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

[procel]

Really good to get out today with the club. About 30mi. Very hot though - sweating before I even got in the saddle. Haven't been able to get out for a while so been missing it. Have got n+1 though - a dilapidated old tandem - which will make a fun project.

 

[stevey]

Just back from a dark and cold ride 13.5 miles, how do i know this because i had to map the route distance on garmin connect when we got back as i had forgotton my garmin....

And for some reason my bike chain has started to fall off whenever i pedal backwards even a quarter turn,
returned home got off bike chain dropped off (LBS when i get some money together)

 

[Paulg04]

Hi Paul welcome to the forum. I have a bad knee and it got me into cycling as well. Nice to hear you are enjoying the riding. I wish my trip to work was just a little shorter, something like yours. I also don't like getting up earlier to make the trip. I don't like riding on the highway at that hour. The road I would have to use is fast and only two lane, it is also pretty busy during the hours I would be going to and from work. 15 MPH is a good starting average speed. If you haven't got a floor pump you may want to start considering one. Try to keep riding even when it gets cooler out.

Thanks RWright, found it a bit daunting trying to pick a bike as I know almost nothing about road bikes, hybrids and what not but pleased with my bike. Ill have a look at a floor pump. Thanks again

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Change it to a single speed then you don't need to worry about shifters

I have all ready broke something and not been anywhere. front mech cable snapped. I am going to try dating it, but I think its probably early 80's with the centre pull brakes, though i don't know enough about the history of bikes and details like that. I will try the frame number as I have found a web page giving some info.

Edit well if I have it right it is Aug 77

 

[Stonechat]

I have my old Claud Butler road bike in the garage in a somewhatr similar position
YEs I recognise the postion of the shifter and centre pull caliper brakes
Not sure that I want to take all the trouble to refurb /update it. Don't understand half the jargon on here
However I am wishing I had got a Road bike rather than a hybrid

 

[BAtoo]

1st ride 2nd Aug, 4.5 miles average 11.5, felt fairly crap when I got back.
Today shortish local loop, 9.5miles, average 14.6, felt OK when I got back, although I declined to speak on the 'phone when I got in....
Struggling a bit to get some longer rides in but quite pleased so far.

...& don't you just hate it when you tie your PB on a segment, even a second better would have been ok, still next time.....

 

[Stonechat]

Just checking out my segments - most of the quicker non downhill ones are fairly recent , so I am doing something right. Also aware that cycling on the towpath which is natural since I live by the river, is not the quickest. Often bumpy, often not tarmacked, and sometimes has corrugations that shake you up. HOwever as hills are good for improving one's cycling, I supposed this might also help!

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I have my old Claud Butler road bike in the garage in a somewhatr similar position
YEs I recognise the postion of the shifter and centre pull caliper brakes
Not sure that I want to take all the trouble to refurb /update it. Don't understand half the jargon on here
However I am wishing I had got a Road bike rather than a hybrid

It's not difficult, the first road bike I ever had at 14 I did up myself.

 

[puffinbilly]

I have all ready broke something and not been anywhere. front mech cable snapped. I am going to try dating it, but I think its probably early 80's with the centre pull brakes, though i don't know enough about the history of bikes and details like that. I will try the frame number as I have found a web page giving some info.

Edit well if I have it right it is Aug 77

We all love our bikes Nigel but think this might be taking it a little far - I do take the bike to the pub and sit outside with it but I draw the line at taking it for a meal or the cinema - but we are all open minded here.

I'm getting out much more and doing some big miles (for me) - 150+ miles this week - hills that were difficult are becoming easier, but need to do more hills but now starting to enjoy the challenge.
A question on gearing - a couple of those hills seem easier on a 50/26 than a 36/26 how? What are the ratios for this?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

We all love our bikes Nigel but think this might be taking it a little far - I do take the bike to the pub and sit outside with it but I draw the line at taking it for a meal or the cinema - but we are all open minded here.

I'm getting out much more and doing some big miles (for me) - 150+ miles this week - hills that were difficult are becoming easier, but need to do more hills but now starting to enjoy the challenge.
A question on gearing - a couple of those hills seem easier on a 50/26 than a 36/26 how? What are the ratios for this?

The ratios are 50/26 is 1:1.92 or 38.7" the 36/26 is 1:1.38 or 53.8" a big difference

 

[RWright]

I have all ready broke something and not been anywhere. front mech cable snapped. I am going to try dating it, but I think its probably early 80's with the centre pull brakes, though i don't know enough about the history of bikes and details like that. I will try the frame number as I have found a web page giving some info.

Edit well if I have it right it is Aug 77

Looks like a nice bike. I have a Peugeot from right about that same era, it looks a lot like it. The one I have rides nice and is pretty fast, the only problem is the frame is huge. My cousin's husband was like six five, she asked me if I wanted it when I was first starting out, her husband passed away at an early age. I took it and even though I could not get comfortable on it, I immediately knew road bikes were for me. The down tube shifters are not that bad, having to reach down to change is different but not as bad as I thought it would be, and this was when I was just getting back into riding. Of course I prefer STI now but I would leave it like it is, get it running and ride it a little, then go from there. You may really enjoy it.

I am going to try riding mine again as soon as I get it back together. I had the bright idea of putting index shifters on it and it is much more involved than what I want to get in to, time wise. I did manage to break a small part that goes with the rear wheel assembly and have to now remember what it was I broke (which now I have no clue) and try to find one, or something similar to repair it with. I have a feeling you might be more meticulous than I am but be careful, take pictures as you take it apart if need be. I wish I had.

BTW, chain looks a little slack.

 

[Boon 51]

Here's my ride from yesterday.. hit a wall at 80km and a head wind to boot..
Must get some sort of energy gel as I slowed up in speed on that last bit?
http://app.strava.com/activities/80244405

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@RWright
I have had downtube shifters before, I restored a bike back in 78, that was only 5 sp though.

 

[Stonechat]

I have my old Claud Butler road bike in the garage in a somewhatr similar position
YEs I recognise the postion of the shifter and centre pull caliper brakes
Not sure that I want to take all the trouble to refurb /update it. Don't understand half the jargon on here
However I am wishing I had got a Road bike rather than a hybrid

Trouble is I like the gear ratios on my hybrid 24 speed and I like index shifters.
As Mrs Stonechat says you always want what you haven't got

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Here's my ride from yesterday.. hit a wall at 80km and a head wind to boot..
Must get some sort of energy gel as I slowed up in speed on that last bit?
http://app.strava.com/activities/80244405

You've been knocking out some serious miles and height this week