New cyclists that give up after a few weeks

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.
Great post.

I like to focus on the mechanics of the bike also. I taught myself bike mechanics by watching youtube videos. Clean the chain and the drivetrain on a regular basis and keep the wheels true.

Agree with the drive chain but?? Never experienced a wheel that needed regular truing. Would need a rebuild or new wheel altogether if it couldnt stay in shape.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
They give up because no one told them cycling is a 'kin hard sport which only rewards the effort you put in.
I'd hope that no one told them. Because it isn't true.

At least, it doesn't have to be. I enjoy riding by my sporting motto of "don't try too hard". In fact I'm thinking of making a bid for taking over BC's overly aggressive, bullying coaching environment with my own coaching philosophy, which will have the aim of converting team GB into the most nonchalant, insouciant team out there. Special coaching will concentrate on witty rejoinders, and a crack team of barbers will aim at giving our riders, male and female, boyish floppy hair.
 

tommaguzzi

Über Member
Location
County Durham
Maybe my outlook is slightly different because i live in Sheffield which is very hilly and have ridden most of my life the Peak District so most rides at fairly tough. A normal 50 miler will usually involve over 4000 ft of climbing.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
Maybe my outlook is slightly different because i live in Sheffield which is very hilly and have ridden most of my life the Peak District so most rides at fairly tough. A normal 50 miler will usually involve over 4000 ft of climbing.
Ah ... grasshopper.

My 100k (60 mile) ride yesterday down here in softy South East England involved 1,700m (5,500 ft) of climb but I affected an air of carefree equanimity throughout. A guy drew level with me on Kidd's Hill puffing and blowing like crazy. We exchanged a few pleasantries about the steepness of the hill and I was tempted to give him my "don't try too hard" advice but he was off, chuffing away like Thomas the Tank Engine. I waved to him as I cruised past him as he was taking a breather at the top.

Even when I got stopped by a set of temporary traffic lights on the steepest bit of Toy's hill, and couldn't get started, and when I did eventually get going the bloody lights had gone red again, I remained calm throughout and did not betray my distress by swearing or uncouth language. (This sentence may contain traces of lies).
 

overmind

My other bike is a Pinarello
Agree with the drive chain but?? Never experienced a wheel that needed regular truing. Would need a rebuild or new wheel altogether if it couldnt stay in shape.

Is this for a commuter bicycle ? What would you say was the average time before you got a broken spoke ? That is the usual reason I have to true the wheel.
 
Is this for a commuter bicycle ? What would you say was the average time before you got a broken spoke ? That is the usual reason I have to true the wheel.

For both commuters and road, ime, never. I have never once had a wheel need re-truing. I admit I only weigh about 60kg so that probably plays a part. (saves my £££s on needing a lighter bike:smile:). If you are regularly experiencing broken spokes I would suggest a higher spoke count wheel.

How often is regular tho? Once every 2 or 3 years of 80 miles per week is a non issue, sever times a year suggests something isnt right. I ride both a road bike, a pannier laden commuter and occasionally a MTB. The MTB is seldom used tho.

A wheel may need re-truing after an impact such as hitting a pothole at high speed, altho I have been lucky in this regard too, having hit a pothole once at about 30mph and the wheel still being perfect. So if you're regularly performing stunts then I imagine a re-true now and then is normal but not from regular road or canal path riding. However if the rim itself is warped significantly (completely loosen all spokes to check this) then it will never stay true for very long.
 
Last edited:

tommaguzzi

Über Member
Location
County Durham
I used to get the occasional broken spoke but since i started using modern wheels i haven't had one for 15 years or more. I have used Shimano 105's, Eastern, Bontrager and Marvic's none have ever broken a spoke. I only changed them when rims wore out.
 
Maybe my outlook is slightly different because i live in Sheffield which is very hilly and have ridden most of my life the Peak District so most rides at fairly tough. A normal 50 miler will usually involve over 4000 ft of climbing.

:eek:

We're out in the fens here. Hills, what hills? :whistle: Actually, it's not as flat as people think, particularly if you're hopping from village to village, as they're all on what used to be islands in the marshes.

On t'other hand, when the wind is a-blowing and you're on an arrow-straight road with no cover, that's as hard as any fancy climb, I'll wager... :biggrin:
 

KnackeredBike

I do my own stunts
Im in total agreement with Johnny to the point of buying a touring bike slowing down and sitting upright to enjoy the view. Guy at work just started and its all strava and trying to beat every segment and obsessing over average speeds.
Exactly this. The "shop window" for cycling is the Olympics and road races, then people go to a local bike shop and see high end bikes and assume that they must tear around everywhere and be obsessive about their times. I went to a bike shop near me and their bikes started at £600 and apparently I "wouldn't believe the difference riding one of those would make" as if my bike had square wheels and pedals made of rusty nails.

I suspect most people "getting into" cycling would be much happier just pottering around and enjoying it rather than approaching it as a sport that needs to be attacked and analysed.
 

tommaguzzi

Über Member
Location
County Durham
I couldnt agree more, headwinds are the wore than climbs. They are soul destroying, that's another thing new cyclists are probably unaware of and another reason they give up. Then there is the cold the rain and sun and wind burn, like i said cycling is a hard sport i sometimes wonder why we do it.
 

biggs682

Touch it up and ride it
Location
Northamptonshire
What do people who give up cycling after a few months do with their expensive bikes though? If they sell them,there are some bargains to be had.

Over the last few years i have bought quite a few of these " Hardly used " bikes there is nothing nicer than hearing the sob story of why people didnt get on with cycling and they are loosing so much money by having to sell the bike so they can keep up with the Jones and get a bigger telly etc etc .

In the garage at the mo i have a couple of lightly used 2 - 3 year old bike that have covered more miles in my ownership in a number of months than the previous owner did in the 2 - 3 years they had them
 

Tim Hall

Guest
Location
Crawley
Ah ... grasshopper.

My 100k (60 mile) ride yesterday down here in softy South East England involved 1,700m (5,500 ft) of climb but I affected an air of carefree equanimity throughout. A guy drew level with me on Kidd's Hill puffing and blowing like crazy. We exchanged a few pleasantries about the steepness of the hill and I was tempted to give him my "don't try too hard" advice but he was off, chuffing away like Thomas the Tank Engine. I waved to him as I cruised past him as he was taking a breather at the top.

Even when I got stopped by a set of temporary traffic lights on the steepest bit of Toy's hill, and couldn't get started, and when I did eventually get going the bloody lights had gone red again, I remained calm throughout and did not betray my distress by swearing or uncouth language. (This sentence may contain traces of lies).
Was that the Evans Ride It, or were you just bimbling around, floppy haired, on your tod?
 
  • Like
Reactions: mjr
Top Bottom