Let's have your hacks, tips and money saving ideas for beginners.

[PaulSB]

Get your chain, cassette and rings thoroughly clean - really, really clean. Use a minimum of lube. After every ride wipe all the muck off the chain. This will help keep the whole drive side clean and running smoothly. Search on here for "The Mickle Method" probably the best tip I've picked up on here.

Dust your spare tubes in talc and wrap in cling film or place in plastic bag. When you come to change a tube at the roadside it will be easy to handle, the tyre will roll on easily and you're hands will stay clean.

Clean your rims with white spirit after a ride.

 

[Wobblers]

Best advice is watch instructional videos on youtube and avoid cycling forums. Though you'll get great advice you'll soon be doubting yourself. For starters you bought an expensive, to you, bike which turns out to be at the bargain basement end for forums. Then you'll read lots and look at shiny pictures and a lust will grow within you. It'll start small, better brake pads, maybe some extra light weight carbon bottle holders and, of course, a wheelset upgrade. But then the wheels are too good for the bike and it snowballs from there. Don't think you're safe if you're not into shiny bling and super speed, there's plenty of Brooks/Carradice/Rack goodness out there to open your wallet.

If you're new here, run, run now!!!!

Yes! And if you get carried away you can end up spending all your time speccing up and building bikes but never riding them.... eh, MacB?

 

[Tin Pot]

Sandwich bags over your socks help keep your feet warm (and dry).

Foil around the toes in winter.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Cold wet hands. Go to a service station toilets. Use the hand dryer to warm your hands and dry gloves. Grab some plastic diesel handling gloves from between the pumps and put them on under your gloves to get home with drier warmer hands.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Don't know if we are still able to add to this thread, but always keep your wallet and phone in a ziploc baggie. That way, if there is a sudden downpour and your pockets or bag get soaked, your cash and ID cards are nice and dry, and no shorting out on your phone! This works well for hiking and especially kayaking, too!

 

[LeetleGreyCells]

Always carry a bunch of cable ties with you when out on the bike. They will fix a multitude of roadside problems.

If using a bike rack that’s mounted to the boot lid, get some foam pipe covering (or whatever it’s called) from a plumber’s merchants and put on the rack to stop frame rub.

 

[youngoldbloke]

Cold wet hands. Go to a service station toilets. Use the hand dryer to warm your hands and dry gloves. Grab some plastic diesel handling gloves from between the pumps and put them on under your gloves to get home with drier warmer hands.

Wearing disposable plastic gloves under your regular gloves will help keep your hands warm as well as dry - but put them on before you leave home!

 

[Elysian_Roads]

Wearing disposable plastic gloves under your regular gloves will help keep your hands warm as well as dry - but put them on before you leave home!

I always keep some disposable plastic gloves in the saddle pack for roadside repairs, helps keep my hands and the rest of the bike clean.

 

[ozboz]

Wearing disposable plastic gloves under your regular gloves will help keep your hands warm as well as dry - but put them on before you leave home!

I've tried a few ways to keep hands warm , it the one part of winter riding I could do without ,
I'll give this a try !
NB Just wondering if the latex disposable gloves would do the same ?

 

[cyberknight]

I've tried a few ways to keep hands warm , it the one part of winter riding I could do without ,
I'll give this a try !
NB Just wondering if the latex disposable gloves would do the same ?

made my hands sweat as it kept the moisture in

 

[bpsmith]

+1 the above. Using them in the garage for any length of time results in sweaty hands. Just buy quality gloves.

 

[youngoldbloke]

made my hands sweat as it kept the moisture in

I'd rather have moist warm hands than wet cold ones. They work for me anyway.

 

[ADarkDraconis]

Wheel guy at the LBS yesterday told me that Gorilla tape makes great rim tape! They use it for a lot, but I never thought of that.

 

[Cycleops]

Keep ‘em coming guys, I’m sure there are loads more.

 

[cyberknight]

I'd rather have moist warm hands than wet cold ones. They work for me anyway.

Poggies ftw