Show us your.......newbie progress! [4 Sep 2012 - 4 Oct 2014]

[Nigelnaturist]

Your a hard brave man nigel

Not really, the average wind speed I ride in according to garmin is about 10mph, I have just started keep a log of which rides had rain though I did log how much using sporttracks up till about Oct, I just have a yes/no field if it rained now, also its not often even in quite heavy rain you get totally wet, anyway its more fun getting wet

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@SatNavSaysStraightOn
I used to drive an HGV HiHab (being a flat bed everything was sheeted, that was fun in high winds), I lived in Featherstone W, Yorks and had a 50 mile drive on a Monday morning to Manchester, having only the one car the O.H. came over and took the car back and picked me up on the Friday night, starts and finishes could very to start on a Sunday or finish on a Sat, sometimes I would have to be on the road by 4am on the Monday to make an 8.30 delivery in London if it was a S.W. delivery Cornwell thats when I would start on the Sunday.
The best I think I every did was 5 drops 4 in London 2 N. London 1 in the centre one Charlton and the last in Guilford after 5, by the time I had finished the drop I had about 35 mins to find somewhere to park up, (max drive time being 10hrs) ended up in a layby on the A31 I think with about 5 mins spare.

 

[matth411]

Well, Nissan Micra bonnets are not comfortable! But before I get to that... I was going past a entry slip road and a black Mercedes nearly hit me. Had the window wound down and the stench of weed was overpowering, got within about 2 foot from my back wheel until I shouted at him/them. They laughed. Then the aforementioned Micra tried doing a U-turn. Stopped halfway through the U-turn, I was half way past him looking at him through the windscreen while he was talking to his passenger in the back seat face to face. Just as I got my front wheel past his bonnet he accelerated. Which meant my back tyre was on his front bumper and sliding towards the kerb with me shouting at him. He stopped as my hands hit the bonnet with force. His passenger in the back, an old woman, wound her window down and (regrettably and with a dose of adrenaline) I unleashed a torrent of shouting and swearing. I am not proud of this. I asked through the back window if the driver saw me, he said he didnt. I wear a high viz gilet at all times, how he didnt see me is odd. I politely (by this time the adrenaline was down) told him that if he cant see a cyclist through his windscreen, he shouldnt be driving. Then with jelly legs rode off. Then!! It rained. And it was torrential rain. Got to work soaked. But apart from those two incidents, the bike was running fantastically. My legs didnt feel sore after the step up of miles the other day so yeah. Happy and dry in my office now.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@matth411 Glad your ok, I did the same when someone pulled out on me, Hi-Viz Cree-T6 how you miss one of those in the dark is beyond me.

These days I dont wear Hi-viz but if light is dodgy like today I have my front light on, if anyone says owt to me about being in grey I just say ditto with you car without lights (as a large number are grey)

 

[matth411]

The funny part was, yesterday my grandmother said that people over 65 shouldnt drive because they are a liability. The two in the car looked like they were in their 80s. Their glasses were, basically, milk bottles. I have no idea how he didnt see me, if he watched where he was going he would have made eye contact with me. But yeah, I am all good now the adrenaline has worn off. And bike doesnt seem to have any damage.

 

[L14M]

The funny part was, yesterday my grandmother said that people over 65 shouldnt drive because they are a liability. The two in the car looked like they were in their 80s. Their glasses were, basically, milk bottles. I have no idea how he didnt see me, if he watched where he was going he would have made eye contact with me. But yeah, I am all good now the adrenaline has worn off. And bike doesnt seem to have any damage.

Glad your alright, that said I know a fair few great pilots who are over 65.. in fact one has been flying for 65 years..

Not got a ride in today but will tomorrow hopefully!

Liam

 

[morrisman]

So had a bike fit yesterday and very effective it would appear to have been. Been out tonight for a quick blast after the rain finally gave up and my average speed over my hilly loop is up by 1.5 mph (10%) and the bike is so much more comfortable, knee pain has gone :-) Some longer rides will be needed to fully test the new fit but it looks like money very well spent. If it was not for a visit from the fairy it would have been a fine ride.

http://www.saddlesafari.co.uk/tips/bike-fit/

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I have been slower the last two days yesterday by 2mph on the previous few days but I was carry 2Kg's or so most of it today by 1mph and about an extra Kg or so, so by my maths 1Kg or so = 1mph or so, so on a 9Kg bike 3 Kg's at base weight lighter than mine I should manage 19mph.

I did set 4p.b.'s but they were all on the same 5 mile stretch, but I found the 2nd and 3rds going up hill into the wind more useful

http://app.strava.com/activities/144634946

 

[Stonechat]

that is one of the disadvantages of using a bike as your only mode of transport! We only have the one car, my OH was away from home last night and my only way of getting to a hospital appointment was to grin and bear it as they say (hope that is the right bear!) But I have been using my bike as my only form of transport for around 10 years and sometimes you get very very wet.

We have just one car
It was part of the decision to take early retirement.
Cycling was though as just part of the decision so I had transport when Mrs Stonechat was using car.
Look where I am now!

 

[Effyb4]

I am the only driver in our family and I get fed up with ferrying everyone about. I don't mind driving, but sometimes it is nice to enjoy the scenery and explore parts of the countryside by bike.

I'd love our family to go completely carless, but I don't think it is going to be practical. Both my husband and I have health issues, which require regular monitoring, we both work and we have three teenage children.

 

[welsh dragon]

Only my son, son in law and I drive. As they are at work all day, I get roped Into ferrying everyone around, that includes daughter and grandchildren. Its like being a taxi.....

 

[welsh dragon]

Lets hope some of us can get out and about this weekend ladies and gents. Have fun.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I'd love our family to go completely car less, but I don't think it is going to be practical. Both my husband and I have health issues, which require regular monitoring, we both work and we have three teenage children.

I don't think this is an option for many because of how society is structured these days, and the fact that in general the human is generally lazy in nature, its not until @Stonechat said you see the benefits from cycling and you realise how beneficial it is to you in your general health, putting aside avg speeds elevation ect the one of the biggest improvements I have noticed is that adverse conditions don't bother me very much now, this could be an indication my mental health is a little stronger (mind you when I consider the jobs i have done over the years maybe not), or is it an acceptance that we live on a wet windy bunch of islands, speaking of which since the bike as been deluged over the last few days I am off to see if I can get at least an hours dry ride.

I dont want to do much today, but I have two targets I want to try and meet the first I should do, the second is a little bit tougher and I am not sure if I can do it, and while a short ride will bring down avg's it at least will bite into the targets.

 

[BrianEvesham]

Though it doesn't really matter as it's a rest day here ready for the 100k charity sportive tomorrow in Stratford on Avon.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I am the only driver in our family and I get fed up with ferrying everyone about. I don't mind driving, but sometimes it is nice to enjoy the scenery and explore parts of the countryside by bike.

I'd love our family to go completely carless, but I don't think it is going to be practical. Both my husband and I have health issues, which require regular monitoring, we both work and we have three teenage children.

Carless is not an option here either. We live rurally, not as rurally as we used to but still rurally. I also have major health issues as well, currently to the point where we have chosen that I don't work. The problem we have is that because people see me as fit, they also see me as fit & healthy. I'm not healthy... far from it. Unfortunately our society is not set up for either people who are not able to work or people living rurally. Public transport here is next to non-existent. Its not as bad as the last place I lived in where the nearest bus stop was 1/2 hr walk away for one of only 2 buses a day. Here in theory, if not in practice, there is a bus every hour! The fact that it costs over £6 rtn to the nearest town where my GP surgery is is beside the point, as is the fact that it takes over an hour (door to door) if I try to use the bus. I can cycle door to door to my Dr's in 25 mins even when my asthma is playing up and if it is that bad then the Dr will have to come to me or its 999 (I am a severe asthmatic with several nasty complications).