New Rider from Blackburn

[Ibi]

Hi Members

Just posting to say hello!
Im from Blackburn,Lancs and i currently riding a Giant Revel MTB
but will soon be moving over to a road bike to commute to work

Hope your all well!

Ibi

 

[Globalti]

Hello Ibi, there are a few of us in and around Blackburn. Have you heard of BAD? It's Blackburn And District mountain bike club, we go out on Sundays and Wednesday nights, it's an active club, not competitive and you will learn lots of new routes you never knew existed. For road riding you are on the edge of one of the best areas in the UK, the Ribble Valley and the Bowland Fells as well as the whole of the flat lands of the Fylde as far up as Lancaster.

BAD here: http://www.alexbarnes1653.webspace.virginmedia.com/bikes/

 

[Ibi]

Hello Ibi, there are a few of us in and around Blackburn. Have you heard of BAD? It's Blackburn And District mountain bike club, we go out on Sundays and Wednesday nights, it's an active club, not competitive and you will learn lots of new routes you never knew existed. For road riding you are on the edge of one of the best areas in the UK, the Ribble Valley and the Bowland Fells as well as the whole of the flat lands of the Fylde as far up as Lancaster.

BAD here: http://www.alexbarne...edia.com/bikes/

May thanks for that Globalti!

do you guys just do mountain biking or road biking too?

Im not really into Mountain biking more use on the roads-i know i currently have the wrong sorta
bike but im fairly new to it so will be looking for a road bike soon!

thanks mate

 

[Globalti]

No, BAD don't do road riding at all though a few members organise their own road rides occasionally.

There are a few local clubs; Clitheroe Bike Club, which I've been trying to meet up with for two months but they seem a bit disorganised; last night I went along for a meeting and nobody showed up because the organiser had put the wrong date on their website. North Lancs Road Club meet in Whalley every Sunday and are well organised: http://www.northlancsrc.org.uk/

Best advice I can give you is to get a road bike (Boardman bikes from Halfords are good value) and start doing weekend runs out to places like Chipping and Dunsop bridge where there are nice cafes, then when you feel confident you can join a club. I guess you need to be able to average about 15 - 17 mph solo to keep up with a club ride, around the Ribble Valley 15 mph is good for a solo rider.

 

[Ibi]

No, BAD don't do road riding at all though a few members organise their own road rides occasionally.

There are a few local clubs; Clitheroe Bike Club, which I've been trying to meet up with for two months but they seem a bit disorganised; last night I went along for a meeting and nobody showed up because the organiser had put the wrong date on their website. North Lancs Road Club meet in Whalley every Sunday and are well organised: http://www.northlancsrc.org.uk/

Best advice I can give you is to get a road bike (Boardman bikes from Halfords are good value) and start doing weekend runs out to places like Chipping and Dunsop bridge where there are nice cafes, then when you feel confident you can join a club. I guess you need to be able to average about 15 - 17 mph solo to keep up with a club ride, around the Ribble Valley 15 mph is good for a solo rider.

15 mph!! im currently doing around 10-12mph but i guess slowly bur surely i can build it.

does a road bike make so much difference?? (sorry if this sounds stupid )

Are roadbike ok to you in the winter months?

thanks
Ibi

 

[Globalti]

If you can do that on an MTB you'll easily do 15 mph or more on a roadie, they are exhilaratingly fast compared with an MTB thanks to lighter weight, taller gearing, smooth skinny tyres, stiffer frames and a more aerodynamic position. They are fine in winter though a set of lightweight mudguards is a good idea; you can buy some that will fit even a carbon bike.

What's your budget for the road bike?

 

[Ibi]

If you can do that on an MTB you'll easily do 15 mph or more on a roadie, they are exhilaratingly fast compared with an MTB thanks to lighter weight, taller gearing, smooth skinny tyres, stiffer frames and a more aerodynamic position. They are fine in winter though a set of lightweight mudguards is a good idea; you can buy some that will fit even a carbon bike.

What's your budget for the road bike?

oh thats good to hear!i bought this giant MTB afew months ago not really
researching about different types of bikes-il soon be getting rid of it and then buying
the road bike-maybe January time

Im sure i can stretch to £1000 if need be

Thanks for the great advice mate!
makes me feel welcome to the forum!

Ibi

 

[Globalti]

That's a great budget; you can get a smashing bike for that.

My advice: rather than spend the lolly on a bike without being really sure, then regretting it later... go along to one of the local retailers like Ribble Cycles in Preston or Paul Hewitt in Leyland and pay £50 for a measuring and bike fit session on their jig. Once they have worked out what you need and had a chat about your aspirations they will select a bike to suit you and build it up for you. I would venture to say that you will get a more satisfactory service from Paul Hewitt but Ribble bikes are good value. A pal of mine who has had years of back pain and a big op did this and Hewitt suggested an Orbea, then built it for him. The £50 gets knocked off if you buy a bike. The Orbea cost exactly £1000, it's carbon fibre, very fast and comfortable and my pal is delighted with it. He rides from Bury over to Leeds to shag see his girlfriend then back the next day looking as fit as a butcher's dog and if he had a tail he'd be wagging that as well.

Keep coming on here for advice as your ideas develop and keep reading magazines and test reports so as to familiarise yourself with all the jargon.

 

[Ibi]

That's a great budget; you can get a smashing bike for that.

My advice: rather than spend the lolly on a bike without being really sure, then regretting it later... go along to one of the local retailers like Ribble Cycles in Preston or Paul Hewitt in Leyland and pay £50 for a measuring and bike fit session on their jig. Once they have worked out what you need and had a chat about your aspirations they will select a bike to suit you and build it up for you. I would venture to say that you will get a more satisfactory service from Paul Hewitt but Ribble bikes are good value. A pal of mine who has had years of back pain and a big op did this and Hewitt suggested an Orbea, then built it for him. The £50 gets knocked off if you buy a bike. The Orbea cost exactly £1000, it's carbon fibre, very fast and comfortable and my pal is delighted with it. He rides from Bury over to Leeds to shag see his girlfriend then back the next day looking as fit as a butcher's dog and if he had a tail he'd be wagging that as well.

Keep coming on here for advice as your ideas develop and keep reading magazines and test reports so as to familiarise yourself with all the jargon.

Your pal sounds very LUCKY!!

Im currently trying to lose weight (about 2-3 stones )
Dont ask was a heavy Ramadhan and afew weeks over indulging!

once ive lost it i will definitely look into get properly measured and get some true
advice- thanks mate!

what sorta magazines and test reports?

thanks mate!

 

[smokeysmoo]

Hello from just down the A666 in sunny windy rainy Bolton

 

[Ibi]

Hello from just down the A666 in sunny windy rainy Bolton

Hello!

will soon be venturing over that way once my fitness improves

may see you on my travels

Ibi

 

[Globalti]

Ibi you need to cut down on carbs like rice and breads and there's a lot of very fattening ghee in your mum's cooking, I'm sure, so try to avoid eating too much of the sauces, just eat the meat and fish. The worst culprit is those delicious sweets made from condensed milk and coconut - put them aside and keep them for energy snacks for your bike rides!

Probably the best magazine to read is Cycling Plus: http://magazine.bikeradar.com/category/cycling-plus/

 

[dellzeqq]

make a not in your diary, Blackburniddlians - June 8th 2012

http://fnrttc.blogspot.com/p/provisional-2012-dates.html

 

[Ibi]

Ibi you need to cut down on carbs like rice and breads and there's a lot of very fattening ghee in your mum's cooking, I'm sure, so try to avoid eating too much of the sauces, just eat the meat and fish. The worst culprit is those delicious sweets made from condensed milk and coconut - put them aside and keep them for energy snacks for your bike rides!

Probably the best magazine to read is Cycling Plus: http://magazine.bike...y/cycling-plus/

Thanks for the magazine tips il look into them

that is very true,i do need to change what im eating-what sort of food would suggest?

thanks for all the brilliant advice

Ibi

 

[Ibi]

make a not in your diary, Blackburniddlians - June 8th 2012

http://fnrttc.blogsp...2012-dates.html

I most certainly will and by then i should have my bike and cycling sorted!