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

[AndyPeace]

I'm tired... just done another longest ride, over 31miles! My phone and/or Strava messed up and stopped exactly on 24miles http://www.strava.com/activities/77129668 but this is the entire ride http://ridewithgps.com/routes/3183358 .

I got so muddy cycling down NCN1, some parts are just a mud track and one part is literally a farmers field. I'm so glad I have a decent outside tap and hose to give the bike a quick spray down.

Great ride! 31 miles including mud tracks and field edges...I'd wager you could make 40+ if you stayed on the road, for the same energy as that ride. Not that I'm suggesting you do, it Looks like a nice bit of countryside, any good sightings at the reservoir?

 

[Biggler]

I'd wager you could make 40+ if you stayed on the road ... any good sightings at the reservoir?

I've already been thinking about getting a road bike, which I probably will do if I keep cycling up till next spring or so. But I do love taking my bike down tracks, not wet ones though, I think i'm spoilt with how good quality the Wynyard Woodland Park to Hurworth Burn Reservoir cycle route is.

No good sightings at the reservoir, last time I was there I saw hundreds of Geese. I did hear a lot of noisy sheep though!

 

[Exile]

Another day, another ride. This time I made it just under seven miles in just over three quarters of an hour (no precision here ). Not bad given I spent most of the ride in the lower gears working on my handling of the bike at slow speeds.

Lots of traffic out today, but they all seemed to be considerate drivers. I think I gave more thank you waves today than in the last two weeks combined. Of particular note was a Stagecoach driver who stopped and let me come through a line of parked cars, and a driver of a grey BMW(!) who waited patiently behind me whilst I spun my way up a hill at about 5-7 mph.

It's well worth practising drinking on the move, you just need confidence which you will not get unless you try. Ideally you should not let yourself get to feeling thirsty, drinking sips as often as every 15mins. By doing this fatigue is lessened and it's better for your body. Some bottle cages are really stiff and awkward and when I first tried I had a bottle cage from Aldi. It held the bottle too tightly and it was hard to get the water bottle in and out. I swapped it for an old metal one, I had on an old bike that came off freecycle (where people post up junk for collection) That was much better. The best tip I can think of to mastering this skill, is look forward at where your going, not down at the bottle and trust your instincts to find and replace the bottle... it's all down to being confident. I practised this on very quiet wide country lanes. Having practised this I now happily drink, whilst travelling at 20+ mph but that comes with time on the bike, not overnight. Obviously check behind you before doing anything on a bike and practice at speeds that are comfortable to you.

I've been practicing finding, removing and replacing the bottle whilst stationary, just so I know where to reach. Must look a bit of an indecisive plonker sitting in traffic, grabbing my bottle, bringing it to the bars putting it back, then repeating the whole thing. Still, given a few weeks ago I couldn't take a hand off the bars to signal without heading straight for the kerb or oncoming lane, I'm sure in a with a little more time I'll be able to drink whilst on the move. Time to start doing circuits of the local park. I've not practiced my drinking there since I was 15

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Another day, another ride. This time I made it just under seven miles in just over three quarters of an hour (no precision here ). Not bad given I spent most of the ride in the lower gears working on my handling of the bike at slow speeds.

Lots of traffic out today, but they all seemed to be considerate drivers. I think I gave more thank you waves today than in the last two weeks combined. Of particular note was a Stagecoach driver who stopped and let me come through a line of parked cars, and a driver of a grey BMW(!) who waited patiently behind me whilst I spun my way up a hill at about 5-7 mph.

Most are, just the odd one that spoils it.

 

[DaveyM]

I'm banging my head against the wall here. It is 1.236 inches wide and 7 feet 3 inches tall precisely.

An unusual brick size, even standard stud walls aren't this thin...

 

[welsh dragon]

I am going out next week when my new helmet arrives. I think my first time on the main road is going to be embarrassing to say the least. Not to mention I will probably feel like i'm dying.

 

[welsh dragon]

Please go away and shut up. I don't want to talk to you lot anymore, your driving me mad.

 

[Kies]

Good luck to all the newbies, I will check on you from time to time, but it is time for me to leave this thread.
In my 14 months with a road bike -
Completed a metric century
Completed an imperial century
Gone clipless
Fell clipless
Lost 2 stone in weight and kept it off
Made new friends
Rediscovered cycling after a 20 year sabbatical
Completed my first fnrttc which has been the pinnacle!

Aims: continue to ride, learn to service my bike and learn generally as I'm only just starting.

Good Luck newbies

 

[welsh dragon]

Good luck to you too.

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Good luck to all the newbies, I will check on you from time to time, but it is time for me to leave this thread.
In my 14 months with a road bike -
Completed a metric century
Completed an imperial century
Gone clipless
Fell clipless
Lost 2 stone in weight and kept it off
Made new friends
Rediscovered cycling after a 20 year sabbatical
Completed my first fnrttc which has been the pinnacle!

Aims: continue to ride, learn to service my bike and learn generally as I'm only just starting.

Good Luck newbies

Still a newbie then

Just a gentle spin tonight spot on 20 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/77228286

 

[themosquitoking]

Still a newbie then

Just a gentle spin tonight spot on 20 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/77228286

Did you do that wiggle around the cul-de-sac halfway round in anticipation of clocking up the extra tenth of a mile?

 

[Nigelnaturist]

Did you do that wiggle around the cul-de-sac halfway round in anticipation of clocking up the extra tenth of a mile?

You got it. got to be precise these days.

 

[Exile]

Most are, just the odd one that spoils it.

I must've spent too long poking around the commuting forum, I was expecting close passes and left hooks out the wazoo. Although I like to think that my -ahem- "ample size" makes drivers give me a wide berth. After all, think of the damage I could do if I landed on their car

 

[Mo1959]

Still a newbie then

Just a gentle spin tonight spot on 20 miles.
http://app.strava.com/activities/77228286

You too might end up like me and start enjoying the short gentle spins.
Sitting here watching the morning light coming in. Looks a decent morning but still can't seem to get motivated to go any long distances. I think I might just take the hybrid and have one of these sit up and look at the scenery and not bother about speed mornings. Just going to set off and see how I feel once I get going. I ate far too much yesterday so should really try and burn some of it off.

 

[Stonechat]

Good luck to all the newbies, I will check on you from time to time, but it is time for me to leave this thread.
In my 14 months with a road bike -
Completed a metric century
Completed an imperial century
Gone clipless
Fell clipless
Lost 2 stone in weight and kept it off
Made new friends
Rediscovered cycling after a 20 year sabbatical
Completed my first fnrttc which has been the pinnacle!

Aims: continue to ride, learn to service my bike and learn generally as I'm only just starting.

Good Luck newbies

What's an fnrttc?