Hi all involved in this clearly great forum, reading through some of the posts I've come across nothing but polite intelligent comments and advice which is why I am now proud to be a part of it.
I'm Paul, 37 and have been cursed by laziness for a good 20 years. I blame cars and English weather. The last time I rode a bike was around 1980.
Petrol prices, the recent good weather and a new desire to get fit inspired me to dig out my bike, that was still in my parents garage (I have moved out I hasten to add) and was shocked at the size of it. I was convinced my 1979 silver Grifter would still be too big for me. Grifters were massive!! Weren't they?? I mean Strikers, Boxers and Budgies were small, but not the mighty Grifter.
Time for a new bike me thinks. So i've bought myself a nice looking hybrid, figuring i'd struggle to ride these new racer types, scary looking things with my arse in the air and head on the floor, and I hate mountain bikes.
Now, i've got carried away and done a stupid thing. In my head i'm still the kid on the grifter, biking all day, without rest for 12 hours in the sun. Bear in mind I haven't yet had a proper ride out on my new bike, 5 miles at best and i've gone and registered for the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride.
This is were you, my new friends come in. What should I take? What is best to wear? Any other advice to make my ride slightly enjoyable.
I want to take my ipod, wear padded undercrackers with shorts over the top, a t-shirt, some money and thats it. I don't want to be wearing a ruck sack. Is this normal?
Any of your kind advice is more than appreciated, to think anyone would take time to reply to this is humbling.
Cheers all.
I'm Paul, 37 and have been cursed by laziness for a good 20 years. I blame cars and English weather. The last time I rode a bike was around 1980.
Petrol prices, the recent good weather and a new desire to get fit inspired me to dig out my bike, that was still in my parents garage (I have moved out I hasten to add) and was shocked at the size of it. I was convinced my 1979 silver Grifter would still be too big for me. Grifters were massive!! Weren't they?? I mean Strikers, Boxers and Budgies were small, but not the mighty Grifter.
Time for a new bike me thinks. So i've bought myself a nice looking hybrid, figuring i'd struggle to ride these new racer types, scary looking things with my arse in the air and head on the floor, and I hate mountain bikes.
Now, i've got carried away and done a stupid thing. In my head i'm still the kid on the grifter, biking all day, without rest for 12 hours in the sun. Bear in mind I haven't yet had a proper ride out on my new bike, 5 miles at best and i've gone and registered for the Manchester to Blackpool bike ride.
This is were you, my new friends come in. What should I take? What is best to wear? Any other advice to make my ride slightly enjoyable.
I want to take my ipod, wear padded undercrackers with shorts over the top, a t-shirt, some money and thats it. I don't want to be wearing a ruck sack. Is this normal?
Any of your kind advice is more than appreciated, to think anyone would take time to reply to this is humbling.
Cheers all.