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New to Bikes Help! (Read 19836 times)

slackline

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#25 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 01:11:55 pm
SPDs would actually solve all your problems though.

When I first had them fitted they weren't that hard to pick up.

The one tip I would give is to not be stood up whilst trying to clip in, if your foot slips you could end up with something like this....



...which has left me with a nice scar to complement my tattoo.  :oops:

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#26 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 01:35:27 pm
What TLR said, as soon as you have basic road awareness when on the bike, go for some spds.

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#27 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 01:52:03 pm
Thanks Guys.

I am mainly trying to avoid SPD as a cost issue another set of pedals is money I have but dont really want to spend. If I had to buy bike shoes on top I would be pushing my limits.

So I will get a set of flats to get me going. I can then think about spd end of march/april when I should be a little better off depending on tax man


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#28 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 02:01:05 pm
when I should be a little better off depending on tax man

Add cycle mileage to your tax submission  :great:  My accountant has and its not as much as driving mileage but every little helps.  I tried to pursuade him to claim a new bike last year as a business expense and he said it was possible but not the full amount.  Sadly I couldnt afford one, other priorities, but maybe in the future.   :goodidea:

Grubes

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#29 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 02:04:27 pm
doubt that will work issue is I got a company car and my tax code changed. I doubt work would be happy giving me a company car messing with my tax code cycling to work.

Any advice on what to get for flat pedals?

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#30 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 02:10:22 pm
Superstar nanos, cheap, good and very reliable... Google superstar componments, they deliver in less than 48 hours.

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#31 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 02:24:09 pm
Thanks for the advice everyone really appriciate it.

Oh just incase anyone is interested my mat could not get both of us a bike. So I got a 2013 model Trek 1.1 frame size 56 from a specialist bike shop near where I live in huddersfield. They measured it up for me, set it up and went through a breif explaination of how it works gears etc.

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#32 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 04:18:16 pm
been on a few very short rides (10-20mins around quiet streets local to my house) to try and get some confidence.  Shit myself when ever I hear a car behind me and the down hill speed scares me too but that will pass the more I ride.

Main issue I am having is I struggle to get my second foot in the toe cage. I have been pedalling with my foot on the other side of the pedal to the cage but the cage then scrapes on the ground.
Is there much benefit to having a toe cage or would I be better getting a set of flat pedals just so I can get going properly?
I also had an issue with getting my foot out of the cage when I did manage to get both in which resulted in comedy fall moment and a sore hip.

Definately not ready for SPD etc
Clips for fucks sake. They are toe clips, not cages. No wonder you are struggling you haven't learnt the lingo yet.
What you need to do is get both feet in the clips, then tighten the straps and head for a street with several sets of traffic lights. You'll soon get the hang of it. ;D



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#33 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 23, 2014, 04:35:26 pm
Nice decent budget bikes, I've had a 1.5 for a while which is now my winter bike. Pedals wise, can you not just unscrew the cages from the pedals to start with? Usually they are just bolted to the side of pedals. Get used to them then consider some SPDs in a while. You will benefit from SPDs or similar on a long ride, with SPDs you can wind them down so your foot comes out  pretty easily.

Something like this might be good, SPD one side, flat pedal the other so you have the option of clipping in, handy when there are lots of lights, junctions etc on your long ride.
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m324-combination-pedals/

 I wouldn't recommend normal 'MTB' flat pedals for a road bike, they are heavy and slightly OTT for road use. They also have very sharp studs that will ruin your shins if you do slip off them!

When you do want to get some bike shoes SPD compatible Decathlon ones start at £30, alternatively Aldi and Lidl intermittently have a decent range of budget bike kit including SPD compatible shoes. Can't remember how much they were but could be even less than £30.


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#34 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 24, 2014, 08:44:17 am
I remember the days of using toe clips and can honestly say I'd never go back to them, they were more hassle than spds because you hade to tighten them with your hand, which is a faff.  spd's are the same learning curve but a longer term solution as once you're used to them you will never want to go back to clips. 

webbo

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#35 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 24, 2014, 12:36:58 pm
I too remember the heady days of using toe clips and straps especially in cyclo cross. I would have just about got my foot in the clip as the leader lapped me.

Grubes

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#36 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 30, 2014, 12:48:29 pm
Thanks for all your advice I am getting used to the bike and building up my distances.
Fitness is coming fast so far but will find out properly after the long rides at the weekend.
All money raised from my bike ride is going to Yorkshire air ambulance and football youth development in huddersfield.

If anyone is interested in why I am doing this bike ride I have written a blog here: http://grubesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/01/pedal-for-pounds-5-my-biggest-challenge.html
and if anyone would like to sponsor me I have a just giving page here: http://www.justgiving.com/grubes
(posted with permission from overlords)

Thanks again for all the advice.

Obi-Wan is lost...

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#37 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 30, 2014, 01:41:33 pm
...and if anyone would like to sponsor me I have a just giving page here: http://www.justgiving.com/grubes
Bit low key Grubes...Let me help you with that...

Give him your f**king MONEY!!! Having barely ridden a bike before he's biking 250 miles to raise money for The Yorkshire Air Ambulance which might be needed to SAVE YOUR SORRY ASS when you punter off an E1 at Stanage.  :2thumbsup:

Click here now...
www.justgiving.com/grubes
« Last Edit: January 30, 2014, 01:52:26 pm by Obi-Wan is lost... »

Grubes

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#38 Re: New to Bikes Help!
January 30, 2014, 01:54:36 pm
Thanks Obi-wan I left it low key as I don't want to be seen as begging if people want to sponsor me thats great, thank very much but I can understand if people don't.

BTW is the E1 comment aimed at sloper ;)

Grubes

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#39 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 09:17:52 am
an update if any one is interested.
I am getting more confortable on the bike and longer distances (15miles) feel fine.
Hopefully a 30miler this weekend.
I have invested in SPD's which I was shocked at how much of a difference they made. They also resuleted in me going knee first into a curb and almost hitting a lamp post when my foot got stuck.

I have done 1 rush hour ride which resulted with me on the on the bonnet of a white van.

So a mixed bag all in all. 9 weeks till the ride.

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#40 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 10:03:06 am
Good work Grubes, have you wound down your SPDs to minimum? You can have them nice and loose and gradually tighten them as you get used to releasing from them.

One of my favourite things about regular cycling is there is measurable improvement over a fairly short period of time which makes it very satisfying looking back a few weeks.

Watch out for those white vans!

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#41 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 10:03:42 am
Good to hear it's going better. Did you slacken off the tension on the SPDs? I have mine very easy to unclip from, but there's still no way I could accidentally unclip pulling just upwards on the pedal while pedalling. As someone who rides in the rush hour everyday, I would say you were extremely unlucky to crash the one time you tried it!

Edit: Must have posted at the same time as Obi-Wan with the same advice...

Grubes

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#42 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 10:40:14 am
When I bought the pedals the guy in the shop wound them down to minimum for me. Then he got me to ride up and down the road outside his shop to get used to stopping and getting my feet and in and out of them.
Just getting used to stopping at busy junctions by cars when I am thinking about other things than getting my feet in and out. Just practice.

Yea the van said he did not see me ...
I had my lights on, I have front reflector and I was wearing my bright orange jacket with reflectors.
It was completely his fault I was on the main road going forward and he was turning right coming from the opposite direction.

There was a police car a few cars back who did not see the incident but came and spoke to both of us. Then took the driver to one side as I left.

slackline

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#43 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 10:57:15 am

Just getting used to stopping at busy junctions by cars when I am thinking about other things than getting my feet in and out. Just practice.

You can also get pretty good at balancing without putting your feet down with a bit of practice.  Easier if there is a slight rise in the direction you are facing as you don't then need to rely on breaks but can just use the peadls.

Yea the van said he did not see me ...

http://www.stop-smidsy.org.uk/

(SMIDSY == Sorry 'Mate' I Didn't See You)

There was a police car a few cars back who did not see the incident but came and spoke to both of us. Then took the driver to one side as I left.

And no doubt did nothing more than waggle his finger at them tell them he was a very naughty boy and to be more careful in the future.  :wank:

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#44 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 11:13:50 am
Yeah, lots of people have tried to get me with the right turn :ninja:

Good that the police showed an interest. Hopefully it's one more driver who'll be more attentive in the future  :shrug: I know it would shake me up if I hurt someone, let alone hurt someone then suffered the ignominy of then being told off by the police.



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#45 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 11:18:52 am
Good work Grubes, have you wound down your SPDs to minimum? You can have them nice and loose and gradually tighten them as you get used to releasing from them.

I did that when I first got mine, never felt the need to tighten them! Just a MTB punter though, not transcended to being a road biker yet.


slackline

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#46 Re: New to Bikes Help!
February 20, 2014, 11:34:49 am



That looks very much like its from Monkey Dust.  Could only ever find the first series of DVD and would love to get the second series.

Grubes

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#47 Re: New to Bikes Help!
March 25, 2014, 11:55:45 am
another update less than a month now.

Starting doing longer and longer rides. biggest so far was just shy of 40 miles and 10 miles is felling like a warm up.
I am doing more and more hills but I am really struggling on long hills.
Still a little nervous at busy times but gonna try my first bike commute next week.

On longer rides how do you map out routes and stick to the routes if they are not all main roads or roads you know?

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#48 Re: New to Bikes Help!
March 25, 2014, 12:52:46 pm
Some Garmins will do turn by turn nav (Edge 300, 500, 510, 800, 810) (other bike computers are available...but not as good). You can probably do it with with a phone app, though I haven't tried. You could use Google Nav, but this requires having a signal and you to have a decent waterproof phone mount on your handlebars, which I'm not that keen on personally.

http://www.cyclestreets.net/journey/ is good for planning a long journey and allows export of GPX files to Garmin etc.


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#49 Re: New to Bikes Help!
March 25, 2014, 01:11:38 pm
You could use Google Nav, but this requires having a signal and you to have a decent waterproof phone mount on your handlebars, which I'm not that keen on personally.

Could you not pre-plan your route "Ok Maps" to download them and use headphones instead of having the map out?

Or use another navigation app (e.g. FreeNAV) to plan the route  and have your approach to turns whispered in your ear.

 

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