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

[Big_Dave]

I thought it would be a blindingly good idea to go test my new bike with the flu and never having ridden drop bar before, while living in derbyshire. It was not.

http://www.strava.com/activities/194829045

uphill was hard, (185 ft in 2.5 miles) and downhill was terrifying but I got the whole steering, changing gear and braking thing down. Need to sort out gears as they are hello jumpy. Right now, I only like the drops, because brakes.

edit: I picked that route because I had been meaning to go look at cock alley for a while.

Hady hill will give you a good work out

 

[Kev.1995]

Well done. Your fitness improves quickly when you first start if you get out regularly.
Is that your date of birth in your username? I wish it was mine. I seem to be the other way round. Lol.

Yes it is! Living near the peaks all my rides seem to have at least 1,500+ft gain. Its hard work but the views are spectacular!

 

[Learnincurve]

Hady hill will give you a good work out

I hate Hady hill with a blinding passion, it's just too dangerous at the times of day I would be riding up it. I like Dark Lane for hill training and have you been down the roads behind the hospital? Fabulous fabulous roads only used by people going to the golf course. It's not on a lot of maps but if you go in the second entrance as you go up the hill and then keep going right and past the works you come to a gravel cut though. You can then go left and it takes you to the station or right and then first left and it brings you out further up just past the hall.

 

[Big_Dave]

I keep away from calow, been in that hospital more times than I care to remember,Closest I've been on the bike is I've been up the trail at Arkwright up to Rother valley, around Sutton spring woods and sutton scarsdale

 

[Learnincurve]

I keep away from calow, been in that hospital more times than I care to remember,Closest I've been on the bike is I've been up the trail at Arkwright up to Rother valley, around Sutton spring woods and sutton scarsdale

I was meaning to ask you, do you sometimes cycle in military clothing?

 

[Big_Dave]

I was meaning to ask you, do you sometimes cycle in military clothing?

No mate, on the road bike either Tomato Ketchup jersey or a Pukka Pies Jersey, on the mtb I wear a Giant Jersey

 

[matth411]

Last commute to work for 4 days this evening. Past few days have been incident free but it was the weekend. This time though...
Roundabout 100 yards from my house a car doesn't see me/look. I have to slam on the brakes and slide to a stop to miss his back bumper. Then 2 miles in, traffic slowing down for a car to right, parked cars on the left and an idiot doesn't realise/care that I cannot ride through parked cars and clips my arm with the wing mirror. I gesture at him to look where he is going and get a 2 fingered salute. And from then just numerous cars not giving space to the point I got fed up and caught up with one at traffic lights and stayed in primary for half a mile so he couldn't go anywhere.

Non of this was happening 2 months ago but my boss has pushed our start time back half an hour which incidentally makes a huge difference in my safety. Emailed her and I didn't get a response.

Stay safe guys.

 

[worldie]

I managed my first 40+ ride on Sunday. Took me 2hours 30 mins. I seem to really struggle mid-way though the ride then get second wind.

 

[Justinslow]

I've just put a shorter stem on my ventura too, taking it down from 120mm to 90mm. Just felt it was a bit of a stretch to the bars, this one seems great just sitting on the bike but I haven't ridden it yet so will see.
One positive, I've just shed 30g from the bike in the switch, wonder if I'll notice the reduced weight?

 

[Stonechat]

Think the adjustable angle stem is good on my bike
I recently moved the saddle back forward again (after moving it back), and saddle also up.
Due to not having ridden drop handlebars for a long time when I got the bike, I flipped the stem and set the angle to +16 deg. I am now nearing the time when I can adjust the angle down a little.

Position s mostly ok , but from about 40 mles onward I do start experiencing a little stiffness, nothing too bad, but think something could be better

 

[Nomadski]

Ok so I have only done commuting to and from work plus one 80k since mid August. All due to work and social commitments. However a week off work is ahead of me so today is bike cleaning, puncture repairing and banana shopping.
A 150k ride is planned for tomorrow. Lymington, new forest, Shaftesbury and back. Cheeky night ride Reading to lymington. Plus maybe out to Weymouth.
I could have spent the holidays putting together flat pack furniture but that can wait.

Blimey, 80k to 150k is a bit of a distance hike! Make sure you drink plenty to avoid cramp.

Last commute to work for 4 days this evening. Past few days have been incident free but it was the weekend. This time though...
Roundabout 100 yards from my house a car doesn't see me/look. I have to slam on the brakes and slide to a stop to miss his back bumper. Then 2 miles in, traffic slowing down for a car to right, parked cars on the left and an idiot doesn't realise/care that I cannot ride through parked cars and clips my arm with the wing mirror. I gesture at him to look where he is going and get a 2 fingered salute. And from then just numerous cars not giving space to the point I got fed up and caught up with one at traffic lights and stayed in primary for half a mile so he couldn't go anywhere.

Non of this was happening 2 months ago but my boss has pushed our start time back half an hour which incidentally makes a huge difference in my safety. Emailed her and I didn't get a response.

Stay safe guys.

Winds me up when cars stuck in jams don't leave any space over for you to get past, when they know you are there.

 

[dee.jay]

Toying with a 16 mile ride tomorrow in a new direction and back (round trip) think I'll try it and see how I get on.....

 

[matth411]

@Nomadski Since the boss moved our start time back, the amount of incidents that I have dodged just by being alert to what other drivers are doing is amazing. At least 3 times per commute to work. Including one guy who was texting and not watching the road till I knocked on his window for A. being too damn close to me and B. heading towards the back of a stopped car. Sure he might have seen it eventually but wasn't showing signs of slowing down with 20 yards to go. As mentioned before, I have emailed my boss about changing the start time back to original but she didn't reply. It seems that half an hour allows every business to finish and get on the road for 6pm, when I leave my house.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

@matth411 it will settle by the end of the month. September is always a bad month commuting with rush hour traffic for me as well. All you can do is make yourself seen - bright front and rear lights and something brighter than normal for clothing (not my normal approach but sometimes you just have to make it obvious to drivers). They are all still adapting to the 'new' routine, back from holidays, trying to hold onto those memories and not get bogged down with work, as well as the dealing with kids routine... once it gets darker again, with lights on you will stand out much more clearly and have your space back.
My old commute was that bad that the police knew exactly who I was - if there had been an incident with no injuries, I would just say 'the cyclist at such and such a school' to all parties and carry on to work... After 7 years of cycling that route (one the corners, & 3 junctions were known black spots with the corner usually managing to kill at least 3 or 4 people each year through no fault of its own) the police pretty much knew exactly who I was. I would witness at least 5 incidents per commute (so 5 each way!) and it was getting to be too stressful (to the point where I would actually look away so as not to have to witness yet another incident)... If there were injuries involved I would stay for the police to arrive and then leave.

There is not point in getting stressed over it - I know you are probably thinking what does she know about it, how can I not get stressed/angry over it... well its not going to change the situation or make your commute any easier, all you can do is look back at each situation and work out if you took the best approach - so for a long line of cars that you can't get passed, what about the other side of the road - overtake them as a motorbike would? In certain circumstances this works just fine (and is one I will be using shortly on my 22 mile commute). Just watch for right hand signals, junctions etc and be VERY careful at these areas - only do it with no oncoming vehicles and pull back over when vehicles start to move again. As for going up the inside - I don't unless the vehicles are stationary and clearly not going to be moving - so red traffic lights only. I just wait like a car would otherwise and I have found that drivers cut me much more slack for that approach. Take each commute as a learning experience and evaluate who you could have responded differently to make the situation better/easier. It does not matter who is at fault here - it is your response to the situation that counts and just let go of the stress and agro.

As for your boss, when you have a cool head on you, go and talk to them rather than email, if you feel you can keep a cool head about it. Otherwise involve HR - that is what they are there for. Just point out that the time change is causing you safety issues with the roads and ask them to find out if there is a reason as to why it could not go back to what it was. If your company does not have a HR person (I know not all do) then email your boss again with a copy of your last email and cc in their boss and ask politely for a reply to your email. Use read receipts so you know when it has been opened. If that fails, then take it directly to their boss and escalate it, again keeping it polite and civil at all times.

 

[Stonechat]

@matth411 it will settle by the end of the month. September is always a bad month commuting with rush hour traffic for me as well. All you can do is make yourself seen - bright front and rear lights and something brighter than normal for clothing (not my normal approach but sometimes you just have to make it obvious to drivers). They are all still adapting to the 'new' routine, back from holidays, trying to hold onto those memories and not get bogged down with work, as well as the dealing with kids routine... once it gets darker again, with lights on you will stand out much more clearly and have your space back.
My old commute was that bad that the police knew exactly who I was - if there had been an incident with no injuries, I would just say 'the cyclist at such and such a school' to all parties and carry on to work... After 7 years of cycling that route (one the corners, & 3 junctions were known black spots with the corner usually managing to kill at least 3 or 4 people each year through no fault of its own) the police pretty much knew exactly who I was. I would witness at least 5 incidents per commute (so 5 each way!) and it was getting to be too stressful (to the point where I would actually look away so as not to have to witness yet another incident)... If there were injuries involved I would stay for the police to arrive and then leave.

There is not point in getting stressed over it - I know you are probably thinking what does she know about it, how can I not get stressed/angry over it... well its not going to change the situation or make your commute any easier, all you can do is look back at each situation and work out if you took the best approach - so for a long line of cars that you can't get passed, what about the other side of the road - overtake them as a motorbike would? In certain circumstances this works just fine (and is one I will be using shortly on my 22 mile commute). Just watch for right hand signals, junctions etc and be VERY careful at these areas - only do it with no oncoming vehicles and pull back over when vehicles start to move again. As for going up the inside - I don't unless the vehicles are stationary and clearly not going to be moving - so red traffic lights only. I just wait like a car would otherwise and I have found that drivers cut me much more slack for that approach. Take each commute as a learning experience and evaluate who you could have responded differently to make the situation better/easier. It does not matter who is at fault here - it is your response to the situation that counts and just let go of the stress and agro.

As for your boss, when you have a cool head on you, go and talk to them rather than email, if you feel you can keep a cool head about it. Otherwise involve HR - that is what they are there for. Just point out that the time change is causing you safety issues with the roads and ask them to find out if there is a reason as to why it could not go back to what it was. If your company does not have a HR person (I know not all do) then email your boss again with a copy of your last email and cc in their boss and ask politely for a reply to your email. Use read receipts so you know when it has been opened. If that fails, then take it directly to their boss and escalate it, again keeping it polite and civil at all times.

Excelent advice. When something/someone at work get you riled, nly deal with it when calm. I would write an email when hot under the collar, save the draft and check it and tone it down to more reasonable language the next day