i Am Frightened of my Road Bike

[Angelfishsolo]

Hmm, that might be a thought for the future. Currently trying to keep the amount spent on the bike to the bare minimum. But if I can't adapt to it, nice to know there is an way to keep riding the bike. Cheers!

Pleasure. DT Shifters are IIRC fun to use

 

[aberal]

Hmm, that might be a thought for the future. Currently trying to keep the amount spent on the bike to the bare minimum. But if I can't adapt to it, nice to know there is an way to keep riding the bike. Cheers!

This is completely the wrong sort of thinking. You must henceforth adjust your thinking to permit spending on the bike to reach silly levels. This is normal.

 

[Hip Priest]

Currently trying to keep the amount spent on the bike to the bare minimum.

I'm currently trying to herd cats.

 

[eyko]

This is completely the wrong sort of thinking. You must henceforth adjust your thinking to permit spending on the bike to reach silly levels. This is normal.

I'm currently trying to herd cats.

I did say trying

. It generally goes, don't buy, don't buy, don't ... ohh shiny

 

[gbb]

As the others say a 23mm tyre is perfectly ok in the dry. In wet conditions just take a rounder line to corners and avoid metal road furniture and painted lines.

VERY very important, metal drain covers especially, but almost equally white lines....they're remarkably slippery when wet. I have one just outside my ex work and even at walking speed, go over that drain cover and you'll feel the wheel slip.
Beware some new tyres as well in the wet...Gatorskins i find very slippery until they've scrubbed up a bit.

Watch out on road corners in the wet, always manoever with some caution or be instantly prepared to correct the bike if there's any unseen fuel on the road, it'll make cornering quite slippery.
Otherwise, it's just a bit of time to get the feel of the bike.

 

[paulb55]

Thanks Guys,

Really good answers and debate coming back and keep it going

On tyres i am thinking of buying some scharwbe marathon plus tyres 700 x 23C for my bike, will it make much difference to the bike as i don't like punctures

 

[BrumJim]

I have a lovely "brown trouser" bit on my ride here, when wet.

I have to get from the road to the cycle path heading off to the top right of the picture. Bollards make it more interesting. Look carefully, and you can see the manhole cover which is right in my path as I try to get a better angle between the concrete bollards, and therefore avoid braking.

So, committed to the bollards, and at speed, in the wet the back end slips out oh so very slightly, but enough to scare the living daylights out of you, as concrete bollards aren't that forgiving.

Not come a cropper yet. Training myself to make sure that even in the dry, I don't include this metal street furniture in my line. Got to get the practice in.

 

[aberal]

Thanks Guys,

Really good answers and debate coming back and keep it going

On tyres i am thinking of buying some scharwbe marathon plus tyres 700 x 23C for my bike, will it make much difference to the bike as i don't like punctures

Tyres do make a big difference to a bike. Manfacturers will put "bog standard" tyres on to save some money so it's one of the best easy upgrades you can make., if you choose carefully.

 

[VamP]

Thanks Guys,

Really good answers and debate coming back and keep it going

On tyres i am thinking of buying some scharwbe marathon plus tyres 700 x 23C for my bike, will it make much difference to the bike as i don't like punctures

It's a trade off between performance and durability though. Marathon Plus are hard to puncture, but they are also very very slow.

Depends whether you enjoy working hard for slow speed more than you enjoy fixing the occasional puncture.

 

[alci4]

I have a lovely "brown trouser" bit on my ride here, when wet.

dont know if chedder road is like it was when i used to drink up the earl gray and the firebird but it used to be too busy for bikes what with all the cars uturning lol



busiest cul de sac in brum LMAO

 

[BrumJim]

dont know if chedder road is like it was when i used to drink up the earl gray and the firebird but it used to be too busy for bikes what with all the cars uturning lol



busiest cul de sac in brum LMAO

No longer. Early 90's the locals drove the trade out. Now very family friendly.

Firebird has been knocked down, Earl Grey has been closed for over a decade, and is still lying empty, but undergoes periodic work which stops.

 

[paulb55]

It's a trade off between performance and durability though. Marathon Plus are hard to puncture, but they are also very very slow.

Depends whether you enjoy working hard for slow speed more than you enjoy fixing the occasional puncture.

very very good point

 

[paulb55]

Tyres do make a big difference to a bike. Manfacturers will put "bog standard" tyres on to save some money so it's one of the best easy upgrades you can make., if you choose carefully.

Ok,

I have some Taiwanese tyres on my bike, Kenda i think, what's the med to best tyres for a sub £350 bike then for me

 

[alci4]

No longer. Early 90's the locals drove the trade out. Now very family friendly.

Firebird has been knocked down, Earl Grey has been closed for over a decade, and is still lying empty, but undergoes periodic work which stops.

firebird has gone

i am gobsmacked

i didnt think the earl gray would still be open but the firebird damn

i noticed the trees was gone last time i was up there

macdonalds must be the only place you can get anything to drink now round there lmao

 

[Cyclopathic]

I had a bike that frightened me once. I'd get to the shed and it would be facing the opposite way to when I left it. When I was riding it it would sometimes lurch into traffic for no apparent reason and the brakes would fail just as inexplicably at dangerous moments. Whenever I would get on it there would be a chill in the air, even in summer and whilst riding I'd end up somewhere without the slightest idea how I got there, sometimes hundereds of miles away from home.

So I sold it.