newbie to road bikes

kami

hi all iv jus joined the forum i have just got a raleigh airlite 200 i am goin to be riding to work every other day and doin 3 training rides per week
i went out tonite to see how i got on and i managed 8miles in 35mins average speed of 14mph not sure if thats any good
any advice for a beginner would be helpful
thanks scott

LeighB

Don't wory about speed just go out and enjoy the bike and build up your ride time. I have a Raleigh Airlite I use as a training bike and it works fine; as bits wear out you can put better spec kit on. Advice, get a basic tool kit to enable you to repair a puncture (spare tube is a good idea) and a small saddle bag. Cycling shorts make the longer distance rides more comfortable and a cycling shirt with pockets in the back is handy.

Rich Hcp

Don't worry about average speeds, there's always someone who cliam s to be faster.

As said above, enjoy it

I always carry a spare tube and pump.

Padded shorts are a must!

Denny69

kami wrote:

hi all iv jus joined the forum i have just got a raleigh airlite 200 i am goin to be riding to work every other day and doin 3 training rides per week
i went out tonite to see how i got on and i managed 8miles in 35mins average speed of 14mph not sure if thats any good
any advice for a beginner would be helpful
thanks scott

That will soon come down..V.good time IMO don't try too hard though....keep a log in a diary or on your PC.

You want to note:-

Max spd
Distance
Time
Av Spd
Road/weather conditions

Also if you make a brief description of your route that'll be ideal.

I do this with my commute rides and I'm starting to do it with my longer rides and one thing I've noticed since I started commuting on my road bike is the times are at least 2mins quicker, Av spd is up on most of my routes by about 3 - 5 mph (a big jump IMO) the only problem is all of my routes are touching 5 miles so they're only short so I tend to "go for it" and set myself a certain goal ie riding home in one gear, keep my cadence above a certain value, keep my speed constant that sort of thing! can't comment on my longer rides but I managed 10 miles in under 40 mins the other day.

jswba

Treat yourself to a couple of pairs of comfy padded shorts! Don't go for the cheap option -- it really is the case that the more you pay the better the shorts are. I bought a few cheap pairs (under£20) when I started; they're now just festering at the back of the cupboard while the more expensive ones get a regular wearing.

Clean and lubricate regularly.

Buy Lennard Zinn's Zinn and the Art of Road Bike Maintenance -- lots of excellent advice in here -- or use the parktools website for maintenance tips.

And as everyone else says, enjoy it, especially now the evenings last for ages!

keef66

Clean and lubricate regularly.

The bike or the shorts?

jswba