My First Bike (and accessories)

[Ian Smith]

Hello everyone,

I've just joined the forums (see "Welcome Mat" for background) and discovered a local bike shop at Swanwick who I found really helpful, especially compared with a similar visit to a store in London a couple of years ago where I found the staff unhelpful and rather snobbish about my naivety around how much cycling has changed in the 30+ years since I last rode a bike.

I've had a couple of rides on a "Boris Bike" with a newly acquired helmet last year (why only a couple? because the London traffic scared the bejeezus out of me and I was not as good on a bike as my memories of how I was at 13 with an RSW 16 had lead me to believe!) but not done anything since.

Anyway, I'm now living in a Southampton suburb where the roads are quieter (at least at weekends) and hilly and having no transport (can't afford a car - yet!) have purchased a Giant Roam XR1 with a view to getting around locally, discovering the loca area's more scenic bits and keeping fit. The medium size bike I tried was a bit small so my "Large" variant arrives next week.

I am happy with the bike choice, given what I was able to look at, but wondered if there were any comment on the accessories I purchased on the advise of the LSB (who spent a generous hour with me and was extremely helpful AND gave me a 10% discount so I'm a happy customer). One thing I want to do is track my rides and monitor my progress. Ideally that would involve measuring heart rate too I guess although I'm confused by the variety of devices on offer, especially since the "higher end" items I'm interested in just seem to duplicate the functionality of my iPhone 4 whilst also needing the iPhone 4 to upload data and sync information to public web sites (like Strada). Just wondered what most newbies used to track things? Is Strada a good choice and what do you use for hardware?

My accessory list from my till receipt is as follows:

1 Crud Urban Race Pa (I think these are my mudflaps)
1 Dawes Track Pump (kept at home)
1 LD1100 Rear LED (double-row back LEDS, told sales assistant that "seeing" was as important as "being seen")
1 Nano Shot USB (front light, fairly bright, went for £60 over cheaper models because I want to see)
1 On Guard Doberman lock
1 Velo Wireless (basic tracking - £35. Very small device but big numbers which I'll probably need given my eyesight)
1 Giant Tube 700C (spare inner tube - I ALWAYS get punctures on cars, suspect bikes will be no different!)
1 Tyre Lever Set
1 Cruser Frame Bag (small bag that takes puncture repair kit etc and fits snugly underneath crossbar)
1 Control Pocket MTB pump (that will be mounted on bike)
1 Slime Skabs (I think these are my emergency puncture repair stickers)
1 Slime Skabs (for puncture repair I think)

I haven't looked at insurance with any seriousness yet although everyone I know who owns a bike has had one stolen (this may be a London thing?). One sample online "blind" quote was £86 which seemed steep given I work away from home and will only ride at weekends (bike will be locked in a garage all week and is unlikely to be left for long periods of time anywhere other than my locked garage) - I'm tempted to give it a miss at that rate, at least until I know I'm going to be back at home using the back a lot more than I can currently do working away during the week.

Did I miss anything "essential" (other than lycra - no thanks at this stage - and eye ware which I'll worry about later as I've never liked glasses/eyewear in general - don't even ever wear sunglasses!)?

 

[spacecat]

Sounds like you found yourself a good lbs there, and shame on the other one for behaving like tits. Their loss!

It's often cheaper to get the bike added to your house contents policy than it is to take out a seperate policy.

I would though bother with eyewear, they ain't just to look cool and can save your sight if a vehicle throws up a stone. In my case they also prevent sore eyes from the airflow drying them out.

Most of all, just get out, enjoy, and don't get hung up on average speeds, distances etc. It can take the fun out of it.

 

[Spally]

Similar experience here, went into a couple of the bigger bike shops in the city asking for some advice About purchasing a road bike and they weren't very helpful.

Looks like you're all set but as above you do need so e glasses, 1 for any debris and 2 to stop you crying like a little girl when your speed picks up

 

[Peteaud]

As above for eye wear, I use Sunwise glassed as they are not stupid money and come with 3 lenses.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

I would though bother with eyewear, they ain't just to look cool and can save your sight if a vehicle throws up a stone. In my case they also prevent sore eyes from the airflow drying them out.
.

This: +1

Crap from the road is forever pinging up and around you esp' from passing cars. Please don't underestimate the risk.

I have just purchased these and they are incredible vfm and performed well against many much more expensive brands in a group test:

http://www.wheelies.co.uk/p53312/Avenir-Delta-Cycling-Glasses.aspx

They also make these:

http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/categ...view-avenir-smoke-multi-lens-eyewear-12-46067

 

[Ian Smith]

Thanks Guys. I ordered some eye wear from Amazon. Cheers.

 

[themosquitoking]

I like wearing dark sunglasses, to some degree it hides my perving.

 

[Gravity Aided]

I would get one of those multi-tools for tightening hardware on the bike that gets loose.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

Similar experience here, went into a couple of the bigger bike shops in the city asking for some advice About purchasing a road bike and they weren't very helpful.

Looks like you're all set but as above you do need so e glasses, 1 for any debris and 2 to stop you crying like a little girl when your speed picks up

I don't wear eyewear, and when my speed picks up on a chilly morning down those lovely hills, the tears are tears of joy, I'll have you know!

To the OP: I'd recommend you have more than just 1 spare tube. They're generally a cheap item, so perhaps go and buy another 2 or 3? You also didn't mention what tools you might need for bike maintenance, i.e. just the regular cleaning. For example: chain lube for the chains, derailleurs and front/rear cogs, among a few other things.

 

[RussellZero]

One thing I want to do is track my rides and monitor my progress. Ideally that would involve measuring heart rate too I guess although I'm confused by the variety of devices on offer, especially since the "higher end" items I'm interested in just seem to duplicate the functionality of my iPhone 4 whilst also needing the iPhone 4 to upload data and sync information to public web sites (like Strada). Just wondered what most newbies used to track things? Is Strada a good choice and what do you use for hardware?

I recommend Cyclemeter on the iPhone, and a bike mount (I use the one from bike logic, I think hargroves sell them which is near you). Cyclemeter does everything you can with a GPS, and if you want to add hrm, cadence and power sensors to the bike you can, and you need to buy a wahoo fit key which plugs into the bottom of the iPhone, and picks up all the sensor outputs.

 

[cyberknight]

Add some cycling gloves in case you fall off as you tend to go hands first so it will stop you skinning your hands, a second spare inner tube as never know when you might get a double flat ...
Practise changing an inner tube at home rather than trying for the 1st time on a dark, wet day.
Back up lights , i run 3 on the back and 2 on the front as with inner tubes you could be cussing if one fails and you cant see where your going.
Quick link for you chain in case it snaps, never happened to me but beats being stuck at the side of the road .
Tyre boot, a bit of old tyre/rubber or even a crisp packet at a pinch can act as a ptch you put inside the tyre if you get a split.

Kitchen Sink