NEWBIE, define please

gbs

I am about to complete my first yr on a roadbike. I am inclined to hang on to the newbie signature line until I

1. have tried and successfully completed a sportive
2. can drink from a bottle whilst riding safely in a group
2. can fix a rear wheel puncture in < 15 mins (swapping tube not repairing)
3. can do simple maintenance work eg changing brake blocks

Any other basic experience skills that are necessary for graduation?

Infamous

7. counting properly

Should be < 5 mins to fix any puncture.

redddraggon

gbs wrote:

1. have tried and successfully completed a sportive

Change that to race and I might agree. Sportives just seem a waste of time and money to me.

steerpike

Change that to race and I might agree. Sportives just seem a waste of time and money to me.

to you maybe, but for beginners especially I'd say they're an invaluable first step into the world of riding en masse, learning group riding skills and etiquette. The well organised ones are certanly no waste of time or money.

redddraggon

steerpike wrote:

to you maybe, but for beginners especially I'd say they're an invaluable first step into the world of riding en masse, learning group riding skills and etiquette.

If they want to learn how to ride in a group, join a club.

steerpike

If they want to learn how to ride in a group, join a club.

...or do a sportive. I don't want the committment of joining a club at this stage - and some of the ones I've approached are, well, not very approachable. So i'd highly recommend beginners taking part in a sportive, so long as they make sure it's one of the more reputable ones.

mask of sanity

redddraggon wrote:

gbs wrote:

1. have tried and successfully completed a sportive

Change that to race and I might agree. Sportives just seem a waste of time and money to me.

Wow, what happened to cycling for fun?!?!

How about being able to sort out gears?

Fungus The Muffin Man

redddraggon wrote:

gbs wrote:

1. have tried and successfully completed a sportive

Change that to race and I might agree. Sportives just seem a waste of time and money to me.

Why do you have to do a race to no longer be a newbie. To some people I'm sure racing will seem a waste of time and money when they could go do a nice audax/ sportive and enjoy their cycling? Road biking isn't all about racing :roll:

redddraggon

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Why do you have to do a race to no longer be a newbie.

You don't. But why do you have do a Sportive either?

steerpike

You don't. But why do you have do a Sportive either?

As a beginner (and this is the beginners forum right?) a sportive is more likely to be attractive because it is 'non competitive' (though you can push as hard as you like to get a good time naturally.) I certainly wouldn't want to enter a full blown race until I'd built up some riding skills.

Fungus The Muffin Man

redddraggon wrote:

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Why do you have to do a race to no longer be a newbie.

You don't. But why do you have do a Sportive either?

You don't
.
I would say your no longer a newbie when you spend all day pricing up what you can afford against what you can't afford. Then get the dearer one whilst ensuring the missus doesn't find out how much you've just spent.

Also anyone who cycles over 100miles a week consistantly

Slow Downcp

I have been cycling for 25 years, and clocked up around 250,000 miles in that time (probably more than that). I build up my own bikes, and can carry out any repair. I can replace a rear tube in less than 5 minutes, including inflating. I can drink from a bottle, riding in a group whilst getting an energy bar out of my pocket with my other hand.

But I've never done a sportive, and never raced (but have done one 10mile TT) - does this mean I'm still a newbie??? :shock: :?

Don't get hung up on completing a sportive or racing - just enjoy cycling, tinker with your bikes on dark winter nights and everything else will happen.

softlad

Fungus The Muffin Man wrote:

Also anyone who cycles over 100miles a week consistantly

this is getting a bit silly - I've only managed one ride of 50 miles this week so far, but I have been riding seriously for about 20 years, initially road racing and more recently riding sportives. Does that mean I must revert to 'newbie' status..??

steerpike

anyone who spends so long in the saddle that their skin has grown into the frame and man and bike have become one - is no longer a newbie

Takis61

Not really sure why the racer boys frequent the Beginner Forum, unless it is to boast about their speed/fitness/kit/7 hours a day every day training regime etc.
In my view a newbie is when you get your first roadbike (or get back on one after many years off), start to ride longer & more often, master the art of hill climbing & avoiding White Van Man, and get to a point when you can do a nice long ride & enjoy it.
I started off with Charity rides (much less pressure than a Sportive & a real mix of abilities).
Did my first Sportives this year & loved it, though I came in miles later than most.
Not interested in racing, time trialling, or dare I say it, riding with a club.

markos1963

steerpike wrote:

If they want to learn how to ride in a group, join a club.

...or do a sportive. I don't want the committment of joining a club at this stage - and some of the ones I've approached are, well, not very approachable. So i'd highly recommend beginners taking part in a sportive, so long as they make sure it's one of the more reputable ones.

I would suggest that a sportive isn't the place for someone to learn group riding techniques. Most of the rides I've been on the newer riders have struggled to keep the line, weaved all over the road without signalling, crashed over bumps without warning others and not been able to contribute to the work load(have to say some experienced riders have done the same) Most groups are fromed up from similar riders, often from the same club, who are comfortable with each others riding, its hardly fair to them or the new rider to expect a tuition session in what could be their big ride of the year. I'm sorry your experience of clubs isn't that good, it certainly not mine, but perhaps I've been lucky or perhaps I've been more prepared to get myself accepted.




As fro the definition of Newbie, I would say you never stop learning so I will always be a newbie.

softlad

markos1963 wrote:

As fro the definition of Newbie, I would say you never stop learning so I will always be a newbie.

that's true - I'm still learning. Every new bike, part or component I buy is like a new adventure to me. On that topic, I am about to switch to SRAM after 20 odd years on Shimano, so I am looking forward to being a newbie again..

redddraggon

Takis61 wrote:

Not really sure why the racer boys frequent the Beginner Forum

I would say the Beginner's forum needs people with experience to answer the questions.

But it's OK, I'm not a racer, so I guess I'm allowed on the Beginner's forum.

steerpike

yeah - give advice, not show off.

Slow Downcp

Takis61 wrote:

Not really sure why the racer boys frequent the Beginner Forum, unless it is to boast about their speed/fitness/kit/7 hours a day every day training regime etc.

If it was just beginners, who would give advice?

I wasn't boasting about my fitness etc if this was directed at me (at the moment my fitness is nothing to boast about anyway), just pointing out that you don't need to do a sportive or race to not be a newbie. As others have said, there's always new things to learn.

Pross

I'd say after a year you are no longer a newbie.

Headhuunter

Pross wrote:

I'd say after a year you are no longer a newbie.

I'd agree that it's more related to time and knowledge than anything to do with whether you race, take part in sportives, TTs etc etc. It's what you know and how long you've been at it not what you do that counts.

pneumatic

A newbie still has the reflectors in their spokes.

Headhuunter

pneumatic wrote:

A newbie still has the reflectors in their spokes.

I've got reflectors on my spokes (of the commuter bike) and I've been cycling 100 odd miles per week at 18-19 mph average for a few years, can carry out rudimentary repairs and wouldn't consider myself a newb

Sparklehorse

oh no...I hear the distant rumblings of a dork disc debate

Headhuunter

Sparklehorse wrote:

oh no...I hear the distant rumblings of a dork disc debate

I haven't got dork discs on my bikes, that wuold simply be stupid, they serve no purpose at all if the bike's set up properly

Sparklehorse

chicks dig a guy with dork discs

redddraggon

steerpike wrote:

If they want to learn how to ride in a group, join a club.

...or do a sportive. I don't want the committment of joining a club at this stage - and some of the ones I've approached are, well, not very approachable. So i'd highly recommend beginners taking part in a sportive, so long as they make sure it's one of the more reputable ones.

You don't necessarily have to join a "club", I've ridden with both Clubs and the CTC, the CTC group I went with were far approachable than any club - riding-wise they weren't fast, but they covered 80+ extremely hilly miles.

Slow Downcp

Headhuunter wrote:

Sparklehorse wrote:

oh no...I hear the distant rumblings of a dork disc debate

I haven't got dork discs on my bikes, that wuold simply be stupid, they serve no purpose at all if the bike's set up properly

My 6 month old MTB still has the dork disc - just been really lazy. Going to get the scissors to take it off now. And the bell. :shock:

dennisn

Why label yourself as anything. Ride and / or race as much or as little as you like.
Nothing more or less is required of you. You don't HAVE to DO anything.
Think of cycling as a Willie Nelson song lyric-

Sometimes it's heaven and sometimes it's hell
Sometimes I don't even know
Sometimes I take it as far as I can
and sometimes I don't even go.

Well, so much for me being weird today.

softlad

I bet Willie Nelson doesn't have reflectors in his spokes....