8 weeks in - then to now
alp078
Posts: 28
I thought it might be helpful, to post here some of my reflections and observations from starting out. Maybe they will be of some use to others, or perhaps they will just help me to see the progress I have made and to lay down what comes next. Either way, I hope you’ll indulge me.
So, first some background...
I’m two months in to road cycling, having bought myself a Giant Defy 3.5 at the end of August, so every inch still the beginner. Until I started cycling my lifestyle was fairly sedentary. I live on the South coast (moved from London 7 years ago) and used to travel to London each day to work (14 hours a day out of the house – 5 spent on a train) but changed jobs earlier this year and now work from home. I used to sporadically get into lifting a few free weights, played with an exercise bike for a few months and went out for a run about 5 times in 2 years. I hadn’t cycled since I was 16 (I’m 31 now) and even then I would only use the bike to get from A to B like most kids do. That said, I was sporty and athletic growing up, all the way until I left college, so I knew some general exercise principles.
I don’t know why, but for a sometime I had a nagging feeling that cycling would offer me something more in terms of pleasure and fitness and that it was something I would find myself able to commit to. Perhaps knowing that I live where I do and am blessed by some amazing coast and countryside that I hadn’t yet properly enjoyed was in the back of my mind. Anyway, with 5 hours ‘me time’ back under my new work situation it was time to take the plunge.
Buying the bike
I read forums, online magazines full of reviews and searched a whole lot of online retailers, big and small. I was put off going to a LBS after a short email exchange with a local dealer who told me that he couldn’t help as he simply ‘couldn’t recommend any bike as being worth buying within my budget’ (even though my email to him was prompted by having seen him offering a Trek 1.1 just at my price point...). Maybe it knocked my confidence a bit and just compounded my belief that I was entering a sport I knew nothing about. Anyway, his emails weren’t encouraging of a newbie, so I moved on.
I found my Defy online with a bike shop in North London. I ordered it and took delivery a few days later. When I had done with the initial assembly I think I must have looked at it for about 48 hours before getting up the courage to take it out.
First ride
I put on my new padded shorts and cycle shirt, strapped my water bottle into its holder, fine-tuned the fit of my cycle helmet, checked my lights, pulled on my gloves and rode out to the seafront. I managed a mammoth three miles. At some traffic lights, just as they changed from red, I was passed by a guy on a road bike, wearing regular shorts and t-shirt with a rucksack on his back – a commuter I assumed, he gave me a cheery smile and ‘morning!’ as he bombed past me. I just about managed an embarrassed reply as I struggled to get my foot into my pedal straps without falling over. Me, in all my kit, blatantly the beginner, for all the world to see. :oops:
My first ride was humbling. “What have I got myself into?” was all I could think as when I got home.
Onwards and upwards
Since that first ride I have steadily increased my distances and time in the saddle. I am now proud to say that last Sunday I completed my first 2.5 hour ride (about 40 miles I think – in heavy rain and wind). By the time I got home I was drenched and I stank (mixture of ozone from the sea air and cow poo flicking up off the country roads, mixed with a bit of sweat and general dirt I reckon). The smell was enough to make you heave. All I could think was “Better get this all in the washing machine before the missus gets out of bed.” I was, without doubt, happier than I have been in a long time and I can honestly say I have had several such moments (fortunately less smelly in most cases).
The regular and continued improvement I see in my riding ability is one of the most satisfying feelings. I still suck, I still get beat by hills, I still use gears most would probably sniff at, I still probably look every inch the newbie to anyone with any sort of decent experience, but I feel light years away from that first 3 mile ride.
Riding is my time. It may sound daft, but I can’t get enough of that simple feeling of being master of my own immediate (albeit short-term) destiny. And even with the winter setting in (I ride mornings, it sets me up for the day) I have nothing but excited anticipation for the next ride.
Really, I guess what I wanted to get across in my rambling was that for the beginner this whole sport can be a bit daunting, verging on intimidating and physically it can certainly put you in your place. But stick with it. Strength, endurance, speed, technique, comfort and mastery of your bike will all come – but get to love the fact that you’ll probably never stop learning and growing.
A final few things I have learnt/observed:
Get your bike set-up properly. I bought online and assumed that following the out of the box instructions would be sufficient. At a 4 week initial service I discovered that in fact, contrary to what they had suggested online, the company I had bought from had done very little in setting up the bike. I was possibly lucky to have not had an accident. My LBS (not the Trek guy I mentioned earlier, but an authorised Giant dealer) showed me that in fact, once I had taken into account getting the bike properly set-up I would in fact not have spent any more money buying locally rather than online. Lesson learnt: saving a few quid online isn’t always the value route long (or even short term). There is often a reason why people can price lower online – in this case, it was clearly the lower human cost in readying the bike before dispatching it to me.
Don’t expect your friends or family to think your bike/latest bike purchase/most recent cycling achievement etc is as great as you do. But do know that using words like ‘cadence’ in any description of your cycling will make you look pro. However, don’t undo the awe you may have just inspired by mentioning how some cyclists smear cream on their butts to keep away sores. :shock:
Unless you are training for something specific I would likely urge against getting too caught up in the numbers on your cycle computer. I got a freebie Cateye 5 when I bought some lights. It does more than enough for me. At this stage, distance (for the ride and overall), max/current speed are nice to know, but don’t shape my ride. I mainly like to look at the numbers after. The exception being current speed, which is sometimes nice for confirmation that you are in the right gear, have achieved a nice cadence, the planets are aligned and you are cruising along well. Lots of people on this and other forums have said that time in the saddle is what counts and I couldn’t agree more.
What you do off the bike is as important, maybe more important, than what you do on it. Recovery and nutrition are something you can’t learn enough about in my opinion. And stretch after every ride. When I started out the idea of a low intensity recovery ride was hard to accept, I wanted to go hard, go longer, go faster each time I took the bike out. I now appreciate the value of taking a shorter ride and going steady, stretching the muscles out and aiding their repair. It is not time wasted.
Get to know your bike. Play with it, clean it, and learn how to do as much maintenance yourself as you feel confident to do. I was nervous at first to even remove my back wheel to change a tube, but there is a lot of good information and guides online. I’ve even had my laptop in the garden watching vids on Youtube to guide me through certain things.
If you are going to play with the fit of your bike, only change one thing at a time. There is no use lowering your bars and moving your saddle at the same time. You’ll not know what to attribute any improvements (or reductions) in comfort, fit or performance if you tinker with more than one thing at a time. And adjust in small increments – the most minor changes can make big differences. Again, learn online.
If you got this far then thanks for humouring me and thanks also to all the regular contributors from whom I have been silently learning over the past few weeks. Your contributions are invaluable.
alp
PS. As a reward for enduring the above I’ll pull together a few photos I have taken during my first few weeks.
So, first some background...
I’m two months in to road cycling, having bought myself a Giant Defy 3.5 at the end of August, so every inch still the beginner. Until I started cycling my lifestyle was fairly sedentary. I live on the South coast (moved from London 7 years ago) and used to travel to London each day to work (14 hours a day out of the house – 5 spent on a train) but changed jobs earlier this year and now work from home. I used to sporadically get into lifting a few free weights, played with an exercise bike for a few months and went out for a run about 5 times in 2 years. I hadn’t cycled since I was 16 (I’m 31 now) and even then I would only use the bike to get from A to B like most kids do. That said, I was sporty and athletic growing up, all the way until I left college, so I knew some general exercise principles.
I don’t know why, but for a sometime I had a nagging feeling that cycling would offer me something more in terms of pleasure and fitness and that it was something I would find myself able to commit to. Perhaps knowing that I live where I do and am blessed by some amazing coast and countryside that I hadn’t yet properly enjoyed was in the back of my mind. Anyway, with 5 hours ‘me time’ back under my new work situation it was time to take the plunge.
Buying the bike
I read forums, online magazines full of reviews and searched a whole lot of online retailers, big and small. I was put off going to a LBS after a short email exchange with a local dealer who told me that he couldn’t help as he simply ‘couldn’t recommend any bike as being worth buying within my budget’ (even though my email to him was prompted by having seen him offering a Trek 1.1 just at my price point...). Maybe it knocked my confidence a bit and just compounded my belief that I was entering a sport I knew nothing about. Anyway, his emails weren’t encouraging of a newbie, so I moved on.
I found my Defy online with a bike shop in North London. I ordered it and took delivery a few days later. When I had done with the initial assembly I think I must have looked at it for about 48 hours before getting up the courage to take it out.
First ride
I put on my new padded shorts and cycle shirt, strapped my water bottle into its holder, fine-tuned the fit of my cycle helmet, checked my lights, pulled on my gloves and rode out to the seafront. I managed a mammoth three miles. At some traffic lights, just as they changed from red, I was passed by a guy on a road bike, wearing regular shorts and t-shirt with a rucksack on his back – a commuter I assumed, he gave me a cheery smile and ‘morning!’ as he bombed past me. I just about managed an embarrassed reply as I struggled to get my foot into my pedal straps without falling over. Me, in all my kit, blatantly the beginner, for all the world to see. :oops:
My first ride was humbling. “What have I got myself into?” was all I could think as when I got home.
Onwards and upwards
Since that first ride I have steadily increased my distances and time in the saddle. I am now proud to say that last Sunday I completed my first 2.5 hour ride (about 40 miles I think – in heavy rain and wind). By the time I got home I was drenched and I stank (mixture of ozone from the sea air and cow poo flicking up off the country roads, mixed with a bit of sweat and general dirt I reckon). The smell was enough to make you heave. All I could think was “Better get this all in the washing machine before the missus gets out of bed.” I was, without doubt, happier than I have been in a long time and I can honestly say I have had several such moments (fortunately less smelly in most cases).
The regular and continued improvement I see in my riding ability is one of the most satisfying feelings. I still suck, I still get beat by hills, I still use gears most would probably sniff at, I still probably look every inch the newbie to anyone with any sort of decent experience, but I feel light years away from that first 3 mile ride.
Riding is my time. It may sound daft, but I can’t get enough of that simple feeling of being master of my own immediate (albeit short-term) destiny. And even with the winter setting in (I ride mornings, it sets me up for the day) I have nothing but excited anticipation for the next ride.
Really, I guess what I wanted to get across in my rambling was that for the beginner this whole sport can be a bit daunting, verging on intimidating and physically it can certainly put you in your place. But stick with it. Strength, endurance, speed, technique, comfort and mastery of your bike will all come – but get to love the fact that you’ll probably never stop learning and growing.
A final few things I have learnt/observed:
Get your bike set-up properly. I bought online and assumed that following the out of the box instructions would be sufficient. At a 4 week initial service I discovered that in fact, contrary to what they had suggested online, the company I had bought from had done very little in setting up the bike. I was possibly lucky to have not had an accident. My LBS (not the Trek guy I mentioned earlier, but an authorised Giant dealer) showed me that in fact, once I had taken into account getting the bike properly set-up I would in fact not have spent any more money buying locally rather than online. Lesson learnt: saving a few quid online isn’t always the value route long (or even short term). There is often a reason why people can price lower online – in this case, it was clearly the lower human cost in readying the bike before dispatching it to me.
Don’t expect your friends or family to think your bike/latest bike purchase/most recent cycling achievement etc is as great as you do. But do know that using words like ‘cadence’ in any description of your cycling will make you look pro. However, don’t undo the awe you may have just inspired by mentioning how some cyclists smear cream on their butts to keep away sores. :shock:
Unless you are training for something specific I would likely urge against getting too caught up in the numbers on your cycle computer. I got a freebie Cateye 5 when I bought some lights. It does more than enough for me. At this stage, distance (for the ride and overall), max/current speed are nice to know, but don’t shape my ride. I mainly like to look at the numbers after. The exception being current speed, which is sometimes nice for confirmation that you are in the right gear, have achieved a nice cadence, the planets are aligned and you are cruising along well. Lots of people on this and other forums have said that time in the saddle is what counts and I couldn’t agree more.
What you do off the bike is as important, maybe more important, than what you do on it. Recovery and nutrition are something you can’t learn enough about in my opinion. And stretch after every ride. When I started out the idea of a low intensity recovery ride was hard to accept, I wanted to go hard, go longer, go faster each time I took the bike out. I now appreciate the value of taking a shorter ride and going steady, stretching the muscles out and aiding their repair. It is not time wasted.
Get to know your bike. Play with it, clean it, and learn how to do as much maintenance yourself as you feel confident to do. I was nervous at first to even remove my back wheel to change a tube, but there is a lot of good information and guides online. I’ve even had my laptop in the garden watching vids on Youtube to guide me through certain things.
If you are going to play with the fit of your bike, only change one thing at a time. There is no use lowering your bars and moving your saddle at the same time. You’ll not know what to attribute any improvements (or reductions) in comfort, fit or performance if you tinker with more than one thing at a time. And adjust in small increments – the most minor changes can make big differences. Again, learn online.
If you got this far then thanks for humouring me and thanks also to all the regular contributors from whom I have been silently learning over the past few weeks. Your contributions are invaluable.
alp
PS. As a reward for enduring the above I’ll pull together a few photos I have taken during my first few weeks.
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Comments
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Apologies for brightness in a few of these - they are all taken fairly early. Oh, and I'm no photographer, these are all taken on a pretty poor camera phone.
Road to Birling Gap (then on to Beachy Head)
View from Beachy Head over the sea
Beachy Head road, before descending into Eastbourne
View over Royal Eastbourne golf course
Took the train to Ore and then cycled on to my folks in New Romney. View over Romney Marsh
alp0 -
Nice photos and write up
I had a spell off the bike and remember the first time back on. A bit chilly but felt so refreshing being out again.0 -
I'm just thinking about getting it to road riding so thanks for taking the time to share your experience.XC: Giant Anthem X
Fun: Yeti SB66
Road: Litespeed C1, Cannondale Supersix Evo, Cervelo R5
Trainer: Bianchi via Nirone
Hack: GT hardtail with Schwalbe City Jets0 -
Excellent post.
I'm in a fairly similar position but a month behind. I started because I wanted to do my 12 mile commute by bike instead of car. I was in a crash earlier in the the year and suffered lower back problems due to whiplash so after my physio ended I wanted to stay more active. The physio had recommended running but I have a weak knee so I couldn't keep that up. I knew from when I was younger that cycling wouldn't be a problem though so I bought a bike and started riding.
12 miles was very daunting at first but I could manage it. Riding on busy A roads was scary to start with but I soon got used to it. After a couple of weeks my legs could handle the distance without a problem so I changed the route and now do 18 miles with a 25 mile ride once per week. My legs have just reached the stage where I feel comfortable powering up hills which used to be hard work and very slow. I also feel much more confident in traffic.
All I need now is some free time to do some longer rides. I enjoy my commute, especially when I extend it, but I want to get out for longer and see how far I can manage.0 -
Really good post, enjoyed reading that.0
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Enjoyed that post. Keep up the good work0
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nice story alp078, like you i started cycling earlier this year since the last time i put my self on a bike saddle was back in 1996. yes it was that long. and at first it was a very struggling affair for me. sores here and there, not having the free time and many more obstacles that came along. but i manage to go through it. 11 months gone, from a mere 10-15km ride in 45 minutes-1 hour, now i have done 4 times a week ride, averaging 200km per week and my time on the saddle also increases for an average of 1 1/2 or 2 hours per ride. and my fitness and strength also has build since i joined group ride recently. riding with much faster and stronger riders than me really helps me in my cycling technique although i'll normally be the last rider to arrive . all i can say is, yes cycling is fun trust me, even though i'm now 32 and not that strong anymore, but the passion to ride that keeps me going, and i don't care if people say that i'm a slow rider, as long as i'm happy with my ride, that's what really matters...
p/s i'm from asia by the way, southeast asia to be exact...ride like the wind... with the wind... to the wind...0 -
great story
Im 32 took delivery of my first road bike Felt f75, took it out today on cold crisp morning, boy what a feeling. The bike feels more powerful than my Scott MTB. Wow I am hooked!
Look forward to taking part in some sportives next year0 -
Great post, I really enjoyed reading that.Boardman Elite SLR 9.2S
Boardman FS Pro0 -
great write up there... glad your enjoying it
I am in a similar position
I have always be a mountain biker (last 5 years) but 2 months ago I sold one of my mtb to get a road bike (only a cheap Decathlon Sport 1) but it was only going to be used to commute to work (20 miles a day/5 days a week) and I can honestly say come rain or shine I love it....
in fact this weekend I am planning to go out on my 1st club ride, I just hope I dont slow everyone downI̶m̶ ̶t̶i̶r̶e̶d̶
I̶t̶s̶ ̶r̶a̶i̶n̶i̶n̶g̶
I̶t̶s̶ ̶t̶o̶o̶ ̶l̶a̶t̶e̶
NO EXCUSES
JUST RIDE!!!0 -
nice pics - what time were they taken at?0
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Best read i've had in a while!
Im in the same boat, started cycling start of August, learning fast and hard, but enjoying every single second of it!
Pleased to hear you talk with passion about an amazing hobby!
Keep up the good work!0 -
great post alp078 and good to read about other noobies having fun on their new road bikes.. As someone posted above, join a club if you can - you can learn a lot from other members, riding in groups can be great fun ( makes a nice change to get out of the wind ), and riding with faster riders will make you go quicker as well... 0
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Thanks for the positive comments folks
MarkS1980. I was pretty nervy too starting out on busier roads, most any roads for that matter lol Now that I have confidence in my ability with the bike I am more assertive, never aggressive, but assertive. I make a lot of effort to show other road users I know they are there and what I intend to do. I've had a few hairy moments with people underestimating how quick a guy on a road bike might be going and pulling out on me, which is always fun :roll:
Also, i managed to take a proper Superman-style dive off the front a couple of weeks back after a car pulled over at the last minute to let some oncoming traffic through on a narrow corner. Think i may have to own up to half the responsibility for the evasive action, I was moving too quick to stop in time. No harm done to speak of and better than ending up planting my face on their rear window. Lesson learnt.
Wayne1978 - like you i'm loving the power. I really feel like the bike is bigger than me and has more to offer than my ability currently does justice, but that's half the fun i'm having growing into it!
Riggsy81 - I've been thinking about club runs, but i know i'll never lose the desire to ride solo for most of my time. I think i'll leave the club until the spring, when i have a better base and all-round ability, but it will be great to add the extra element.
Valy - most of those pics were taken i guess between 7am and 8.30am, but over a few weeks so obviously varying light. I've had to ditch a few of my initial routes, including the one that took me up Beachy Head, simply because I was using a few miles of country lanes to get there which just aren't safe in the dark. May have to have a rethink as the views are stunning, but it will defo demand a heck of a lot more climbing to approach on the main roads. I'll get there 0 -
alp078 wrote:Thanks for the positive comments folks
MarkS1980. I was pretty nervy too starting out on busier roads, most any roads for that matter lol Now that I have confidence in my ability with the bike I am more assertive, never aggressive, but assertive. I make a lot of effort to show other road users I know they are there and what I intend to do. I've had a few hairy moments with people underestimating how quick a guy on a road bike might be going and pulling out on me, which is always fun :roll:
Also, i managed to take a proper Superman-style dive off the front a couple of weeks back after a car pulled over at the last minute to let some oncoming traffic through on a narrow corner. Think i may have to own up to half the responsibility for the evasive action, I was moving too quick to stop in time. No harm done to speak of and better than ending up planting my face on their rear window. Lesson learnt.
Wayne1978 - like you i'm loving the power. I really feel like the bike is bigger than me and has more to offer than my ability currently does justice, but that's half the fun i'm having growing into it!
Riggsy81 - I've been thinking about club runs, but i know i'll never lose the desire to ride solo for most of my time. I think i'll leave the club until the spring, when i have a better base and all-round ability, but it will be great to add the extra element.
Valy - most of those pics were taken i guess between 7am and 8.30am, but over a few weeks so obviously varying light. I've had to ditch a few of my initial routes, including the one that took me up Beachy Head, simply because I was using a few miles of country lanes to get there which just aren't safe in the dark. May have to have a rethink as the views are stunning, but it will defo demand a heck of a lot more climbing to approach on the main roads. I'll get there
If you mean you can't see where you rae going, then you can get some pretty good lighs for about £50. Will let you see where you are going!0 -
Valy wrote:
If you mean you can't see where you rae going, then you can get some pretty good lighs for about £50. Will let you see where you are going!
Its more the debris on the ground, leaves etc hiding what is already a pretty poor road surface. Though my lights could probably be better, they are good enough under normal street conditions. I'm sure they will be on the upgrade list at some point :roll:0 -
This light is pretty good, though it does take a few weeks to ship with the normal delivery.0
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good for you i started this year as well started at 3 miles too haha im now doing at least 100 miles per week from club rides lone rides and stuff like that (only 17 have loads of free time)
good work0 -
alp078, i really enjoyed reading your post. Lots of things in common as ive only had my road bike since mid sept. I find that i cant get enough time to enjoy my riding as much as i want. (work & familly)
Ive taken the plunge & got some cycling shoes from aldi & spd peddals from halfords, didnt want to spend to much as i didnt know how well i'd get on with them, but so far so good. (only 2 falls so far, 1 in front of my wife & kids as i showed off my new pedals & yesterday in a local park taking a corner too wide & ending up in the brambles & nettles, nobody around though luckly :oops: )
Getting cheesed off with puntures though as had 2 in 2 days this week & im on my 5 tube now :x .
Like yourself i read the posts on here all the time so im often picking up tips & tricks. Any way keep it up. spesh allez sport triple 2010, boardman team hybrid, planet x procarbon, tern link p240 -
Great post! I got my road bike in early september and recognise all the things you've said - absolutely spot on!
Only difference is that I had 5 years of 3 or 4 mile commutes in London and Newcastle beforehand plus 5 years at University. A new job meant no commuting (no showers and too far to get away without one) so i didn't cycle for 18months. Then I thought I try a sustrans path and try riding for fun and got the hybrid out of hybernation. Also I was getting fat! Soon got bored of the paths though and tried it on the fantastic roads round here. Then i decided to do it properly and got my new road bike!
Plus it sounds like we may get showers at work from an email today 2010 Trek 1.5 Road - swissstop green, conti GP4000S
2004 Marin Muirwoods Hybrid0 -
Well done mate, a positive read and good luck with your absorbing world into cycling addiction. I too am really pleased with the results and benefits cycling brings and better still I have seen areas of the country I never knew existed as in a car or motor vehicle you dont quite get the same experience.
8)0 -
Good read
I stated in March after six months on a hybrid,spend as much time as i can in the saddle and usually love it.i guess there will always be rides when your glad to get home.Did the Bristol to bath Action 100 in august andwas really pleased wiith achieving that at an avg of 17.2mpg and really enjoyed the day.I have completely fallen in love with riding and it keeps me fit and slim,i was 19 stone at the start of 2008 and after some serious dieting and getting on a bkie i am at a steady 12 stone six
Life is better by bike! : 0 -
soslow wrote:i was 19 stone at the start of 2008 and after some serious dieting and getting on a bkie i am at a steady 12 stone six
Life is better by bike! :
Mate, that is some amazing progress. I bet friends and family hardly recognise you! Add to that the simple fact that body and mind must both be much stronger. What I like is the fact that the pain of pushing yourself is so often a big part of the pleasure... Well, maybe more so on reflection after a hot bath and cup of tea lol 0 -
ur bike is like sex lol i love that bike!! hw much did it cost i wanna get one lolwayne1978 wrote:great story
Im 32 took delivery of my first road bike Felt f75, took it out today on cold crisp morning, boy what a feeling. The bike feels more powerful than my Scott MTB. Wow I am hooked!
Look forward to taking part in some sportives next yearbest bike: raleigh avanti U6 carbon comp
10m tt pb:23:42.
25m tt pb: 1h 2min( only done 2)0 -
Hi, this was a great read. My bike new bike arrived this week and is now in my LBS being set up. Like you (were), my usual pace is about 3 miles an hour but for some reason my psyche is encouraging me to get on a bike. The past 5 months I have been undergoing cancer treatment and have now been given the ' OK ' to do some physical exercise and now have this overriding desire to get out and enjoy life! yippee.....reading your story and hearing your enthusiasm in every word helps to maintain my own.
Thanks!!
Little Fluffy Chicktrying to go from Pashley to Performance0 -
great read,shows how easy it is to inspire other people. 0
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Littlefluffychick wrote:Hi, this was a great read. My bike new bike arrived this week and is now in my LBS being set up. Like you (were), my usual pace is about 3 miles an hour but for some reason my psyche is encouraging me to get on a bike. The past 5 months I have been undergoing cancer treatment and have now been given the ' OK ' to do some physical exercise and now have this overriding desire to get out and enjoy life! yippee.....reading your story and hearing your enthusiasm in every word helps to maintain my own.
Thanks!!
Little Fluffy Chick
Get well. Ride. Be happy.Purveyor of "up"0 -
great post alp078
I can relate to much of this having bought a Defy 3 this summer. I had been commuting along the canals on a mountain bike. I found the transition to a road bike quite difficult (mostly due to SPD's), and as the canal commute continued, the Defy was mainly used at weekends. However, over the last 2 months I've used it more and more and now commute around 15 miles daily. I love the Defy and rarely use the mountain bike. The only problem with commuting is that the bike has lost a bit of the 'special' feeling which I found when I was only using it weekends and it was always spotless. I'm currently in two minds regarding using the Defy through the winter as it's bound to take it's toll but I'm reluctant to return to the mountain bike.0 -
fella
thats a great post. i tweeted it so other commuter / roadie types can forward it to their friends teetering on the bring of having a go themselves.
I had a similar experience. a 1hr10m ride to work left my legs aching for day and days even though i was squatting and stuff at the gym, it still hurt, plus i'd had about enough on the return leg that first day and 2 miles from home wanted to get off and walk.
Now riding 130miles a week and use a road bike extra to that. Just rode to London all at once (about 27 hours / 385 miles) and completed the C2C route on roads twice in under 20 hours.
Keep enjoying the feeling and thanks for the inspirational write up,
Crackin.
ps - people at work still ask most days whether i've 'cycled in today'! I've cycled almost every day for 2 years, and they still ask, and i still proudly say yes! I like that its not the norm too, being a bit out-there. I don't have much of a riding peer group locally so use twitter to that effect and follow a number of other roadies / commuters to keep me in the right frame of mind.Cannondale BadBoy Rohloff
Cannondale SuperSix / 11sp Chorus
Ridley Excalibur / 10sp Centaur
Steel Marin Bear Valley SE
Twitter @roadbikedave0 -
Alp, great post and very inspirational. I started road riding in March this year and that first mere 20 mile ride almost killed me, but I said this would not beat me and obviously persisted with riding as much I as could when the time allowed. During the summer months this years I was covering about 100 miles a week from two evening rides and the Sunday morning ride and I now manage high 17 to 18 mph average rides, I did hit 19 mph average on a 20 mile run a few weeks ago which pleased me immensly, but that must have been an ideal day to ride on.
I have also joined the local club who, in the winter months, do 50-55 mile runs on Sunday mornings. I did my second club run with them yesterday and was riding with a couple of guys who have ridden for over twenty years each and both race. They were very strong riders and one of the guys commented that I was doing rather well riding with them for how little I have been riding and only my second outing with the club. I must admit I was quite pleased with myself and realised how much I enjoy road riding. I just wish I would have started years ago. I now have no intention of slacking and want to ride throughout the winter weekends to train hard for a few sportives next year.0
