How old are the newbies to road cycling?

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  • bobinski
    bobinski Posts: 570
    lindberg wrote:
    Well IanR that's exactly as I would expect but ....... would not bank on it of late.. However,..lighter matters:

    When it arrives, plan to get around 500mls under belt and head off to the (almost local) Col d’Iseran, formerly the highest road in Europe at 2770 metres (+9090 feet isn)...anyone have any running -in advice.......?? may even experiment with the BIG ring on decent ...see how good the brakes are...

    Oh! as a matter of interest not only do they drive on the wrong side of the road to the "sceptred isle" but normal brake setup is Xed.....ie front anchor is LEFT hand... rear is RIGHT...... LBS quite surprised when I showed them my mtb.... maybe I have it set up as reflexes/instincts remember and save potential expensive embarrassment.

    Salutations

    Where will you be starting the col d'iseran from? I did it from Bourg st Maurice last summer. Long and pretty tough but quite fantastic from Tignes. Lots of riders started at Val d'isere, including a mum on a hybrid pulling her young child in a buggy!
  • lindberg
    lindberg Posts: 13
    Thank you Fatdaz for pointing that out to me most kind....as you will note not only a newbie to r/b's but also to the forum.

    salutations :oops:
  • lindberg
    lindberg Posts: 13
    I'm on Lake Geneve so local is still a very decent ride+ and would stop over so, will probably train to Bourg St Maurice and ride from there also would stopover, (any accommodation you would recommend ? ) but being an old f**t get a whole €10 reduction..ok by me!

    salutations
  • mrfpb
    mrfpb Posts: 4,569
    I'm 45. Started commuting eight years ago on a Ridgeback Speed. (cost of bike = 100 days bus fare at the time). Still using the same bike for sponsored rides - last one 45 miles in Wiltshire, this year doing 100km London to Brighton overnight. If that works out then I'll move up to 100 miles for the next event.

    I think cycling is now the affordable mid-life crisis. I'm reluctant to buy a new bike, but the accessories I've got over the years cost many times the price of the bike.

    I don't have room for more than one bike and I'm frequently out on canal paths with the kids (and I've been towing toddlers for all eight years - my youngest is now 6yrs old and still gets towed on longer outings) so a pure road bike isn't going to suit me anyway.
  • jamiemilbourn
    jamiemilbourn Posts: 62
    Afternoon..

    36 and started last November.

    Really got the bug with a side dose of "upgrade-itis"!

    Longest tide to date is 72.2 miles!

    Try to get out a couple of times a week with a long one on Sunday.

    Love it.
  • Jimmy894
    Jimmy894 Posts: 54
    Evening all

    I'm 35 started January this year

    I've got a Jamis Xenith Pro

    Several of my mates have them at work so I'm going out with them.

    I'm also now addicted to Strava challenges lol which makes the riding more interesting
  • Cliff22
    Cliff22 Posts: 104
    48 years and getting younger.
    I started riding again in January after an eight year absence due to an accident.
    I used to average around 22mph on a 70 miler and yesterday managed 16.2 on a 30 miler.
    I truly had forgotten how hard it can be but will never forget the sheer enjoyment and exhiliration of just being on a bike.
    It is addictive to the enth degree
  • degsy46
    degsy46 Posts: 16
    I'm 51 cycled for many years mostly on mountain bikes for the last 20 odd years but wanted to improve and have a new challenge so last November I bought a road bike. I bought a BTWIN Triban 5 which I'm very pleased with and it was within my budget. I'm in training for my first closed road 'race'. A 52 mile 4 x 13 mile circuit round Manchester end of June. I'm upto 40 miles, so just a little more to go. :D
  • ashman666
    ashman666 Posts: 2
    Hi guys, I'm 28, wouldn't say i'm a newbie as such, but been out of the saddle for the last 7 years.

    Need some advice on these matters:

    I've given up smoking, and need to loose a couple of pounds, any advice on nutrition and health for an ex smoker is welcome?

    Also had a serious injury with my left knee, so any tips welcome on that too, it was mainly muscle damage too.

    I'm wanting to get some hard training in, what suitable bike would you guys recommend for around £350? I need a 58cm frame as I'm 6'2".

    Thank you in advance

    Ash
  • Davdandy
    Davdandy Posts: 571
    degsy46 wrote:
    I'm 51 cycled for many years mostly on mountain bikes for the last 20 odd years but wanted to improve and have a new challenge so last November I bought a road bike. I bought a BTWIN Triban 5 which I'm very pleased with and it was within my budget. I'm in training for my first closed road 'race'. A 52 mile 4 x 13 mile circuit round Manchester end of June. I'm upto 40 miles, so just a little more to go. :D


    I was up your way the other day Degsy,came from Lowton then through Culcheth way,headed towards Makro then turned back home.Hot day too it was. :)

    I`m 49,only a couple of years between us.
    Cannondale CAAD 8 105
    Rockrider 8.1
  • degsy46
    degsy46 Posts: 16
    Hi mate I go up towards Lowton & Culcheth maybe we have passed each other, safe riding m8.
  • Davdandy
    Davdandy Posts: 571
    degsy46 wrote:
    Hi mate I go up towards Lowton & Culcheth maybe we have passed each other, safe riding m8.

    I can be seen wearing a blue Aldi top riding my Cannondale,if you see me stop me and say hi.
    Cannondale CAAD 8 105
    Rockrider 8.1
  • mabbo
    mabbo Posts: 117
    Been riding on and off most of my life. But stopped cycling for 10 years or so, no real reason, just life. Then 5 years ago we set up a group to cycle after work. Got well back into since then. Now have a modern road bike along with my old one that I use for winter riding. I manage about 70 plus miles a week on average, rain or shine.(A few weeks off this winter with the rubbish weather). Once summer arrives, if it ever does, that will go up to 150 or more. Mainly commuting, plus an evening club ride of 40 - 50, then a weekend ride. It helped me loose my pot belly, more than actually loose weight. But then I'm only 11 stone anyway. It also dropped my blood pressure, another plus point.
    Cycling around East Sussex is a joy most of the time, although hilly.

    Oh, in answer to the main question....58 in July.
  • GarforthDon
    GarforthDon Posts: 1
    I'll be 39 this year.
    Cycling was something I kinda fancied in the past,but never really got round to.
    I'm taking advantage of the Cycle to work scheme at my company so will be getting a bike in the next week or so.
    I printed my voucher today,and am just struggling to pick a bike...
  • adamski_8
    adamski_8 Posts: 35
    I'll give this a go..
    been cycling since 14yrs old and rode competitive road racing i.e. league, multi stage tours & national level races until 21yrs old..then relocated to the UK from South Africa. Got setup over here, classic story of boy meets girl, we got married & focused on career prospects. Been on and off the mountain bike for 10 or so years as my missus is into mtb trails. This year I'm 32 and got the urge to race again or simply get fit first and see where this takes me (probably veteran category) :) bought a new Ribble Stealth with Di2 and loving it, my daily commute to work is 45km round trip and averaging 270 - 350km per week for the 4 weeks since coming out of retirement lol
    Joined a local club and getting stuck in the weekly rides..so that's me in a nutshell..feels like a "newbie"
    Thanks for reading and happy cycling :)
  • Boingy
    Boingy Posts: 1
    A 41 year old slightly-above-average standard club runner who has been laid low with achilles problems for the last 6-months. Just ordered an Allez Sport to get me outdoors on a *proper* (ish) bike before I actually start tearing the walls down. Also about to move a commutable distance to work and have a cycling-nut of a girlfriend who regularly kicks my ass when we go out on a ride, her on her fancy-pants road bike, me on my 10 year old steel mountain bike. This has to stop! :oops: :lol:

    Also feeling the pull towards the dark side of Triathlons. Goodbye bank balance.
  • AntD365
    AntD365 Posts: 11
    I'm 42 and using cycling to get myself fitter and improve health.
    Riding a Pinnacle Arkrose cyclocross bike as I spend time on towpaths, etc as well as the roads. Didn't want to spend lots of money until I know I'm committed to it.
  • KelA
    KelA Posts: 5
    Hi all
    I am kelvin 52 years
    I started cycling last Aug as my wife wanted a bike and said we should try cycling so we bought a CB mountain bike for her and a cheaper one for me. She lasted a few weeks and it's all over!!,I started to clock up the miles and found I was doing more on the road than down the canals, so decided to go for a road bike bought a specilized alleze last Dec and not looked back since, now done over 1000 miles on it. Booked on our first sportive in June. Feel fitter and better than ever wish I had found this sooner, love it, looking to up grade probably a specilized tarmac or something around that kind of spec.
  • Pauld100
    Pauld100 Posts: 31
    I'm 32, and have recently given up rugby and needed another way to keep fit. I did a sponsored charity ride last year which was 56miles, but since then haven't touched my bike once (that was on my mountain bike on slicks).

    I was after a cheapish road bike to see how I adjust to the difference with a drop handle/skinny tired bike, and ended up ordering a Merlin S2200 (I had planned on a Triban 3, but can't get one in my size). The bike arrived today, as did the SPD pedals I bought to go with it, so I have fitted them and had a quik blast down the road.

    First impressions are good - the gear ratios are much harder than the mtb (the Merlin has a standard double 53/39, with 12-25 cassette), and I am quite worried I mey not have the legs for the gearing, so might have to look at a compact at some point.

    I have given myself a challenge to do 100miles on it before the end of the year, so I need to start raking up some miles!
  • pringtef
    pringtef Posts: 1
    I turned 40 a few months ago. I live near Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and although i make regular use of my 'oma fiets' (aka classic Dutch bike) for going to work and back (about 20km), shopping and so on, i wanted to get a road bike for properly seeing around this country and getting fitter. By my calculations i have to travel to around Limburg before i see any decent hills, about 160km, so my first target is to get fit enough to be able to travel there by bike!

    My bike should be arriving sometime this week, so looking forward to beginning a new adventure. :-)
  • rdent
    rdent Posts: 49
    I've been interested in cycling for a few years but never actually thought about riding up until all of a sudden, I decided I just wanted a bike, a bit weird and random but now I love it.

    It's just cool, innit? Not in any other sport can you go off for 40 miles seeing amazing scenery then eat cake after.

    I play football and go to the gym regularly.

    I'm currently riding a fixie :oops:. It's destroying my knees so getting a geared one ASAP.
  • waynej4
    waynej4 Posts: 49
    I started again at 43 after a long, long absence from any physical activity!

    I used to be quite active into my late 20's (football, sqash, tennis), but work and other things started getting in the way and next thing I know I'm in my 40's overweight and totally unfit.

    Bought a Mountain bike from Halfords on the cycle to work scheme. Colleagues (and myself, to be fair!) joked at the time that the bike would probably sit in the garage gathering dust after the first 3 weeks. When I collected the bike I decided I'd ride it home (just over 3 miles). All was going well, road was fairly flat and I was feeling good. Got to the first bit of an incline and something didn't feel right - legs felt a bit like Jelly! Carried on for a couple hundred yards more to the next hill and thought I would fall over when I got off the bike as legs felt like they wouldn't hold me up! Pushed the bike up the hill and about half the rest of the last mile!

    I perservered though and eventually started to ride it to work (12 miles each way). As I was using it mostly for road use, got some more road friendly tyres for it.

    The next year I was looking at road hybrids and after some more thought and discussion with some at the LBS, I went for a road bike (Canyon Aeroad 8.0). My first ride on it was "what the hell have I done" type moment. Spent almost £2500 on a bike and it felt so different to ride to the mountain bike. But I got used to it and after only a few rides I was absolutely loving it!

    I'm now 45 and have done a few sportives and my first 100miler is coming up mid-May. Also planning a trip to France in July to do a couple of the TdF Alps rides!

    So for anyone else out there considering it - if I can manage, I'm sure anyone can! :D
  • danchandler
    danchandler Posts: 63
    I'm 32, I took up road cycling as a way of getting fit for competitive cycle trials, but the bug bit and I started spending the money on upgrades. I ride a 2013 moda intro, with mavic aksium wheels and conti gator skin tyres. I like the way its just so effortless to go out and have a decent ride. I find it therapeutic and refreshing at the same time
    2011 carrera fury
    2012 20" onza genesis trials bike
    2014 carrera virtuoso road bike
  • will_85
    will_85 Posts: 84
    Im 27 & have just moved to london..... Used to always be into bikes in my teens, primarily BMX, also MTB....

    Cycling seems to be the way to get about in London - quicker and cheaper than public transport & i could do with trimming up lol. I guess there's a hobby aspect to it too - i deliberately opted for a cheap option to start (2nd hand Carerra vituoso at £170) Which gives me the chance to see if its just a phase, and also a good project to build upon...... Boys & their toys and all that. Id also like to do the London to Brighton ride, possibly 2013, maybe 2014, so i have a bit of time to upgrade some key components & if im still into it in a year, ill upgrade to a new frame set & tranfer my various components over :)

    Will.
  • toby_b
    toby_b Posts: 6
    I have just turned 29 and now trying to get into road cycling to keep fit and hopefully give me a speed fix.
  • theicebun
    theicebun Posts: 15
    I was 43 when I got into road cycling (now 44, sadly !)
  • vvilko
    vvilko Posts: 6
    24, Roadys have got to be the best way to see the sights without getting fat!
    makes sense to own one, especially seeing as i can be in the peak district within 20 mins cycling!
  • 65_bezzer
    65_bezzer Posts: 2
    I was 46 when I got into road bikes. Now 48.

    Bought a touring bike (Dawes Audax) 5 years ago with with the aim of having cycling holidays with friends. Enjoyed the 'buzz' of cycling and started riding more to improve fitness. in 2011 I bought a Wilier XP Izoard and haven't looked back since!
  • Schoie81
    Schoie81 Posts: 749
    Hi,

    I'm 31 and I always had a bike as a child. When I left home though, I left it with my parents and I think its probably been scrapped now. Anyway, 2011 I got a mountain bike (Giant Revel 0) through the Cyclescheme and got hooked on cycling. Took a whlie to get fit enough for my 11.5miles commute through the Derbyshire Hills, but I now do it three times a week most weeks. Just moved into the world or Road Bikes and very nervous about it. Still not the most confident cyclist and skinny tyres dont help. Anyway, picked up my brand new Giant Defy 5 bike at the beginning of the week and am pleasantly surprised how easy the hills are with road tyres. Just need to put some miles in now to boost my confidence - the difference between my Hydarulic Disc Brakes on my MTB and the cable block brakes on my road bike worry me - guess it'll fade in time....

    Hoping to cycle from the heart of the Peak District to the East Coast in one day later this year - that on my MTB though - for charity.
    "I look pretty young, but I'm just back-dated"
  • marklevers
    marklevers Posts: 16
    I'm 36 and getting chubby, it's that simple. All my mates have just taken it up so its an alternative than just going to the pub with them!

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