1st Week on a road bike - Initial observations

[Hip Priest]

Positives:

1) My average speed has increased to 17-18mph
2) Loads of other blokes on road bikes chat to me
3) It feels great to ride on smooth tarmac

Negatives:

1) I struggle like mad to get into my 'other' toeclip
2) I'm like Bambi on ice when it comes to descents, having before been quite confident on my MTB
3) Even slightly-rough tarmac has me vibrating like a broken washing machine
4) I'm always on the hoods, because being on the drops feels ridiculous

I'm sure the negatives will evaporate with time and practice.

 

[Bigsharn]

I don't bother clipping in twice... I clip in on the right and let the left clip hang. Maybe that's just from using it mainly for commuting though

 

[TheCharityShop]

You into The Fall then? Hip Priest being a Mark E Smith ditty an all

Whats your favourite Fall tracks?

The Classical, The Mixer, Overture are all essential listening from the Fall ouevre

But pretty much the entire Fall canon is indispensible and an ideal companion for a cyclist

 

[apollo179]

You into The Fall then? Hip Priest being a Mark E Smith ditty an all

Whats your favourite Fall tracks?

The Classical, The Mixer, Overture are all essential listening from the Fall ouevre

But pretty much the entire Fall canon is indispensible and an ideal companion for a cyclist

Mr Pharmacist

 

[Hip Priest]

You into The Fall then? Hip Priest being a Mark E Smith ditty an all

Whats your favourite Fall tracks?

The Classical, The Mixer, Overture are all essential listening from the Fall ouevre

But pretty much the entire Fall canon is indispensible and an ideal companion for a cyclist

Yeah, I'm a big Fall fan. Was even going to title this thread 'Deadbeat Descendent' in view of my lack of downhill skills, but thought better of it.

Favourite tracks: Totally Wire, (How I Wrote) Elastic Man, Bill Is Dead, Mountain Energei, Sparta FC....all of 'em really.

 

[NormanD]

Positives:

1) My average speed has increased to 17-18mph ... (slow is that freewheeling?)
2) Loads of other blokes on road bikes chat to me ... (what's their chat up lines like.. you want to ride my bike?)
3) It feels great to ride on smooth tarmac ... (smooth roads in the North East? ..where?)

Negatives:

1) I struggle like mad to get into my 'other' toeclip ... (wear smaller shoes)
2) I'm like Bambi on ice when it comes to descents, having before been quite confident on my MTB ... (keep your eyes closed then you'll not notice the dangers)
3) Even slightly-rough tarmac has me vibrating like a broken washing machine .. (them are the smooth roads)
4) I'm always on the hoods, because being on the drops feels ridiculous ... (on the drops is great for bug splattering and the parts don't go into your eyes)

I'm sure the negatives will evaporate with time and practice.

Of course all my answers are a joke, you'll learn to adapt to the new riding style in next to no time and before you know it, you'll be giving advice toothers

 

[Hip Priest]

Haha! I reckon my average speed would be 20+ if I wasn't fannying down hills with my fingers on the brakes. I reckon I need to just need to take the brakes off and freewheel down Forth Banks - that'll learn me!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

Positives:

1) My average speed has increased to 17-18mph
2) Loads of other blokes on road bikes chat to me
3) It feels great to ride on smooth tarmac

Negatives:

1) I struggle like mad to get into my 'other' toeclip
2) I'm like Bambi on ice when it comes to descents, having before been quite confident on my MTB
3) Even slightly-rough tarmac has me vibrating like a broken washing machine
4) I'm always on the hoods, because being on the drops feels ridiculous

I'm sure the negatives will evaporate with time and practice.

I can relate although I use SPD's not toe clips. so I do not get that negative.

I think a lot to do with descending is learning to brake earlier (it certainly is for me).
Rough roads are very noticeable but smooth roads more than make up for it
The hoods become a great place to be after a while. If you back aches then you have the flats anyhow

 

[Twigman]

Whats your favourite Fall tracks?

Cruiser's Creek

 

[TheCharityShop]

Amazing to find Fall fans on a cycling forum, pretty neat

yeah bill is dead, excellent

i got into The Fall quite late,around 1988/89, Extricate onwards, Shiftwork being my favourite

you cant go wrong with The Fall, Mark e Smith being brilliantly curmudgeonly nowadays

Hit the North is great, i love the Brix Smith era Fall, theres been so many lines ups over the years but yes everyone should own at least one Fall album as a document of the shithole everyday life is in the uk

 

[dellzeqq]

Positives:

1) My average speed has increased to 17-18mph
2) Loads of other blokes on road bikes chat to me
3) It feels great to ride on smooth tarmac

Negatives:

1) I struggle like mad to get into my 'other' toeclip
2) I'm like Bambi on ice when it comes to descents, having before been quite confident on my MTB
3) Even slightly-rough tarmac has me vibrating like a broken washing machine
4) I'm always on the hoods, because being on the drops feels ridiculous

I'm sure the negatives will evaporate with time and practice.

1. Impressive
2. That's because your arse looks better when you're stretching forward
3. Absolutely - like melting honey on warm toast!

1. Give it time
2. Ditto
3. Hhmmm - that shouldn't be. Have you any idea why?
4. Entirely sensible

The problem with modern road bikes is that they are so darn seductive. Everything is like air. You just get hooked.

 

[danger mouse]

You into The Fall then? Hip Priest being a Mark E Smith ditty an all

Whats your favourite Fall tracks?

The Classical, The Mixer, Overture are all essential listening from the Fall ouevre

But pretty much the entire Fall canon is indispensible and an ideal companion for a cyclist

Best song is "I'm going to spain", or maybe 'Glam Racket'

Not thought about them on the bike

Kasabian does it for me.

 

[Hip Priest]

1. Impressive
2. That's because your arse looks better when you're stretching forward
3. Absolutely - like melting honey on warm toast!

1. Give it time
2. Ditto
3. Hhmmm - that shouldn't be. Have you any idea why?
4. Entirely sensible

The problem with modern road bikes is that they are so darn seductive. Everything is like air. You just get hooked.

Do you think it could be because I have the tyres up to their maximum pressure (100 psi) combined with the fact that I'm a heavy bloke at 16st?

 

[Simba]

Once you get use to it then you will wonder why you never had a road bike to begin with. This is my first road bike, only had it since 1st July but, I love it and had all the negatives you had, minus the straps as I use SPD-SL pedals. I hated going on the drops at first but I use them regularly now. Cruising I am on the hoods but, when I put the power down I am straight on the drops.

Edit: 666 posts yay, I am the beast.

 

[Simba]

Do you think it could be because I have the tyres up to their maximum pressure (100 psi) combined with the fact that I'm a heavy bloke at 16st?

I have my tyres at 100-105 psi, yes the bike vibrates but, once you get use to the bike, you don't notice it as much.