Oh dear... first ride :-/

[amnesia]

Well, I picked up my Boardman Road Comp from Halfords yesterday afternoon, and I am pleased to say that they had the saddle on the right way round and the front wheel pointed in the same direction as the bars

I chose a load of accessories (new helmet, jerseys, lock, pump, inner tubes, GT85, bottle & cage, multitool etc) with the remainder of my C2W voucher, chucked them in the back of my wife's car, apart from the helmet, and wobbled off on my way home.

It's probably less than 3 miles in total but the short 15 minute ride home confirmed one thing...

I am as unfit as a seriously unfit thing

I got home, put the bike round the back of the house, downed 2 pints of water and fell asleep on the sofa for 2 hours, shattered

The training starts tonight nice and easy for a few weeks methinks.


The bike is lovely though (from what I can remember of the ride home). The gears were nice and slick - mostly Tiagra, but with 105 rear mech. Is it the done thing to remove the reflectors and bell ? I am not going to be riding in the dark for a long while so I can't see what benefit reflectors are, and I can shout louder than the bell.

Off to order a VDO c4 now to keep track of my progress.

Daniel.


PS - how grim do I look with a tight jersey and a belly ?

 

[Sh4rkyBloke]

Oh my God - you rode it home with the bell still on it????????????

 

[marinyork]

Keep up the good work. 3 miles in 15 mins = good commute time in my books.

You don't legally need to have a bell at all or a front reflector, a good idea to take off both if you put bits and bobs on your handlebars. A rear reflector is required.

 

[nilling]

Oh my God - you rode it home with the bell still on it????????????

Beat me to it - ping ping!

 

[Angelfishsolo]

I think that it is cool to be uncool and so I'd say leave the reflectors and bell on it.
As for the belly and tight top - Look at it this way, you will far more easily see the reduction of excess weight

 

[ianrauk]

Lol reminds me when I got back on the bike after 20 years... 1&Half miles to station, downhill... brilliant... except that meant uphill on the way back... 10 Minutes to cycle back & 30 minutes recovery

 

[Steve B]

Good for you! If you think a jersey looks bad with a belly though, wait until you put a figure hugging base layer on! On me at least it is not a good look

 

[amnesia]

A rear reflector is required.

Ahh... didn't know that. It is quite tiny and fits below the saddle so it can go back on. I am guessing the wheel reflectors aren't mandatory.

 

[ACS]

PS - how grim do I look with a tight jersey and a belly ?

Err, the same as all the rest of us UOD's [Unfit Old Duffers]

Welcome to the 'clan'

 

[just4fun]

3.5miles in 14 mins is my pb commute. your not as unhealthy as you think.... or.... im even more unhealthy than i thought!

Grats on the bike though.

 

[Angelfishsolo]

For a comprehensive list of requirements see here http://www.ctc.org.uk/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabID=3522

Ahh... didn't know that. It is quite tiny and fits below the saddle so it can go back on. I am guessing the wheel reflectors aren't mandatory.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Well done for making the start with cycling - and the '2 pints of water, and falling asleep on the sofa' made I larf!

We've all got to start somewhere, and you've made the start. I'm proud of my 70+ total miles yesterday, with 66 in 5 and a half hours, but that is just a 'walk-in-the-park' for lots here..

Be hapy to do what you can - I've lost nearly 2 stone in 5 years!

Well done - keep it up, and cracking bike by the way!

 

[skrx]

Is it the done thing to remove the reflectors and bell ? I am not going to be riding in the dark for a long while so I can't see what benefit reflectors are, and I can shout louder than the bell.

In an emergency, it will always be better to shout (and you'll be reaching for the brakes rather than the bell).

I have a bell, and I use it on a shared cycle/pedestrian path sometimes -- generally if I'm not in the mood to say something out loud. I don't think I've ever used it on a road.

Good luck, anyway! I was collapsing in front of the TV (most unlike me) when I started cycling in January. I'm much better now.

 

[ellis]

May as well take all the reflectors off. Look shite and were in summer time now anyway, if you do use it when its dark just get a set of lights. Sod the bell of as well.

 

[amnesia]

May as well take all the reflectors off. Look shite and were in summer time now anyway, if you do use it when its dark just get a set of lights. Sod the bell of as well.

I have got a mini LED rear light that I will use during the day anyway... better to be safe than sorry.

Actually looking forwards to getting home and doing some exercise tonight - I hope it lasts