Cycling Thread - pleasure peddlers to serious cyclists sign in here!

I've crashed my bike as well - first time ever!

I hurt all over, landed on my helmet head but have a terrible headache. Scraped legs and arms and nose. I'm sore all over like I've been hit by a bus.

Tried to go up a drop kerb at a funny angle and it wasn't as dropped as I thought it was.

Agree in potassium - someone suggested my toe pain could be cramping so I started having banana at breakfast and every rest stop which probably helped

The ride was AIDS/LifeCycle - riding from San Francisco to LA to raise money for HIV/AIDS

Thistledew, congrats on getting married.

I wonder if you're a bit potassium deficient? Tomatoes are high in potassium and I think deficiency can cause cramps. Maybe try some bananas as they're high in potassium as well as been good energy.

I guess if it doesn't get better see a dr.

Americas- what/where was your ride? Sounds good, well done.

Hi all, back and finally recuperated from my 545mile charity bike ride. It was immense and so glad I rode with a team a bit fitter and faster than me as in the days I tried to keep up I definitely pushed myself beyond what I'd normally try to achieve and did it. Met some amazing people along the way and raised a ton of cash.

Physically I coped ok, legs didn really start to burn until a few days after we finished, but the toe problem tried to rear its ugly head - managed to avoid it by taking shoes off at every rest stop and takin ibruprofen constantly. But think I'll buy new shoes for next year (tip, already signed up!). My lips were chapped and bleeding and so sore for days after which wasn't fun at all

BUT I miss my bike so back to the training rides next weekend

Ive recently started cycling once a week again to work. Its 9.2miles each way. I do gind it hard work getting home again at times. Mainly because I can't doodle as have kids to collect.Where I workthey promote a buddy scheme where by you can cycle in you first time with someone else to give you more confidence if they cycle all or put of the same route as upu. We have a bug (bicycle user group) just an Internet type chat forum and newsletter email to share hints n tips. Plus we have lockers &showers available. Schemes like this reallywork as eeven in the cold dark winter there would be 60-70 bikes in the shed and in summer easily 100 out 400 staff on site.
I leave my shoes & towel at work and try to cycle with only a small front handle bar bag. I hadsurgery 9wks ago and only in last wk felt upto much exercise but loving getting back on my bike again. I was SO proud of our DD just turned six she did 7miles on Sunday on her little 18" no gears bike :)

Lawrence, many businesses and many towns have Travel Advisers to help you plan your journey to work. There may be some Bikeability training available, to show you how to cope safely with roundabouts and other hazards.

Thanks Viva

I think it's doable for sure. I started cycling last summer and 5 miles used to kill me. I upped my distances quite quickly to 10 miles but pretty much stopped cycling over the winter and this horrible spring we've had.

Started cycling again a few weeks ago and commuted to work on my bike for the first time last week. 8 miles each way and it was better than I thought. I set off 90 mins before I had to be there and it took me 40mins, then I suppose another 5-10 mins allowed for locking my bike, removing stuff like pannier, pump and getting changed.

If you're unsure of the route practice it first at a weekend.

Hello cyclists, hope you are all enjoying the sunshine
I need some commuting advice/ encouragement, please. I have been cycling to work for the last almost-a-year, a measly 2 miles in the city centre. My job changes in August and it is about 8.5 miles. How feasible of a step-up is this? I would really like to carry on cycling at least twice a week. I am wimpy about several things: I am very slow and concerned I would have to set off in the middle of the night to arrive on time; getting lost- about half the route is along a canal so that should be OK but the rest looks confusing; roundabouts- it looks as if there is one big one, I have never tried one before. I will practise the route at some point and see if it is realistic. Can someone convince me that it is very do-able please?!

I've found a spare and it looks like there's a pinch screw I was supposed to tighten. God knows how I was meant to know that as they don't come with instructions!

www.edinburghbicycle.com/products/revolution-single-pannier-spare-lower-sliding-hook

Viva, I reckon it's a design fault with those clips. The same thing happened on my stupid Basil panniers . Well done for your commute, though!

Notasaint, are you my DH? He can be rather annoying, too. Go ride your bike and relax

I'm a paddler and a pedaller - and would love to be a pleasure peddlar

I suppose the other thing I could use is a bungee cord hooked on the rack and then round the front of the pannier.

That sounds a good idea IvyKaty, I didn't know you could get sticky back Velcro. Would it be strong enough do you think to not get pulled off? I suppose it's not holding any actual weight up .....but there would be a fair bit of jiggling.

I'm going to ring Edinburgh Cycles up tomorrow and moan. It's a stupid design, not fit for purpose, etc....stuff shouldn't just be able to slide off. It's one of their own Revolution bags. I'm sure they'll probably just tell me that no one else has ever had a problem.

velcro vivalebeaver use a small piece of velcro to attach the pannier to the down bit of the bike rack at the back? If you get sticky velcro so it sticks to the pannier - then cut another piece to wind around the bike carrier

not a saint, yet still a pedant. Just this:

A pedaller (or pedaler) is a person who rides a bike, and is related to pedal. It?s always spelled with one ?d?. The double ?l? spelling is the one to use in British English and the form with the single ?l? is the American one.
With no lights on his bike, the mystery pedaller risked the wrath of the law.
The noun pedlar is now relatively rare and is typically found in British English. It has nothing to do with pedals (in fact, it probably derives from a dialect word, ped, meaning a wicker basket). Pedlar is the source of the verb peddle, and refers to a person who travels around selling small goods, or one who sells illegal drugs.
A peddler is exactly the same as a pedlar: this spelling used to be encountered chiefly in American English, but is now becoming much more common in British English too:
Police have made a series of arrests across Bradford in a crackdown on drug peddlers over the Easter weekend.

In conclusion, as a pleasure pedaller and not a pleasure peddler (I don't push drugs or other small goods), can I still join? Great thread.

Coming home was fine. Yes, its nice to have unwind time.

I'm stressed now though. Just realised one of the pannier clips has fallen off. Looking at the design on the other pannier the long horizontal clip at the bottom can slide off the bag. Paid £60 for the panniers and its the first time I've used them and now one will flap about at the bottom. Stupid bloody design.

that sounds good - how was it cycling home after work? Did you feel relaxed by the time you got home?

I did it - slightly shorter than what I'd thought as well. 8 miles each way. Took me 39 mins this morning to bike to the bottom of the very steep hill just before work, then 5 mins to push the bike up the hill. Feels good, might do it tomorrow!

Ladymud, no hadn't thought about that at all. Oh well, will find out tomorrow. I've only got size 5 feet though so hopefully ok. I'll do a u turn in the drive in the morning to check it, thanks.

thanks lady mud, it looks good and 80psi would be ok. Have you ever used one of the gas style pumps for a flat? I know they only have about two uses and then it finished but I wondered what they are like?

Viva, have you checked that your heel clears the pannier? I had problems with my first set, as they were a bit too square. My new Aldi panniers are fine, though.