visitor from the dark side!!

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Hi i ride MTB and although i truly enjoy mtb-ing i would like to ride some strictly road routes.

Where i live you can ride a number of bridle routes within minutes of leaving home;even my commute to work is 95% bridle.SO my problem is main roads and traffic are something i am totally alien to with regards to cycling,any advice to overcoming this i suppose fear is much needed.

Cheers Jamie

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Hi i ride MTB and although i truly enjoy mtb-ing i would like to ride some strictly road routes.

Where i live you can ride a number of bridle routes within minutes of leaving home;even my commute to work is 95% bridle.SO my problem is main roads and traffic are something i am totally alien to with regards to cycling,any advice to overcoming this i suppose fear is much needed.

Cheers Jamie

diamonddog

Just ride on the road and presume every driver is an idiot and you should be OK

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Ha ;-) avoid cycle lanes? + good starter bike? £300/£400 budget...cheers

Mikey41

It's always quite intimidating to begin with, but you just need to show that you know where you're going and ride assertively when needed.

Don't ride in the gutter, it just helps car drivers ignore you. Ride a metre out, or where the left wheels of a car would be. This keeps you visible. Keep checking behind you regularly. Never assume a driver has actually seen you. Don't filter up the inside of a truck or bus.

I will avoid busy main 60mph roads unless there's no choice, I pick my routes through the much quieter B roads and country lanes. Sometimes I can cover 60 miles and see only 10 cars, busy traffic is a rather stressful place to be.

You'll get more confidence the more you do it, I have very rarely had any problems with drivers, the odd one that passes a bit close, but normally people are very good.

Pop some road slicks on the bike too, they'll make a massive difference.

diamonddog

Look at Carrera (Halfords :shock:) Decathlon Triban 3 the red one if you can get it (better gearset than latest white one) or second hand, look in Classified on here kit and bikes for sale sometimes.
Be warned when you get a road bike it won't be long before you are wanting to upgrade and/or want a better bike so just make your budget as good as you can and allow for extras.
Good luck.

diamonddog

Decathlon Giltbrook Nottingham may have Red Triban stock!

diamonddog

This is a double post :shock: :shock:

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Sorry this post seems to be multiplying (posting from my mobile)

My budget low due to arrival of my awesome baby boy,but misses letting me treat myself.

Looking forward to having a try with the gear changing on a road bike,the last time i changed gear on a road bike the levers were on frame near my knees (10yr old) =-O

As of yet I've yet to try spd's...do they come standard with bike or purchase separate?

Druidor

jamie 'jammy dodger' wrote:

Sorry this post seems to be multiplying (posting from my mobile)

My budget low due to arrival of my awesome baby boy,but misses letting me treat myself.

Looking forward to having a try with the gear changing on a road bike,the last time i changed gear on a road bike the levers were on frame near my knees (10yr old) =-O

As of yet I've yet to try spd's...do they come standard with bike or purchase separate?

Welcome to the world of skint parenthood. It seems to go on forever...... :roll:

Schoie81

So many similarities between you and I! Firstly, I've had the multiple post problem when using the forum on the smartphone - I don't bother anymore - its more hassle than its worth so only post when I've got a proper keyboard now!

Secondly, my budget is also limited by young children. You'll probably find that on top of money being limited - time to get out and ride is limited too. Luckily my son is nearly 8 now and loves bike riding, so I can take him with me and the missus doesn't mind so much!! Not a proper ride with an 8yr old, but at least i'm out on the bike!

I also switched to road bikes from MTB and although I used to cycle to work on my MTB (and probably still will in winter) and its a 12-18mile commute, over 8miles of that was on off-road trails. I was also nervous about cycling on roads with traffic, but you'll be surprised how quickly you get used to cars, vans, buses and lorries and it soon just seems normal. I cycled to work this morning on two busy roads I once vowed I'd never cycle on - just isn't such an issue now.

Get out on quiet roads where there isn't much traffic and hopefully no big lorries and buses, try early morning or late evening too when they're quieter. Preferably start off on roads you already know well, then you can concentrate on the traffic as you'll already know when corners/junctions are coming up and what they're like. Get used to looking over your shoulder often and as others have said, always assume drivers HAVE NOT seen you and never expect them to do something logical. Do everything you can to make yourself seen and to let them know what you're about to do. You will get the odd driver who passes too quickly and too close, but in all honesty, the majority of drivers will give you space - the idiots are thankfully few and far between. Oh, and don't take your iPod etc..., listening out for cars behind you and as you approach junctions is like having a second pair of eyes sometimes...

As for pedals, as far as I'm aware, new bikes will either come with flat pedals (possibly with toe cages and straps) or will come with no pedals at all so that you can choose which clipless pedals you want. If you have concerns about clipping-in, i'd recommend the eggbeater pedals. I wasn't at all keen on riding clipped-in, but followed someone's advice about eggbeaters and all my fears were calmed thanks to those pedals - I found them a lot easier to clip-out of than SPD pedals.

Good luck and enjoy the roads!

Monty Dog

If you can, try and adapt your route to avoid main roads - drivers stuck in traffic are inclined to be frustrated by others making good progress rather than seeing their transport choice as the cause of their problem. You'll also avoid getting forced to ride in the gutter with collapsed drains, pot holes and road debris that shreds your tyres. A longer, quieter route will yield dividends in terms of your health and wellbeing.

Road bikes generally come with very basic pedals as riders generally fit their own choice of clipless.

ct8282

Plenty of very good advice above. I've only been riding roads for about 3 or so months but I never really had a problem with confidence or the traffic. I'm very assertive on my bike and always make sure I'm in control of the traffic where possible, i.e on narrower roads or if I'm climbing a tough hill or descending a fast one I will make sure I'm into the road more than usual to stop cars trying to do risky overtaking manoeuvres. If they get frustrated behind me for a few seconds I don't care. I'd rather irritate them a little than have them try to squeeze past me and knock me off. However, if you are confident and show courtesy by being clear about your actions they usually don't mind being held up for a short period of time.
I always try to plan ahead too, so if you are approaching a junction or want to make a turn for example, get ready early rather than making last minute moves which could take motorists by surprise. I will check over my shoulder nice and early, say 150 yards ahead of my turn, then provide a a signal to tell any cars behind what I am planning to do, then I will check again over my shoulder before actually making my move. That last 'lifesaver' check as they call it in the motor biking world is really important and comes back to what others were saying about not assuming that motorists have seen you or know what you're about to do, especially if it involves a right hand turn or cutting across traffic.

There will be instances where cars/vans/buses etc pass too close, but just be confident and keep a steady line. Road rage with motorists gets you nowhere so don't bother making hand gestures or flipping the bird if someone drives like a tw*t (my mate is terrible at this and is constantly making gestures at motorists) as all this does is make you have one hand off the bars and therefore less in control of your bike. Remain relaxed and enjoy your riding. Be sensible, be smart and be alert but don't be paranoid. 98% of the time motorists are very good and will give you the space you need to ride safely.

Enjoy.

jamie 'jammy dodger'

Thanks again for all your input..I suppose there's obvious things within that advice but you've made me very aware of my mtb bad habits (very wreckless when off the bridal/xc route) where there's a lot of freedom to have tunnel vision riding.

With regards to having a decent 40+ mile cycle what would you recommend to have with me? At present when I go out for a few hours I have in my (trusty,been all over alps,dolomites & Pyrenees snowboarding) hydro backpack quite a few things besides 1.5ltr of water,so it is on the weighty side....

Bike tools..innertube..pump..food (nibbles/snacks) etc....I don't recall passing/seeing a road bike user with a hydro pack or anything other than a water bottle on frame or back of jersey?

last but not least,i have some lightweight cycle tops but are LYCRA SHORTS unavoidable on a road bike?

Cheers

ct8282

jamie 'jammy dodger' wrote:

Thanks again for all your input..I suppose there's obvious things within that advice but you've made me very aware of my mtb bad habits (very wreckless when off the bridal/xc route) where there's a lot of freedom to have tunnel vision riding.

With regards to having a decent 40+ mile cycle what would you recommend to have with me? At present when I go out for a few hours I have in my (trusty,been all over alps,dolomites & Pyrenees snowboarding) hydro backpack quite a few things besides 1.5ltr of water,so it is on the weighty side....

Bike tools..innertube..pump..food (nibbles/snacks) etc....I don't recall passing/seeing a road bike user with a hydro pack or anything other than a water bottle on frame or back of jersey?

last but not least,i have some lightweight cycle tops but are LYCRA SHORTS unavoidable on a road bike?

Cheers

Hydro packs are generally frowned upon on the road but if you want to wear one and it works for you then go ahead. I think a larger part of that piece is that road riding is very different to MTB in that it's much more of a constant push/burn so you tend to sweat a lot more. Hydro packs could restrict your backs ability to breath through your nice new shiny road jersey that you'll obviously buy...?

My advice is as follows:

- Get 2 bottle cages on your roadie and try to get a couple of 750ml bottles. This should be enough for a 40 miler on a typical weathered/dry day. However, as stated, due to the nature of road riding you will sweat more so don't be afraid to take regular sips every few minutes and if your bottles run out then stop at a shop for more fluids or pop into a cafe and ask for some tap water. Good hydration is important and can impact performance if not managed, not to mention greater risk of cramps etc. I have one bottle filled with an energy drink mix (SIS or Torque powder) and the other with just water or a isotonic powder mix.

- Get a small saddle bag. I keep the following items in mine.... 1. spare inner tube/s. 2. Trye removal tools. 3. Multitool. 4. Cash card or fiver for emergencies or more fluids/food. Thats all I have in mine and its just the bear essentials.

- Get a decent riding jersey with pockets on the back. The material on a good quality top (which can be had for as little as £30 or so, but I spend around £60 for mine) is breathable and will manage your sweat extremely well to keep you cool and comfortable. In the back pockets I have a micro-pump (Topeak, costs £20 or so), my iPhone for Strava and for emergencies, and energy gels.

- Get some good bib shorts! This was my best ever purchase by far. I have a pair of Gore Power 2.0 (£60) and a pair of Assos (£120 and the dogs bollox). The Gores are great value and are super comfy for about 50 miles or more. I give them an 8/10. The Assos are sublime and I could ride in these all day. I give them a 10/10. I also apply Assos chamois creme (£12) to my lower regions before every ride and this stuff is awesome. Keeps things cool and smooth and really stops the risk of sadlle sores forming.
I cannot stress this enough. Good Bibs will make your road riding days far more enjoyable. They are comfortable, keep your bum happy, feel much better than baggies and make you more streamlined.

Thats my basic list of things to think about. I think for the most part people will say the same, with a few minor differences here and there.