New to cycling. Need some advice please

[MarkJ]

Hello, I am 52 and just got a bike less than 2 weeks ago. Not ridden since I was in my 20's. Got to say, I am loving it. I'm semi retired, so got a bit of time. I wanted to get out and about, lose weight and and get fit. Eating better and doing over 200km in the first 10 days has me feeling great and 10 lbs lighter. That is more than I thought I would do. I was reasonably active before, but not as fit I I should be. I'm 6"3 and now 18 stone and want to get to 16 stone over the summer. Not wearing Lyra yet. I'm doing 2 hour rides and covering 40km on quiet country roads and gravel paths. Had 4 front wheel punctures in less than 2 weeks, which surprised me. I wonder if my bike is suitable for light trails and gravel. It seems to ride Okay. At least I'm now well versed at swapping innertubes. I couldn't run mile in under 10 minutes and I would be gasping for breath and probably need to pause. My knee would hurt and I would just hate it. So, I am amazed that I can cycle 40K in 2 hours with relative ease. I did not expect too. Legs burn a little going uphill, so I just dig in, but otherwise I find not too difficult. I don't get out of breath too much, I just carry on going further than I intend. I use Kamoot for quirt routes. I used to go the gym and do 40 minutes on the cross trainer which is boring, hard going and I would burn only about 500 calories. My knee would stiffen up and I would ache everywhere the next day, even after months doing it. I would not feel like exercising much more after that.
Cycling I am finding is not boring, I can burn 1500 calories, It doesn't hurt my knee, I can feel the workout, but only ache a little and can do it day after day. The bit I did not expect is I also feel my upper body and core is getting a good workout. I don't feel as knackered as I would doing other workouts. I feel good, I feel energised. All be it saddle sore. I think I could double to 4 hors riding.

I bought a second hand Boardman 8.6 HYB. A Road leaning hybrid. Paid £300. It looked great, but being second hand I have now learnt it needs some attention. I'm stuck in gears 1 to 9 on one cog. Not a big problem at this time, but will I sort. Then gears started slipping when riding. Took it to local bike shop and guy said, I need a service, new cassette, Chain ring and more stuff I have no idea about. Said the parts alone were £200. I then went to Halfords for innertubes got chatting to a young lad who was a enthusiast and very passionate about biking. He offered to look, for free, tweaked with the breaks which made them feel better, told me the chain ring and cassette were fine, not worn, suggested a new chain for £19 would sort it slipping gears, which it did tight away. So I trust him. I have heard horror stories about Halfords, but this lad was top notch. He told me if I ever I did need a cassette, they were about £20, not £100 like I was told previously.

Then tonight my steering just seized solid and I had to walk back 3 miles. I took the handle bar head set stem apart and it was the top bearing that was rusted and disintegrated. Fell apart in my hand. The rest looked fine including the bottom bearing. I don't mind tinkering with stuff and I will learn so I can service myself, but right now, I don't even know the terminology for parts, so I will get it done by someone who knows what they are doing.

So I have some questions,

1. Where do I get Boardman Parts such as stem bearing. I cant find online, I just end up on Halford webpage.
2. Are Halfords Okay for serving and repairs. The lad was great, but I heard such bad reviews and poor service.
3. Halfords are about a 2 week wait to service and repair. I don't want to wait that long. I want to keep riding right now.
4. Halfords wont ensure it is the individual I trust to do the work. I would offer to pay him outside Halfords, but I don't want to put him in that awkward position.
5. I thought getting a £600 bike second hand for £300 was a good move, but I could have got it via cycle for work scheme discounted new for £400, without having to spend on it for some time. My HR did not reply to my emails enquiring about the scheme, so I gave up after two weeks and got it second hand. After 3 weeks they then responded saying the scheme opens in June. I may get the Boardman 8.6 MTX with front suspension and use that for rougher bumpy routes and keep the HYB for a spare and road use. I'm not sure if the HYB can take gravel paths or bumpy surfaces. Is this why the headset bearing disintegrated? although, it feels fine to me riding it. It feels like a fast bike. Faster than I remember bikes going years ago in any case.
Is the Boardman 8'6 range a decent choice for a novice looking to get started?

I am a novice with a lot to learn and it is early days, but I do feel I have discovered going back to basics with simple enjoyment of riding a bike. Especially away from it all in the peaceful countryside. I am finding for day to day running around on local messages, the bike affords me no parking fees and I zip about town in the same time for the most part as I would in my car. Even have a pint or two on after a long ride and not worry about being over the limit. But the best part is the exercise. I am finding for me, cycling beats all the other forms of boring exercises I have done over the years. I can workout for hours, not get over tired, not ache as much , so I can do it for longer and get the benefits doing so. My legs feel stronger, my knee doesn't ache, My upper body feels it get s a good workout, my breathing is good, lungs feel good and overall, I feel great after a long ride and the next day. I average 135 beats per minute heart rate which puts me in the fat burning zone. I find my appetite reduces when I am active.
I used to get irritated being held up by cyclists when driving my car. Now it is the other way around. Oh and oblivious people daydreaming wandering and walking in the cycle lanes like zombies, with dogs on extendable leads.
I was very pleased with myself flying along last night, when I guy, must have been in his seventies on a road bike, wearing the gear and massive ripped calf muscles, effortlessly cruised past me and was out of sight after about 3 minutes. Made me realise, I don't want to race or compete as I would not be able to match the likes of him after decades of cycling. Just want to enjoy it.

I lot of information I know, but any advice is appreciated.

Regards

MarkJ.

 

[Big John]

Firstly, well done for sticking at it, losing weight and discovering the simple magic of riding a bike. It lends itself very well to all shapes and sizes, as you've discovered, and is kind to the joints unlike other pursuits. You've invested in a Boardman, which isn't a bad start. All bikes are usually fixable unless your frame's bust. Parts can be replaced, wheels can be rebuilt. What you have to decide is do you do it yourself or do you put it in the capable hands of your local bike shop? Halfords is often the first place folks think of to get their bike fixed but where there's a Halfords there's usually an alternative. If the alternative is proper old school so much the better because they'll have years of experience and their business sinks or swims on their service and expertise. If you choose this route initially don't get thinking a service will put everything right. A service usually covers set tasks, a bit like a car service, and will have a potential list of recommended jobs that need doing that aren't covered in a regular service. So....you may decide to sort your own maintenance out.

If you go down the DIY route you cut out the labour costs of the shop mechanic and it enables you to buy parts online. You should only do this if you know what to buy otherwise you'll end up with a part you can't use and you may not get a refund. You'll need to invest in a number of specialist tools which you may only use once in a blue moon. The upside is it's very satisfying getting something to work that didn't work before. There are books you can get which will show you the basics and even some of the more difficult jobs, like the ones you can get for cars like Haynes. Don't overstretch yourself. Learn the simple stuff to start with....changing cables, changing brake pads/blocks, changing a cassette, changing a chain, removing a bottom bracket, etc. Use YouTube and especially anything Park Tools throws out for consumption. Soak up bike know-how like a sponge.

And don't pack it in now you've discovered the 'secret' of cycling. We can all ride a bike when the sun's out but it's cycling all year through that makes a cyclist. You're amongst friends now so pick everyone's brains. And when you're out don't forget to give a wave to that rider on the bike coming towards you on the road/path.....he or she could be a Cycle Chatter 👍

 

[13 rider]

Good going so far
Halfords are a national network of shops and the service varies massively between shops it just depends on the staff expertise which you have no control over . I would recommend finding a local bike shop (lbs) you feel comfortable with .with the sounds like you had a poor experience with the the one you tried . I suspect the mechanic rather then trying to rip you off was recommending future proofing your bike from future failures chain components wear out . The problem buying 2nd hand you have little or now idea of the bikes history or service level .
I'd guess the bearing ( headset bearing ) won't be any special it's just bowing the correct size ,can you read any numbers in it ? Or Google Boardman ( inserts your bike ) headset bearing and see what comes up .
Advice to any beginner don't get carried away and do too much rest days are important and don't push to hard just enjoy . There's always someone faster than you and you are quicker than more people than you think

 

[Ajax Bay]

a second hand Boardman 8.6 HYB.

https://99spokes.com/en-GB/bikes/boardman/2021/hyb-8.6-silver

Then tonight my steering just seized solid and I had to walk back 3 miles. I took the handle bar head set stem apart and it was the top bearing that was rusted and disintegrated. Fell apart in my hand. The rest looked fine including the bottom bearing. I don't mind tinkering with stuff

https://www.sprocketandgear.co.uk/products/fsa-no-10-semi-integrated-1-1-8-headset

• S.H.I.S - Top Cup - ZS44/28.6
• S.H.I.S - Lower Cup - ZS44/30

https://www.merlincycles.com/replacement-headset-bearings-85924.html?
https://thebikehouse.co.uk/products...headset-bearing-zero-stack-top-cup-zs44-zs-44
All 'maybe'. You can't ride the bike now so may as well pop the top bearing out.
Go to your LBS with it.
Other stuff: this bike will surely cope with (and be entirely suitable for) reasonable surfaces (light trails and gravel (prefer dry) as well as asphalt). The tyres are 37mm wide.
Schwalbe Citizen 700 x 37c, Kevlar guard. Kenda presta tube
Repeated punctures in the one tyre points to failure to find the cause of the 'first' one. Did the tyre puncture in the same place each time. (Get one of the punctured tubes, pump to find hole, compare with valve position and check those sections of tyre eg 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock from valve.)
Was the hole on the inside or outside of the radius (eg incision through tyre tread or rim tape fail)?
Buy puncture repair kit and start patching (if not already done).

 

[MarkJ]

https://99spokes.com/en-GB/bikes/boardman/2021/hyb-8.6-silver

https://www.sprocketandgear.co.uk/products/fsa-no-10-semi-integrated-1-1-8-headset

• S.H.I.S - Top Cup - ZS44/28.6
• S.H.I.S - Lower Cup - ZS44/30

https://www.merlincycles.com/replacement-headset-bearings-85924.html?
https://thebikehouse.co.uk/products...headset-bearing-zero-stack-top-cup-zs44-zs-44
All 'maybe'. You can't ride the bike now so may as well pop the top bearing out.
Go to your LBS with it.
Other stuff: this bike will surely cope with (and be entirely suitable for) reasonable surfaces (light trails and gravel (prefer dry) as well as asphalt). The tyres are 37mm wide.
Schwalbe Citizen 700 x 37c, Kevlar guard. Kenda presta tube
Repeated punctures in the one tyre points to failure to find the cause of the 'first' one. Did the tyre puncture in the same place each time. (Get one of the punctured tubes, pump to find hole, compare with valve position and check those sections of tyre eg 5 o'clock and 7 o'clock from valve.)
Was the hole on the inside or outside of the radius (eg incision through tyre tread or rim tape fail)?
Buy puncture repair kit and start patching (if not already done).

Hi, thanks for taking the time to respond and advise. Appreciated. Yes, I ditched the first few punctured innertubes, as I was out and about when I changed them. I do think there is a micro issue inside the tyre and I kept the last one to do as you say. It was a puncture on the outside. However, I will invest in a new tyre, a marathon plus. Thanks for the links to parts. I took it to LBS and they have ordered the headset bearings for a very reasonable cost and will be back on the bike next week. They did give the bike a good going over and told me it was in good shape. When I got the bike, I noticed the headset spaces where disformed which indicated the bold was overtightened which is likely where the bearings broke.

Best Wishes and thanks again.

MarkJ

 

[MarkJ]

Good going so far
Halfords are a national network of shops and the service varies massively between shops it just depends on the staff expertise which you have no control over . I would recommend finding a local bike shop (lbs) you feel comfortable with .with the sounds like you had a poor experience with the the one you tried . I suspect the mechanic rather then trying to rip you off was recommending future proofing your bike from future failures chain components wear out . The problem buying 2nd hand you have little or now idea of the bikes history or service level .
I'd guess the bearing ( headset bearing ) won't be any special it's just bowing the correct size ,can you read any numbers in it ? Or Google Boardman ( inserts your bike ) headset bearing and see what comes up .
Advice to any beginner don't get carried away and do too much rest days are important and don't push to hard just enjoy . There's always someone faster than you and you are quicker than more people than you think

Cheers, Yes, I agree, enthusiastic start was driven by weight loss and feeling good. The bike is getting repaired so I have option but to take a break until next week. Been doing some light exercise bike sessions in the gym to keep the legs going and fat burn. Boring and doesn't come close to being out in the fresh air. I have no expectation of keeping up with the racing snakes. I'm happy if I can average 20kmph. I'm currently 19. I intend to do 80km rides over the coming months to build up some endurance. Reason being, I really want to give bike packing a go and do so long rides, I suppose speed will not matter then, like you say, enjoy the ride for what it is.

Bes Wishes

MarkJ

 

[MarkJ]

Firstly, well done for sticking at it, losing weight and discovering the simple magic of riding a bike. It lends itself very well to all shapes and sizes, as you've discovered, and is kind to the joints unlike other pursuits. You've invested in a Boardman, which isn't a bad start. All bikes are usually fixable unless your frame's bust. Parts can be replaced, wheels can be rebuilt. What you have to decide is do you do it yourself or do you put it in the capable hands of your local bike shop? Halfords is often the first place folks think of to get their bike fixed but where there's a Halfords there's usually an alternative. If the alternative is proper old school so much the better because they'll have years of experience and their business sinks or swims on their service and expertise. If you choose this route initially don't get thinking a service will put everything right. A service usually covers set tasks, a bit like a car service, and will have a potential list of recommended jobs that need doing that aren't covered in a regular service. So....you may decide to sort your own maintenance out.

If you go down the DIY route you cut out the labour costs of the shop mechanic and it enables you to buy parts online. You should only do this if you know what to buy otherwise you'll end up with a part you can't use and you may not get a refund. You'll need to invest in a number of specialist tools which you may only use once in a blue moon. The upside is it's very satisfying getting something to work that didn't work before. There are books you can get which will show you the basics and even some of the more difficult jobs, like the ones you can get for cars like Haynes. Don't overstretch yourself. Learn the simple stuff to start with....changing cables, changing brake pads/blocks, changing a cassette, changing a chain, removing a bottom bracket, etc. Use YouTube and especially anything Park Tools throws out for consumption. Soak up bike know-how like a sponge.

And don't pack it in now you've discovered the 'secret' of cycling. We can all ride a bike when the sun's out but it's cycling all year through that makes a cyclist. You're amongst friends now so pick everyone's brains. And when you're out don't forget to give a wave to that rider on the bike coming towards you on the road/path.....he or she could be a Cycle Chatter 👍

Thanks Big John. I will for the most part gear towards self maintenance. Big fan of Youtube and agree it is satisfying being self sufficient and having the confidence that comes with it. Start with the simple stuff and invest in some basic tools.

I think I will spend the summer getting fitter and used to some long rides and perhaps then look to join a local club to meet some like minded people and get out and about with them. I guess all levels will be catered for. Clearly with summer approaching, now is a great time. I do intended to keep at it all year round. I will invest in some cold weather gear for winter. I see lots of people on Youtube like cycling in the winter. It appears with the right clothes, cold is not the issue, but wind. My wife is up for a cycling break / holiday. I heard a podcast about a trip from Vienna to Budapest along the Danube. It is a 2% decline all the way. I tend to throw myself into things 100% and go extreme. Just my character, but she will keep things real when together at least. Thanks for taking the time to respond. Appreciated.

Best Wishes

MarkJ