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

[stevey]

Might go and have a look at this over the next few days what do you all think??

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/orbea-a...a/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/48876

 

[mfc1876]

Did a ride again last night, same route as my last 2 times out as I've set myself a small goal of covering 50 miles this week. I've done 21 and a half so far but not sure if I'm out tonight yet. Slightly slower time last night but it was a bit windy and I stayed in the 11mph average speed category (11.2mph) so I'm happy with that!

 

[Supersuperleeds]

Strava has gone loopy! It thinks I have done over 1,000km this month and 25 hours of the time based challenge! In fact I have done 600km and 8.5 hours of the challenge. I suspect it is due to the upload problems on Monday morning and it has counted every attempted upload. Going to have to manually track where I really am until they fix it.

 

[mfc1876]

Might go and have a look at this over the next few days what do you all think??

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/orbea-a...a/bikes-components-bikewear/fcp-product/48876

I don't know much about specs n that but it looks very nice! There are some Carrera road bikes that have been on offer in Halfords for a bit now, gone from around £600 to around £300 - £350, are they any good? They had a Carrera TDF for £349 but that's just gone back up to £599. I've been eyeing this one up, not that I can afford it yet even on offer but I keep looking at it anyway lol!

 

[Reece]

I don't know much about specs n that but it looks very nice! There are some Carrera road bikes that have been on offer in Halfords for a bit now, gone from around £600 to around £300 - £350, are they any good? They had a Carrera TDF for £349 but that's just gone back up to £599. I've been eyeing this one up, not that I can afford it yet even on offer but I keep looking at it anyway lol!

The carrera bikes always seem to be on offer and always have a slight price increase before an offer. I have a carrera MTB and is good for what it is (got it very cheap). I've heard the road bikes are great entry level but most people go on about the triban more. Also heard people outgrow the carrera pretty quick and want to upgrade pretty soon after when they get hooked on road cycling.

If you got a great deal 2nd hand is get it to see how you like road bike. If not get a Btwin triban or save a little more for an entry level giant/trek/specialized etc.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

I don't know much about specs n that but it looks very nice! There are some Carrera road bikes that have been on offer in Halfords for a bit now, gone from around £600 to around £300 - £350, are they any good? They had a Carrera TDF for £349 but that's just gone back up to £599. I've been eyeing this one up, not that I can afford it yet even on offer but I keep looking at it anyway lol!

The way that Halfords do their pricing is a bit sneaky (in my opinion) in that the bikes are put at the high price long enough to meet the requirements of sales law, but then put "on offer" at a much lower price to make it look like you are getting a massive bargain.

The offer prices are usually more like the true value of the bikes.

Do you have a Decathlon store in easy reach? Their Triban models are well specced for the money and have a lot of fans.

Last year's red Triban 3 was considered to be probably the best value bike below £500.

 

[mfc1876]

I've seen a few people on here mention Triban's now. I've seen Giant mentioned a few times too. I'll have a look at them. Cheers.

 

[Puddles]

Today, I beat Nemesis #1 The trip to the local PYO farm shops a 5.3 mile round trip in the wind & rain complete with child trailer, 2 y/o & the usual harmonica encouragement

The way there is all up hill, not steep but a gentle slope all the way there, the upside is that it is downhill all the way home, which with full panniers & boot of fruit & veg is a very good thing.

I have no idea what speed I travelled at nor how long the actual ride took, as we shopped & chatted about when strawberries would be ready & also stopped at the post office & did passport things.

I do know I must have gathered a fair turn of speed at some points, judging by the whooping from the trailer and the shouts of Hee Ha (Yee Ha) Mama which are usually reserved for the speed her Grandad gets with her on his electric bike!

Nemesis #2 is the supermarket which is the same distance, in the same direction just a different turning near the end.

Nemesis # 3 is the Further away country park & is 4.1 miles away (All up hill again)

 

[BrianEvesham]

I've seen a few people on here mention Triban's now. I've seen Giant mentioned a few times too. I'll have a look at them. Cheers.

Yes, have a look here;

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html

 

[mfc1876]

Yes, have a look here;

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/triban-3-red-road-bike-id_8274036.html

Been looking for the last couple of hours and set my heart on one of those now. I see they also do them in white (think I prefer white) but both colours are out of stock. Checked ebay and there were 3 on there but because there's a wait of (according to one guy) 'months' to get one, they're not much cheaper than buying a new one. Can't afford one yet anyway as I say. I just like to decide on one, then look at it every now and then and dream of the day I can get it.

 

[MaxInc]

Been looking for the last couple of hours and set my heart on one of those now. I see they also do them in white (think I prefer white) but both colours are out of stock. Checked ebay and there were 3 on there but because there's a wait of (according to one guy) 'months' to get one, they're not much cheaper than buying a new one. Can't afford one yet anyway as I say. I just like to decide on one, then look at it every now and then and dream of the day I can get it.

I think the red ones with Shimano shifters are being discontinued and being replaced by the white ones with SRAM shifters. Also the red model has a carbon fork compared to aluminium fork on the white one. I've been today in Decathlon Lakeside and I've seen them on display (white model) and must say they look pretty nice.

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

As above ^^^ The white Triban 3 is a lower spec compared to last years. You don't get the carbon fork and the shifters and derailleurs are Microshift (not SRAM) rather than the Shimano fitted to the red one.

Specs here: Link

 

[stevey]

Was looking at triban as well but they are as rare as rocking horse s**t so just keep saving and see what comes mind tot i do like the orbea

 

[mfc1876]

Oh right, I want the red one now then lol! I think my nearest Decathlon store was Sheffield. Bit of a trip but I'd go get one if I had the cash and they had one in stock. I'll go for road tyres on the cheap mountain bike for now.

Edit: There's a red one available in the Warrington store lol

 

[sleaver]

Well, I'm officially stupid on several counts!

1) Had a cough recently but as I felt fine other than that I went for a ride. 30k later and it felt like I had swallowed barbwire and after going to bed at 10, I woke up at midnight in a cold sweet. I'm stubborn though so that's my excuse.
2) I drive past a road that's closed every day but you can get around it on a bike. So I thought coming from the other direction wouldn't be a problem. Nope, no getting past at the other end.
3) Another closed road but I could get around it by walking on the grass verge. Tried to clip back in but spent the next 10 minutes sitting on a wall picking mud out of the cleats with sticks that kept breaking because they were wet from rain.

Then one last one, first time clip less yesterday and had two moments. First was outside my front door. Clipped in my right foot and it was at a 6 o'clock position. Pushed off with my left and 'oh dear, can't pedal . Second was at a junction and I already had my left foot unclipped. I had to stop for a car but I must have had my weight to the right and whoops. Ended up with a small scratch on the right pedal and on on the RD. Not to pleased but at the end of the day it could have been worse I suppose.

Anyway, ended up with this and I found I was using higher gears with the new pedals.

http://app.strava.com/activities/59767079

During the ride I had a bit of a pain on the inside of my left knee and then today it feels stiff soft of behind the knee cap at the top but I have had problems with my left knee before I started cycling. I've heard that clip less pedals can cause knee pain so could it be that or should I see how the next ride (after I've got over what ever I've got) goes or should I look at moving the cleats? If I should move the cleats, how do you know what direction to move them in?