First Impressions
black flash
Posts: 23
Hello - this is my first post!
Well, today was a series of firsts for me - first proper cycle ride around Edinburgh, first time on my new bike, first time (in ten years) with clipless pedals.
I have been cycling on my old(ish) Specialized mountain bike, training for a Coast to Coast (C2C) ride in June, but that training has been down around the Durham area, where I'm originally from.
Decided that instead of carting my bike up and down the A1 (most weekends), I'd go for a second bike, but get something a bit different.
Quite impressed with the bike (Giant Escape M1), but a different proposition to the mountain bike.
On the plus side, the narrower tyres are great and the riding position good - steering very sensitive (not sure this is a positive yet?)..
The clipless pedals were a revelation, and considering I've been riding with toe clips for the last 3 months, it was quite instictive and easy.
It did take me a while to fit the cleats to my shoes this morning this moring, until I realised I didn't have to use all of the parts supplied!
Might now use the new bike for the C2C, although unsure on tyre choice?
On the not so positive front, I passed dozens of cyclists this morning and spoke to every one of them (like I would when down at 'home' in Durham).
Not one single one of them spoke or even acknowledged me. I though Edinburgh was supposed to be (as voted in a recent MTB publication?), the top cycling city in the UK.
It's certainly not the friendliest, based on today's experience.
Anyway, enjoyed the ride and the bike and am now a clipless convert.
Oh, and I really noticed the absence of front suspension!!!!!
Well, today was a series of firsts for me - first proper cycle ride around Edinburgh, first time on my new bike, first time (in ten years) with clipless pedals.
I have been cycling on my old(ish) Specialized mountain bike, training for a Coast to Coast (C2C) ride in June, but that training has been down around the Durham area, where I'm originally from.
Decided that instead of carting my bike up and down the A1 (most weekends), I'd go for a second bike, but get something a bit different.
Quite impressed with the bike (Giant Escape M1), but a different proposition to the mountain bike.
On the plus side, the narrower tyres are great and the riding position good - steering very sensitive (not sure this is a positive yet?)..
The clipless pedals were a revelation, and considering I've been riding with toe clips for the last 3 months, it was quite instictive and easy.
It did take me a while to fit the cleats to my shoes this morning this moring, until I realised I didn't have to use all of the parts supplied!
Might now use the new bike for the C2C, although unsure on tyre choice?
On the not so positive front, I passed dozens of cyclists this morning and spoke to every one of them (like I would when down at 'home' in Durham).
Not one single one of them spoke or even acknowledged me. I though Edinburgh was supposed to be (as voted in a recent MTB publication?), the top cycling city in the UK.
It's certainly not the friendliest, based on today's experience.
Anyway, enjoyed the ride and the bike and am now a clipless convert.
Oh, and I really noticed the absence of front suspension!!!!!
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Comments
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Noooo, twas Sheffield that was voted the best cycling city! But you get miserable cyclists everywhere, especially ones that use drop bars ;-)0
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supersonic wrote:But you get miserable cyclists everywhere, especially ones that use drop bars ;-)
I resemble that remark.
Funny enough I always 'let on' when I see another cyclist out and about. Went a bit wrong two morning ago tho.....
Sprinting home from work up a hill I blew past a senior cyclist on a MTB and attempted a cheery 'morning' but thanks to an errant blob of lung crap in my throat it kind of came out as 'oooooooorrrrggggggggaaaaahhhhhhhh' at which point I started chocking and hacking away. Nearly feel off me bike :oops:0 -
I have both drop bars and MTB bikes and I say hello, even when I'm red faced and out of breath!
You get misserable gits anywhere on anything. Joggers are usually the worst......Richard
Giving it Large0 -
Dare I say it? Hmmm. Walkers?
*runs*0 -
Crisps? Richard
Giving it Large0 -
Tastier hehe0
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supersonic wrote:Noooo, twas Sheffield that was voted the best cycling city! But you get miserable cyclists everywhere, especially ones that use drop bars ;-)
I'm pretty sure it was Edinburgh? Probably a different city each month, depending on what mag you read.
Either way, both cities are built on seven hills, are they not?
Maybe they didn't take that into account.0 -
supersonic wrote:Dare I say it? Hmmm. Walkers?
*runs*
It must be the North East. It's an exception when someone doesn't let on, be it walker or cyclist.0 -
Sheff topped MBR in their poll, but aye, 7 hills a piece, like Rome! Some road climbs around sheffield are pure evil, but the descents... 50mph plus.0
