Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[Nigelnaturist]

@Nomadski thats a lovely bike

Missing my road bike. My rides have been short out here. Doing loads of holiday stuff and having a slowish mountain bike with huge climbs etc. Going out for a ride in a minute, going to go on a 5ish miller with a mile climb that should average out at a few percent! All I know is I WISH I HAD MY ROAD BIKE AND SPD SL'S!!!

When i get back though I will get into more training, starting to loose fitness!

Liam

I didn't lose much over the winter a couple of weeks didn't start putting right, not sure about after this one though, only been two weeks (not that) and climbing the walls.

 

[Nomadski]

Wait a minute.... I read somewhere they are British, but apparently Sensa are a Dutch company! Thought I was being all extra special patriotic!

 

[turbopercy]

Well took to the roads today for the first time 4 miles in and a puncture with no quick release with a bit of fortune i was by a garge borrowed a spanner and set off again

got settled into the ride and ended up 16.8 miles @ 16.6 average thought not bad for a first attempt

 

[Old Plodder]

Well took to the roads today for the first time 4 miles in and a puncture with no quick release with a bit of fortune i was by a garge borrowed a spanner and set off again

got settled into the ride and ended up 16.8 miles @ 16.6 average thought not bad for a first attempt

Well done, good mileage for a first ride, (& fast).
You need to carry all necessary tools, pump & puncture kit minimum to be able to enjoy your ride & not have to walk home.
It's a good idea to have a spare tube & a drink with you as well on all rides. Take some food on longer ones.

 

[turbopercy]

Thanks plodder i thought i had all bases covered only thing i was short off was a 15 mm spanner but one is now on the way from ebay lol

oh and my puncture repair skills leave alot to be desired

 

[Nomadski]

Thanks plodder i thought i had all bases covered only thing i was short off was a 15 mm spanner but one is now on the way from ebay lol

oh and my puncture repair skills leave alot to be desired

Puncture repait kits and me dont get on. I carry a couple of spare tubes and some co2! Have got some slime tubes but yet to fit them.

 

[Stonechat]

Did a good run to Twyford via Maidenhead, and back via Winkfield and Windsor Great Park
Was fooled by the sunny weather was not so warm, did have arm warmers and a gilet, bui had a puncture at Cranbourne on a busy road - not completely flat so put more air in it and cycled up to the park to fix it
Would you believe it was the same place as last puncture and there was a miniscule piece of grit still in the tyre (done over 100 miles since then)

Sorted it OK but got a bit cold in the legs which complained a bit going home. Was a bit annoyed to catch the early part of rush hour
Latter part was also into the wind

48.7 miles at 14.6 mph only 1444 feet of climbing
http://www.strava.com/activities/130575065

Looking at the stats does not look cold but must've been windchill

 

[Deleted member 18052]

http://www.strava.com/activities/130564723

Commute back from work. Into a headwind.

Also noticed drivers on the morning gave me a lot more room than they did on the way back this evening. Must be a bit peeved off at work.

 

[Nomadski]

This is also one of the bikes i have been looking at as well let us know how it rides??

Well the ride was incredibly smooth, very very nice.

Unfortunately the thing will have to go back to merlincycles because I have a feeling the guy at Sensa who put it together might have just smoked a big fat one prior to delivery as...

1. "Sensa" was only written on one side of the downtube, on the other it read "ensa"

2. The rear derailleur only shifted between the top 5 cassette gears, no matter how much I turned the barrel adjuster

3. When I took the rear derailleur cable out of the anchor bolt the cable end cap (which is meant to be pretty much hot welded and crimped onto the end of the cable) fell off. It just fell off.

4. Not something to be returned over, being not as serious as 1-3, but the tyre white stripe was all over the place so it gave the impression that the wheels were wobbling untrue all over the place.

So yeah...

On the plus side, bar the missing S the livery was beautiful, the frame was gorgeous with barely any noticeable welding places between the tubes and stays compared with other aluminium bikes, including my Cannondale. It really looked like one complete whole thing, rather than a bunch of separate parts welded together. It rolled beautifully, and was extremely comfortable.

Shame about the things at the top, but all easily sorted by them.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Well the ride was incredibly smooth, very very nice.

Unfortunately the thing will have to go back to merlincycles because I have a feeling the guy at Sensa who put it together might have just smoked a big fat one prior to delivery as...

1. "Sensa" was only written on one side of the downtube, on the other it read "ensa"

2. The rear derailleur only shifted between the top 5 cassette gears, no matter how much I turned the barrel adjuster

3. When I took the rear derailleur cable out of the anchor bolt the cable end cap (which is meant to be pretty much hot welded and crimped onto the end of the cable) fell off. It just fell off.

4. Not something to be returned over, being not as serious as 1-3, but the tyre white stripe was all over the place so it gave the impression that the wheels were wobbling untrue all over the place.

So yeah...

On the plus side, bar the missing S the livery was beautiful, the frame was gorgeous with barely any noticeable welding places between the tubes and stays compared with other aluminium bikes, including my Cannondale. It really looked like one complete whole thing, rather than a bunch of separate parts welded together. It rolled beautifully, and was extremely comfortable.

Shame about the things at the top, but all easily sorted by them.

1. Only reason to send beck.
2. Probably the high stop adjuster, not barrel adjuster.
3. I have plenty knocking about, just put a new one on, £1 for 10 at Halfords.
4. Just deflate and adjust, but may be a fault in the tyre.

The first is the only one that 15 mins or so wouldn't cure.

 

[morrisman]

So as the morris dancing season looms on the horizon (starts on 1st May for the uninitiated) it is necessary to deliver a poster to the pubs we are dancing at to warn the locals to avoid that night. Normally I print them off and get whoever lives nearby in my morris side to deliver them but this year it will all be by my bike

So today involved a 30 mile round trip Wendover, Aldbury, Studham, Eaton Bray, but it seems to have grown by another 40 miles as the sun is shining

 

[Goonerobes]

@Goonerobes - Well done on the New Forest Sportive. That was my first one last year and is such a beautiful area to cycle in. Was it windy on the open sections? Shame about what I've heard about the tacks, there are some witless morons about the place alas that have no clue as to the consequences of their idiotic actions. Some 15 cyclists were hurt were they not?.

Thanks @Nomadski, As you say it is a beautiful part of the country to cycle in & although it is always at least breezy on the open sections I do feel quite privileged to have this on my doorstep.
The tacks were put down on the Saturday ride & although there were 15-20 punctures I don't believe any injuries resulted in it thankfully.

 

[welsh dragon]

A quick 6 miles today. No photos. Weather is beautiful. Very little wind.

 

[Leescfc79]

Lovely sunny weather here today so was planning on getting out this evening but woke up this morning and the right side of my body from my neck down to my waist is hurting, no idea what I've done but think I will take a couple of days off to see if it improves, probably just slept funny.

Visiting parents this weekend so hoping whatever it is clears up so I can take my bike to get a couple of rides in a different area.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@welsh dragon & @Leescfc79 Hope its nothing serious, but please SHUT UP about the weather