My maiden voyage

GaZMaN888
GaZMaN888 Posts: 6
edited January 2012 in Road beginners
Hi guys,

Took my Trek1.2 out for the first time today. I almost didn't want to as it looks so good in it's red/white/black paint but I decided I would just have to put up with the fact that my shiny white bar tape will never be the same again...

My (brief) back story is "always played sport (football), get drunk at own wedding, agree to do London-Paris next July, decided it would probably be a good idea to have a bike to do it on.

A few things occured to me this morning. First, i need to buy a helmet and bib shorts. Second, it's harder than it looks. (I have no idea why but i thought riding a road bike would be a stroll in the park). Third, I need to train for London-Paris, I mean proper training.... and that shouldn't be a problem because point for is that this cycling malarky is going to be properly addictive...

The only downside is that on the way home the chain managed to pick up one of the cables for the gears so I ended up back at the bike shop this afternoon today.

Sorry for the long post, look forward to talking, and maybe riding, with you in the future.

GaZ

Comments

  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    Glad your enjoying your new bike, I also took my new bike out for it's first ride today. The only problem is with the wet B roads round here, it's now dirtier than my mtb.

    Stick with it, and yes your right, it is addictive.
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • Welcome to an increasing obsession with all things Lycra based, Wiggle gold membership (won't be long :wink: ) and an empty wallet :lol:

    I am still thinking about London - Paris ride (charity) in July, but good on yer for going for it 8)

    Glad you enjoyed your first ride, and it is very addictive. Make sure you get some essentials too, spare tube, pump, puncture kit and multi-tool so you don't get stranded at some point :wink:
  • Cheers guys.

    One question though, do cyclists acknowledge one another when out and about? The reason i ask is that as motorcyclist I am used to acknowledging other riders and just assumed, perhaps wrongly, that cyclists would do the same. Mrs Moggins on her bike-with-basket and the village dog walkers were happy enough to say hello but the four "serious" cyclists i passed didn't bother.

    Perhaps it was just a bit of snobbishness at the obvious noob?

    GaZ
  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    I wouldn't worry too much about that, I always acknowledge other riders some respond others don't for whatever reason. Don't worry about them though and just enjoy what your doing.
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • essjaydee
    essjaydee Posts: 917
    I'm an ex motorcyclist too, and found it odd :!:

    Agree with andy46..acknowlegde others if you want too (I do), but don't worry if they don't respond :wink:
  • petemadoc
    petemadoc Posts: 2,331
    Aahhh the old waving chestnut

    Basically most cyclists will give a polite wave, road MTB whatever.

    However there a small group of "elite" to55ers on bikes who think they are so brilliant and take things so seriously that they won't acknowledge their fellow cyclists.

    There are other reasons people don't give a quick nod or wave; they may have not seen you, they may be pushing so hard that their vision has gone all blurry, they might have just had a barny with the wife so they're in a bad mood.

    But most of the time they're just miserable to55ers :wink: don't let them worry you.

    blue touch paper lit

    Welcome to the road, it is very addictive! :D
  • I always try to acknowledge others and nealry everyone round here does as well - maybe it's friendlier in the NE or my purple face and rasping breath raises sympathy!
  • ALaPlage
    ALaPlage Posts: 732
    Well done on starting road cycling. It is truly addictive believe me. I got back into cycling 3 years ago and my first "challenge" was London to Paris with Action Medical Research. It was a great experience and the training toward it was good fun - I also lost almost 3 stone in the process.

    The AMR ride was good as there is a choice of routes and if you like your racing the finish in Paris is the day before the TDF arrives and you have the Sunday to yourself to watch the race if you want. I pretty much followed the AMR training guide albeit ended up doing a fair bit more than they schedule as I loved the riding so much. Started training in early March with initial rides of around 20 - 25 miles. Reached the half century within 4 weeks and my first Century ride before the end of May. Great to set yourself a goal and feels great when you do it.

    As to waving other roadies/cyclists. I find most acknowledge with the odd ones not. As already advised just do your thing and don't take it personally if you wave and are ignored. I find most roadies are a friendly bunch and most Sunday rides end up chatting to other cyclists or getting approached when on a cafe stop by someone who turns out to be a cyclist or used to in their youth.

    Enjoy it and be prepared for a more expensive year than you may have planned as you start collecting your kit :D
    Trek Madone 5.9
    Kinesis Crosslight T4
  • Going out on my Specialized Secteur shortly - nervous as hell and amazingly intimidated I'll look goofy. But I need to light the fuse. Also need to get shorts, my arse is big but that seat feels like a boot between the cheeks!

    Here's hoping the expected addition kicks in early. PS I won't be waving to anyone I'll be hanging in for dear life!
  • Rain stops play. :(
  • Go for it! In reality you'll be properly slow but you'll feel like a riding god! Found myself driving along today looking at what bikes people were on as i passed them "ah, a ribble!" no idea what model etc!


    Looking forward to getting back out tomorrow even if it's just another 12 miles!


    GaZ
  • ehrb
    ehrb Posts: 20
    Rain stops play. :(

    same here :cry:
  • andy46
    andy46 Posts: 1,666
    I always try to acknowledge others and nealry everyone round here does as well - maybe it's friendlier in the NE or my purple face and rasping breath raises sympathy!

    Sorry to go off topic here, I notice your location isn't that far from me (I'm around 10 miles away from Darlington) do you know of any good routes that are fairly quiet, traffic wise?

    I'm trying to build up my confidence a bit on the road, I'm not too bad with cars around me but I'm not too good with the old hand signals when indicating.
    2019 Ribble CGR SL

    2015 Specialized Roubaix Sport sl4

    2014 Specialized Allez Sport
  • plowmar
    plowmar Posts: 1,032
    andy46 check mapmyride plenty on there or just get one of those old fashioned car maps devise a route and go for it. I tend just to write down the names of villages, tick them off metaphorically, and hope I don't get lost.
  • Hi Andy46 - I'm in Heighington which is about 8 miles west of Darlo - there are loads of good routes - from here - I don't have a GPS so can't send you any saved routes but on Google maps plot route from Heighington to Melsonby (B6276 B6275) turn of to Melsonby and come back up B6274 to Winston then Staindrop and back via Ingelton B 6279. All around inside the Melsonby/Peircebridge/Winston triangle is full of nice roads (quite country roads but very dirty this time of year!). I also do A 688 out to Barnard Castle and find it not too bad. Or try A 68 out from Darlo to Toft Hill and out towards Hamsterly - again I find the A 68 not too bad and there are some great (hard for me but I am not a strong rider!!) hills! Come of the A 68 up around Toft Hill and roam around that area and there are again nice back roads but be prepared for cleaning sessions afterwards!
  • Back on topic - go out in the rain it's good for the soul (if not the bearings!)
  • Back on topic - go out in the rain it's good for the soul (if not the bearings!)

    I'm looking to go out and get confident before I try hanging on in the wet. No doubt I'm making it as if it's harder to do than it actually is but at the minute I reckon riding in the rain = me on my arse!
  • First bike ride since 1986!

    Did 9 miles and loved every bit of it. Was a bike nut as a kid, it was a joy getting back on two wheels.

    Observations...

    Gears take a bit of working out. It isn't just up and down (of course you seasoned riders know that but it took a while to get "keep the chain straight" as second nature). Also felt like my hardest gear wasn't that hard - maybe ill change my view after more hills/longer rides!

    Wind is much more noticeable in your face than on your back ;)

    My gears are a bit clunky (Shimano 2300) and I think I can see "you get what you pay for" in action early doors.

    It's easier to find back streets and routes you ignore as a motorist than I thought.

    Cycling is addictive within 5 minutes of trying it - I didn't want to come home.

    8/10 cyclists did a restrained acknowledgement I was "in the gang", one seasoned female cyclist giggled at me as if to say "I remember looking that confused".

    Bought my bike online, could really do with someone checking the bike inset up ok, although I wouldn't say it isn't very, very comfortable already I wouldn't mind someone checking everything is in order.

    After year's of trying to run, I'm more of a cyclist than I was a runner already!

    Can't wait to get some proper gear and get back out there.
  • Agent57
    Agent57 Posts: 2,300
    GaZMaN888 wrote:
    the four "serious" cyclists i passed didn't bother.

    The thing about the imperceptible nod of recognition (INR) is that it's imperceptible. As a newbie, you're still giving waves and obvious nods. Over the years, you will adapt to the internationally recognised INR. ;) (But yeah, a lot of road riders are somewhat aloof; it's a problem with some clubs I've encountered. Their members are often unwelcoming, and then they wonder why the club's struggling to survive.)
    MTB commuter / 531c commuter / CR1 Team 2009 / RockHopper Pro Disc / 10 mile PB: 25:52 (Jun 2014)
  • Agent57 wrote:
    GaZMaN888 wrote:
    the four "serious" cyclists i passed didn't bother.

    The thing about the imperceptible nod of recognition (INR) is that it's imperceptible. As a newbie, you're still giving waves and obvious nods. Over the years, you will adapt to the internationally recognised INR. ;) (But yeah, a lot of road riders are somewhat aloof; it's a problem with some clubs I've encountered. Their members are often unwelcoming, and then they wonder why the club's struggling to survive.)

    Haha. I was quick to downgrade from too much head movement to an eyebrow wiggle or the aforementioned nod.
  • spong
    spong Posts: 5
    Out today for my first ever trip too. Had the new bike in the garage for the past 3 weeks waiting for the opportunity. I was too cowardly to go out in the rain over Christmas. And actually too worried about falling over in my clipped-in shoes to start from outside the house where neighbours might see! Instead I chucked the bike in the car and drove to the deserted station carpark to have a couple of minutes' practise before setting off on the real road!

    Great fun when I eventually got going. Had a few dodgy gear changes with the double-click SRAM mullarky but I guess you get used to that. I'm surprised how knackered I feel now after less than an hour pootling about...
    2011 Planet X Pro Carbon Rival
  • MattC59
    MattC59 Posts: 5,408
    Ha.......... the old do roadies wave, are they all miserable question :lol:

    Most will wave / say hello, but some don't.
    There are a few reasons for those who don't:
    1) They're somewhat zoned out and don't notice you / recognise you (a mate of mine ignored me the other week and when I texted him, he said that he hadn't even noticed me as he was zoned out after a long ride)
    2) They're blowing out their ar*e and haven't got the energy to wave.

    or......

    3) They are miserable c*nts. As has been mentioned, there are some elitist tw*ts out there.

    I always say hello, if people don't want to say hello to me, then fair enough, I just hope that their next sh*t is a hedgehog. :lol:
    Science adjusts it’s beliefs based on what’s observed.
    Faith is the denial of observation so that Belief can be preserved