Newbie to road bikes

Jon1984

Hi all,

I just wanted to pop by and introduce myself.

My name is Jonathon and I reside in Manchester. I have been riding a second hand mountain bike for just over a year now but I have made the switch from mountain bikes to a Barracuda Team Replica last Friday.

Wow, what a difference!!

I bought it with the intention of training hard for the rest of summer/autumn so next year I can partake in a 25 and 52 charity ride around manchester followed by the manchester to blackpool ride and then there is an 80 mile ride around manchester as well as the manchester100!! not bad for a bloke who weighs in currently at just north of 19 stone!!

Unfortunately on my fist ride out on friday (I was eager to get going) I managed just under 10 miles before I was taken out by a car, I suffered some knee damage (not enough to keep me off the bike to and from work), luckily there was no damage to the bike but my confidence took a little hit and I'm a bit wary of the roads now, which I am sure will pass the more rides I do.

The furthest I've done before was 45 miles on my mountain bike in just under 4 hours so I'm looking forward to smashing that on my new beast.

Ride safe all.

gethinceri

Keep it up pal, the miles will increase and the pounds will shift!

Jon1984

Cheers pal some tough times ahead but I'm up for the challenge

gethinceri

Well, my first rides were a struggle at 10 miles or so 18 months ago, now I'm happy to put in 30 miles mid-week and 60 on a Sunday.
I'm about a stone lighter, too.

Jon1984

I'm looking forward to getting stuck into longer rides

terryhughes

mate, stick at it.I started on a mtb last year a couple of stone heavier than you. Built it up
and I am now a few stones lighter doing between 70 and 100 miles a week in and out of Manchester on my road bike.

Saving a fortune on fuel. Feeling the best I have done for years.

funkyg

I did the Manchester-Blackpool at the weekend and loved it. Was slightly disappointed with my time (4:24), as I wanted to crack the four hour mark. The last eight miles into the wind sapped me of energy, and caused my average speed to drop to 14.1.
Anyway, I'll be carrying on and trying again next year!

Good luck with your cycling and recovery.

Jon1984

Thanks all,

I wish I could have joined the manchester-blackpool but lack of training on the road bike stopped me but I am definitely giving it a blast next year and hoping for a sub 4hr to boot.

My shin is giving me some jip at the min but once I get stuck into a ride it stops screaming at me after 5 miles or so.

johntheboy84

This thread's really inspired me, I'm planning to train through to next year to build up to the Leeds 100, or the 100km if I'm not as fit as hoped and might aim for the Manchester 100 as well. As I'm only doing 12-15 mile rides at the moment I'd say I've a fair way to go though!

Jahmoo

Hi, great to see your ok after the accident... Had an accident myself a few years back, dodged a car and front wheel hit a water filled pothole, broke 2 ribs. Funny, once ok I was good to go, but took me a while to ride out in the wet !

I have just purchased a Roubaix Disc, first road bike since 2006, been riding a Hybrid due to lower back issues. My weight is 17.5st, over weight, so like you will be looking at putting the miles in and losing the weight. Already noticed my pace is faster and did 20mls other day and time was so much better.

Live near Basingstoke, so a little flat and quite boring rides, no views, but will sort myself out with roof rack and get myself in to Surrey, Dorset and some lovely routes through Bedfordshire, but that will be when I am used to 40-60 mile rides, which I hope to be soon.

Good luck and just get back on your bike, confidence will fly back

Jon1984

Glad it's a source of inspiration Johntheboy, I'm hoping to do the Manchester100 next year myself, went out last weekend and did a few hills (more like bumps in the road to most people but felt like K2 to me) it was a 17 mile trip but felt like 55, was a little gutted when I realised but was happy with the 1hr 12min time i did it in though considering strava had a couple of the hills down as 2-3 mile long cat3 climbs.

Jahmoo, I just keep going and the weight is still coming off me little by little, I started riding a mountain bike 8 months ago weighing in at the wrong side of 20 stone and now I'm just under 18

rikcougar

Inspirational thread!

I got back into road riding a short while ago

I too am the wrong side of 18 stone but it is coming off slowly, mileage and speed are increasing

Manage 20 miles a day to and from work with a weekend 25+ ride

Obsessed again!

Jon1984

rikcougar wrote:

Inspirational thread!

I got back into road riding a short while ago

I too am the wrong side of 18 stone but it is coming off slowly, mileage and speed are increasing

Manage 20 miles a day to and from work with a weekend 25+ ride

Obsessed again!

I'm just taking it mile by mile

Initialised

You guys will all get there if you stick at it.

I was over 18 st when I started this cycling malarkey on a second or third hand MTB a few years back, now I'm around 13.5 and will be doing 125 miles tomorrow (200km with 2000m climbing).

Commuting is by far the best way to get the miles in, I currently do around 25 miles a day.

Once I got over getting wet and committed to sticking at it through the winter (turned out to be worst winter on record and I had no rear brake) was I was hooked and decided to get a road bike as I felt the MTB was holding back my speed.

Jon1984

My only problem is that my daily commute is only 2 miles each way, nut I do extend it on the way home though.

roux_guy

I only started 14 months ago Jon and Ive done nearly 2,800 miles since, mainly on a mountain bike. Me and a mate are looking at doing the Manchester to Blackpool in September so we should all meet up.

It is hard when you start but 'getting the miles in' is exactly how you get fitter and fitter :-).

Jon1984

I can see it paying off at the minute as my usual 20 mile route time has come down from 1hr 45 to 1hr 17 so very happy with the way it's going so far.

Oh and I passed what appeared to be the Pinerello owners club yesterday on my mighty Barracuda, that felt brilliant

danchandler

I want to do the Manchester to Blackpool next year, sounds like a good challenge

AshW92

Keep at it mate! I was 16st beginning of last summer, putting miles in (slowly!) at first, but then the pounds dropped off, i'm now 13st10, much stronger at climbing and loving every minute of my riding

Jon1984

I'm definitely doing the Manchester - Blackpool next year and can't wait.

I have also been roped into a nice 52 mile ride around Knutsford and into the peaks by work (in fairness to my work colleagues, it didn't take much convincing ) so I am now preparing for that.