Info on Cycle Chat that changed your cycling.

[Saluki]

Have you gotten over it, or do you still need counselling?

Out of therapy now so we could have another coke and packet of crisps sometime

 

[Donger]

A few things, in my case:

• Saw a post by @gordyfinbar last June that led to me joining my local cycling club. Sundays have not been the same since. 29 club rides so far this year.
• Was already a very occasional audaxer, but was intrigued by the "Metric Century a Month Challenge" thread, and am 11/12ths of the way there now.
• I've also enjoyed the "Your Ride Today" thread, and been inspired to take a few trips to other parts of the country to try out some of the places I've read about ... most memorably the Gower Peninsula last year, and acting on a tip-off from @nickyboy this year that the Snake Pass was closed to vehicles. (Great ride, that one).
• I've also kept in touch occasionally with one or two fellow audaxers posting on the audax thread. Nice to bump into, and be able to put a face to some of the contributors, like @Arjimlad, @Pikey, @jembullo, @Banjo etc.

Cyclechat has been very good for me, and I've become keener than ever, doubling my annual mileage. All the extra rides and the longer distance, hillier rides I've been inspired to do have allowed me to take my bike with me 2 or 3 times a year on foreign holidays - confident that I will be able to put in a few decent rides, whatever the terrain. Thanks everyone.

 

[stephec]

Out of therapy now so we could have another coke and packet of crisps sometime

Tharp was the last time I was down your way, nearly eighteen months ago now.

 

[Jon George]

Studded tyres? Mmmm .... Seems worth an experiment. Thank you one and all.

(Oh, in reference to the OP: Claiming the road in the way I do when on my motorbike - best piece of advice, bar none.)

 

[classic33]

Tharp was the last time I was down your way, nearly eighteen months ago now.

24/25th June last year, just over 18 months ago!

 

[swee'pea99]

Spin don't grind.

Kind of ironic given that I've since moved to a fixie for 90% of my cycling, but still, that one tip was probably one of the most significant boosts when I was getting back into cycling after a 20 year gap.

 

[Fab Foodie]

CC has turned me into a guardian reading yoghurt knitting, muesli munching Brompton riding Corbin-supporting pseudo-middle class person .... before that I was quite normal ....

 

[Pale Rider]

CC has turned me into a guardian reading yoghurt knitting, muesli munching Brompton riding Corbin-supporting pseudo-middle class person .... before that I was quite normal ....

Which makes riding a Brompton your only redeeming feature.

 

[LCpl Boiled Egg]

When I first joined, watching videos from the likes of Gaz, Magnatom and CyclingMikey made me a safer cyclist by teaching me how to ride safely and assertively on my commute.

Then I started to care about looking after my bike so the tips on cleaning and maintenance (especially the Mickle method) became very useful. I never realised how useful a workstand could be until I got one.

The most recent change to my cycling was when I decide not to replace my helmet. If it wasn't for the folks on here I would have never have examined the pros and cons and come to my own decision about wearing one. Similarly I now concentrate on wearing reflectives rather than yellow neon things.

I only know two CycleChatters in real life though, and neither of them through CC itself.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

I remember on my first group ride, the term "group" used loosely, hehe, just half a dozen women on hybrids ambling along the cycle path.
Anyway, the ride leader arrived on foot, her chain undone.
Because of reading the mechanics section on CC, I was carrying a spare link, managed to rejoin her chain.
Since then I have a reputation of being a fixer, while in reality I only know what I read on CC or see on You Tube.
Like when we had a thread about the function of the "pie plate".
Somebody's pie plate broke during a ride, she was very worried, "is it an important bit?" she asked.
Me, very enigmatic: "No, we can take it off to stop the rattle ... it's good to have, but doesn't matter if you don't have it ... "
That was one of the posts of the thread I was quoting!

 

[theclaud]

I used to be a decent human being

I find this difficult to believe.

 

[Katherine]

I remember on my first group ride, the term "group" used loosely, hehe, just half a dozen women on hybrids ambling along the cycle path.
Anyway, the ride leader arrived on foot, her chain undone.
Because of reading the mechanics section on CC, I was carrying a spare link, managed to rejoin her chain.
Since then I have a reputation of being a fixer, while in reality I only know what I read on CC or see on You Tube.
Like when we had a thread about the function of the "pie plate".
Somebody's pie plate broke during a ride, she was very worried, "is it an important bit?" she asked.
Me, very enigmatic: "No, we can take it off to stop the rattle ... it's good to have, but doesn't matter if you don't have it ... "
That was one of the posts of the thread I was quoting!

Wow!

 

[swansonj]

CC has turned me into a guardian reading yoghurt knitting, muesli munching Brompton riding Corbin-supporting pseudo-middle class person .... before that I was quite normal ....

CC has politicised my cycling. I used to do all of those things, individually, because they just seemed natural things to do. I cycled because I enjoyed it and because I instinctively understood that it was a natural fit with my values and beliefs. Now, thanks to CC and particularly to people like @theclaud, @dellzeqq, @User13710, I understand at a conscious level much better that everything I do - Guardian reading, yoghurt knitting, and cycling included - is, like it or not, part of how I actively engage with the world - not just something neutral I happen to do, but something that has Meaning.

I now enjoy my cycling even more.

But I still don't like beer, no matter what colour.

 

[Fab Foodie]

But I still don't like beer, no matter what colour.

 

[tyred]

I gave myself high blood pressure by trying to read the Society, Culture and Politics forum.