Dzzi
Well-Known Member
- Location
- Billericay, Essex
Hi
Back in November 2010 on the coldest weekend of the year i found myself on my sitting on my bike with a group of scouts one of which was my eldest son. This was a bike i had purchased (for around £150 from halfords...yes yes i know !!) with a view to being able to accompany him and my middle son around the local park and perhaps a little further a field once middle son had learned to complete a trip without incident or accident !
http://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbik...-2S1190101.aspx
That day i think we did around 19 miles at a very leisurely pace and i left the scouts to their ridiculous overnight camping exploits and returned the next day to accompany them back home which was around 12 miles. This was the furthest i had ever cycled and i found i had really enjoyed the experience despite the rather tender nether regions !
Around May 2011 i decided i was going to get a little fitter so that i could carry on playing 5-a-side football ( i am 46, 6ft tall and currently 14st 5.lb ) into my 50's (mainly to annoy the wife !)
I stumbled across this site and started to lurk on the forum, and i thought ok....right im going to sign-up for one of these rides that seem so popular here.I found the Action Medical Research site and the Essex 100 which was on sep 4th 2011, and as it was only 25 mins away from my home and far enough away date wise to allow me to get fit(ish) i signed up, i also goaded my brother into signing up by simply calling him and telling him i was doing it and suggesting i was fitter and faster than him !
So on Sunday we did it..100km in 5 hours of cycling and a total of 5.47 with one short break and a longer cake stop.
(As a note he did it on a 26 inch wheel MB, something he won't be doing again !)
I have followed the advice given to others by forum members in numerous areas...key ones being...
I took my bike to a little bike shed and they Fixed it up and it was better than new, they also fitted some clipless pedals which i got after i read the FAQ and deciding it couldn't be that hard...and it wasn't and really if i can deal with them anyone can ( yes i've had a clipless fail..into stinging nettles but thats another post) I've build up my training gradually...to the point i can do 25km in about 1hour and 1min (curse that 1 min)
I've learned a little about hydration and eating on the move....
I've not spend a fortune on a 10.5 kg super dooper road bike mine weighs 14kg or around 100kg with me sitting on it !(ok i may get a road bike for xmas but i know i don't "need"one now) I've listened to the advice on spinning and not grinding and yes it felt odd...but yes it works for me and i've not had to stop on a ride because i drop a gear if i need to and know im doing the right thing...
I've ridden my bike a lot, at the evenings and the weekends, and in the build up to last weekend did over 270k in the 2nd half of August as my last big push of prep prior to the ride.
And most of all ive enjoyed riding my bike, appreciating my surroundings and enjoy the increase in fitness and the slight decrease in weight....massive thanks to all of you on the forum that have taken the time to give advice...
The 100km was honestly easier than i thought and i like to think thats due to my preperation.The last 5miles was in a torrential rain which wasn't great and now i know i can do 100 miles... i just need to pick an event !!
Thanks again Dave
Back in November 2010 on the coldest weekend of the year i found myself on my sitting on my bike with a group of scouts one of which was my eldest son. This was a bike i had purchased (for around £150 from halfords...yes yes i know !!) with a view to being able to accompany him and my middle son around the local park and perhaps a little further a field once middle son had learned to complete a trip without incident or accident !
http://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbikes.com/Voyager/RC0---2S1190101.aspxhttp://www.reebokbik...-2S1190101.aspx
That day i think we did around 19 miles at a very leisurely pace and i left the scouts to their ridiculous overnight camping exploits and returned the next day to accompany them back home which was around 12 miles. This was the furthest i had ever cycled and i found i had really enjoyed the experience despite the rather tender nether regions !
Around May 2011 i decided i was going to get a little fitter so that i could carry on playing 5-a-side football ( i am 46, 6ft tall and currently 14st 5.lb ) into my 50's (mainly to annoy the wife !)
I stumbled across this site and started to lurk on the forum, and i thought ok....right im going to sign-up for one of these rides that seem so popular here.I found the Action Medical Research site and the Essex 100 which was on sep 4th 2011, and as it was only 25 mins away from my home and far enough away date wise to allow me to get fit(ish) i signed up, i also goaded my brother into signing up by simply calling him and telling him i was doing it and suggesting i was fitter and faster than him !
So on Sunday we did it..100km in 5 hours of cycling and a total of 5.47 with one short break and a longer cake stop.
(As a note he did it on a 26 inch wheel MB, something he won't be doing again !)
I have followed the advice given to others by forum members in numerous areas...key ones being...
I took my bike to a little bike shed and they Fixed it up and it was better than new, they also fitted some clipless pedals which i got after i read the FAQ and deciding it couldn't be that hard...and it wasn't and really if i can deal with them anyone can ( yes i've had a clipless fail..into stinging nettles but thats another post) I've build up my training gradually...to the point i can do 25km in about 1hour and 1min (curse that 1 min)
I've learned a little about hydration and eating on the move....
I've not spend a fortune on a 10.5 kg super dooper road bike mine weighs 14kg or around 100kg with me sitting on it !(ok i may get a road bike for xmas but i know i don't "need"one now) I've listened to the advice on spinning and not grinding and yes it felt odd...but yes it works for me and i've not had to stop on a ride because i drop a gear if i need to and know im doing the right thing...
I've ridden my bike a lot, at the evenings and the weekends, and in the build up to last weekend did over 270k in the 2nd half of August as my last big push of prep prior to the ride.
And most of all ive enjoyed riding my bike, appreciating my surroundings and enjoy the increase in fitness and the slight decrease in weight....massive thanks to all of you on the forum that have taken the time to give advice...
The 100km was honestly easier than i thought and i like to think thats due to my preperation.The last 5miles was in a torrential rain which wasn't great and now i know i can do 100 miles... i just need to pick an event !!
Thanks again Dave
