Please say it gets easier!

tuktuk

The traffic on the coast rd is a killer with these roadworks though. Infact im sure its taking longer to drive since they started the work.

Clothes wise i havent a clue what to wear when its cold, am i best with some lycra tights or just normal joggers ?

I think in the rain i might be better off in shorts rather than wet material?

I got a helmet too, Giro monza or something, it looks like an extension to my head and exaggerates how much my ears poke out haha. The girlfriend thinks its hilarious, she cried with laughter when i put all my kit on, not really a good sign!

tuktuk

The car is being taken away tomorrow, goodbye Mini!

Cycled in 4days of last week, by thursday i was feeling it but im getting more and more used to it now.

I had hoped to pick up some mudgaurds this weekend but havent had a chance, hopefully get some delivered this week.

Long_Time_Lurker

tuktuk wrote:

Clothes wise i havent a clue what to wear when its cold, am i best with some lycra tights or just normal joggers ?
I think in the rain i might be better off in shorts rather than wet material?

I got a helmet too, Giro monza or something, it looks like an extension to my head and exaggerates how much my ears poke out haha.

Just layer up. Get too hot you can always take a layer off and stuff it in the backpack.
Start Cycles in town have a load of stuff on sale at the moment. Give that a look. Lycra tights under your baggies are your best bet. (They had loads of bib tights for sale - might be worth looking at. Not very attractive, but are comfortable and can be hidden under baggies). Avoid joggers; they get wet/sweaty and stay wet for the ride home (and may get caught in the chainset).

Personally, I use shorts all year round and don't worry about the cold. Thinner shorts tend to be colder, but dry quicker. But you will be ok now the weather has improved.

As for helmets...I am the same. I have a head the shape and size of a melon. The addition of a helmet makes it worse, but it is something that I have accepted now. The missus stopped laughing after 4 or 5 months.

I'm keeping an eye out for you on the Coast Road, but I think that I am going in too early.

tuktuk

At the moment im just wearing the lycra shorts, i figured id rather be a little cold and wet rather than cold wet and have soggy joggers.

Theres a pic of my bike on here somewhere, and i generally have a white jacket on, black lycra shorts, small black rucksack and white/silver helmet. Breathing heavily out of every hole in my body haha. I must be at formica for about 10 past 8

Today was a great ride in, i felt the fittest i have so far on the bike, i seemed to be at work and home before i knew it!

Long_Time_Lurker

I'm riding past Formica at 6:15, and then home around 16:45. No wonder i don't see you.

tuktuk

Bet its cold at that time of the morning!

Some prick came very close to knocking me off 1 turn away from my work today, he had to stop at the lights 2 seconds later so i dont know why he was in such a rush. Was so tempted to knock his wing mirror off as i past at the lights.

Long_Time_Lurker

tuktuk wrote:

Bet its cold at that time of the morning!

Some prick came very close to knocking me off 1 turn away from my work today, he had to stop at the lights 2 seconds later so i dont know why he was in such a rush. Was so tempted to knock his wing mirror off as i past at the lights.

I'm a Geordie - I don't feel cold!
(I'm not really - I'm from Southampton, but have lived up here for 15 years!)
By the time I've got there, I'm fully warmed up - I have the slow climb from Tynemouth before I get there.

I was nearly clipped yesterday - the car hit my hand as I was signalling. I used to carry a large lock for any close calls/road rage incidents, but I've got used to it now. If you assume that everyone on the road can't drive and you don't take any chances at junctions/lights, everything else is easy.

Initialised

daveyroids wrote:

Yes, Familiar with Newburn bridge side I pass from time to time on the road bike when going up to Nothumberland. OK for leisure but daily commute a bit bad.

I mentioned in another post that as part of Sunderland Clarion club we had a meeting with Sunderland cycling development officer. He was telling us that a joint bid for Sunderland, South Tyne and East Durham was won to improve cycling facilities in that part of the region. He said that bids from local authorities including your area had went in, if I remember right, and that local councils have a plan for improving routes. Think it may be some sort of council secret as I don't know anyone who knew of this previous to the meeting. We got in contact with this person via one of the members contacting his local MP (Washington) about a fast cycle route being put on Northumberland Way in Washington. It may be an idea for people across the country to pester local MPs as money is being made available for local networks. Think it is important for cyclists to actually know what local plans are and it would be sensible for cyclists to be used on council steering groups.

And after all that, hopefully there are plans to upgrade the likes of the Scotswood - Newburn section. C2C from Sunderland through Washington is one of our upgrades. Tarmac and street lamps are planned.

As far as I know there is a route being planned to link Blyth with Darlington via Newcastle/Gateshead I believe this is what you mean.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-13854509

Full Map: http://www2.newcastle.gov.uk/condiary.n ... 0route.pdf

Their link to Newcastle Council site is down so maybe they do want it to stay secret, shame stuff on the internet is persistent.

But this one works:http://www2.newcastle.gov.uk/condiary.nsf/diary/272910781B32C48E802578B6002FA42E?opendocument

As far as I know the route from Newburn Bridge to Scotswood Bridge (Keelman's Way) with stick to the river more closely once the housing development it will serve is finished.

tuktuk

Had a woman last week nearly knock me off at the same island on Heaton rd where the vicar cyclist was killed, she locked her wheels and nearly ploughed into the island itself!

Starting to take around 35 mins now deending on the wind, today was pretty bad it felt like every second was a battle.

Popped into Edinburgh Bicycle Co in byker at the weekend and noticed they had the pedals someone mentioned a while ago on sale http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... g-clipless

What shoes do i need to go with that type of pedal ?

anthdci

I got my bike from there, they are really helpful.

Long_Time_Lurker

tuktuk wrote:

Popped into Edinburgh Bicycle Co in byker at the weekend and noticed they had the pedals someone mentioned a while ago on sale http://www.edinburghbicycle.com/product ... g-clipless
What shoes do i need to go with that type of pedal ?

Most shoes will fit - they normally have a two bolt system that attaches the cleat to the sole of your shoe. You will need to buy the Keo cleats to fit the pedal though (cost about £20).
**Update - checked with my mate and he got some cleats with his pedals)**

My mate uses Keos and likes them a lot. Light and he feels less 'trapped' in the pedal than when he was using the Shimano SPD setup. I'm in the Shimano camp.

Choose the pedal first and then see what shoes go with them. Have a word in Edinburgh and see what they have in there. I bought some new MTB SPDs last week and they didn't seem to have a lot of stock left.

godders1

No.

The pedals in the link are "Look" type pedals and so you want shoes with 3 bolts. 2 bolts are for SPD.

Shimano also do a 3 bolt cleat called SPD-SL (just to confuse matters).

So, Look (and SPD-SL) on the left, SPD on the right:

tuktuk

Think i might just get some leather straps instead haha!

Thanks for the help guys I will have a look in the shop in the near future and see what i can pick up.

jomoj

Shimano SPDs can be setup very lightly and if you use the multi-release cleats are really easy to pull out of in a hurry.
The M520s are a great pedal to start on and can be had new for under £20 from ebay.

Nice morning for a ride in eh tuktuk? Lovely alongside the river

tuktuk

It was an excellent ride in thismorning.

Spotted a woman cyclist near formica who had the sexiest arse the sun was just a bonus after that !

Thats for th help on the shoes/pedals. I might get a hance to pop in this weekend and see if they can sort me out

Long_Time_Lurker

I'm not sure about the Strava app. Apparently my top speed was 43.8mph along the Coast road
That's gonna take some beating!!!

tuktuk

haha

I have an app called mapp my ride ? Im not sure if it tells you top speeds or anything though.

I keep reading about these mudgaurds, does anyone know if they will fit my bike ?
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/crud-roadracer- ... guard-set/

As far as im aware my tyres are 700x28.

Or any other reccomendations

anthdci

jomoj wrote:

Nice morning for a ride in eh tuktuk? Lovely alongside the river

One lovely sunny day, then back to the doom and gloom of rain and wet clothes While yesterday was nice I was absolutely dripping with sweat when I got to work.

@tuktuk
I got these http://www.wiggle.co.uk/sks-chromoplastic-road-mudguard-set/ with my bike from Edinburgh cycles. There was a thread about them falling apart recently but I've had no problems. Have you got mounts for normal guards or you looking at the crud catchers because you dont?

tuktuk

Im not entirely sure if i have mounts or not, i do know at the top of the rear triangle there is a threaded hole each side... wether or not these are for mudgaurds im not sure.

Ideally I would like something which is easy to pop on and off depending on the weather.

sigorman85

If u have a smart phone get map my ride it's brilliant

Long_Time_Lurker

sigorman85 wrote:

If u have a smart phone get map my ride it's brilliant

Try Strava - it's free, but does the same thing and more.
It has a huge database of riders, and every run, it compares you to other people who do the same route, or sections of your route. (I found out that I am the 4th fastest person to ride on the firetrail that runs past St. Mary's Lighthouse, and the 7th fastest to do the run through the dene along the coast.)

I have just set a couple of runs along the Coast Road to get a leaderboard going with some of the people I work with.

tuktuk

Left the house at 9am thismorning and strolled in for an hour, lovely weather I didnt want to stop!

Took the plunge and purchased some clippy shoes yesterday, 40% off for anyone else thinking of trying clips.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-r064-ro ... ing-shoes/

Cheap as chips

Going to pop into Edingburgh Cycle shop sometime today and see about some pedals.

Long_Time_Lurker

tuktuk wrote:

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-r064-ro ... ing-shoes/
Cheap as chips

I have the MTB version. Comfortable and light.
Not waterproof or warm though. You won't notice it now, but be prepared to buy some overshoes and/or Sealskinz socks come autumn.

tuktuk

I was just looking into the overshoes at the shop in byker.

Got hold of some pedals, £25 so once the shoes are here i will be able to give them a blast! They are silver, which doesnt go with the bike at all but they had none left in black whatever make or model so these will have to do for now.

Going to get myself away at about 3ish today and enjoy the weather while it lasts

tuktuk

Just fitted the pedals as the shoes arrived today.

Took the first of my old pedals off, excellent. Go to take the second one off not realising im actually tightening it! Now i realise i need to turn it the other direction i realise its the same direction which makes the chain spin backwards so i cant get enough torque through it as i have just tightened it trying to get it off haha.

Had to have my dad round to hold the bike and foot on the other pedal while i crack the pedal off.

Inbetween all this, and bear in mind i have ridden to work for over 2 weeks now on what is no better than a gravel track at places, plus over god knows how much glass, i picked the bike up after taking off the first pedal to get to the other side, as i drop the bike back to the floor, hissssssssss

So 250 miles or so use on the road, vs 5 mins in my back garden and where do i get a bloody puncture

Il be out later on to try out the shoes and padals

Long_Time_Lurker

Practice more - and if you can, adjust the tension in your pedals to minimum so it is easier to unclip.
I spent an hour clipping and unclipping, and I still fell off.
Spend the first few runs easy and give yourself plenty of time to unclip, especially at junctions.
Nothing worse than keeling over in front of a load of cars. :oops:

tuktuk

I had a bit practice lastnight along the coast, and done ok on the way to work thismorning. The thing im finding difficult is clipping back in, especially at traffic lights etc where i want to move off quickly, but im finding the pedal upside down and by the time i have fiddled it into position i have lost momentum and start wobbling haha.

Im sure i will get used to it in time Definately a massive improvement whilst pedaling though, much smoother

maveco

^ stick with it, it will become gradually much easier to clip in. The thing I found was not to panic or rush, look down, position your foot and then clip in, all very calmly. Once I stopped worrying at the lights, it became much easier.

jonomc4

I have been using cleats a while yesterday - despite my best efforts of trying to do otherwise I have only been unable to unclip my left foot by turning my heel in towards the bike - I think I have a dysfunctional leg! Anyway no biggy - until yesterday as I ambled along enjoying the sun - unclipped my left foot and directly rammed the heel of my shoes into the rear spoke - fortunately I was able to save my dignity (just) - just a warning - unless you are weird like me and can't do it!

Re the original topic - two years ago I started commuting 12 miles each way into work - when I got into work this morning my mind came to this post. I had just cycled into work - not even really noticing the ride - sweating very little and not in the least bit tired - yet I had just cycled into work in half the time I first started at. Yep it really does get a whole lot easier!

Initialised

I've been riding with SPD cleats for around a year now. My worst SPD fail resulted in me faceplanting my bar end, ripping open my chin, casualty and stitches. Last time I came off (January) my feet were unclipped before I hit the ground, it does become instinctive. Eventually.

As for getting easier, like jonomc4 said over time you will halve your start time. I have, started needing 45 mins, now can do it in 22 mins if I get lucky with the lights and traffic, feel good, have the energy to push hard and have slept well.

Eventually it'll be any excuse to go for a ride...