My 'flat' cycling route

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Martok

Klingon on a bike
Location
Watford
A few weeks ago my other half, HaloJ, was looking at a new cycle route for me to do which she mentioned in this thread.

Now I'm not a cycling obsessive nut like she is but do enjoy cycling, though I hate hills (well, the going up bit, I love coming down them :wacko:). I'm also not a daily cyclist, my job requires a fair bit of driving, so I do my cycling after work and try to ride 2 or 3 times a week if I can, hence the cycling route she was planning.

So HaloJ set up the route and told me it was nice and flat so I'd enjoy it. Well it seems that it wasn't quite as flat as she claimed it to be as you'll see from this video...

My 'flat' cycling route


Apparently the first of the two hills is steeper than any she rides on her journey home.

No doubt these look nothing to many of you regular cyclists. I hate hills though, I'm only just getting back into cycling after many years, I'm on a Trek 7200 which isn't the lightest of bikes and I'm around 3 stones overweight at the moment, so go easy on me with the jibes! :biggrin:

Anyway, lesson learned, don't believe a cycle nut when she says a route is easy and flat!

HaloJ said:
Cripes not even Alexandra Palace has a chevron on it and that's a killer of a hill for me never mind for him! I'm trying to get him out more not kill him! :wacko:
Also we've now been living together for 1.5 months so she may now be aiming for the latter part of that statement. :biggrin:
 

Moodyman

Legendary Member
You been naughty Martok?

Maybe she was getting even for something you'd done/not done previously
 

HaloJ

Rabid cycle nut
Location
Watford
potsy said:
Oh dear,you must have done sommat to upset her:smile: is that vid slowed down?:troll:
Welcome btw,are you still getting the new bike?

Wow that makes me look mean! ;) I must admit it did look a lot flatter on MapMyRide.

As for the new bike, we'll see, but he's requested a Secteur Elite for testing on one of the evans RideIT's in a months time. :biggrin:
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
HaloJ said:
Wow that makes me look mean! :troll: I must admit it did look a lot flatter on MapMyRide.

As for the new bike, we'll see, but he's requested a Secteur Elite for testing on one of the evans RideIT's in a months time. ;)
Yeah but you go so fast on the flat you'd be half way up that hill before you knew it:smile:
Hope he likes the Elite.
 
OP
OP
Martok

Martok

Klingon on a bike
Location
Watford
Moodyman said:
You been naughty Martok?

Maybe she was getting even for something you'd done/not done previously
Heh yes, probably nagging at her to tidy up. :troll:

Matthames said:
Keep at it and you will fly up those hills. :smile:
I will stick with it. First time up this I had to stop about 2/3 the way up whereas I can now do it in one go. I'm sticking with the route as I do want to improve on my hill climbing and overall increase my average speed, as well as shift the extra 3 stones I'm carrying.

Jmetz said:
The thing that i noticed more than anything was that you didnt seem to check over your shoulder hardly at all.
No I didn't on that much, did I? I check behind but it tends to be before I'm going to make any manoeuvres such as turning into a road, pulling well out into the road etc. I didn't think it was necessary to do that in these clips as I was pretty much going in a straight line. Do you think I should have looked behind more? If so, when? General checks as you are riding along?

potsy said:
Oh dear,you must have done sommat to upset her:smile: is that vid slowed down?;)
Welcome btw,are you still getting the new bike?
Hehe I wondered who'd be the first to comment on my slow speed up that hill. :biggrin:

No plans on getting a new bike at this stage. I've only had the Trek 7200 since September and I'm still paying for it through the cycle to work scheme. I'm not sure I can justify buying another bike at the moment with the amount I'm riding. We'll see if I change my mind after the Evans Ride It! Hatfield sportive on 18th July as I'm hopefully booked a Specialized Sectuer Elite demo bike for the event. :smile:
 

potsy

Rambler
Location
My Armchair
Once you ride the Secteur you won't want to go back to your hybrid,believe me I know.I spent 7 months commuting on my Trek 7.1FX then bought a Secteur,I now hate the wet/load carrying days when I need to use it again.
Oh and was only playing about your speed,I go similar speed uphill myself,it was just the contrast between Halo's vid and yours that's all:biggrin: has she ever ridden up a hill?
 
OP
OP
Martok

Martok

Klingon on a bike
Location
Watford
potsy said:
Once you ride the Secteur you won't want to go back to your hybrid,believe me I know.I spent 7 months commuting on my Trek 7.1FX then bought a Secteur,I now hate the wet/load carrying days when I need to use it again.
Well if that's the case I better start saving for a new bike! I must admit I did like the feel of HaloJ's Sectuer when I sat on it the other day and I'm curious as to how the demo bike will handle when I do the ride.

potsy said:
Oh and was only playing about your speed,I go similar speed uphill myself,it was just the contrast between Halo's vid and yours that's all:biggrin: has she ever ridden up a hill?
I know you were kidding and that's fine, I can take it as well as dish it too. :troll: Halo does plenty of hills, her journey home from work is mostly all uphill. When we ride together she's way ahead on hills and has to stop and wait for me as I slowly chug up them. One day I hope I'll surprise her by being on her tail all the way. ;)
 

Jmetz

Well-Known Member
I just like to check when im moving out around cars parked within the road... much like we are taught to check our wingmirrors when driving and moving out... however... thats something we probably all often forget to do too :troll: i certainly do
 

phil_hg_uk

I am not a member, I am a free man !!!!!!
I know when I went from my Giant Rock SE to a Dawes Ultra Galaxy I just cant bring myself to ride the Giant anymore it is like pedaling scafolding around in comparison.

I just ordered the Secteur Elite and I am picking it up tomorrow :troll: so I wonder if my Galaxy will go the same way the Giant has.
 
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