Signum-GB
Regular
- Location
- Edinburgh, UK
Hi new to the forum!
In 2015, I took up an offer of a cycle to work scheme. Seemed like a good deal getting a tax free bike. I didn’t know much about bikes then (what are the good group sets, wheels etc). Following advice given to me by a shop (honestly he could have told me anything and I’d have been none the wiser) I got my first drop bar bike, that had very narrow wheels and gear change jumps were sizeable. Up until summer this year, I had maybe done overall 500 miles on it. Truth to be told, I didn’t really enjoy riding that bike and what made me really change it and get back into cycling was when I changed job closer to home. After a few 10 mile commutes in and out (feeling every bump on the road, worse when it came to cobbled streets and lack of manoeuvrability avoiding pot holes and other moving objects), I decided enough was enough. Knowing what I didn’t like about my bike at the time, I noted down what I wanted before I started looking. A more refined group set, comfier ride, thicker wheel/tyres, flat bar etc. Essentially a road bike set up but the comfort of a commuter/tourer bike. I actually felt enlightened for once when I went round the various indy shops and the usual chains such as Evans Cycles seeing what they had and asking questions. Every shop gave pretty honest answers, but I think that because I was asking the right questions this time. One thing I did this time that I didn’t do with the first drop bar bike was test rides! Glad I did as some of the bikes just weren’t for me, cumbersome or just the ride position didn’t suit. I maybe rode 5 different cycles of various set ups. Eventually settled on a Whyte Stirling. Sold my previous drop bar bike to raise some funds for it. Had it since July, and now into the darker, colder nights it is still a joy to ride. The group set is Shimano 105 and a big improvement to the SRAM Apex group set I was on before. For a commuter bike it is fast and surprisingly quicker than my drop bar bike that I had before. With the Whyte, Pannier rack and mudguards fitted, which is nice as no more riding with a ruck sack on! I’ve covered over 450 miles on it already! At the moment, I plan to use it for commuting and weekend stuff. May get a drop bar again in the future as an addition but we’ll see.
So now that I am happy again in the cycling world, the next part I want to get more experience on is bike maintenance.
In 2015, I took up an offer of a cycle to work scheme. Seemed like a good deal getting a tax free bike. I didn’t know much about bikes then (what are the good group sets, wheels etc). Following advice given to me by a shop (honestly he could have told me anything and I’d have been none the wiser) I got my first drop bar bike, that had very narrow wheels and gear change jumps were sizeable. Up until summer this year, I had maybe done overall 500 miles on it. Truth to be told, I didn’t really enjoy riding that bike and what made me really change it and get back into cycling was when I changed job closer to home. After a few 10 mile commutes in and out (feeling every bump on the road, worse when it came to cobbled streets and lack of manoeuvrability avoiding pot holes and other moving objects), I decided enough was enough. Knowing what I didn’t like about my bike at the time, I noted down what I wanted before I started looking. A more refined group set, comfier ride, thicker wheel/tyres, flat bar etc. Essentially a road bike set up but the comfort of a commuter/tourer bike. I actually felt enlightened for once when I went round the various indy shops and the usual chains such as Evans Cycles seeing what they had and asking questions. Every shop gave pretty honest answers, but I think that because I was asking the right questions this time. One thing I did this time that I didn’t do with the first drop bar bike was test rides! Glad I did as some of the bikes just weren’t for me, cumbersome or just the ride position didn’t suit. I maybe rode 5 different cycles of various set ups. Eventually settled on a Whyte Stirling. Sold my previous drop bar bike to raise some funds for it. Had it since July, and now into the darker, colder nights it is still a joy to ride. The group set is Shimano 105 and a big improvement to the SRAM Apex group set I was on before. For a commuter bike it is fast and surprisingly quicker than my drop bar bike that I had before. With the Whyte, Pannier rack and mudguards fitted, which is nice as no more riding with a ruck sack on! I’ve covered over 450 miles on it already! At the moment, I plan to use it for commuting and weekend stuff. May get a drop bar again in the future as an addition but we’ll see.
So now that I am happy again in the cycling world, the next part I want to get more experience on is bike maintenance.
I'm a newbie here too. 
