Fresh meat for the grinder.

FlyingMawanga

Hi people. Just here to introduce myself. Mawanga (not my Sunday name), 29, from Glasgow(ish), Scotland.

Haven`t had a bike for over ten years, and I just bought a hardtail mountain bike the other day after taking a wild notion for one about a month ago. Thought I`d better get myself clued up on how to use it, lol.

So, if anyone reads a stupid question on the forums, it`ll probs have been written by me.

gaff_taff

What bike did you buy? Got any pics, we all love pics

FlyingMawanga

Bit embarrassed to say it, but it`s a Halfords number, first real bike and all... :oops:

Carrera Fury 08 it is. Stock, obv.



Here`s hoping the pic works...

:?

skullthaw

furys are pritty decent im still riding one as my thasher albe it up graded there a very good place to start and for the money you cant go wrong

llamafarmer

Nothing wrong with a Fury mate - great value bike, you chose well.

Razer_MTB

Welcome to the forum matey,

pretty new myself here but already found tons of useful info.

have you thought about going along to a bike club at all. I started going along to glasgow mountain bike club about 6 weeks ago (missed it this week due to flu). really good bunch f folk there and i've already found that my skills/fitness have improved a hell of a lot from pushing myself. They do an easier paced ride on a tuesday for new people, so you find people of all skills/fitness are there.

ps. nice bike, nothing wrong with fury's and its better than mine

FlyingMawanga

Yeah, got to say I like the bike.

It`s just a few people had only bad words about Halfords. In my experience they seemed pretty helpful though, and the bike seems fine to someone as clueless as me. Derailers needed a bit of tuning after I picked it up, but an hour on youtube with a 5mm allen key sorted that.

And yeah Razer, I was thinking about joining some kind of club, I just want to take a few weeks to make sure I can spend a few hours on the thing without doing anyone or anything a disservice. Whereabouts does the club meet/ride?

Druid \'64

Whats important is that you started, My first tidy bike (as in new) was a halfords raliegh tigershark.
Its not what you ride but the fact that you DO ride.
Good luck.

Zeroman_IR

Fair play to you for taking the time to learn to adjust your gears. Sure, you could have taken it back to have them adjusted but it's a useful skill everybody should know. You'll be adjusting play out of hub bearings and bleeding the brakes in no time 8)

The Fury is a great bike for starting out on, one of those bikes that looks fast leaning against a wall.

Razer_MTB

i know what you mean Mawanga,

it was a while before i joined for exactly the same reason lol

the club meets in milngavie, then usually heads out to lennox forest, mudgock park and carbeth. different route most weeks, but same areas. tuesday rides are usually between 2-3 hours. first couple of weeks were tough going for me, but there's plenty of rest stops if needed.

they do longer sunday rides (4-6 hours) and further away, but i've not been brave enough to do one yet lol

best advice i could give would be to invest in a pair of padded cycling shorts if you haven't already done so. my @rse was killing me after a longer bike ride, but padded shorts and getting used to it means i rarely get sore now.

FlyingMawanga

Most def glad I got myself a bike, Druid. Pretty much an impulse buy, but for all the right reasons, with hindsight lol. Even the GF aint complained too much. Mind you, only had it 4 days...

And for the gears, i think it was just because the front mudguard was tied round the bottom tube, where the gear cable is. Possible the wee Halfords dude set it up right, but due to mudguard and a bit of slippage it went off tension. I figured, if you want something done right, and can be assed, then do it yourself.

Google is your friend. Kind of.



EDIT: Nice one Razer, cheers for the info. Good clothing is pretty much next on my list, so padded shorts sounds like an idea. Got me a pair of gloves today, 661 Comps. Now to hit the army surlpus to get me some desert DPM Goretex overtrousers.

drummondjhn

what mudguard is that on rear so need to get rear guard main thing i hate about cycling in rain is wet ass

FlyingMawanga

Mudguard here...

http://www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stor ... yId_210163

Seems to do the job, pretty wide. Again, not tested it too hard.

nicklouse

FlyingMawanga wrote:

So, if anyone reads a stupid question on the forums, it`ll probs have been written by me.

there are never any stupid questions.

If you dont know that aint stupid.

make yourself aware of the search button and the two links in my sig and you will do well.

FlyingMawanga

Search button, Parktools, Sheldon Brown. Roger that.

Razer_MTB

if its handy for you, Alpine bikes up at St George's Cross has a sale on just now, some real bargains on clothing, i just got this in the sale

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/p/cycle/7/North ... 360038501/

should have been £110, got it for £40.00. They're also doing baggy shorts for £17.50 (alpines own with padded liner), and the 3/4 length baggies with liner for £20.00.

should help you get some gear without having to break the bank

FlyingMawanga

Cheers for the heads up Razer mate, might just pop in there through the week. Luckily now I have most of the gear I need for biking, now it`s more stuff I want, the list keeps getting longer though lol.

Suppose that me introduced properly now, maybe its time to knock this thread on the head.

Thanks for the warm welcome people.

8)

xstrathyx

welcome to the fold, always nice to see a fellow jock

Don't worry about stupid questions, i ve asked all the anally retarded ones already, besides the folk in here are extremely knowledgable and fery helpful.

All the best with the riding and i like you had a wild notion a few months back and have never looked back since!!!!!!!!

FlyingMawanga wrote:

Hi people. Just here to introduce myself. Mawanga (not my Sunday name), 29, from Glasgow(ish), Scotland.

Haven`t had a bike for over ten years, and I just bought a hardtail mountain bike the other day after taking a wild notion for one about a month ago. Thought I`d better get myself clued up on how to use it, lol.

So, if anyone reads a stupid question on the forums, it`ll probs have been written by me.

Stoo61

Welcome. Good value bike choice.