12 + a mph average = little bit to for the last 4 weeks BUT happy to plod on 10/15 milers building up slowly on my Hybrid/commuter/flat bar racer ? Tachyon GT4..
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Where's that to? It was such a nice day yestarday ,i spent all day working in the nice weather exited about a sunday ride and now it's pouring.I think it depends on what you want on your ride.
Yesterday was sunny and warm so we made a few ham rolls and cycled the country lanes. Speed and distance didnt matter. My hybrid is just so good for this and the wifes bike is a hybrid as well so it means we are on equal machines.
(A pic of our snack break)
As some of you will probably already know, i've only been on a bike since July this year after not sitting on one for probably 20 years, i'm 44 years old, still slightly overweight although i've already lost about 2.5 stone this year, i bought a hybrid with front suspension (which is mostly locked off) & knobbly 700x45 tyres, i bought the bike to help me try & shift another stone in weight but have been well hooked since i've started
Trouble is now that when i'm out which is almost always on the road i'm looking on in envy watching the roadies wafting by in complete silence as oppose to the wurring buzz of my tyres on the road......not to mention now i've just discovered Strava & i'm feeling a bit ...erm Slow in comparison to alot of people on there ha ha (still have my old competetive spirit but not the fitness ha ha)
The question i suppose i'm asking is would a road bike make much difference to me in terms of fitness/speed & the ability to get the miles in to someone like me or should i just stick to my bike & work on my general fitness/weight ?
Plus.......they are damn sexy !!!
Where's that to? It was such a nice day yestarday ,i spent all day working in the nice weather exited about a sunday ride and now it's pouring.
Earlier this year I met up with a few guys from another forum and we set off on a fairly gentle 30 miler. I thought I was fit and I'd been cycling for around the same time as the other guys who were of a similar age to me. We were all on £500-900 road bikes and so, equally matched.
Blow me, but they kept disappearing into the distance and I just couldn't keep up. I was embarrassed and to be honest, the whole thing nearly scunnered me with cycling. But, it made me re-think what I want out of it. I figured there was no way I was going to be a racing snake so I've bought a Tricross and I'm looking to explore the old drover roads and military roads around here, as well as commuting to home games 12 miles away at Falkirk every 2nd Saturday. Interestingly, my average speeds on tarmac are almost the same as with the Secteur this time last year.
One of the guys in that group has joined a club, bought a carbon bike and is doing 40 milers at an average 25mph! While I'm seriously impressed, I think I'm happy plodding along at 15mph
I seem to have peaked at about 14 mph after 3 months, but the miles and hills are getting easier. When i did this ride yesterday I though it would be my most difficult ride to date, turns out it wasn't quite, though I did do it at my quickest speed for hight and distance to date.
