How excited were you with your new bike???
howiejmidlands
Posts: 389
After being away from a sport and activity i loved as a schoolboy, junior and 3rd Cat rider in the mid 70's and very early 80's, one very big happy chap is back.
This may be a long post, but hey i dont care i am so happy to have my new bike.
After visiting the Tour in London this year, i just had to get back on the bike after almost 25 years away. I spent some time going around some cycle shops and sellers of spray paints and bikes under one roof across the UK, as my job takes me away all the time. And i was really quite bemused by many of the shops that were not really interested in you as a rider, but the size of your wallet and what you had to spend. The advice ranged from nil to mis-informed,and as I used to work in a bike shop during my summer holidays in Liverpool, i know one bike does not gereally fit all, especially if your a 20stone fat boy like myself!!!
Eventually i found myself at Racescene in Barnsley, and the chaps there could not have been more friendly, helpful and wanting to get you the right bike for your budget that you could actually ride without injuring yourself.
The day came for me to return to Racescene for my measurement, and this took the best part of 2 hours, with lots of questions on what type of cycling i expect to do, and where, and how often. Lots of measurements later, and all safely stored on the computer we then talked about budget and specifications. Now these guys have advised me on the best equipment for the bike, and we stayed in budget - well just!!
The deposit left and a date agreed to return to pick up my mighty steed was arranged. That morning, i was like a big kid waiting for Santa, i was awake at 5am!!! And i was at the shop for 9.02am. The love of my life was waiting for me all sparkling and shiny. After a coffee and a chat my beloved was carefully and lovingly placed on the back seat of the car for the drive to my office. Impatiently i waited until lunch time for my first test ride, my first real ride on a bike since i was 20. A five mile dash around Lichfield, with a 20stone fat boy clad in Lycra, thank God it stetches! My new steed has the Campagnolo chainset with a 10 cog cassette on the back and double chain ring on the front, and i needed every one of those gears on the first hill. What i wasnt expecting was how stiff and responsive the frame was, even after such a long lay off. It was like comparing an old Morris Marina to a race tuned super Mini.
Wind in the bit of hair i have left, and i forgot how much pain you can have breathing and burning in your calfs and thighs. Strange how the mind plays tricks on you from all those years ago when i used to race.
No toe clips, we now have these new fangled clip on pedal/shoe jobbies. Dead easy in the shop, not so bloody easy at the first set of lights when i couldnt unclip. You really panic when the option is fall sideways onto a pavement, or the other way onto a car. Thankfully the lights changed and Bambi on ice remembered his track skills and somehow stayed upright! Finally got back to the office and found out that 5 miles can take 20 minutes. But the recovery was a lot longer.
Who cares, i have a fantastic machine and on Saturday and Sunday will be gently learning how to get out of the saddle, and look behind me without going 10 feet from the kerb.
So if anyone from the Tamworth area fancies a little company, i wont be talking too much as i have to heave twice as much weight around as the average bikie, feel free to send me a PM.
As a reward for readling my ramblings, here is the love of my life. But dont tell Mrs J !
Oh bugger - how do you load a photo!!!
This may be a long post, but hey i dont care i am so happy to have my new bike.
After visiting the Tour in London this year, i just had to get back on the bike after almost 25 years away. I spent some time going around some cycle shops and sellers of spray paints and bikes under one roof across the UK, as my job takes me away all the time. And i was really quite bemused by many of the shops that were not really interested in you as a rider, but the size of your wallet and what you had to spend. The advice ranged from nil to mis-informed,and as I used to work in a bike shop during my summer holidays in Liverpool, i know one bike does not gereally fit all, especially if your a 20stone fat boy like myself!!!
Eventually i found myself at Racescene in Barnsley, and the chaps there could not have been more friendly, helpful and wanting to get you the right bike for your budget that you could actually ride without injuring yourself.
The day came for me to return to Racescene for my measurement, and this took the best part of 2 hours, with lots of questions on what type of cycling i expect to do, and where, and how often. Lots of measurements later, and all safely stored on the computer we then talked about budget and specifications. Now these guys have advised me on the best equipment for the bike, and we stayed in budget - well just!!
The deposit left and a date agreed to return to pick up my mighty steed was arranged. That morning, i was like a big kid waiting for Santa, i was awake at 5am!!! And i was at the shop for 9.02am. The love of my life was waiting for me all sparkling and shiny. After a coffee and a chat my beloved was carefully and lovingly placed on the back seat of the car for the drive to my office. Impatiently i waited until lunch time for my first test ride, my first real ride on a bike since i was 20. A five mile dash around Lichfield, with a 20stone fat boy clad in Lycra, thank God it stetches! My new steed has the Campagnolo chainset with a 10 cog cassette on the back and double chain ring on the front, and i needed every one of those gears on the first hill. What i wasnt expecting was how stiff and responsive the frame was, even after such a long lay off. It was like comparing an old Morris Marina to a race tuned super Mini.
Wind in the bit of hair i have left, and i forgot how much pain you can have breathing and burning in your calfs and thighs. Strange how the mind plays tricks on you from all those years ago when i used to race.
No toe clips, we now have these new fangled clip on pedal/shoe jobbies. Dead easy in the shop, not so bloody easy at the first set of lights when i couldnt unclip. You really panic when the option is fall sideways onto a pavement, or the other way onto a car. Thankfully the lights changed and Bambi on ice remembered his track skills and somehow stayed upright! Finally got back to the office and found out that 5 miles can take 20 minutes. But the recovery was a lot longer.
Who cares, i have a fantastic machine and on Saturday and Sunday will be gently learning how to get out of the saddle, and look behind me without going 10 feet from the kerb.
So if anyone from the Tamworth area fancies a little company, i wont be talking too much as i have to heave twice as much weight around as the average bikie, feel free to send me a PM.
As a reward for readling my ramblings, here is the love of my life. But dont tell Mrs J !
Oh bugger - how do you load a photo!!!
Just a fat bloke on a bike
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Comments
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nice little (big ish) story, you sound a tad happy
. I too frequented Racescene Barnsley and came away like a kid with a new toy, enjoy 
, (not that you'll need much encouragement by the sound of it) 0 -
Get a piccy link up.... come on.....
I want to see........
I had a bike custom built for me 16 or so years ago - that took a few weeks to get having had initial fittings, discussion about spec, designing the colour scheme, waiting for the build, then waiting for the paint finishing....then I had to build it up - so more dashing about getting just the bit's I wanted (no internet then)......
Can't believe you waited till lunch.....0 -
I get excited when I've fitted a new chain, a new bike reduces me to a blubbering idiot.0
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Please someone tell me how to upload my pics!Just a fat bloke on a bike0
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howiejmidlands wrote:Please someone tell me how to upload my pics!
Upload your pics to a site such as this:
http://imageshack.us/
The site will then give a list of different links for your picture......choose the most appropriate link
and then post your links on this site0 -
howiejmidlands wrote:Please someone tell me how to upload my pics!
You need to use a photo hosting website like photobucket etc...
Email me the pics as per my profile if you like and I'll host them for you....0 -
Great story!
I was exited when I got my first road bike for 20 odd years after 12 years of just MTB
Now I love both bikes!
Enjoy!Richard
Giving it Large0 -
Here are the pics, thanks to James
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/134/s8000894ke7.jpg
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/6725/s8000896yu0.jpg
http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/7631/s8000898gx8.jpg
http://img219.imageshack.us/img219/128/s8000899hm6.jpgJust a fat bloke on a bike0 -
That is a beaut!!!! 8)0
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Lovely bike!
Are you sure you're 20 stone?
Let us know how you're getting on 8)Richard
Giving it Large0 -
Are you falling off in that last picture ?
Lovely looking bike, very nice....0 -
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Rich
I can assure you i am 20 stone, i may have thick legs, but i have profile of a king eddy spud on two cocktail sicks. Its all in the belly after years of abuse by wine and fine food and the only exercise was walking to the car, and years of driving 50k a year.
But the worm has turned.
PEEJAY your fixed wheel iron is a wonderous sight.Just a fat bloke on a bike0 -
How do you find the wheels? Are they quite stiff?
I read on the Campagnolo website a while back (can't find the page now though), that all their wheels because they were designed for "racing" were not recommended for riders over 80Kg.
I probably somewhere between 80 and 90Kg, and if you find the wheels OK, I might consider them in the future.0 -
Reddraggon
The wheels are stiff, but the whole frame and wheeel combo is stiff. But after such a long lay off, i have nothing to compare with.
The guys at Racescene reccommneded the wheels, so i accepted their informed advice, and i weigh 125kgs.
I have 100 psi in the tyres and it all rolls along smoothly.Just a fat bloke on a bike0 -
howiejmidlands wrote:Rich
I can assure you i am 20 stone, i may have thick legs, but i have profile of a king eddy spud on two cocktail sicks. Its all in the belly after years of abuse by wine and fine food and the only exercise was walking to the car, and years of driving 50k a year.
But the worm has turned..
20 stone for now Richard
Giving it Large0 -
I got my bike but had to wait 5 weeks before I could take it out for a ride. I wait was excrutiatingly painful, took it out today , heaven.0
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Nice ride - the guys at Race Scene certainly know their onions and when it comes to service they are 2nd to none which is why both myself and the g/f have machines bought from there. As for the original questions - I'm foaming at the mouth at the thought of getting a winter bike let alone anything resembling bike porn!!!0
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That's a really great story. I too am a relative newbie to road cycling. Started about 18 months ago. They say if you make it through the winter cycling you'll really enjoy the summer. I used to ride around on my Reynolds 531 in the 80's and then gave up until 18 months ago. My God the differences of modern race bikes now. I feel the bike rewards you for every effort you put in by its responsiveness and willingness to go forward. I've lost about 2 stone since March 06, from 16+ st to 14st3lbs weighed last week. I was so chuffed I went and had a Domino's Pizza! I know I know :oops:
What you gonna get from Santa? Wait until you discover the world of upgrades. Your wallet will never be the same again (then again it will be against a smaller bum in your back pocket ) Every winner has scars.0 -
HungryCol
Dont talk about upgrades mate, whilst we were talking about the spec of this bike, which is the training bike, we were also discussing the options for the totally UCI illegal road bike for the sportives.
All carbon frame, a paint job designed by yours truly in yellow and black, yellow tires and saddle, and everything else in carbon and anodised black. It is named The Beest with two "ee"'s for a reason.
Plan is to get back and love the bike in the winter, get fit for some sportives in the summer, by which time the wallet will have time to get into training for a hammering at the bike shop.
Its all planned, all i hope for is a relatively dry winter, as i would rather ride in the wind and cold than on a turbo trainer.Just a fat bloke on a bike0 -
reading all posts getting a new bike is a very good feeling, i am in the process of thinking of getting a good bike , but there so many choices, carbon, metal , a mixture of each, my head is spinning.0
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Nice thread this, I am in a fairly similar position, just ordered my new bike and hoping to have enough motivation to get fit enough to maybe do some sportive type rides next year.
Used to race 15 or so years ago (conincidentally in the Tamworth area, was part of the cycling club), still have my old bike but it is falling to bits, tried to replace a couple of things and was told to look on retro webites!! Made me feel pretty old!0 -
Good for you howiejmidlands, Casati's are a lovely bike. And well done for getting your leg over again after so many years! Enjoy mate! 0
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Nice bike,
I see your future, it is filled with many miles of tearing up tarmac. 0 -
When I got this I think I did actually soil myself...
- 2023 Vielo V+1
- 2022 Canyon Aeroad CFR
- 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX
- Strava
- On the Strand
- Crown Stables
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When I got my latest new bike, I was so excited that I tucked it up in the marital bed.
That is a habit I got into decades ago when I bought a new tennis racket and left it on the pillow for my almost as new wife to admire. Oddly, she wasn't very chuffed and told all her mates about my infidelity with a bit of sports equipment.
Anyway, when she got home and saw the front wheel and handlebars of a Specialized Roubaix Expert peeking out from under the duvet, she simply pulled out her mobile phone, took a couple of pictures and calmly said: "Right, evidence! If I ever need a divorce, this should do nicely." and left the room. Just goes to show that, whilst a boy can never properly mature, a marriage can.
For the record, I did nothing improper with either the tennis racket or the bike(s); I just wanted to make them feel welcome in the family home.
Now where did I put those pills?0 -
peejay78
That is a beauty! Lovely clean lines.0 -
Howiej - glad to see you've taken the plunge. I've owned a number of Casati bikes and they are truly beautiful. The finishing and attention to detail are second to none in my opinion.
I hope you enjoy it.0 -
Mmmm Nice Howiej
PeeJay how tall are you....I'd have to ride that inside the frame never mind astride it. Still nice bike though.�3 grand bike...30 Bob legs....Slowing with style0
