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

[RWright]

Kind of how I think. Really enjoyed my morning off. Just back an enjoyable 4 mile walk with the dog. No saddle sores and no sore back. Heaven!

I'm actually starting to find the whole high mileage thing a bit obsessive and think I will cut back and enjoy more rest days.

Looks like Mo is resting up for the May Massive so she comes out of the starting gate like an anti-ballistic missile.

 

[BrianEvesham]

Most said that they'd also had clipless moments!

I fear mine are in the future just waiting around the corner.
I haven't been out on the T3 with the clipless pedals yet as today was a family day, OH would not have been happy with me disappearing for a few hours as I have been busy at work for a few weeks and not around as much to help with the boys.
We have had some progress though, my eldest lad has been nagging me to drag an old MTB from the back of the garage for him to try out, I explained it would be to big for him yet as he isn't even 8 and it has 26 inch wheels! Anyway I thought if I pumped up the tyres and gave him a go that would be the end of it. Wrong.
He took to it like a duck to water;

I know it is to big for him but He rode around for 40 mins practicing stop starts with no problems to prove me wrong.
I always thought it was just a BSO but it seems to be well built and the same weight as his old bike here which was new last June;

I have promised new road tyres and a mild restoration for him as everything seems to work. Should be fun.

 

[SWSteve]

Managed to complete the 'Steve's super weekend challenge' where I wanted to do 100 miles. The climbs on the second half of today seemed like mountains...but I didn't have to walk at any point which is almost a bonus.
http://app.strava.com/activities/51183104

 

[Phoenix Lincs]

Well done ItsSteveLovell

 

[SWSteve]

I completed the 100k sportive I came home in a respectable 13th BUT not everyone set off at the same time so I will have to wait and see what my true placing is when they put the times/places online .The main "club group" was going at 17 MPH (ish) and I fell off the back of them so it was a sole effort for over half of it! Some of the boys pushing 17 MPH weren't even peddling and I was pushing a big gear just to keep up!! Although some of them had madones etc costing £4k+ so was happy to be just under 1 mph off their pace! I think it's time for new tyres and lighter wheels . Joking aside I think if I had some more "racey" type tyres I would have been able to keep up so its something to get before doing another one. The main thing was the weather was brilliant and I had good fun doing it .

I also made it over the 50% mark for April's challenge which is what I was aiming for .

Great work! Congrats on keeping up with the guys on the crazy bikes, and only being 1mph off is a great achievement. Hopefully the commute tomorrow won't be too hard

 

[SWSteve]

One thing I would like to gauge opinion on, terrible driving...have any of you experienced it and then complained to the company in question? It involved turning right where it's left turns only and then trying to beat me into a turn.

I don't want the guy to lose his job, but feel something should be said

 

[RWright]

One thing I would like to gauge opinion on, terrible driving...have any of you experienced it and then complained to the company in question? It involved turning right where it's left turns only and then trying to beat me into a turn.

I don't want the guy to lose his job, but feel something should be said

That is pretty much up to you. I would think about what I was going to say and try to be ready for even the worst response. Sometimes things may not come out and sound like you mean for them to.

An example of this recently happening to me is with this dog and it's owner. The Doberman has been running out at me at the road when I pass it's house. It comes out hard and fast, twice I have had to get on the brakes hard and unclip. I just naturally start yelling at the dog, come here you SOB, I have something for you. The next day the dogs lady owner is outside with the dog and I spot them and I hear her saying "stay Wolfpack, no stay Wolfpack! " but...Here comes Wolfpack like a bat out of hell anyway. I am thinking great, now I know he is out of control. I again have to unclip stop and get off. I am maybe 50 yards away from the lady and she is saying, just ride on the other side of the road. I say I can't always do that because cars are coming plus won't he run out in the road and possibly get ran over by a car? She really has no answer, I am not being aggressive at all and am looking for a solution and ask her would you like for me to pepper spray him? I think it will break him from doing it. Which I do and I was being sincere in trying to help her control here obviously out of control Doberman. I thought about it later, we were not close enough maybe for her to see and understand I was being sincere. It could have sounded like a threat after I thought about it as I rode along.

Just think about what you want to say and try not to get heated up if you don't get the response you think is appropriate.

 

[malcermie]

It was after, but, to be fair, I've fallen off before the fit too. I was actually stationary, had my left unclipped and was leaning to the left, but could NOT get my right foot out, and the action of frantically twisting it, knocked me off balance and over I went! The group i was riding with were lovely though, someone gave me a tissue to mop up the blood, and somebody else gave me a plaster. Most said that they'd also had clipless moments!

Had a similar moment last week, unclipped left foot then rested foot back on pedal and reclipped!!! Result, opps!!!

 

[MaxInc]

One thing I would like to gauge opinion on, terrible driving...have any of you experienced it and then complained to the company in question? It involved turning right where it's left turns only and then trying to beat me into a turn.

I don't want the guy to lose his job, but feel something should be said

While it may make you feel better for venting some steam, it is totally pointless since it would have no effect whatsoever on our future road experiences, and there will be plenty more to come.

You have to consider the driver's perspective. You are a slow, vulnerable and unpredictale road hazzard, with limited filed of vision and power. Any road vehicle would preffer you behind. As long as you are in front, you are an inconvenience to the traffic. Add to this image riders running red lights or holding traffic purposly and you can easily see that you are at a severe disadvantage.

They will want to get ahead as soon as possible and while most will be considerate and give you enough space, there will always be some who will misjudge your speed, intentions or the oncomming traffic and will pull out a dangerous manouvre.

Truth is you stand no chance in any confruntation and trying to file a complain or trying to educate them will likley make him / her disrespect bikers even more. Best is to become aware of your limitations on a pulic road and focus on what you can do keep yourself safe. Being considerate, using hand gestures and body language to help drives understand our intentions and tanking them every time you feel you've held them up for too long, will help improve the overal experience for both you and the other traffic.

Ride safe!

 

[DaveyM]

I work on sundays till about 1pm so only managed to get out for an hour today. The headwind certainly took its toll on my poor legs.
I strangley enjoyed how difficult it was

14 miles and considering a couple of days off the bike so I can go into the May Massive on full power.

Good work again everybody

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Well the day got better so I got a ride in.

Dossed around all day watching the rain. Highlight was Chelsea beating Swansea followed by Arsenal drawing with United. That made me happy.

At 5pm the weather looked stable so I togs up and off I went.

13.74 miles / 12.6 Av'.

Average was low as I deliberately chose a very hilly route that had me down in the valley and then 700' above it (not all in one hit I may add).

Weather turned rubbish. Got soaked 3 times. I got filthy and the bike was even worse. Lousy headwind down in the valley and nasty sidewind when I was out of it.

It is all peaceful, no wind and rain out there now - typical!

However......

.....I am dead chuffed I made the effort as for me it was a quite difficult route plus I have now done 101.4 miles for the month. Might be a bit more if I get time to go out Tuesday evening (no chance Monday).

Happiness is a dirty, windy bike ride!

***

Usual good stuff going on in the previous posts - well done to you all.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

Its the same whenever we do any sort of physical activity together but each year I do manage to drag her outside for some form of exercise. By the next year she's usually forgotten about not doing it ever again and agrees to another go. Can't wait to get back on my road bike though. Hired mountain bikes with bouncy suspension are comfy but far too slow.

I have this with Mrs SD when we go for walks. It always ends in tears as my slopes are her mountains. I try and explain that it is virtually impossible to do a decent Lakeland walk without any inclines - to no avail I must add.

 

[DaveyM]

Aaargh just noticed I have done 378.2 miles this month so I will have to go out and get more than 12 miles to break 400 for the month! I never thought I'd say anything like that a few months ago

 

[RWright]

Aaargh just noticed I have done 378.2 miles this month so I will have to go out and get more than 12 miles to break 400 for the month! I never thought I'd say anything like that a few months ago

Did you and SteveLovell have the same math teacher by any chance?

 

[DaveyM]

OMG I have to do 22 miles...its just gets worse.
Rocky have you never heard ignorance is bliss

Right then 22 miles it is