BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
I'm a little sceptical, Jonny.
To the OP, what about an electric assist bike?
To the OP, what about an electric assist bike?
I need to speed up my commute
- Thread starter clutterydrawer
- Start date
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jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
with life in general?
jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
jonny jeez
Legendary Member
- Location
- Chislehurst, Kent, UK
My sarcasm aside, I am a little as well.
I'm convinced I just rode the wrong "set up" as I couldnt believe how little it eased the ride. I went up Bromley hill (good ol nemisis) and even on fresh legs it felt pretty much the same.
I think I need to take my own advice (and that of much wiser riders than I). Rather than look at a £1500 first roadie and get it wrong I need to do an ebay special, get use to it, figure out what cadence I ride best at and then select the right bike from there.
I cant believe I tell new riders to do this all the time and yet there I was in the Planet X website, mouse hovering over the checkout button on a full carbon Pro sl (with £500 of extras).
Angelfishsolo
A Velocipedian
- Location
- Cwmbach, South Wales
To the OP. What pressure are you running your tyres at? Also do you know how to use the gears?
Scilly Suffolk
Über Member
Yes, jump the lights.
Yeah, jumping the lights is a surefire way of getting there quicker, assuming it's the hospital/morgue you're headed for...
XmisterIS
Purveyor of fine nonsense
Sellotape a bundle of fireworks to your saddle?
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(I'll get me coat).
Sellotape a bundle of fireworks to your saddle?
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(I'll get me coat).
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcVOE9XXnRg
?
Scilly Suffolk
Über Member
My commute is also 10 miles, but it doesn't sound as arduous: mostly fairly level with three significant hills.
When I started it two months ago on an aluminium, flat-bar, mountain bike groupset hybrid, it took me just over forty minutes.
I made some improvements to the bike and brought this down to around thirty-five minutes: thinner tyres, clip-in pedals and a less padded saddle (I also raised the saddle).
After the hybrid was stolen I bought a "vintage" steel framed racer off E-bay for £100 and now get there in just under thirty minutes.
The biggest difference I have noticed, has been having a proper road groupset; I have fewer gears now, but they are more suited to road riding: I go faster for the same effort.
Second up are the wheels/tyres. I reduced the hybrid's 700cc x 38mm to 28mm and experienced a significant decline in comfort; I now roll on 23mm slicks and fly up hills/away from a standing start, yet I'm more comfortable! This, I put down to a steel versus aluminium frame.
In my experience, it's "horses for courses": I would like another flat-bar bike for short, round town trips, but over anything more than a few miles a road bike is by far and away the best.
But, as has already been suggested, I'd get your lungs checked out: for a fairly fit guy to be wheezing up the stairs doesn't sound good.
When I started it two months ago on an aluminium, flat-bar, mountain bike groupset hybrid, it took me just over forty minutes.
I made some improvements to the bike and brought this down to around thirty-five minutes: thinner tyres, clip-in pedals and a less padded saddle (I also raised the saddle).
After the hybrid was stolen I bought a "vintage" steel framed racer off E-bay for £100 and now get there in just under thirty minutes.
The biggest difference I have noticed, has been having a proper road groupset; I have fewer gears now, but they are more suited to road riding: I go faster for the same effort.
Second up are the wheels/tyres. I reduced the hybrid's 700cc x 38mm to 28mm and experienced a significant decline in comfort; I now roll on 23mm slicks and fly up hills/away from a standing start, yet I'm more comfortable! This, I put down to a steel versus aluminium frame.
In my experience, it's "horses for courses": I would like another flat-bar bike for short, round town trips, but over anything more than a few miles a road bike is by far and away the best.
But, as has already been suggested, I'd get your lungs checked out: for a fairly fit guy to be wheezing up the stairs doesn't sound good.
clutterydrawer
New Member
Huge thanks everyone for your advice, there is a lot there, and I will process and work on it all.
cyberknight, Yes, that looks like a slightly newer version of my bike. It’s a ladies one because I’m a lady. Or female, at least!
I did a quick tot up the other day and think it’s done around 14,500 miles. Luckily my new employer does free bike services so it will will be getting some TLC next week.
angelfishsolo The tyres are as full as I can get them. Not sure what pressure this is, nor whether I’m using the gears correctly. Are there things I should be aware of re: gears? I’ve never had any kind of cycling advice/training so I’m probably doing loads of stuff wrong.
Unfortunately I can’t afford to move house, I’m on a training wage and the only reason I can afford to live at all is cos I rent from a friend and she gives me low rent and pays my council tax. My contract is only for a year so I’m reluctant to uproot until I have a permanent job.
Yes I should go to the doctor....but I’m constantly at the hospital at the moment (for another issue) so i really don’t have the time. Maybe in future!
And finally, for anyone wanting a laugh – I thought it was a 10 mile journey – just measured it with map wheel and it’s more like 16! So I feel a bit better about the slowness now.
cyberknight, Yes, that looks like a slightly newer version of my bike. It’s a ladies one because I’m a lady. Or female, at least!
I did a quick tot up the other day and think it’s done around 14,500 miles. Luckily my new employer does free bike services so it will will be getting some TLC next week.
angelfishsolo The tyres are as full as I can get them. Not sure what pressure this is, nor whether I’m using the gears correctly. Are there things I should be aware of re: gears? I’ve never had any kind of cycling advice/training so I’m probably doing loads of stuff wrong.
Unfortunately I can’t afford to move house, I’m on a training wage and the only reason I can afford to live at all is cos I rent from a friend and she gives me low rent and pays my council tax. My contract is only for a year so I’m reluctant to uproot until I have a permanent job.
Yes I should go to the doctor....but I’m constantly at the hospital at the moment (for another issue) so i really don’t have the time. Maybe in future!
And finally, for anyone wanting a laugh – I thought it was a 10 mile journey – just measured it with map wheel and it’s more like 16! So I feel a bit better about the slowness now.
cyberknight
As long as I breathe, I attack.
- Location
- Land of confusion
16 mile commute is good going on any bike 
Lots of stuff on gearing etc about , in general it is recommended that that pedaling slightly faster (around 80 -90 rpm) in a lower gear will give you the same speed or faster for less effort.It is hard to believe untill you try it and with a cycle computer i saw i was going a bit faster using a lower gear and the legs felt like they were not putting so much effort in .
If you are on a tight budget ( and i know what its like ) then scouring car boots, classified and ebay can be an option to get another bike that might be better .Try your local freecycle and freegle groups can also yield some gems if your quick enough to beat the car booters .Local bike shops sometimes have second hand bikes they have traded in for sale as well.
http://uk.freecycle.org/
http://ilovefreegle.org/
I hope you get whatever you are seeing the doctor for sorted and good luck !
Lots of stuff on gearing etc about , in general it is recommended that that pedaling slightly faster (around 80 -90 rpm) in a lower gear will give you the same speed or faster for less effort.It is hard to believe untill you try it and with a cycle computer i saw i was going a bit faster using a lower gear and the legs felt like they were not putting so much effort in .
If you are on a tight budget ( and i know what its like ) then scouring car boots, classified and ebay can be an option to get another bike that might be better .Try your local freecycle and freegle groups can also yield some gems if your quick enough to beat the car booters .Local bike shops sometimes have second hand bikes they have traded in for sale as well.
http://uk.freecycle.org/
http://ilovefreegle.org/
I hope you get whatever you are seeing the doctor for sorted and good luck !
Andrew_P
In between here and there
Not that everyone will be the same but I went from a MTB geared hybrid 29er to a Carbon road bike, and like you was dissapointed but it was more getting used to the bike and gearing, within 6 weeks I had stuck 2mph ish on to my average. I recently rode the 29er on flatter terrain for 23 miles at what felt like the same effort and only managed my old average speed with similar average HR as my commute. So the improvement on the road bike would not appear to be fitness.
Also you would have to drag me kicking and screaming to go back to commuting on the 29er.
I cannot tell you why but my cadence on the road bike was really low at first 65-70.
