My first "proper" ride

[wilko]

Took my Sirrus Sport out this morning for a proper ride. First lengthy ride (12.22 miles) for some years and my backside ached a bit, but it was most enjoyable. Will be doing that again very soon.

 

[nigelnorris]

Me too, this sunshine is too good to resist.

Birmingham to Henley-in-Arden, 13 miles of loverly countryside each way. Had a huge blowout as I arrived into Henley, on a main road outside a pub. Made that much noise that people were coming out of the pub to see what the noise was about. Went in to buy a pint for while I was fixing the tyre and by the time I got outside a local OAP already had the tyre and the shredded inner off for me.

Soon fixed but with no spare tube I was put off riding in the countryside a bit and just turned round and went home. Turned out for the best because my nether regions were getting a bit raw by the time I got home. 26 miles enough for a first ride out this year.

Will do the same midweek, then next weekend is forecast even better so I'll maybe plan a longer trip assuming that my backside has recovered.

 

[Sittingduck]

Well done Wilko - bet you felt pretty invogorated by the time you got home? You'll soon become addicted and be plotting rides all over the place whenever you get chance to sneak one in!

Nigel:
Hehehe - I thought it was traditional to buy ice creams in Henley on a Sunny day, not pints of beer

Bad luck with the blow out... I hope you offered the old fella who fixed your bike a beer!?

 

[nigelnorris]

Nah didn't get any beer in, I only had enough loose change for the one - mine. And yes ice-cream was the plan, but when you break down right outside a pub you have to call it fate and accept the inevitable

Downside; I'm really starting to feel the sunburn on my hands and arms

 

[barongreenback]

Sounds great - I took my Sirrus Sport out for its first proper ride too today. In fact, you've just inspired me for tomorrow's route - Redditch to Henley and back (today was down to Hillers farm shop in Dunnington and back up via Arrow). Ice cream is a top idea for a mid ride break!

 

[nigelnorris]

Highly recommended, there's some nice hills on the country roads back towards Brum.

If you're going to get a flat on the way, do it outside the Black Swan, there will be someone there to help you out for sure

 

[barongreenback]

'Nice' hills? Do such things exist?

 

[montage]

'Nice' hills? Do such things exist?

Of course.


Downhills.

 

[nigelnorris]

By nice I mean that someone like me, random fat bloke who likes his beer and the occasional cig, riding a 99.99 Halfords steel hybrid, just about starting on the cycling ladder, can get up them without actually asploding on the way up. But big enough and steep enough to still get some satisfaction on reaching the top. It's pretty flat on my commute in Brum itself so it was 'nice' today to come across something more challenging.

There's lots of them too, up and down over and over for miles, recover from one and the next one arrives. Must be a good way to get healthy.

On only one did I have to go down to the small chain ring, and unsurprisingly the chain fell off when I did that and tangled itself round the bleeding axle thing between the pedals so after much cursing I got it back onto the middle ring and didn't dare venture down there again.

Between that and the flat I got myself pretty much covered in road dirt and oil, but it didn't spoil my day

[And I've been filling in my cyclogs log, it's another 26 miles towards my 200 mile monthly target which is great for me because I'm a number/target oriented person so it will make a real difference to my aim of losing weight and getting fitter [or at least less unfit.].

 

[Sittingduck]

Sounds like you need to adjust the front Mech a little bit Nigel.
Check this out...


Regards,
SD

 

[nigelnorris]

Sounds like you need to adjust the front Mech a little bit Nigel.
Check this out...


Regards,
SD

haha you couldn't be more right and that's the least of my problems. The chain is so gunked up that it rucks up when I pedal backwards, there are several gears that don't even work, [I have to go through two selections to move through them], the brakes sometimes lock themselves slightly on so they start squealing as I'm riding [leaning forwards or back and knocking the V while I'm riding fixes that for a while]. I think all the cables, brakes and gears might be in need of some TLC.

I really really need to find out how to fix all this stuff, especially since I have a new expensive [for me at least] bike on the way and I really can't afford to let that get into the same state. I already decided that since I'm having a rest tomorrow a trip to my LBS to get help is the way forward.

 

[Sittingduck]

Check out the tutorials on the site I linked and Google Sheldon Brown too. The old bucket will make an excellent "patient" for your test torture experiments practice when you have your mitts on the shiny new bike!

Brake cables cost just a couple of quid and replacing these, along with the gear cables, cleaning the chain/gears and renewing/adjusting the brake pads will make it feel like a new bike (almost)!

SD

 

[nigelnorris]

Check out the tutorials on the site I linked and Google Sheldon Brown too. The old bucket will make an excellent "patient" for your test torture experiments practice when you have your mitts on the shiny new bike!

Brake cables cost just a couple of quid and replacing these, along with the gear cables, cleaning the chain/gears and renewing/adjusting the brake pads will make it feel like a new bike (almost)!

SD

My thoughts exactly. The only reason it's like it is is that it's in 7 days a week use and I figure I'd have to take it off the road for a bit to get it all done. Best £100 I ever spent, the thing must have done 5000 miles by now with no more care than adjusting the brakes and gears and checking the tyre presssure weekly, and as you say I can get it back to nearly new with the right attention. I've been 3 months waiting for my new bike which is causing a lot of the problems, I've been putting off doing anything that migt break it till I have something else to ride about on.

 

[barongreenback]

By nice I mean that someone like me, random fat bloke who likes his beer and the occasional cig, riding a 99.99 Halfords steel hybrid, just about starting on the cycling ladder, can get up them without actually asploding on the way up. But big enough and steep enough to still get some satisfaction on reaching the top. It's pretty flat on my commute in Brum itself so it was 'nice' today to come across something more challenging.

There's lots of them too, up and down over and over for miles, recover from one and the next one arrives. Must be a good way to get healthy.

On only one did I have to go down to the small chain ring, and unsurprisingly the chain fell off when I did that and tangled itself round the bleeding axle thing between the pedals so after much cursing I got it back onto the middle ring and didn't dare venture down there again.

Between that and the flat I got myself pretty much covered in road dirt and oil, but it didn't spoil my day

[And I've been filling in my cyclogs log, it's another 26 miles towards my 200 mile monthly target which is great for me because I'm a number/target oriented person so it will make a real difference to my aim of losing weight and getting fitter [or at least less unfit.].

I'm a reformed fat bloke (lost 10 stone last year) so best of luck with the getting healthy - exercise definitely is the key. I can now maintain my weight and still enjoy the beers. Cigs are out though

 

[Sittingduck]

I'm a reformed fat bloke (lost 10 stone last year) so best of luck with the getting healthy - exercise definitely is the key. I can now maintain my weight and still enjoy the beers. Cigs are out though

Well done mate