First bike ride in 20 years...

seajays
seajays Posts: 331
edited June 2014 in Commuting chat
Well this week saw my first bike ride in 20 years (since I was a student at uni!). As our office moved location a couple of weeks ago, it is now a straight, 9km cycle ride to work on a dedicated cycle path (old railway line), so I decided to take the plunge and get a bike with the bike to work scheme.

On Wednesday when I got the bike, my 9 year old daughter gave me some refresher lessons up and down our street, just to reassure myself that I still knew how to cycle. Amazingly it all came flooding back quicker than I expected! :D

So my journey to work is now a nice 25 minute cycle - which beats the bus (with walking waiting was about 55 minutes)! 8)
Cannondale CAADX Tiagra 2017
Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
My Strava

Comments

  • Kieran_Burns
    Kieran_Burns Posts: 9,757
    Where the hell is the like button?

    We need a like button.
    Chunky Cyclists need your love too! :-)
    2009 Specialized Tricross Sport
    2011 Trek Madone 4.5
    2012 Felt F65X
    Proud CX Pervert and quiet roadie. 12 mile commuter
  • asprilla
    asprilla Posts: 8,440
    6C8D118B-E22D-4D38-8E36-8580B8AE16AA-3818-00000470F753EC3C_zps59297a47.jpg
    Mud - Genesis Vapour CCX
    Race - Fuji Norcom Straight
    Sun - Cervelo R3
    Winter / Commute - Dolan ADX
  • rower63
    rower63 Posts: 1,991
    beautiful
    Dolan Titanium ADX 2016
    Ridley Noah FAST 2013
    Bottecchia/Campagnolo 1990
    Carrera Parva Hybrid 2016
    Hoy Sa Calobra 002 2014 [off duty]
    Storck Absolutist 2011 [off duty]
    http://www.slidingseat.net/cycling/cycling.html
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    Won't be long before you find a slightly longer way to/from work and start clocking up some miles ;)
  • EKE_38BPM
    EKE_38BPM Posts: 5,821
    Kieran_Burns wrote:
    Where the hell is the like button?

    We need a like button.
    +1
    Welcome to possibly the most expensive forum on the internet.
    Soon enough someone on here will be along to tell you that you need a carbon fibre time trial bike for your commute as you'll be able to shave about 3 minutes off your commute time (they will fail to mention the 10 minutes at the other end showering and cooling down).
    Then someone else will be along to warn you that carbon fibre melts in the rain (seriously, it does*) so you'll need a custom made titanium touring bike for wet weather.
    You will get dragged into a tyre debate but you'll be wise enough to not get dragged into a helmet debate.
    Jeremy Rundle (anyone remember him?) would have told you to buy 5 helmet-cams off ebay for £10 and DDD will ask if your girlfriend/wife is fit and/or into comics**.



    *This may or not be true.
    *This is true.
    FCN 3: Raleigh Record Ace fixie-to be resurrected sometime in the future
    FCN 4: Planet X Schmaffenschmack 2- workhorse
    FCN 9: B Twin Vitamin - winter commuter/loan bike for trainees

    I'm hungry. I'm always hungry!
  • seajays
    seajays Posts: 331
    Cheers guys - I'll look forward to all that. :)

    My bike is a "Revolution Courier Race Disc"... Which reading what little I have on here, probably already makes me a social pariah in the eyes of some (a hybrid :shock:) ... :lol:
    Cannondale CAADX Tiagra 2017
    Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
    My Strava
  • redvee
    redvee Posts: 11,922
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Welcome to possibly the most expensive forum on the internet.

    This is true, very. You though a wife and kids were expensive, they're cheap compared to cycling :lol:
    I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Seajays wrote:
    Cheers guys - I'll look forward to all that. :)

    My bike is a "Revolution Courier Race Disc"... Which reading what little I have on here, probably already makes me a social pariah in the eyes of some (a hybrid :shock:) ... :lol:
    We all start somewhere, you were young and didn't know much better.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • seajays
    seajays Posts: 331
    redvee wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Welcome to possibly the most expensive forum on the internet.

    This is true, very. You though a wife and kids were expensive, they're cheap compared to cycling :lol:

    Oh dear... I'd best not let the wife hear that... she already thinks my other hobbies are too expensive and time consuming. I told her this was for getting to work... :wink:
    Cannondale CAADX Tiagra 2017
    Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
    My Strava
  • UndercoverElephant
    UndercoverElephant Posts: 5,796
    Seajays wrote:
    redvee wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Welcome to possibly the most expensive forum on the internet.

    This is true, very. You though a wife and kids were expensive, they're cheap compared to cycling :lol:

    Oh dear... I'd best not let the wife hear that... she already thinks my other hobbies are too expensive and time consuming. I told her this was for getting to work... :wink:
    We *all* tell our wives that. And it is, sort of. Almost everything is easier to justify if you convert the price to tanks of fuel.
    Sun - Rain - Snow
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498
    UndercoverElephant wrote:
    Seajays wrote:
    redvee wrote:
    EKE_38BPM wrote:
    Welcome to possibly the most expensive forum on the internet.

    This is true, very. You though a wife and kids were expensive, they're cheap compared to cycling :lol:

    Oh dear... I'd best not let the wife hear that... she already thinks my other hobbies are too expensive and time consuming. I told her this was for getting to work... :wink:
    We *all* tell our wives that. And it is, sort of. Almost everything is easier to justify if you convert the price to tanks of fuel.

    Not all ... my wife has as many bikes as I do and often goes out to lead Breeze rides with my sister leaving me to look after our nieces ... but then they like their bikes so we do get a bit of riding in :D
  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    My Partner was not ammused when I turned up last night with a boot full of new bike.....

    But welcome.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

    PX Kaffenback 2 = Work Horse
    B-Twin Alur 700 = Sundays and Hills
  • The Rookie
    The Rookie Posts: 27,812
    Welcome to the mad house.

    Nice choice of bike, personally I prefer a Hybrid, although mine is set up 'sporty' with pretty much the same riding position as a road bike ridden on the hoods (as the Revo' has an adjustable stem you can do this easily, just lower the bars), and although you don't have traffic, discs are a much better bet for emergency stops in the wet! (11 months of the year).

    My commute isn't much further at 10km.

    Start an Excel spreadsheet to monitor your miles to work and tot up the savings on bus/train/car for the same journey, you could also add in the monthly gym membership you don't now need as a saving, very easy to justify spending money on a bike then!
    Currently riding a Whyte T130C, X0 drivetrain, Magura Trail brakes converted to mixed wheel size (homebuilt wheels) with 140mm Fox 34 Rhythm and RP23 suspension. 12.2Kg.
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    Nobody has mentioned Strava yet!!!!!
  • seajays
    seajays Posts: 331
    Already using Strava... (I'm a sucker for stats...) :D

    http://www.strava.com/athletes/5198300
    Cannondale CAADX Tiagra 2017
    Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
    My Strava
  • CiB
    CiB Posts: 6,098
    Seajays wrote:
    Already using Strava... (I'm a sucker for stats...) :D

    http://www.strava.com/athletes/5198300
    Sucker for stats eh? Link below.... :)
  • surrey_commuter
    surrey_commuter Posts: 18,867
    I started 3 months ago and am obsessed by Strava.... justify every cost to the wife with 8kgs of weight loss and £200 a month saving on train fares
  • kurako
    kurako Posts: 1,098
    Congrats. You'll need a new bike for the couple weeks of nice weather you'll be having and some thermal gear for winter which should be starting sometime next week. You should also think about taking a detour via Ballater and Braemar just to up the mileage ;-p
    Univega 700
    Univega Via Strato
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Seajays wrote:
    On Wednesday when I got the bike, my 9 year old daughter gave me some refresher lessons up and down our street, just to reassure myself that I still knew how to cycle. Amazingly it all came flooding back quicker than I expected! :D

    Still waiting for the "Went back out with 9 yo daughter; attacked and dropped her like a lead brick on the first climb we came to. She cried her eyes out, but I was too busy punching the air to notice" update...
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • seajays
    seajays Posts: 331
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:
    Still waiting for the "Went back out with 9 yo daughter; attacked and dropped her like a lead brick on the first climb we came to. She cried her eyes out, but I was too busy punching the air to notice" update...

    Oh - you mean like when we played mini golf last holiday...?

    3495729340minigolf.jpg

    ...children need to learn they can't win every time... :lol::wink:
    Cannondale CAADX Tiagra 2017
    Revolution Courier Race Disc '14
    My Strava
  • greg66_tri_v2.0
    greg66_tri_v2.0 Posts: 7,172
    Brilliant! :mrgreen::mrgreen::mrgreen:

    I have been accused of being like this fellow: http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/clips/p00cc ... n_cricket/

    Can't think why.
    Swim. Bike. Run. Yeah. That's what I used to do.

    Bike 1
    Bike 2-A
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 29,811
    Seajays wrote:
    Greg66 Tri v2.0 wrote:
    Still waiting for the "Went back out with 9 yo daughter; attacked and dropped her like a lead brick on the first climb we came to. She cried her eyes out, but I was too busy punching the air to notice" update...

    Oh - you mean like when we played mini golf last holiday...?

    3495729340minigolf.jpg

    ...children need to learn they can't win every time... :lol::wink:

    Pretty sure I detect a smirk of pity on mini Seajays's face :lol:
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • bigmonka
    bigmonka Posts: 361
    Seajays wrote:
    Cheers guys - I'll look forward to all that. :)

    My bike is a "Revolution Courier Race Disc"... Which reading what little I have on here, probably already makes me a social pariah in the eyes of some (a hybrid :shock:) ... :lol:
    Same bike as me 8)
    Although everyone is right that now you've started riding and got Strava it's just a matter of time before you start upping the miles and dreaming of more expensive bikes!

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