Cycling

[Marshy77]

During the first lockdown I borrowed a bike from my mate to enable me to do some sort of exercise as the pounds were pilling on. Like golf I was hooked. Bought myself a MTB bike through the cycle to work scheme.

Unfortunately, like golf, I want a new shiny. I hadn't looked in the different types of bikes and didn't realise the difference between road, gravel, MTB. I think a gravel would be perfect as I cycle on the canal, road and a little but not a lot on trals.

Then I noticed turbo trainers!! With the ice and bad weather I don't feel confident cycling so thought a turbo trainer in the garage would be great but then you need a slick back tyre for a MTB etc. So I'm looking now at cheap road/gravel bike to use on a turbo and then out in the better weather.

Anyone else cycle? What do you ride/how many miles etc

 

[patricks148]

used to be in to it big time before i took up golf, road and track racing.

got an MTB in 97 and still have it for solo rides, but now i mostly ride to exercise my German Pointer, i have a Fat Bike (with the big tyres) and use that almost every day. the big tyres create lots of resistance so even the 6 mile ride along the Caledonian canal from Inverness gives a bit of a work out. still have my old winter training bike, but TBH the standard of driving around here is so bad you are taking your life in your hands by riding on the roads, its not a suprise so many cyclists are killed every year.

some nice places to ride but not many tracks, if you go off road its really is just that thats why the fat bike is good.

one thing with the Turbo it is very boring and you sweat a lot if you do a proper work out. i used to watch TV while doing the Turbo. the other thing to think of it comfort depending on your age a fitness a road bike with its different geometry can be uncomfortable to ride for longer periods if you are not used to it.

another tip is to look out for SH if you are looking to upgrage, cyclists are worse than golfers for new gear so this is the cheapest way to upgade.

enjoy

 

[Marshy77]

Yes, I'd probably get Zwift or another app to avoid the boredom.

What's SH? Joined a few groups online - golfers and cyclists are very similar for new gear lol

 

[patricks148]

Yes, I'd probably get Zwift or another app to avoid the boredom.

What's SH? Joined a few groups online - golfers and cyclists are very similar for new gear lol

Second Hand...

loads of Face book groups and Gumtree is pretty good at times.

if you want to really get into it and want to go road, join a club, most have weekend organised rides (not sure if these are allowed during lock down) in the off season used to do a cafe ride on Sat and sunday, which was riding with the club out to a cafe usually was about 30 miles each way in roundabout route

 

[SteveJay]

I bought a Tacx Flow in Lockdown 1 as I am a fair weather cyclist. Its a great bit of kit (for an entry level smart trainer) coupled up with Zwift. Its far easier to get motivated to go in the garage than outside when its cold and wet.

Only pain for me was the need to swap to a trainer tyre and so unless you go down the route of buying a spare rear wheel and rearset, you are committed to only cycling indoors until you want to go through the faff of changing the tyre back to a road one.

Group rides on Zwift are brilliant - yes, some want to race, but the camaraderie and chat on a group ride is so encouraging for someone like me who isn't the quickest!!

 

[Bunkermagnet]

I have always found turbo training to be totally boring, but I used to do it as a supplement to my Sunday and Thursday evening club rides. I used to just go on my heart rate monitor, warm up then into the target zone and keep it there, then warm down. I used to find a 30 min targeted train was more beneficial than a 3 hr ride.

 

[clubchamp98]

I do about 120 miles a week.
Just bought a Ribble CGR ( cross gravel road) bike.
It’s fantastic will go anywhere within reason.
Only downside is no suspension on front fork.
So bit harsh on really rough terrain , but that’s not my normal ride.
I use the cycle tracks built on the old railway lines around Liverpool
But as said I avoid the roads, it’s not just the standard of driving but the state of the roads ,potholes especially after this cold weather.
Get yourself a proper cycling map of your area ,they are great.
Cycling with a group is the best thing you chew up the miles without noticing.
But weather is bad here atm and I just don’t like indoor trainers.

 

[Beezerk]

I've got a Whyte E-150, absolute beast of a bike.
Usually do about 20 or 30 miles a week weather depending, my local woods/mtb trails are only 1/2 mile from my house hence the low miles I do. I don't really do long distance stuff, maybe the odd 20 or 30 miler around the area if the weather is nice but generally its just blasting down the trails ?

 

[Rooter]

I love indoor cycling!!! Just bought some Turbo specific shorts I am that into it!

Another tacx flow user. In the winter my TT bike is on it with the dedicated blue tyre. In the summer, my winter cheapo bike gets the turbo tyre. (some workouts are way better on zwift than outside)

I have done about 500km in the last month on zwift, I am trying to tick off all of the routes!

Add me if you want, Scott Roots (pic of me running with a purple and blue vest with Scott on it)

 

[HeftyHacker]

I got hooked on mountain biking about 9 or 10 years ago but have slowly drifted away from it, initially through living in the centre of Manchester which meant I couldn't ride from my door as much and more recently through moving to the fylde coast where there are even less hills! I went to the Alps for my brothers 40th back in 2019 and haven't ridden a mountain bike since. One of those that I absolutely love when I'm there, just a case of getting me in the hills.

I'm a sucker for keeping old kit though so I've still got my fat bike and downhill bike in the shed.

Like everyone else, I bought a road bike at the start of lockdown 1 and absolutely loved getting out on it until the golf courses opened again. Started clocking up some decent miles and was out 2 or 3 times a week, with a 60+ miler at the weekends.

 

[DanFST]

I have a Hardtail I built for trails. And a Road bike with carbon bits for fitness.

I ride neither this time of year.

 

[Bunkermagnet]

Been looking at bikes throughout the day and the choice seems remarkably similar to golf, ie loads of very similar shiny equipment at hugely varying prices.

I get build quality etc but it's a minefield.

Bike shop near me is a family business selling Merida, got my eye on a lovely looking hybrid at £575, but why it's "better" than a £400 version or "not as good" as a £1000 model is hard to fathom for a novice ?‍

Look at the running gear. Things like bottom brackets, wheel hubs, gear mechs and the like. The cheaper end stuff uses plastic and cheaper seals, the higher end stuff will have better seals, possibly double seals and greater amounts of metal.
Also cheaper bikes tend to be heavier, which makes a difference
I would offer to sell my Orange Clockwork, but I suspect it may be a bit to "sharp" for you to ride....even I find it interesting now

 

[Mandofred]

I used to ride a fair bit...my last "normal" bike was a Scott mountain bike I bought back in 2005. Great bike, but at that time my body decided to really screw with me......constant saddle sores finally did me in. Bought a Bacchetta recumbent....solved all my body pain issues. Also had it on an indoor trainers for a few years....yeah....need a fan or two and the tv in front of me. I sold everything when we moved back here.....I just had too many near misses around Harrogate while I was riding....drivers are nuts.

 

[pendodave]

I started cycling during the spring and carried on through the summer. I'm more of an explorer/tourer than doing it specifically for fitness (always enjoyed backpacking and ski touring).
My last ride was a couple of weeks before christmas to see my daughter in Cambridge (about 40 miles north). The weather and road conditions have kept me in since then.
I don't have any space at home for indoor training, but even if I did I don't think I'd be up for it tbh.
I started with a steel road bike which I used through the summer, but i recently picked up a nice secondhand hardtail rockhopper to reconfigure into a gravel/trail touring/bikepacking steed for non-tarmac trips. March can't come soon enough...

 

[Marshy77]

I just want to get out again but not at the moment with the weather. Might have to look into getting a turbo wheel to be able do something.

Good to hear more have bikes and get out. I pretty lucky with miles and miles of canal very close by but it does get a bit repetitive. Couple of my mates have now got bikes too so when restrictions allow I'm sure we'll get out and about.

 

[Rooter]

Been looking at bikes throughout the day and the choice seems remarkably similar to golf, ie loads of very similar shiny equipment at hugely varying prices.

I get build quality etc but it's a minefield.

Bike shop near me is a family business selling Merida, got my eye on a lovely looking hybrid at £575, but why it's "better" than a £400 version or "not as good" as a £1000 model is hard to fathom for a novice ?‍

It will be down to components. You get what you pay for,

There is a pecking order, for Shimano for example it goes Claris, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra for example. Huge difference in price of these (down to weight, performance etc)

 

[ScienceBoy]

I miss my cycle to work, I was just getting into it. I loved getting up, getting on the bike and setting off.

I can't just cycle though, I have to be going somewhere like the shops or work etc. Just cycling sounds dull as dishwater.

 

[patricks148]

It will be down to components. You get what you pay for,

There is a pecking order, for Shimano for example it goes Claris, Tiagra, 105, Ultegra for example. Huge difference in price of these (down to weight, performance etc)

not forgetting Dura Ace.., mind you i bet you cant even get a chain set for £500 now

 

[Captainron]

@Lincoln Quaker has just bought a new bike. Looks like a bloody aircraft. Probably cost as much

 

[Deleted member 1418]

Can't wait to get back out on my road bike. Weather been too poor