argie
New Member
- Location
- Basildon, Essex
Have just become the proud owner of a road bike (last time I owned a bike was over 20 years ago) and wanted to ask some questions…
How long will it be before I feel safe on the thing?… (ie balanced and able to co-ordinate braking, gear changes and road positioning all at the same time)
What is the best position to place hands - down on the lower section of the bars, just above STI levers, near the stem or behind head? I find that after a matter of time I get numb hands, which is not good when I want to find the brakes, gears etc (I do wear fingerless gel padded gloves)
Is adjusting the rear and front mech something I can do (just to relieve some gear clatter on a couple of cogs) or is it a bike shop job?
Since when did we start accepting that roads needn’t be maintained all the way to the edge. There seems to be large imperfections (pot holes, etc) every few yards!
Saddle sore… is this cured by wearing your arse into the saddle, buying a better saddle or by wearing gel padded shorts?
Why is it that youths in shitty cars seem to spend so much time hanging out of passenger windows shouting what I imagine are nasty things at me? Despite the fact I don’t impede them going about their chav related business.
Punctures… should I carry a spare inner tube or should I expect to reasonably be able to repair a tube at the roadside? Also is it worthwhile getting slime filled tubes?
Many thanks for any answers!
Argie
How long will it be before I feel safe on the thing?… (ie balanced and able to co-ordinate braking, gear changes and road positioning all at the same time)
What is the best position to place hands - down on the lower section of the bars, just above STI levers, near the stem or behind head? I find that after a matter of time I get numb hands, which is not good when I want to find the brakes, gears etc (I do wear fingerless gel padded gloves)
Is adjusting the rear and front mech something I can do (just to relieve some gear clatter on a couple of cogs) or is it a bike shop job?
Since when did we start accepting that roads needn’t be maintained all the way to the edge. There seems to be large imperfections (pot holes, etc) every few yards!
Saddle sore… is this cured by wearing your arse into the saddle, buying a better saddle or by wearing gel padded shorts?
Why is it that youths in shitty cars seem to spend so much time hanging out of passenger windows shouting what I imagine are nasty things at me? Despite the fact I don’t impede them going about their chav related business.
Punctures… should I carry a spare inner tube or should I expect to reasonably be able to repair a tube at the roadside? Also is it worthwhile getting slime filled tubes?
Many thanks for any answers!
Argie