Hiya, the names Nick..Psycolist to this forum. I'm a 54 year old leisure cyclist. I have ALWAYS commuted to and from work by bike, as i dont drive it, was my way of getting about. Over the last 5-6 years i have taken a bit more of an interest in cycling as a hobby. I started in 2004 with buying a Claude Butler hybrid from my LBS. At the time, i thought that it was the bees knees. I had had to get a new bike as my old one had literaly collapsed under me, the front wheel folding in half on a roundabout. I then started going out for rides at the weekend with no real destination, just for the pleasure of being on my bike. I soon found that my bike left alot to be desired, as bits started breaking, wearing out and failing. So i started saving some pennies and investigating the market to try and find something that would suit me better and last longer. Despite my dissatisfaction with the CB, it did carry me many miles and and really, i suppose, affirmed my intention to carry on riding for pleasure. Being out on my own in one of the local rural lanes, of which there are many in north essex and south suffolk, with nothing but the sound of the birds, the wind in the trees and my tyres on the tarmac, bought me such pleasure and peace that i think i would have payed any price to continue. I realized that in my position, with a crappy left leg and hips that are well past thier sell by date, I was not going to go for a road bike. A hybrid was the right descision but i needed more quality than i had in the CB. With my budget, i felt i couldnt afford to get the bike i felt i wanted, so i decided to go for the best frame i could afford, and then as time moved on, replace and upgrade everything fitted to it. I opted for a Specialized Globe, nice alloy frame and forks, upright riding position, alex rims and shimano hubs and 24 speed shimano drive train. That was in 2007/8. Now, all thats left of the origonal bike is the frame. I have replaced the forks with a pair of Fox suspension forks, installed a Suntour Hex design suspension seat post with, carrying a Selle SMP TRK saddle, stayed with Alex rims but upgraded to 600's, the rear using a Shimano silent clutch hub, kept the 8 speed block but at the front but put on a crank set with a 5 arm alloy spider, granny ring of 36 teeth, middle of 45 and outer of 54 . As soon as i got the bike i realised that the gearing was far to low with a 30,40,48 triple but is only recently that i have been able to afford the change to the triple i have now. I use
eBay to buy things i think may improve my experience in the saddle, and if i dont like them, sell them on again. Doing that, i have been able to try things that i would never otherwise been able to afford. The biggest dissapointment was Thudbuster seat post from Cane Creek. At the price they charge, i really expected it to make the ride ALOT better, and although it was an improvment on the normal spring in a tube type, it, in my opinion, was a dissapointment and i found the Suntour option a considerable improvement at a fraction of the cost... On a more personal note, as i said earlier, a 54 year old cripple, married, 2 children,both married with their own mortgages, i couldnt be prouder of both of them, and our 1st grandchild , Archie, is 9 months old. We are a very close , traditional extended family with both kids living within 4 miles and the wifes parents also very local. Not a day goes by when we dont see or speak to most members of our little clan, we are always in and out of each others houses, helping each other wherever and whenever we can. Despite all our hardships and difficulties, troubles and strifes....LIFES GOOD. I hope i hav'nt rambled on too much and sent you to sleep, but i plan to be a regular contributer to the forum and look forward to developing electronic friendships. I am a bit of a technophobe, but if it just involves typing, i can cope. I will have to get some of the others to put on a pic or two for me in the future.
