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

[Mark1978]

Absolutely stoked with this segment. I'm getting closer and closer to KOM. 5th position now out of well over 300

http://www.strava.com/activities/172681608/segments/4028442474

Did a 16 miler tonight at 18.3mph average. To think that less than 6 months ago I was overweight and completely unfit after a couple of decades sat behind a computer all day with no exercise. Down to nearly 12 stone (im 6ft) from 14 stone in March.

Why isn't everyone doing this?? (and why haven't i been doing this all my life???)

 

[Ransom1980]

Hi all i brought my first road bike today a Carrera TDF 2014 and was out on it within an hour, 2nd bike ride in about 10years (first was 2.7km on a mtb)
so today

Biked 14.00 km on 29/07/2014
Distance 14.0km
Duration 47:1m
Avg Speed 17.8 km/h

Ill hopefully get faster with practice all new as never ridden a road bike before

 

[stevey]

Thanks all for the get better messages

 

[welsh dragon]

Hi all i brought my first road bike today a Carrera TDF 2014 and was out on it within an hour, 2nd bike ride in about 10years (first was 2.7km on a mtb)
so today

Biked 14.00 km on 29/07/2014
Distance 14.0km
Duration 47:1m
Avg Speed 17.8 km/h

Ill hopefully get faster with practice all new as never ridden a road bike before

Well done and congratulations on your achievement. Onwards and upwards.

 

[Jhey]

Here's some recent rides on my day off from work that I've done

http://www.strava.com/activities/172504177
http://www.strava.com/activities/169938068
http://www.strava.com/activities/166727970

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Mark1978 because its hard work to start with, the roads can be intimidating ect... It is changing though, what we need to get through to people that with the right kit cycling in the rain is no bad thing as well, then those that revert to their cars over winter in the rain ect.. will stay on their bikes.

@Ransom1980 if thats your year birth and you have been in Buxton all your life, I was at school in Buxton when you were born. Yea it will get better/faster and a nice place to cycle around, if not a little tough to start with.

 

[Mark1978]

@Nigelnaturist im more worried about the dark in the winter than the rain. I'm doing my first commute to work tomorrow, its 36 miles each way but i finally feel that im ready to do that kind of distance one day a week. Not sure if i'll be able to manage over winter as it's a 6 am start and get back home for about 6:30 pm.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

@Nigelnaturist im more worried about the dark in the winter than the rain. I'm doing my first commute to work tomorrow, its 36 miles each way but i finally feel that im ready to do that kind of distance one day a week. Not sure if i'll be able to manage over winter as it's a 6 am start and get back home for about 6:30 pm.

Have a look at this thread regarding lights http://www.cyclechat.net/threads/lights-cree-xml-xm-l-t6-u2-etc-thread.117285/ - start from the back of the thread as it will detail the newer lights.

I'm currently setting of at 5:30am and get home around 18:30 - do it five days a week, your body quickly gets used to it, though it will get shortened in the winter.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@Nigelnaturist im more worried about the dark in the winter than the rain. I'm doing my first commute to work tomorrow, its 36 miles each way but i finally feel that im ready to do that kind of distance one day a week. Not sure if i'll be able to manage over winter as it's a 6 am start and get back home for about 6:30 pm.

I find it is easier in the dark (helps if you know the roads) because you can tell where vehicles are behind you much more easily and your lights are much more obvious at night. But you will need to get yourself some decent lights. I use off-road lights for when I do my 21 mile each way commute and in winter I have found that I need 2 of them, 1 for the way out and one for the way back because on the quiet unlit country lanes I ride, I need the light on full and that only gives me enough for 1 1/2 journeys on a single light.... good luck with your commute. Have you considered a one way, one day, return the next day approach instead of trying to do both way the same day. I only ask because I know how much it takes out of me (though my health is not great) when I do my 21 miles each way two or three times a week and I am only effectively working part-time at the other end.

 

[Mark1978]

I did consider leaving the car at work overnight, but I do feel quite comfortable in terms of the distance so I thought id give this a go. I suppose sitting down at my desk all day to recover isn't much different to lying in bed (although i know it ACTUALLY is).

I seem to recover quite quickly from 30 mile rides and dont feel too bad after 60. If it's too much then it's too much and i'll either try a different approach or move house to be closer

I bought myself a set of lights yesterday as the nights are starting to draw in

http://www.halfords.com/cycling/accessories/lights-reflectors/cat-eye-bike-light-set-el130-ld130

Got a feeling that they wont be quite good enough for long commutes in the dark, but good enough for leisure riding/daytime commuting at the moment.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Mark1978 as @Supersuperleeds says have a look at the T6 lights, you can get wide angle adaptors for them which is useful, a flatter broader beam, also a swivel mount, this is more usful in that it holds the light rigid opposed to it tending to bounce on the rubber O rings, the battery pack will last up to 3hrs on full, but once the orange warning light comes on they die pretty quickly as I found out last Nov and had to walk 5 miles home, even on medium they are pretty bright and will just about do country lanes, options are to get two that way you have two battery packs and a spare light.
I have done a 40 mile ride with one pretty much on full beam, though i did turn it down going through light up areas.

 

[Mark1978]

Cheers Nigel, looked through one of the linked threads and they look good. i'll probably order one from china (aliexpress are awesome) as they are considerably cheaper and im not in any rush. Will carry my current light as an emergency one in case i run out of battery.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/BEST...ED-Bicycle-Light-Free-shipping/513530087.html

 

[Stonechat]

Did a ride this morning
31.6 miles @ 15.85 mph with 833 feet of climbing
Went over Chertsey Bridge and headed through Thorpe to Windsor Great Park, through the Deer Park, towards Winkfield/Cranbourne
Back through Virginia Waters and Chertsey

Not too hot not too much traffic but was a little blustery

Strava has some issu at present to not uploaded but it can be see nere
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/552960100
Wll post the Strava ride as it becomes available

 

[Nigelnaturist]

@Stonechat or here http://www.strava.com/activities/172958073
Nice haul of p.b's to.

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Did a ride this morning
31.6 miles @ 15.85 mph with 833 feet of climbing
Went over Chertsey Bridge and headed through Thorpe to Windsor Great Park, through the Deer Oark, towards Winkfield/Cranbourne
Back through Virginia Waters and Chertsey

Not too hot not too much traffic but was a little blustery

Strava has some issu at present to not uploaded but it can be see nere
http://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/552960100
Wll post the Strava ride as it becomes available

Strava is now back up and running