Some advice needed
MadMal
Posts: 4
Hi, myself and 4 freinds have decided to do the jogle challenge next year in august for a charity that means a lot to all of us. We all ride motorbike trials, but have no real experience of road bikes. Having been to our local bike shop and taken advice from them i bought myself a trek 1.5 and the proper shorts and shoes. So far done 2 X 40 mile rides in the last week since we got the bikes and averaged 13 mph on both rides. Just got a few questions really.
1) We live right up in the hills on the black mountain and have found that my thigh muscles really do ache and burn during the ride, but i find that im not out of breath at all. I have the compact gear set up with 2 cogs on the front and just wondering if this is 2 highly geared for me to be starting on? Or is it that i just need to stick at it and get the muscles working? Havent walked up any hills yet
2) When you ride on the main roads how far from the white line should i be positioning myself on the road. I try to keep right by the line but find it's all gravel and drain covers making for a rough ride, but a bit wary about moving any further out as cars do worry me!!! Funny how since riding im more concious of cyclists when in the van now!!!!
3) Why are roads in england so horendous and as soon as you pass the welcome to wales sign they are lovely and smooth
1) We live right up in the hills on the black mountain and have found that my thigh muscles really do ache and burn during the ride, but i find that im not out of breath at all. I have the compact gear set up with 2 cogs on the front and just wondering if this is 2 highly geared for me to be starting on? Or is it that i just need to stick at it and get the muscles working? Havent walked up any hills yet
2) When you ride on the main roads how far from the white line should i be positioning myself on the road. I try to keep right by the line but find it's all gravel and drain covers making for a rough ride, but a bit wary about moving any further out as cars do worry me!!! Funny how since riding im more concious of cyclists when in the van now!!!!
3) Why are roads in england so horendous and as soon as you pass the welcome to wales sign they are lovely and smooth
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Comments
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1) Just keep riding. Don't over do it to start with! Are you keeping your cadence high enough? Maybe your pushing a to high gear?
2) I think its down to personal choice and riding style? I like to be out from the curb as much as possible. I ride pretty aggressively, and make other vehicles 'move' round me. Sometimes if your in the gutter cars and alike think they can just drive past you without giving any room. SO IMO sometimes its safer to be out of the gutter?
3) Credit crunch?"I spend my petrol money on Bikes, Beer, Pizza, and Donuts "
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38256268@N04/3517156549/0 -
1) No surprises your legs are aching if you've only ridden a few times - it will take many month to develop an efficient pedal stroke and develop your muscles - you're going to have to get used to sore legs! The start of LEJOG takes you up the North Cornish and Devon coasts and there's plenty of hills to get stuck into!
2) Try and keep clear of the debris and potholes in the gutter - a few feet in where vehicle wheels roll will be cleaner and smoother - you can move over to the left on narrow roads to let them past. Most motorists are reasonable tolerant if they see you making and effort to move over and give them room to pass.
3) Many of my local roads are potholed into oblivion to make riding some dangerous but I'm encourage that regional councils in many areas have a sufficient enough 'surplus' to be able to re-tarmac even the smallest farm tracks..guess it's some sort of economic development scheme!Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0 -
Cheers for your replies. I am pushing the lowest gear on the bike up the hills. Thats why i thought i might be better off with a lower gear? Maybe a triple set? Will keep on with the training though and build the legs up and see how i go. Loving the bike though and enjoying it. Struggling on the drops a bit though, feel very, very unstable :oops: Im hoping i will get used to them though as it did feel easier to pedal when was going into a head wind. Didnt realise quite how much harder it would be when the wind is against you.0
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Legs burning and Black Mountains eh?
If you want an easier time of it, you could try heading towards Fownhope or Leominster. The B road along the Wye valley is pretty flat, as is the road to Sutton along the Lugg flood plains. They're both really nice for riding. The area out by Weobley is lovely too, although I found the A4110 to be harder going. If you want to go further, the old Ludlow Road out of Leominster takes you up to Bircher Common.0 -
Will try those routes. Cheers. We dropped down to peterchurch last time from craswall then worked our way around to 'locks garage' on the hereford to abergavenny road, then to pandy, then back up home. The poblem is getting home..always steep up hill which ever way you go!!!!! Thought we might start in hereford next time and ride out to leominster like you said and back. Put some miles down on the relitivly flat 0
