New to CycleChat? Make your first post here and say HELLO :)

[Sittingduck]

Hello ^

Campag is for real men and Shimano is for kiddy bikes
I think that sums it up nicely

 

[lycra of the lane]

Well hello SD so what is a kiddie bike ?quack quack quack

 

[Cowelly]

Hi all, ive just got myself a Claude Butler Milano, im very very new to cycling =) so advice and tips are more than welcome!

 

[johnnyb]

Hello everyone.
I suspect that I am one of the many 'born again' cyclists amongst you; taking it up in earnest about 3 months ago. I was helping train my daughter to run the coast to coast and then realised how much fun it was back on the push iron! So much so that a friend challenged me to ride the trans pennine way,which we did last week! Very enjoyable. Now the bug has bitten hard and I feel the need to change my tired old 'ridgeback adventure' for something a little lighter (and faster!) I would welcome your suggestions. I am 52, 6' tall and the wrong side of 16st. (but getting fitter every week!!)

many thanks

John

 

[Jeff L]

Getting back in the saddle

Thanks for the welcome. I used to do a lot of cycling in the 1960s, mainly on a Dawes Windrush (8-speed tourer), after losing my brother's much loved Raleigh Sport to an opportuntist thief. I still have the Dawes though I neglected it for many years because the gearing and back wheel arrangement was not reliable (more if anyone's interested). I've done some replacing of components and have put a message in the bikes section about the life expectancy of frames such as this one (Reynolds 531, 1960s vintage). Am I wasting time and money trying to keep it going? Will it collapse beneath me one day, given the couple of extra stone I now carry around? Nice to find this site anyway.

Cheers

Jeff

 

[Sadlsor]

Hello from an owner of a hand-me-down Muddy Fox Courier.

 

[Sittingduck]

hello back atcha Sadlsor

 

[cyberjools]

here's the question...

made my first tentative phone call to a bike shop today after its website had a Viking Valetta town bike at 50% discount. Course, the man in the shop did not recommend it and that is my problem. I am 5'3", want to buy my first bike which will be used for pleasure rides well away from motor vehicles. Do I need a minimum of 18 gears? I just want to avoid a numb bum for as long as possible and not end up with Madonna arms due to weight. So has anyone heard of Viking Valetta? I do not want to spend too much over £100-150. Please advise, cheers, Jools

 

[Sittingduck]

Hello Jools

I am sorry to say that from what I have heard, Viking bikes aren't much cop. Of course, when just starting out you don't want to spend much cash until you know if you like it

I would say there are 2 better options:

1. Look in local ads for a second hand bike - you may be surprised what you can get for £150 if used!

2. Try to stretch it just a little bit further to maybe 200 and you can probably pick up something okay in a sale. Check out Evans end of Season Sale. If you post links in the main Beginners Forum to the bikes you may find, you will get more responses than in this particular thread


Gears wise, the more modern bikes tend to be 16 speed upwards but in reality people only really use 3 or 4 gears regularly.

Cheers and welcome to CC,
SD

 

[AliceTara]

Hello, i'm new here! I'm very new to cycling but I love it! I did three sprint triathlons this summer and I was almost the slowest cyclist so I'm really keen to pick up some speed. Hoping to get some inspiration from you guys.

Alice.x

 

[Sittingduck]

^

 

[BrumJim]

Made a few posts already, but I will introduce myself here.

I'm here looking for advice. I got a new bike for Christmas probably some time around 1985. Since then I have had a succession of 2nd hand ones - one whilst a student - another one that got pinched from a church, followed by another one that almost broke in two, and then a further one that is still up in the garage roof on pulleys (wife insisted on it going into the garage when she moved in) being used quite regularly.

I use it mainly for commuting into work. I try to get three days a week in the saddle. Driving the distance (about 7 miles) takes 20-40 minutes based on traffic, and cycling takes 25-35 minutes based on wind speed and direction, so in effect I am getting free exercise. However this means that the car wins when it is wet. I also use it to get fit for ski-ing - there is a route out of Birmingham and back that tests my legs on the return journey, so building up both stamina and control when tired. I should do more, but it is enough.

I have an in-built need for speed. So cycling is all about beating the person ahead. So I have a racing bike, no mudguards. Unfortunately I am not really fit enough to join the local cycling club, and occassionally get passed by some super-fit serious cyclist. So I stop, and cry for a bit, then get back on my bike, aim to try harder, and get home red, hot, and dripping with sweat. Sometimes you have to accept your limitations, but I enjoy pushing anyway.

My route isn't too bad - cycle route into town, through the light industrial back streets of Birmingham, then on to the canal, coming out just by the office. Biggest danger is the geese, followed by taking a dip in the canal (not done this yet).

So, I'm looking for a high-speed commuting bike, so probably a road machine. Then, if it is light enough and the mechanicals are good enough, I'm hoping to chop 5 minutes off my average time. Realistic?

 

[bennytheegg]

helloooooooooo

 

[arallsopp]

helloooooooooo

Morning! Welcome aboard.

 

[arallsopp]

I'm looking for a high-speed commuting bike, so probably a road machine. Then, if it is light enough and the mechanicals are good enough, I'm hoping to chop 5 minutes off my average time. Realistic?

IMHO 5 mins out of 30 is a big increase, and the determining factor is probably biological, not mechanical. Depends on a few things about your current arrangement though:
-a lighter bike is often quicker to stop and start, but tops out at a very similar speed to a heavy one. Unless your route has a lot of climbs or stop lights, I don't think you'll see much difference here.
-a more reliable and efficient bike will allow you push with greater confidence, and may slightly increase your top end speed.
-a new bike almost always yields some improvement, just because you ride it more and push harder.

I'm assuming your current bike is reasonably fit for purpose, but if its really bad, you could get 5 mins here.

Then there are the special multipliers of 'fit' (is the saddle height correct?) 'cleat' (are you clipless?) and footing (are you on road tyres?).
If any of those is a no, you can expect significant gains, but they won't necessarily require a new bike.

To put it in perspective, I have 2 bikes I use on a regular 17 mile very hilly commute. Both are mechanically sound, both have cleats, both run road tyres. One is super lightweight (for its kind) and is set up for racing. The other is 8kgs heavier and is a very comfortable tourer.
When I only had the heavy one, my average speed was 12 mph. Including time lost to lights and traffic, the journey took around 90 mins. After I bought the new one, I slowly got the average up to 15+ and could do it in an hour and ten. 6 months later and iit takes an hour an five, on *either*.

The main difference has been my fitness. The new bike was a fun way to improve that, but wasn't directly responsible for any of the gain.

Anyway, this is just my experience. There are some lovely machines out there, and I'm always a fan of n+1.