Newbie

[eldudino]

Areet,
Thought I'd introduce myself. I've been commuting on and off for a couple of years now but recently started taking it a lot more seriously. I've got a Trek SU200

that I quite like, it'd be nice to have something a bit quicker but I think I'm the limiting factor rather than the bike and it suits the fact I live up a big hill in Scotland! It's an 8mile round trip to work (downhill on the way there, uphill on the way back) and I'm getting quicker but I am returning to cycling after a knee injury so I'm just building up to a full week at the moment. I took the bike down to London last year and really enjoyed cycling on the flat and going like stink so next time I move it'll be somewhere where there's no hills!
Cheers,
Sam

 

[Davywalnuts]

Hills make a man Sam!

I live on a relativley flat plain that I can bomb along, but oh so wish I had more hills to get me hardened to them!

But for me, being alot lighter would help too!

PS,. Welcome along!

 

[eldudino]

Hi Davy,
I agree that hills make the man, my calf muscles seem to be getting bigger by the day! Weight is also an issue but I'm finding as I lose it, cycling gets a lot easier!

 

[MadoneRider1991]

hills make u sooo strong, i used to leave in essex (a very flat bit) and it was soo nice just to be able to average 25mph on a ride with ease. but then i moved to dorset (very hilly) and it has made me so much stronger, so when i go back to essex to see my dad i am soo much stronger than i used to be and can blast up anything i come accross.

 

[Davywalnuts]

For years, being able to pelt along at high speed, I would grind it out in high gears. Learning more, cycling further, wanting to climb hills better and understanding the game, I now do my best to spin the pedals more than grinding, and this really has helped me now end! And, as Madone sais, it has made me stronger overall too!

So keep them hills in sight! hahaha!

 

[hackbike 666]

Those handlebars look wide......

 

[Wigsie]

You have the bike for it.... cherish those hills!

 

[eldudino]

Those handlebars look wide......

They are indeed! I was thinking about taking 15mm off each end as I'm finding them a bit too wide at the moment. The fork tube has also been cut so the stem sits a lot further down now.

 

[fossyant]

You'll be fine cutting the bars down - on my MTB I cut them as narrow as the brakes and shifter would allow....

 

[magnatom]

Blimey, is that what your going to ride on the next Scottish ride! Your going to be trailing at the back from about 2 miles in.....

Welcome! I look forward to meeting you at the end of March!

 

[HLaB]

Blimey, is that what your going to ride on the next Scottish ride! Your going to be trailing at the back from about 2 miles in.....

Welcome! I look forward to meeting you at the end of March!

I'll have somebody to draft then

 

[goo_mason]

I'll have somebody to draft then

Away with you - baggsy you go at the front again on your hybrid for us all to draft.

(Don't believe that the hybrids will have you all at the back of the line - I seem to remember a very, VERY fast hybrid rider last September who was always at the front...

I wonder if there'll ever be any camera footage of that in the near future. It's only been 6 months. )

 

[eldudino]

Jesus! If I was worried about the ride before.... you guys aren't making me feel any more comfortable about it!

Just to let you all know, I don't own one item of lycra clothing if you're all going to turn up on flash road bikes looking like a bunch of olympic swimmers !

 

[goo_mason]

Jesus! If I was worried about the ride before.... you guys aren't making me feel any more comfortable about it!

Just to let you all know, I don't own one item of lycra clothing if you're all going to turn up on flash road bikes looking like a bunch of olympic swimmers !

Doesn't matter what you wear. I wear lycra because (a) I have bought a lot of it since I took up cycling three years ago, and ( because it's comfortable as I sweat a lot.

I only got a road bike last year on the Bike2Work scheme; before that I rode a heavy MTB for 2 years and I only cycle to get to and from work. I've only ever ridden with a group once before, and that was with this lot on Pedal For Scotland last year. (Magnatom's mate came along on that with us, and he wasn't wearing any lycra either.)

Don't worry about the ride. I'm just as terrified as you as I don't enjoy uphill sections and fear I'll get left behind in a steaming, sweaty heap

 

[goo_mason]

Jesus! If I was worried about the ride before.... you guys aren't making me feel any more comfortable about it!

Just to let you all know, I don't own one item of lycra clothing if you're all going to turn up on flash road bikes looking like a bunch of olympic swimmers !

Here are some of the *ahem* 'athletes' you might meet...