First ride on new bike

[mrs fry]

I am so thrilled with my new bike, I am so glad we exchanged the other one. I believe this one is the Tourismo 20SIX Trekker Ladies 17" Hybrid. Compared to the horrid mountain bike, this is a dream. I really enjoyed the ride home today. Glides like the wind (which I need to get used to, I was a little wobbly), got home with less than half the effort. It's fantastic. Though I'm a little short for it and fall over a bit when I try to get off!

You guys were right about the Bicygnals though, back one blew halfway home so I got batteries at asda. But after than the front one fell off and smashed which makes the back redundant..

Need to get lights before 9:30 am tomorrow =/

 

[jig-sore]

aha at last, you get to post something really positive glad the new bike is better

shame about the lights though but you live and learn

 

[Arch]

I'm so glad you love your new bike! Now that ride home will seem so much easier.

You'll soon get used to the bike, it's bound to feel different - I have a winter bike and a summer bike, and it always takes a little while to get used to each when I swap them over, because one has big balloony tyres and hub gears, and the other has narrow high pressure tyres and derailleur...

Your bike shop may have told you this, but a new bike will 'bed in' a bit, and it may be worth having it checked over in 6 weeks or so to make sure it's all still properly adjusted. Cables stretch a little bit in initial use.

Pity about the lights. If you find taking a hand off the bars to signal is wobbly, then practice is the best bet. As you ride along, when you have a quiet moment with no traffic, take one hand off the bars a little. No need to indicate, just get used to controlling the bike one handed. If you hover the other hand over the bars, you can put it back quickly. You'll find that quickly you can ride one handed easily. Practice both sides of course. And get into the way of looking well ahead for holes and bumps in the road, so that you don't find yourself suddenly bumping when you're not ready for it.

If the lights were new, and fixed properly, I wonder if you might have some comeback, that doesn't sound like a very good performance. Still, luckily thses days you can get pretty good lights relatively cheaply, and back up LED rear lights are cheap as chips. (in fact, cheaper, 2 for a quid in the pound shop, £1.20 for a small portion at my chippie...)

I guess you will, but it's worth teaching yourself a bit of maintenance and repair stuff as people have suggested on your other threads, to be self reliant when you need it. (or even, and this is the best bit, when someone else needs it)

Happy Cycling!

 

[gbb]

My wife favours that style of bike mrs fry, they can fairly lick along.
Glad you're pleased with it.
She's had several different ones over the last 10 years, none of them very expensive and they've never been a dissapointment reliability wise.

 

[just4fun]

Grats on the new bike Mrs fry. Think your fella just scored some major brownie points.

 

[Muddyfox]

What a great ending ... compared to a few days ago when poor Mrs Fry was in tears

I'm glad your enjoying your new bike and long may it continue

Simon

 

[Debian]

Great stuff!

I'm glad things are now working out for you bike wise.

As Arch wrote, it's now well worth starting to learn a little basic maintenance and running repairs. Learning to tackle a puncture is probably the first thing to do, it's not difficult and really can save you a lot of grief.

Keep us posted, and if you can put up a pic of the new bike so much the better!

Happy cycling.

 

[bauldbairn]

Grats on the new bike Mrs fry. Think your fella just scored some major brownie points.

+1.

Don't worry about "falling over" when you go to get off your bike - as Arch says it'll take time for you to get used to it. Gradually your confidence/competence will grow, just be patient.

Oh and remember to keep your tyres pumped up as the increased rolling resistance from soft tyres needs more effort and will tire you out.

Good luck with your new bike Mrs Fry.

 

[Fab Foodie]

YAY!

That's a proper bike.
Why oh why oh why do shops think people need bloody mountain bikes...

This will bring you much more joy. Well done Mr and Mrs Fry!

 

[cyberknight]

Great News !!



Really happy that you got yourself sorted out

Have you got time to pop to the shop you bought the bike from to get some lights ?If you need them that quick it might be the best best. I have found most of the cheap sets are hardly visible so i would go for something better.

Polaris smart lights are very good at the starter end of the range.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31337


I ride on unlit roads so i have 2 of the rear lights,1 of the more powerful 1/2 watt polaris lunar lights and a torch rear light with a built in reflector+ a helmet mounted mini led. It is a bit over kill but people really do see me and i would rather be bathed in red than dead ( to misquote )


It may seem like you are having to spend a lot to start with but its like anything new , lots of costs you did not expect, once you are set up it will be just the odd replacement brake pad, chain etc every so often.

 

[Debian]

Polaris smart lights are very good at the starter end of the range.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31337


I ride on unlit roads so i have 2 of the rear lights,1 of the more powerful 1/2 watt polaris lunar lights and a torch rear light with a built in reflector+ a helmet mounted mini led. It is a bit over kill but people really do see me and i would rather be bathed in red than dead ( to misquote )


It may seem like you are having to spend a lot to start with but its like anything new , lots of costs you did not expect, once you are set up it will be just the odd replacement brake pad, chain etc every so often.

Agreed, decent lights are a must. I like to see and to be seen.

I run two cateye rear lights + (recent addition) a helmet mounted red LED at the back.

At the front I run one of these:

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=14397

Set to flash mode + 2 x LED Lenser P7 torches (200 lumens each) on the bar as main lighting + an LED Lenser P3 helmet mounted. The Lensers are *bright* and I usually only need one, the only time I need two is for night off-road duties

http://www.torchdirect.co.uk/professional-torches/led-lenser-p7.html

 

[chillyuk]

Great News !!



Really happy that you got yourself sorted out

Have you got time to pop to the shop you bought the bike from to get some lights ?If you need them that quick it might be the best best. I have found most of the cheap sets are hardly visible so i would go for something better.

Polaris smart lights are very good at the starter end of the range.

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=31337

I can second that having just bought a set for my BSO. For a tenner with freepostage they are very good.

 

[rh100]

Very pleased for you Mrs Fry - sounds great

dont worry about falling off a bit when dismounting - so long as it's a controlled falling off I used to have a similar problem with my old MTB as it was too big. I just sort of let it go sideways until my foot hit the floor, then allowed it to lean a bit more so I could swing my leg off comfortably.

Also effective and cheap - are the naff looking flashing arm bands - made of a reflective strip with a row of flashing LED's wrapped around right arm and one around ankle aswell. It makes your right turn signals more visible too. I got mine from Aldi - but should be available elsewhere.

 

[Arch]

Also effective and cheap - are the naff looking flashing arm bands - made of a reflective strip with a row of flashing LED's wrapped around right arm and one around ankle aswell. It makes your right turn signals more visible too. I got mine from Aldi - but should be available elsewhere.

My local poundland has them sometimes, I stock up when they do, they make good emergency back ups, as you can wrap them around your ankle, or the rack or something. Carry one in a pocket all the time, you hardly notice it.

 

[mrs fry]

Got some lights from Argos, they do the job. I'll save up and get some really good ones at some point though. Loved riding home tonight, I'm really enjoying it.