Cycling again after 15 years, advice needed!
dawguk
Posts: 5
Greetings all. Please excuse my tsunami of text, there is much to explain!
Before Saturday just gone, I hadn't ridden a bike since I was 15 years old (making me 30, just for the record).
Recently, I noticed something in my contract at work that mentioned Ride2Work scheme with Evans cycles. So I hopped onto their website, and had a butchers - for £1,000, I get 48% off my purchases ...
"Have to get me some of that"
... I thought. So me and the missus specced a couple of bikes up, and after popping in to the local Evans, and having a chat with a very helpful chap, we left about 2 hours later with a 2008 GT Avalanche 1.0 for me, and a 2008 Scott Aspect 30 for her, a pair of lids, and some spares and repairs. Cracking deal!
Anyway, I'll get to the meat of the story:
Me and the missus want to ride the south west coast in June this year. We'll be going for about 8 days total, and our route will cover about 150 miles, give or take (we're following a Sustrans route for the most part).
I'd like some advice on what hardware we are likely going to need for our Cornish adventure in five months. I've tried to think of every eventuality, but no doubt I will have missed something out. So far, my shopping list looks something like:
- Bottles and Cages
- Computers
- Glasses
- Mitts
- Bar ends
- Locks
- Pumps
- Puncture repair, including spare inners
- Lights
- Crud Catchers (can't be too clean!)
- Rucksacks (fairly lightweight, but enough space for camping for a few days - need advise on these)
- Topeak MTB Saddle Rack (are these any good? we would like to carry as little on our backs as possible), including the bags to go with them
- First aid kit
- Saddle bags, including multi-tool kits
- Crossbar bag for maps, phones, etc.
We're both recently ex-smokers, but we both visit the gym 4 times a week, and now it looks like we'll cycle everywhere in our spare time! We're not exactly fit, but we're making the right moves to get that way in time for June.
Also, we'll be travelling from Manchester to Penzance (or there about) by train, so any special advice regarding this also, would be very much appreciated.
Cheers,
D
Before Saturday just gone, I hadn't ridden a bike since I was 15 years old (making me 30, just for the record).
Recently, I noticed something in my contract at work that mentioned Ride2Work scheme with Evans cycles. So I hopped onto their website, and had a butchers - for £1,000, I get 48% off my purchases ...
"Have to get me some of that"
... I thought. So me and the missus specced a couple of bikes up, and after popping in to the local Evans, and having a chat with a very helpful chap, we left about 2 hours later with a 2008 GT Avalanche 1.0 for me, and a 2008 Scott Aspect 30 for her, a pair of lids, and some spares and repairs. Cracking deal!
Anyway, I'll get to the meat of the story:
Me and the missus want to ride the south west coast in June this year. We'll be going for about 8 days total, and our route will cover about 150 miles, give or take (we're following a Sustrans route for the most part).
I'd like some advice on what hardware we are likely going to need for our Cornish adventure in five months. I've tried to think of every eventuality, but no doubt I will have missed something out. So far, my shopping list looks something like:
- Bottles and Cages
- Computers
- Glasses
- Mitts
- Bar ends
- Locks
- Pumps
- Puncture repair, including spare inners
- Lights
- Crud Catchers (can't be too clean!)
- Rucksacks (fairly lightweight, but enough space for camping for a few days - need advise on these)
- Topeak MTB Saddle Rack (are these any good? we would like to carry as little on our backs as possible), including the bags to go with them
- First aid kit
- Saddle bags, including multi-tool kits
- Crossbar bag for maps, phones, etc.
We're both recently ex-smokers, but we both visit the gym 4 times a week, and now it looks like we'll cycle everywhere in our spare time! We're not exactly fit, but we're making the right moves to get that way in time for June.
Also, we'll be travelling from Manchester to Penzance (or there about) by train, so any special advice regarding this also, would be very much appreciated.
Cheers,
D
2008 GT Avalanche 1.0 Disc
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Comments
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The main thing I'd advise changing on your kit list is the rucksacks - if you can find some way to carry the weight on the bike the whole journey will be much more pleasant! Rucksacks tend to make your back sweat, they can reduce the blood flow to your arms and, worst of all, they increase the weight being carried by the ever sensitive @rse-saddle interface!
There are a multitude of luggage options out there and I'm sure others would be better placed to advise what's suitable for your bikes, but pretty much anything is better than a heavy rucksack on an extended ride. You'll hardly notice the weight if it's on the bike, so why carry it on your back?
Good luck with the trip, and congrats on ditching the smokes - did the same myself a couple of years ago and cycling's a great way to stay off 'em!Even if the voices aren't real, they have some very good ideas.0 -
With regards to the bottles, a Camelback might well be a good idea. They are basically a water bladder with a hose and mouthpiece. Although it seems a strange idea at first, it is actually very practical, and I don't even notice mine on my back anymore. Also, the bladder can be removed and put into another rucksack.
For a comouter, I have a CATEYE Micro wirelees - lots of functions and accurate, but also small. Cost a tad over £25 from ebay.
Gloves/mitts are personal preference, try going into a bike shop and trying a few pairs on.
Bar ends come in a variety of forms: straight, "ski" shaped and ergonocially shaped. These ones are cheap but whith good reviews:
http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/components/bar-ends/product/control-bar-end-grip-17008
With locks, your bike is never quite safe unless you carry a whacking great motorcycle chain around with you (even then all of the parts won't be safe). Some locks provide an insurance policy - if you bike gets nicked, they pay for it. I think it's called Sold Secure Gold.
Hope this helps! Have fun on your trip, whatever you decide to take with you."Melancholy is incompatible with bicycling." ~James E. Starrs0 -
I'd agree with carrying heavy gear on the bike to keep your centre of gravity down and using a hydration pack, litre of water an hour = a lot of bottles or frequent stops! What about padded shorts? I think these'll be a neccesity, try a few if you can but you do seem to get what you pay for so the best ones you can afford. Have fun, good luck and don't make firm plans on where to stay, that way you can enjoy the ride without feeling stressed to make any deadlines.0
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Just a thought, you could try posting an enquiry on commuting about train information. And before I get stupid responses, I'm aware that it's highly unlikely anybody commutes half the length of the country but they could cover part of it!
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