Cycling Thread - All Peddlers and Pedallers welcome.

[VivaLeBeaver]

Have started a new thread as the other one is very nearly full.

He does go to a mtb club and has done a couple of dirt crit races which he really enjoys. Will will have to be a bit more serious this year as he will be one of the older ones in the Under 8s - last year we actually only made it to one race and he didn't finish due to a mashed derailleur.

We also went to an opening day of a closed road circuit www.highlandcycleabilitycentre.com/ on his mtb and he bashed out 5 miles by himself! He would also love to do bmx racing but we don't have a bmx track up here.

Managed 60km yesterday but am a bit stiff this morning. It was glorious, sunny and not too windy (we chose the route quite carefully!). Only fell off once (still getting used to cleats).

I am hoping to get out for a shorter ride this morning but the rain is a bit offputting.

60km! Well done :)

Thank you! And another 30km this morning but the wind was fierce. If you can get out and bike in this weather, anything else is easy!

And for the first time, I didn't fall off!

Ladies, I'm in a massive rush but just had to tell you - I have just taken delivery of two pairs of padded cycling shorts (and one pair of tights). After much deliberation, pantless riding here I come!

Don't want to spend a fortune at the moment so ordered some cheap ones (Muddy Fox) and mid-range (MFX Purebreed) ones from Sports Direct. Any experience of either? I do wish they didn't come with the obligatory shocking pink bits. Almost ordeded the ones with the red bits but they were mens' .

HowGood, that's good going! I can't even manage half fo that at the moment.

hooray

Only got one wet foot each cycling through a BIG puddle on our way to take tea at the local castle. Actually boy didn't even get wet socks as his trainers are waterproof, but DH and I were both wearing "proper" cycling shoes which are largely mesh uppers.
Was good to be out on my bike, feeling very unfit tho as the boy was dropping me on every hill .

UniS you could try SealSkin waterproof socks in your trainers. I find when I am out on the MTB they are brilliant as even if you step in a puddle your feet stay dry.

I have been getting out twice a week since New Year and also lost 6kg so today I rode 30 miles and floated up the hills. It felt brilliant and inspired me so I am doing two 30 mile rides next weekend! At last my fitness is coming up and I am not last in the group

Has anyone else found the floods in their way out cycling? I went through two foot of water last week...

HowGood I started on cleats a year ago and you have me realise that I have stopped falling off now. The gradual improvements are so slow I don't notice them but sometimes I pedal up a hill that last year I walked up and it makes me smile. It is so nice to feel I am becoming a proper cyclist and not an embarrassment. It is all about not being impatient and just keeping on going out on the bike.

We even have a pair of sealskinz, both DH and I wear them on occasion and this time we were both riding so neither of us wore them IYSWIM.

Hello all. No bad flooding here, but the wind! Haven't been out much thus week, going stir crazy - the half term didn't help either.

Can I just say, big thumbs down to the padded (kknickerless) tights. Padding pointless and uncomfortable. I'll have a go with non padded tights and no knickers next time.

I couldn't live without padded tights. First ones I ever got were Muddy Fox and I still wear them, they're not as good as my more expensive ones but for me they still do the job fine. My arse would be well sore without padding.

Hello all.

Can I ask if anyone is doing the Surrey 100 in august? I am... Having been signed up by DH who didn't get a place. I am a novice, and have a lot of training to do. Have started cycling to work about 45 mins away and intend to do this 3 times a week. Also planning to do some longer rides at weekends. It will be a challenge!

feeling very unfit. just went out to see what the new bit of the "granite way" cycle path was like. About 40km later I'm shattered. Lunch becons.

just got hailed on putting bike on roof of car. bah humbug. managed to pick up 3 trailers loads of logs first , hurrah.

UniS:"About 40km later I'm shattered" . There's no hope for some of us then!

John, I'm up North so no Surrey 100 for me. Is that 100km??

Going back to my new cycling shorts obsession if I may , can anybody tell me what the difference between running and cycling tights really is? It sounds stupid, but I have been going around a few sports shops and assumed that womens' non-padded cycling shorts have a much larger piece of fabric on the crotch (where the padding would go). Have I dreamt this up, or are they specially rare?? I got some yesterday and have had to return them after close examination at home, as they are covered in seams just where they shouldn't IYSWIM

sticky- sounds like you bought cycle style shorts. rubbish aren't they.
shattered after 40km was not good news, I have let things slide a bit over the winter, mostly things like cake and chocolate sliding towards me. Could really do with being a bit lighter too as it would be easier to get 75 kg up a hill than 85 surely.

I think you are right about the short, UniS. I do have a pair of unpadded winter tights with the larger crotch piece (just checked!) so at least now I know they exist. It just seems difficult to find them.

From now on, I think I'll call the winter months 'the cake slide' - love it! Mind you, my level of fitness is such that I wouldn't notice the difference much, sadly. But you just made me realise that I don't really know how much ground I cover in a ride. I'll try and work it out the next time - if only to get depressed.

My LBS mentioned the other day that there is a new women's cycling club starting this spring. Have been dithering over whether to join. Never been in a club before. Would any of you recommend it? Bearing in mind I am a purely fitness/recreational rider.

The mountain bike clothes thing I don't understand is they all wear baggy shorts with long tight trousers underneath. What purpose does each layer have?

I can't be a proper mtbiker until I know this...

tight layer with appropriate padding is the base layer for comfort, the baggy layer is tougher fabric to protect the base layer from damage from branches, crashes etc. And coz baggy is cooler looking than Lycra.

my opinion on bike clubs is that you join if there is a benefit to you in joining. I joined because I wanted to do coach training and the club were willing to give me a bursary towards the cost. I've done a few club social rides but mostly I ride alone.

Thanks. Need to get myself a pair of baggy shorts then

managed another Monday morning ride , tho it was actually on tuesday as twas piddling down all day Monday. Hurrah. 20 km and a stop for a cuppa and biscuit at a friends farm. Nice to have a catch up chat with out the kids needing refereeing.

I had to drag my weary legs on ride to work this morning but made it in good time and cycled home again :-) I did it last Wednesday too. My goal is once a week commute at mo and twice a week once weather gets a bit better. It's about 20mile round trip but SO many potholes have appeared since Dec when I stopped. Hoping to wean myself off the winter cake n biscuit diet and back onto endomorphines again cycled at weekend too but only 12miles my legs feeling rather stiff at mo.

Any ideas on a front derailleur prob please?? The mechanism often refuses to take the chain onto the higher chain ring (of two) and either doesn't jump it, or the chain falls off altogether. The finest minds at the local Halfords have no solution, or explanation after tinkering and adjusting for about 45 mins.
It's a bit hilly where I live (Peaks) so I need both chain rings use, and every day as I do about 100 miles per week to work.

Sorry can't help with front derailleur, haven't got that far with my mechanical skills yet!