Great LBS experience today

[totallyfixed]

If that's your commuter what the heck do you use for a road bike at weekends? Like everyone says, very nice bike, but not built for the rigours of everyday commuting. Get yourself a fixed, but then I would say that.

 

[I am Spartacus]

I was looking for the price they charged you..........???
I second the sentiments.. if that's your everyday hack..what is something for the weekend?

 

[peanut]

I am putting the new tyres and seat back on, when done I will get a piccy !

Kevin sorry to post off-topic but could'nt help noticing your extraordinary weight loss
well done ..thats phenominal.!

I weighed the same as you in jan 09 and I still weigh the same in Nov 09 (despite losing half a stone at one point ) I'm getting very dispondant about it . What was your regime ? maybe your program can re-motivate me

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Thanks for all the comments folks abut the bike, she is brilliant.

When I first started on here I posted about getting a winter bike and keeping the Trek for best but I got the impression from the replies that was a bit silly !! So its me and the Trek every day but apart from a few scratches she looks as good as new.

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

I was looking for the price they charged you..........???
I second the sentiments.. if that's your everyday hack..what is something for the weekend?

The service with parts was 118.

Something fr the weekend, well I don't cycle at the weekend anymore !

 

[kevin_cambs_uk]

Kevin sorry to post off-topic but could'nt help noticing your extraordinary weight loss
well done ..thats phenominal.!

I weighed the same as you in jan 09 and I still weigh the same in Nov 09 (despite losing half a stone at one point ) I'm getting very dispondant about it . What was your regime ? maybe your program can re-motivate me

I gave up cycling over 3 years ago, when I got my Playstation 3, sad I know ! the bike went back on the wall in the garage and the weight went back on me !

Started to get white dots around the eyes, and visit to the Doctor, high cholesterol, 7 I think

So I re joined the gym in January, and started to go every morning, I thought I would beat the traffic in the car and get to the gym, so kill 2 birds with one stone.

Started out doing the usual treadmill, cycling and weight training, but by June I had only got to around 16 stone. I was bored with it, I loved going in the hot tub, but hated doing the exercise to be able to deserve to go in the hot tub !

I had been toying with the idea of going to work by bike but thought it would be too much hassle. Then Trek sent me an email about the bke to work week, and on the 12th of June 2009 I tried it.

It was not as bad as I thought, I have always been a keen cyclist but the bike was hanging off the wall in the garage.

I did it again a week later, again on Friday and then thought sod it and started full time.

When I look back, I can't believe I used to pay to go to the gym, and get up even earlier than I do to go by bike to drive to work and the gym.

So I cycle every day no matter what the weather, and the distance is 17 miles each way. When I get to work I shower eat breakfast at my desk, which is cereal such as Alpen or Weetabix. Then lunch which is usually 600 colories of pasta and sauce, or chicken, then cycle home. If I am peckish at work, I have a bag of quavers.

When I get in I eat a few crackers or biscuits as I have no appetite at all, drink a few cups of coffee and then come the weekend I tend to eat as normal but make sure its still healthyish limit a special take away to once a month.

I don't drink at all which does help. as i have never liked the taste, and it always gave me a headache. Loose 2 lb a week generally if not more.

My goal this year was to be 14 st by xmas, so I have smashed that, but I can eat at xmas and not have to worry.

Because the journey is under an hour, there is no need for me to eat before hand, and when I am sleep, I think my body goes and gets the lard and then re charges itself for morning !

My lowest is now 13st 4, but I have been off work this week, hence the bike service and we are back to 13st 6, but that wil come off next week.

My wife worries about going in the dark and being killed, but I know that as soon as I stop the weight will just go back on !

Overall its been great, I no longer sweat, I can wear clothes that I thought were never going to be touched again, but the desire to eat does not go away, I mean I had fish and chips last week, for a treat to getting to 13st 5 and boy I polished them off like they were my last meal ever.

Its just a mind thing for me, don't eat bad or too much in the week and then have a better diet at the weekend.

 

[peanut]

thank you kevin thats inspirational. Not sure if I could eat so little at the moment but I know I eat far too much.
I don't eat when I'm hungry I tend to eat at certain times because they are traditionally meal times. I eat far too much and if snack food is in the house it isn't safe.

I think i am going to have to start a daily cycling program as you did. Even if I just do 30 mins hilly per day it would be a good workout .

My Sister isn't helping at the moment. She brought 10 cup cakes over last night for my Father and I've eaten 5x already

 

[Lazy-Commuter]

Excellent post, Kevin. This bit ..

<snip>
When I look back, I can't believe I used to pay to go to the gym, and get up even earlier than I do to go by bike to drive to work and the gym.

So I cycle every day no matter what the weather, and the distance is 17 miles each way. <snip>

.. really struck a chord. It's having that revelation that's the important bit, isn't it? It "only" took me 10 years to realise that driving 8 miles to work was crazy. And now people at work think I'm crazy when I come over all evangelical about riding to work: nothing worse than a born-again cyclist I guess.

Actually, I'd probably still be driving to work had Mrs-LC and I not decided to get bikes so we could keep up with the kids when we went out for a walk and they were riding theirs .. but looking back it's such a simple and obvious thing to do.

If only the whole Country could have that revelation, the roads would be safer and we'd all be healthier and less dependent on oil.

 

[SimonC]

If that's your commuter what the heck do you use for a road bike at weekends? Like everyone says, very nice bike, but not built for the rigours of everyday commuting. Get yourself a fixed, but then I would say that.

Its a road bike, for riding on roads, which can be used for commuting, and so it will be fine. Its not made of cheese.

 

[Crankarm]

I gave up cycling over 3 years ago, when I got my Playstation 3, sad I know ! the bike went back on the wall in the garage and the weight went back on me !

Started to get white dots around the eyes, and visit to the Doctor, high cholesterol, 7 I think

So I re joined the gym in January, and started to go every morning, I thought I would beat the traffic in the car and get to the gym, so kill 2 birds with one stone.

Started out doing the usual treadmill, cycling and weight training, but by June I had only got to around 16 stone. I was bored with it, I loved going in the hot tub, but hated doing the exercise to be able to deserve to go in the hot tub !

I had been toying with the idea of going to work by bike but thought it would be too much hassle. Then Trek sent me an email about the bke to work week, and on the 12th of June 2009 I tried it.

It was not as bad as I thought, I have always been a keen cyclist but the bike was hanging off the wall in the garage.

I did it again a week later, again on Friday and then thought sod it and started full time.

When I look back, I can't believe I used to pay to go to the gym, and get up even earlier than I do to go by bike to drive to work and the gym.

So I cycle every day no matter what the weather, and the distance is 17 miles each way. When I get to work I shower eat breakfast at my desk, which is cereal such as Alpen or Weetabix. Then lunch which is usually 600 colories of pasta and sauce, or chicken, then cycle home. If I am peckish at work, I have a bag of quavers.

When I get in I eat a few crackers or biscuits as I have no appetite at all, drink a few cups of coffee and then come the weekend I tend to eat as normal but make sure its still healthyish limit a special take away to once a month.

I don't drink at all which does help. as i have never liked the taste, and it always gave me a headache. Loose 2 lb a week generally if not more.

My goal this year was to be 14 st by xmas, so I have smashed that, but I can eat at xmas and not have to worry.

Because the journey is under an hour, there is no need for me to eat before hand, and when I am sleep, I think my body goes and gets the lard and then re charges itself for morning !

My lowest is now 13st 4, but I have been off work this week, hence the bike service and we are back to 13st 6, but that wil come off next week.

My wife worries about going in the dark and being killed, but I know that as soon as I stop the weight will just go back on !

Overall its been great, I no longer sweat, I can wear clothes that I thought were never going to be touched again, but the desire to eat does not go away, I mean I had fish and chips last week, for a treat to getting to 13st 5 and boy I polished them off like they were my last meal ever.

Its just a mind thing for me, don't eat bad or too much in the week and then have a better diet at the weekend.

Portion control, portion control and drink lots as often your body needs water not food. Bananas are excellent to eat as snacks. Dried fruit, nuts as well. Avoid sh1t processed food or ready meals. Eating greens and veg is very important for minerals and iron. Pasta is great for a carb rush but there is no fibre in it. If you eat carbs eat proper carbs such as boiled or mashed potatoes, again portion control. Also weigh your self everyday. Don't eat after 8pm at night. Generally a safe and sustainable weekly weight loss is 4-5lbs. You'll soon be down to 70kg/11 stone.

How tall are you?

Nice bike btw. 9 spd?

 

[BentMikey]

If your wife worries about you dying from a road traffic collision, then here's a two pronged approach:

You're likely to live longer because of the cycling - the health benefits far outweigh the small risks of cycling. Cycling is a relatively safe activity. A regular cyclist will on average live 2 years longer than the rest of the population.

Get some super duper bright lights, front and rear. A smart 1/2 watt flash only counts as a medium bright light in this classification, you want something like a Dinotte or an Exposure Redeye.