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UK Roads & first ride

diamondbackerdiamondbacker Posts: 223
edited August 2009 in Road beginners
Took my new spangly Carrera TDF out today. It was my first ride out on a road bike having been out on my MTB the last few months.

Really enjoyed it although I only pottered about at a leisurely pace. However, I was appalled at the state of the roads. They are bad enough in the car but, oh my god, on a bike they're terrible. I think my wrists and elbows are just recovering now. I think gloves will be a must on my next ride.

Anyway, I'll look forward to my next ride and building my speed & fitness (although I'll probably find a different route!)

Posts

  • redddraggonredddraggon Posts: 10,862
    The roads aren't that bad, man up
    I like bikes...

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  • Grazy81Grazy81 Posts: 196
    I got my first road bike a few weeks ago and the first day or 2 i didn't push it too hard till i was more used to it but when you do man these things are fast you will hit what you once called a hill and wonder if it why you ever classed it as a hill at all.


    Yeah the state of the roads is a real eye opener on a road bike but i am getting used to it more now and where the pot holes are on my routes so i can ride round them,

    I beleive the TDF has steel forks and i am led to beleive the carbon forks take away alot of the buzz from the road, my forks are carbon and have never had any problems in my hands or elbows.
  • cyclingmevcyclingmev Posts: 105
    You could lose your road bike, nay car, in some of the potholes in the roads around sunny west Cumbria...Copeland council have recently tarmacced a road which is part of my commute to work (when i can get out of bed early enough), though completely ignored the so called 'cycle lane', god knows why they didn't tarmac all of it...But yeah, otherwise, man up :lol:
    i like bike
  • diamondbackerdiamondbacker Posts: 223
    That could be it. I reckon it's also partly because the route I chose wasn't so good and as I wasn't 100% confident (attached to pedals for the first time!) was riding quite close to the gutter.
  • GarzGarz Posts: 1,155
    Some roads are just plain bad even after weeks of getting used to the new road bike. There are a couple of sections around my way that I now avoid at all costs due to horrendous surface making cattle grids seem luxury!

    Dont worry diamondbacker you will adjust shortly, keep at it.
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