 6am.

Well done on getting a shiny new bike, wishing you lots of happy miles.
First ride better do around 5 miles.
If the seat post is not quick release, take an allen key with you to adjust it mid ride.
Get a track pump to leave at home for regularly checking tyre pressure.
The values are on the tyre sidewall, you want pressure well above the minimum to avoid pinch flats, but not so hard that the bike rides like it's made of stone

 

[rugby bloke]

Some great advice here, I cannot really add to the list, but I wish you good luck. Start off with easy rides and build up slowly. There will be hard rides and rides when it does not feel right. Stick at it and it will get easier. Most importantly, enjoy your riding !,

 

[Sjw]

Hu guys,
Thanks to the advice from the bro's in the buying/selling section i have taken the plunge on the carrera parva from halfords.

I'm 31 years old, 5foot 4" and weigh 70kg with 50% of that coming from my belly lol.
Last 4 years doing night shift as a taxi driver and stuffing myself with takeaway every night has lead me here hoping to return to my 50kg days where i could run 5 paces without breaking down.

The bike will be ready to collect on wednesday and my plan is to start off with 10-15 miles after finishing work at 6am.
Havent had a bike for 15 years and only ever had BMX's.
Any help on the gears snd how to best use them? Also im thinking of buying a cycle computer to keep track of distance + speed. Are these worth buying?

Any other early morning riders here before bedtime?

It's all your fault! I just bought a bike too. Carrera zelos with a few bits and pieces. Young lad was excellent and told me i didn't need half the stuff I was picking up. Getting tyres and pedals changed and then I'm out there for real!
Sat on a Boardman for size then the men's zelos but have to have the ladies, being height deprived.
so excited!

 

[Gunner786]

Picking it up today after 4pm

 

[Reynard]

Picking it up today after 4pm

Happy "New Bike" day!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

We are eagerly awaiting your first ride report!
Hopefully no taxi will beep you off the road ...

 

[mgs315]

Only tip I’d offer is see how you get on with the saddle when you start riding longer and get some padded shorts if you don’t already have them. With saddles and shorts money doesn’t necessarily mean better comfort, everyone is different. For example the comfiest saddle I’ve ridden on was the cheapo one that came on my B’Twin Triban 500, most uncomfortable for me was a Fizik Arione VS which was far more expensive.

Same with shorts. I find my B’Twin stuff comparable to my Castelli for comfort. It’s often a case of working out what works for you over time.

Also not many people look good in Lycra but man it’s comfortable. Screw the looks. Not mandatory but I wouldn’t go back to anything else IME.

 

[cyberknight]

Only tip I’d offer is see how you get on with the saddle when you start riding longer and get some padded shorts if you don’t already have them. With saddles and shorts money doesn’t necessarily mean better comfort, everyone is different. For example the comfiest saddle I’ve ridden on was the cheapo one that came on my B’Twin Triban 500, most uncomfortable for me was a Fizik Arione VS which was far more expensive.

Same with shorts. I find my B’Twin stuff comparable to my Castelli for comfort. It’s often a case of working out what works for you over time.

Also not many people look good in Lycra but man it’s comfortable. Screw the looks. Not mandatory but I wouldn’t go back to anything else IME.

And if you dont like the look padded shorts under baggies

 

[mgs315]

And if you dont like the loo padded shorts under baggies

Yep nothing wrong with shy shorts

 

[Tizme]

As someone who used to regularly work nights, buy a couple of inner tubes and always carry one, nothing worse than faffing with a repair kit after a hard nights slog. If you do get a puncture, pull out the inner, check the tyre for the thorn/flint/glass or whatever (just make sure you get rid of the offending item) and stick the new tube in, worry about repairing the puncture after a good sleep!

Good luck!

 

[I like Skol]

Just to add to previous posts. 10-15 miles is huge for a non-cyclist. Probably better to aim for upto 5 miles or less for the first ride then see how you feel before setting a target for the next ride!

As a night worker i can definitely recommend the morning ride home, always blows away the stresses of the job before you arrive home. I can also confirm the frustration of rocking up to a bike with a flat tyre after a 12hr shift! Even though on days this week, strolled out at 7pm one evening to find a flat front tyre. Only 10 minutes to check the tyre and fit a spare tube (never leave home without one!) but still mildly annoying.

At least as an experienced driver you should have reasonable road sense so you are halfway there as far as cycling on the road goes. Just use pretty much the same rules as you would if driving, but think as if you are wearing an invisibility cloak and everyone is trying to kill you!!!!
Welcome to the good life. Hopefully you have completed your first ride now and still want to continue.....

 

[cyberknight]

As someone who used to regularly work nights, buy a couple of inner tubes and always carry one, nothing worse than faffing with a repair kit after a hard nights slog. If you do get a puncture, pull out the inner, check the tyre for the thorn/flint/glass or whatever (just make sure you get rid of the offending item) and stick the new tube in, worry about repairing the puncture after a good sleep!

Good luck!

take 2 inner tubes minimum , you can also get tubes with slime in that will stop little holes or even change the tyres to something like marathon plus , but still carry a couple of tubes.

 

[Globalti]

When i returned to cycling in 1988 I bought a mountain bike on an impulse then rode it 7 hilly miles home and nearly died. Didn't touch it for months then thought "hang on, people cycle hundreds of miles, I should be capable of more than seven" and I started taking more interest. Then came a better bike, then another, and another.... and so on until 21 years later when I started road cycling and got properly fit.

 

[Reynard]

Hah, when I got back into cycling two years ago after a fairly long hiatus (about 15 years), my first ride was all of 3 miles.

I got a mile and a half from home and just could not go any further. I was *SO* totally pooped. Had to sit by the side of the road to recover. Somehow, I managed to ride the bike back home and collapse in an armchair.