Ideas for or from other new cyclists.

[Sim2003]

Hi there I am relatively new to getting out and about on my new bike (Had my bike 2 months now) and venturing further each week. I thought I would just drop a thread about what I have found get me out and about and give me peace of mind that I wont run into any real issues when I'm 10 or more miles away from home.

I found this phone holder via Amazon £5 ish, had to improvise to get it to go on my bars as the holder it came with didn't fit but it works pretty well.I am using Runtastic app but using my phone can kill the battery pretty quick but found this is due to the brightness level and not the app it self .I would like to eventually get a Garmin or something but for now this is a cheaper option and proved to be a real bonus when in need of a shop or pub for fluid top up. This also got me going a longer route thanks to a wrong turn and google maps.



If I know I will be needing a lock I just strap it down on the rack at the back. In my little saddle bag I have a spare tube, tire levers, multi tool, couple of small choccy bars, keys a bit of money and CC tied together . Then I have a smell pump hidden just under the crank. This all tends to be perfect for me getting out for 2-3 hours although I will be needing bigger bottles or a extra one adding on somewhere.

If there is a chance of rain I pop my pannier on and load all my junk in it along with jacket/waterproofs. Luckily this has only been once so far

Thank you for reading if you have any nice ideas to add please share.

 

[puffinbilly]

I haven't a great deal of time now - but one glaring detail that a lot of people on here will comment on is the height of your saddle. I think you'll find it a lot easier to cycle with the seat raised - are your knees not hitting your chest?

 

[mjr]

OsmAnd~ does voice navigation so you can turn the screen off and save battery. I've been told anti-glare screen protectors reduce the brightness needed but mine won't arrive until Friday!

Does the multitool have a chain tool? If not, I'd add that and a set of quick links/missing links, else a snapped chain is a lousy way to turn a short ride into a long walk. The one time it did happen, I managed to bodge it by begging a chain tool from a passing rider, shortening the chain and not using the lowest gears.

I'd also carry some self-adhesive patches as well as a tube, else the second puncture will end the ride, even if they're both pinhole ones.

 

[Sim2003]

I haven't a great deal of time now - but one glaring detail that a lot of people on here will comment on is the height of your saddle. I think you'll find it a lot easier to cycle with the seat raised - are your knees not hitting your chest?

Saddle height doesn't seem to be a issue comfort wise I have raised it a couple cm though to see how it feels on my commute today. If sat any higher I wouldn't reach the pedals at the lowest point.

I am fat lad so I have a belly to contend with.

 

[NorthernDave]

One good trick for boosting the distance on your rides, but not getting stranded miles from home if you hit "the wall" is to find a circular route based on where you live.
When I got back into cycling earlier this year I started off doing 5/6 miles, but was no more than a couple of miles from home - walking distance if absolutely forced, but through various types of terrain and countryside. You can then either extend this by pushing out slightly, or by repeating the lap.
As you build up fitness / confidence you can then build on this.
Another option if you live near a railway line is to cycle a route that roughly follows this, then you have the fall back of just getting to a station to get a train home if disaster strikes

 

[stoatsngroats]

I carry a couple of these http://www.mpdhookandloop.com/velcr...-12mm-green/?gclid=CJe9-aizocYCFaIIwwodzIUJgQ 'Hook and Loop' strips around with me. One secures one end of my D lock to the frame, and can hold the brake pads on the wheel for cable adjustments. They an also help to hold the tyre on, so I can reseat the rest of the bead, (if I ever needed to!)

 

[MontyVeda]

How do Sim, I'm a 'big' chap myself and recently got into cycling for health reasons - not just exercise but actually getting out into the open. I have a touring bike rather than a road bike with a setup similar to yours. I don't go fast just steady but I've enjoyed some 25 mile plus runs and discovered bits of countryside, parks and cyclepaths that I never knew existed! I find it quite relaxing even in the rain (I use an army poncho by the way and its great) and when I get back home usually knackered I feel rewarded. On a positive note I've been at it about 5 weeks now and my blood pressure, pulse rate and blood sugar levels have all dropped dramatically even though my weight has only come 8lbs.

My advice for what its worth is, go at your own pace, don't focus on speed distance

Good post. The only reason my rides got longer was because I'd done all the local-ish routes to death and wanted to explore further afield. For me, the health benefit is a side effect, it's all about getting out and about and enjoying the countryside at a speed that i can have a good long look at it.