RegG
Über Member
- Location
- Nottingham
Just enjoy the riding and don't worry about the bike - as others have rightly said, the bike is not important, you are out there doing it! 
First road bike...embarrassing?
- Thread starter SirDickieBird
- Start date
Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Reynard
Guru
- Location
- Cambridgeshire, UK
Just enjoy the bike and have fun 
rugby bloke
Veteran
- Location
- Northamptonshire
One for the Carrera Appreciation Society !!
OP
OP
SirDickieBird
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the love! Really friendly feel to this forum. Glad to see the Halfords tag not an issue. ..
On the car forums I've been on lots like to diss them with the Halfrauds tag which is unfair.
It seems I've made a decent choice and looking forward to a ride out at the weekend. 3 weeks to my first sportive for a local charity
On the car forums I've been on lots like to diss them with the Halfrauds tag which is unfair.
It seems I've made a decent choice and looking forward to a ride out at the weekend. 3 weeks to my first sportive for a local charity
Racing roadkill
Guru
A guy came on a long ride with me last Saturday. His bike had Gatorskins. After the third puncture in 60 miles, he formed the same opinion as me, about them.
Spiderweb
Not So Special One
- Location
- North Yorkshire
7000+ miles on the same set of Gatorskins, one puncture just recently on the back tyre. My cycling friends are now pretty much all Gatorskin converts.
Your friend must have been really unlucky.
OP
OP
SirDickieBird
Well-Known Member
On the twitchiness front - tried pedalling standing up a short hillock and that didn't go well...
smokeysmoo
Legendary Member
- Location
- Bolton, not very far from Nob End
Coming from MTB's I couldn't even reach down for a water bottle when I first got a road bike without slowing down to a crawl
On the gearing, I agree with @smutchin comments, are you getting mixed with high and low? The gearing won't be as easy your MTB, basic reason is road bikes are lighter, quicker and not geared for riding up mountains
That said the compact is the most common chainset for road bikes to ship with these days. In a nutshell it gives a broad spread of gears while making hills easier work than with a standard double. If you do find your spinning out too easily on the flat then you can try changing your cassette, (go smaller), maybe your chainrings, (go bigger), or if need be it's an easy job to swap the chainset out for a standard double.
There's some more info HERE about compact v's double
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
I believe they came with a compact and a 12-26 cassette ?
I have a slicked MTB with drops with a top gear ratio of 48 x12 and although i can push it on the flat at a fair lick , its certainly harder work overall than my old bike which was a carrera vanquish ( same as a virtuoso but a carbon fork ) which had a top gear of 50 x 12.
For a similar effort i was effectivly pushing the same gear at the back with the smaller chainring on the front so i was going a bit slower for the same cadence and power.
So you are probably feeling slower by the fact your using less power to go the same speed, also you will have a more aero position on the road bike so wasting less effort overcoming wind resistance.
I have a slicked MTB with drops with a top gear ratio of 48 x12 and although i can push it on the flat at a fair lick , its certainly harder work overall than my old bike which was a carrera vanquish ( same as a virtuoso but a carbon fork ) which had a top gear of 50 x 12.
For a similar effort i was effectivly pushing the same gear at the back with the smaller chainring on the front so i was going a bit slower for the same cadence and power.
So you are probably feeling slower by the fact your using less power to go the same speed, also you will have a more aero position on the road bike so wasting less effort overcoming wind resistance.
Last edited:
Gravity Aided
Legendary Member
- Location
- Land of Lincoln
Looks a lot nicer than what I re-started cycling on. A whole lot of trading and bike repair later, I have a pretty nice stable of bicycles.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
Heres my old virtuoso
There's absolutely nothing wrong with your bike buddy. If it's comfortable, and in fine fettle, get out there and enjoy your new bike. When I see a cyclist out on the road , I only appreciate seeing them out enjoying what there doing and never give there bikes a second look. If you think your bike looks embarrassing take a look at mine :-).
Its out of the ark but I wouldn't have it any other way buddy.
Its out of the ark but I wouldn't have it any other way buddy.
NorthernDave
Never used Über Member
- Location
- The real Northern Powerhouse
Nowt wrong with a Carrera.
On a sportive you'll see all sorts from MTB's on slicks to hybrids to road bikes of all descriptions right up to many thousands of pounds worth of exotica.
Anyone who thinks it's appropriate to pour scorn on anyone elses ride is an idiot best ignored.
The important thing is that you enjoy your ride.
And I've got Gatorskins on both road bikes and would recommend them to anyone. Just remember that they're puncture resistant, not puncture proof...
On a sportive you'll see all sorts from MTB's on slicks to hybrids to road bikes of all descriptions right up to many thousands of pounds worth of exotica.
Anyone who thinks it's appropriate to pour scorn on anyone elses ride is an idiot best ignored.
The important thing is that you enjoy your ride.
And I've got Gatorskins on both road bikes and would recommend them to anyone. Just remember that they're puncture resistant, not puncture proof...
Noru
Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with a 2012 Carrera Virtuoso, bought mine back in 2012 and still using it. Complemented it with a touring bike and a vintage town bike for shopping but it's still my road bike 5 years and a few thousand miles later.
It's overdue some TLC to be honest!The 50-34 double is great for the flats but can make the hills more of a challenge if you're used to a mountain bike.
Does yours have the same paint job as mine or do you have the Olympic limited edition version?
Last edited: