new bike collected.....

pitch black smell
pitch black smell Posts: 18
edited July 2012 in Commuting general
hi guys, picked up my new bike last night after work.

2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp XXL .

I tried a few other flat bar bikes, and tried the drop bars too, but didn't feel comfortable with the drop bars, and preferred the feel of the Crosstrail to the others I tried.

Anyway....it'll be used lightly to start with, only doing segments of my daily commute 2 days a week. I have a commute of around 25 miles each way, and plan to start by doing it as follows :-
bike for the 1st 5 miles, then train for the next 12 miles, then bike for the last 8 miles.
As my fitness improves, I plan to shorten the distance on the train on either side, until I'm at the point that I'm cycling all the way.
At that point, I might increase to 3 days on the bike.......or maybe not, depending how it goes !
:D

So last night was spent setting everything up, and getting it just the way I want it....then out for a leisurely 10 mile run with my 12 year old son.

looking forward to getting it out for the full ride to work over the weekend to judge my times to various points on my route, to let me plan for trains etc

I'll keep everyone posted on how things go, first things first though......padded shorts are now officially on my shopping list !
:mrgreen:
2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp

Comments

  • raymondo60
    raymondo60 Posts: 735
    Good luck - the Crosstrail is a very popular bike. My LBS is seeling loads of them. Enjoy your riding. :D
    Raymondo

    "Let's just all be really careful out there folks!"
  • corshamjim
    corshamjim Posts: 234
    I noticed a Crosstrail in the bike shed at work yesterday. It looks ideal. :D
  • pitch black smell
    pitch black smell Posts: 18
    Well, I took the bike out for a trial run, to get my times all sorted out.
    I cycled the route I'd worked out to be the best for me, which is 23 miles, mixed road and trail / cycle paths.
    It took me 2 hours 15 mins, but that was with 2 x 5 minute stops for a breather, and 10 -15 mins for a puncture repair to my rear tyre.
    So I'm hitting an average of about 12 miles an hour at the moment.
    I decided today that I'm not gonna bother with the train sections, as I thoroughly enjoyed the ride, and wasn't as bad as I thought, so I'm going to do the whole route from the start.
    Starting Monday morning, it'll be 2 days a week on the bike, 23 miles each way, giving me 92 miles a week before I get a fun ride at the weekend......just hoping my times improve a bit !
    2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp
  • pitch black smell
    pitch black smell Posts: 18
    1st "real" commute under my belt this morning.
    :D
    pushed myself a wee bit harder , and got in to work in 1hour 50 minutes, with no stops.
    I'll do the ride home tonight, then it'll be a couple of days rest before tackling it again on Thursday.
    and the best bit about this morning......NO PUNCTURES !
    :D
    2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    right first things first - well done!! that's a quite a commuting distance!!

    secondly get some puncture resistant tyres, saves a world of pain ;)
  • pitch black smell
    pitch black smell Posts: 18
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    right first things first - well done!! that's a quite a commuting distance!!

    secondly get some puncture resistant tyres, saves a world of pain ;)


    thanks !

    on that very subject of tyres, I was thinking on ditching the standard tyres and getting something a bit more "road tyre" like.
    any suggestions on what to go for (obviously some form of puncture resistant tyre) ??

    all help appreciated !
    2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp
  • pitch black smell
    pitch black smell Posts: 18
    quick update.....my ride home last night went well for the 1st 16 miles.......the last 7 miles however were sheer hell !
    I can only imagine what a marathon runner hitting "the wall" is like.......and I reckon thats what I hit last night !
    lol
    my own fault right enough, as I'd had nothing to eat since lunchtime, and normally eat dinner as soon as I get home.
    SCHOOLBOY ERROR !!
    Now I know thet for Thursdays ride home, I really need to eat during the afternoon.....or theres nothing left in the tank 7 miles from home !
    my learning curve just took a huge rise !
    ;-)
    2012 Specialized Crosstrail Comp
  • cookeeemonster
    cookeeemonster Posts: 1,991
    pitch black smell wrote:
    CookeeeMonster wrote:
    right first things first - well done!! that's a quite a commuting distance!!

    secondly get some puncture resistant tyres, saves a world of pain ;)


    thanks !

    on that very subject of tyres, I was thinking on ditching the standard tyres and getting something a bit more "road tyre" like.
    any suggestions on what to go for (obviously some form of puncture resistant tyre) ??

    all help appreciated !

    The standard ones are durano plus and Continental Gatorskins. I put the durano's on my hybrid after a spate of punctures on the tyres that came with my bike - been fantastic so far, would highly recommned them.

    The gatorskins are meant to be pretty much bulletproof, if a little harsher...and for my new road bike, I got Vredestein Fortezza Tricomp: http://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/sp/road-t ... REDTYRF250 as they got a very good review here: http://cyclingfitness.hubpages.com/hub/ ... his-Winter - they are not as puncture resistant as the other two but have great grip especially in the wet...but am yet to test any of this out as I only picked the bike up last night :)

    Loads of people have their own preferences, but with the durano plus and gatorskins you really cant go too wrong
  • bails87
    bails87 Posts: 12,998
    Gatorskins are pretty light, quick and decent against P********s.

    Next time, make sure you've got a banana or bar of chocolate with you!
    MTB/CX

    "As I said last time, it won't happen again."

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