Cycling Thread - All Peddlers and Pedallers welcome.

[VivaLeBeaver]

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

Can I join please? I'm on my bike most days but mostly pottering about for a few miles, nothing too involved.
I have a "little old lady" bike with a shopping basket and three gears, but can get that baby moving when I feel like it (I love overtaking Lycra-wearers).
My main issue is that I'm only 5ft tall, so most bikes etc. are aimed at people considerably taller than me (or, if they fit, considerably younger than me).

Time you could get a 45/46cm bike frame, I'm sure I always wanted a Pashley with a basket (complete with bunch of flowers and baguette or small cute dog) but DP wouldn't let me as I'm a super weakling and probably wouldn't even be able to carry it

Thanks bear that's really useful about the gears as they have always confused me. My DP has only been riding since May this year but now does 90 miles on a Sunday, then 60 miles on a Tuesday and Thursday night When he first started he had to get off and push up hills and struggled doing his 3 mile commute. I'm using him as inspiration! He's wanting me to get some clipless pedals but I think I will work my way up to them as they freak me out...

You can get dual pedals, with a flat bit at one side and a clip on the other. Once you feel more confident I would definitely recommend. You only have to twist your foot slightly to unclip them and I release one foot when I know I am about to stop, say at a junction. They are really great for hill climbing as you can pull up as you are pushing down, getting power out of both legs, which makes climbing hills easier.

I have a shopper bike also, its a Raleigh fold up jobby. I get a lot of compliments about that bike. Its a true vintage.

Hi Felix, another Bianchi fan here! I love mine, and well done to your OH for having made such fantastic progress. Bearlefts advice is spot on re clipless, same for me coming up to what I know to be busy junctions and they will help you develop and improve your climbing. I would advise that you do try and get a few rides out on the roads if you can over the next couple of months - the turbo is very different!

And second the suggestion to look up Breeze, I'm a champ but need to take my first aid to qualify as a ride leader. They are a smashing group, very encouraging. You may want to keep tabs as I'm sure they will run their ladies only sportives again next year. I took part in both they ran this October just gone and they were really good, well run events. (Was lucky enough to win free entry via a Breeze/ Halfords draw to the second one.)

Hello Time! Nice to see the thread getting busy again - there were also a few of us on a thread regarding the Rapha ladies 100 who swapped Strava details so we could follow each up to, and for the event.

Thanks pipkin My frame has been posted out today so should be here by the end of the week! I'm so excited annoyingly im away until Sunday but I'm hoping DP will have time to build it up for me for when I get back. He's ordered me some bib shorts and a jersey but I need a helmet of some description. The pedals he's got have cleats on both sides and he says its really easy to clip in and out as you don't have to look down to find the 'right' side when you have stopped, so I will probably end up with the same at some point. He's keeping an eye on the price of some shoes for me which are in the sale, so I might just go for it and be attached to the bike it freaks me out massively. Funnily enough I had a weird dream last night that I was cycling through the village I grew up in and had normal pedals but my feet wouldn't stay on the pedals and it was really hard to make the bike move

I looked up the breeze rides and there's actually one which leaves from a mile away from my house (until I move in 2 weeks time) but it says its a difficult ride on the rating thing. There's also some in Wakefield which are the same, and no 'easy' rated rides

I don't even know if I can remember how to ride a bike. It's been years!

Hi Felix, can OH set your bike up on your turbo so you can get used to clipping in/ out without needing to look down? You'll get the feel of this fairly quickly!
Exustar are a decent brand of clipless pedal (keo compatable) and also do a version with a flat side. (Rutland Cycles is a good on line store for these)
Helmet wise, I've gone for a Mavic espoir ( about £50) as one of the few brands I could find that did a small fitting which I need. Kask nice as well!
You could also try looking at sky rides if you want to try a steadier pace at first, although don't be put of by the use of "challenging" pace. I think you should be able to find out exactly what sort of pace the ride usually goes at by using a link to contact the ride leader and asking.
As Bearleft says, it doesn't take long to progress the distance and pace, and sounds like you'll get lots of encouragement from OH.

Can I de-lurk to say hello?

I've recently resurrected my bike out of pregnancy and toddler-induced retirement and I'm obsessed . I prefer biking off-road but I am truly the world's worst mountain biker so for me, mountain biking is some cycling with lots of gibbering and pushing. I don't get to go very often either as DH and I bike together and we need childcare.

So anyway, it's winter, I'm chicken and I'm on the roads on my mountain bike just to be able to get out (would love a road bike too)! I'm currently wondering if a breeze ride would have me chugging along behind

Thanks pipkin, I will look up Sky rides too. They had one a couple of months ago here if I remember correctly. I think if I can get used to clipless on the turbo then I'll be fine on the road. I'm nervous about going out on the road as I'll have to go on my own (unless I go on one of these breeze or sky rides) as like Sarah has just said too, one of us has to look after DD I'll be brave though and try and get out on my own! They are currently upgrading the canal path near my new house so once that's done we can stick her in a child seat and take her along there with us

Hi SBBA, and welcome! Think if you keep on managing to get out now the weathers getting colder you're doing well, be it on a road or mountain bike. I find so long as I'm (reasonably!) warm it's ok and even enjoyable on a crisp morning. Also I'm sure breeze/ sky would welcome you, the whole ethos is to encourage more riders and often those that progress and start riding faster (15/16 mph plus) and further will arrange closed group rides.
Thanks again Felix for resurrecting the thread.

Felix I had an, ahem, interesting experience a few weeks ago with the bike trailer and a canal towpath that we didn't know previously - utterly grassed, no actual path at all and no way off it for miles. We have a two and a four year old in the trailer so it's damn heavy. My legs have just about recovered!

DH and I now have a Sunday morning deal - we take it in turns to go out on our own.

Hi Pipkin, thanks for that, I really do have to get my act together and get on one. There aren't very many where I live (Staffordshire) but I think it would probably be worth the drive to the nearest.

Can I ask all you more experienced cyclists how you learn about bike set up and fit etc.? I'm sure my bike isn't quite set up right for me, despite checking the saddle height and position. I'm getting a bit saddle sore on a saddle that was perfect on my previous bike. (Having said that, it's a cheap Halfords gel saddle and a replacement is hopefully going to be on my Christmas list.)

SBBA, I've never had a proper bike fit, just trial and error until I've found a comfortable position. I use two road bikes and find I take a different position on both. My bianchi is a 55cm frame (not female specific) so would probably be considered large for some women of my height (5ft4") but I can ride in the drops for as long as needs be. My Planet X is a small frame and smaller bike but I only tend to go on the drops for sprints or descending.
The one thing I do find is that a lot of women on road bikes do tend to have their seats too low (maybe a confidence thing, it can seem a bit odd to be perched higher than your bars at first!)
Definitely would consider a new seat if your feeling sore! I've got the selle italia diva gel and it's really good (£50 or therabouts)

That saddle is on my Christmas list Pippin, thanks! It seems to get lots of good reviews.

Actually, maybe I won't wait until Christmas

I need a saddle too so will look at that one. Pipkin I am 5ft 4 but Mr frame is only a 51cm so I hope it fits me. It arrived today but no one was in! Boohoo

Tomorrow then Felix

Something to look forward to tomorrow then Felix! Which model have you had? I'm sure the frame will be fine, bear in mind adjusting the stem and seat will make a difference.
Oh, and good tights / shorts make all the difference - bear in mind nearly all are designed for you to be going commando! (In all seriousness, knickers will cause chaffing)
Will be good to hear how you get on!

Ah yes I know all about chafing and arse cream im not home until Sunday and the suspense is killing me! I got some Castelli shorts on sale so hopefully they will fit. It's a Bianchi 1885 Nirone frame (according the eBay) and it looks in perfect condition from the pictures. I'm so excited! What do you have?

Castelli stuff is nice, there's an ebay seller who does a lot of campagnolo ladies stuff at really good prices which I rate as well.
Mines the via nirone model with a few upgrades and my OH has just built me an all carbon bike with a Planet X frame which I love! (It's great when your OH loves bikes too isn't it!)
When I went on the Breeze sportive at Lancashire, I and a few others got to meet and chat with Emma Pooley ( part of the prize, it was a VIP entry - thanks Halfords!) and she recommended lanacane cream when asked the inevitable. Actually, it was a good recommendation!

I use Lanacane as make up primer Ooh carbon frame sounds nice! I bet it's dead light. My DP has just got an Argon 18 full carbon frame and it's ridiculously light. If only he wasn't a foot taller than me then we could have shared (like he'd even let me touch the bike in the first place )

I need a decent pair of shorts, I'll have to have a look at both of those. My Christmas wish list is all cycling at the moment!

Your bike sounds great Pipkin (as does your DH building it).

So today is bike day Felix- enjoy! At least the weather is supposed to be better today.

DH would love for me to get a road bike, as would I TBH. Went to Evans yesterday and had a nosey drool at bikes and tyres and the like! I'm supposed to get a much promised promotion after Christmas which would fund one (eventually). I was thinking of spending about £500, especially as it would essentially be my second bike. DH has me spending £1000 and buying him one as well . I have no idea what a "good enough" bike costs though.

I'm off up into the Peak today- my parents live there, so they've agreed to look after the littlies for a few hours while DH and I go out on our bikes. The Derwent reservoirs are within striking distance from their house so we'll do the full circuit - about 38k I think. Not really MTB terrain but I'm very much a novice MTBer and I think it might be a bit muddy to try new stuff at the moment. My tyres really aren't up to mud - in fact I really need new ones.

Have fun anyone else who is getting out today!

Sarah how was your ride yesterday? 500 will be plenty for a good road bike. Do your work do the cycle to work scheme? May be worth looking in to if they do.

Couriers messed up so no bike until tomorrow now! The suspense is killing me tried on my shorts and jersey and they fit but look horrendous. My size 16 self looks like a overly stuffed sausage

Ooooh ain't it pretty! Just had a full service at the local bike shop with a new cassette and celeste bar tape fitted. I may be a little bit in love

Felix, it's luurvley! Have you been out on it yet? (I would be giving it a quick stroke every time I walked past if I were you!)

I though that £500 should buy a very nice bike ; what is it with blokes and expensive bikes?

Great bike on Sunday, thanks for asking! Just over 20 miles with most of it off-road and a cup of bovril half way round at the cafe. Not saddle sore, yipee! I even started to get the hang of lifting my front wheel over lumps which I've struggled with previously.

Sounds like a great ride!

Not been out on it yet as no saddle or pedals fitted but it's just sooooooo nice. I am desperate to ride it. The frame was only £370 on eBay so we got a mega bargain

Lovely bike Felix! Glad to see you've paid homage to the Celeste! ( mines full Celeste, frame and all!)
Yes to carbon, frame courtesy of Planet X ebay shop, they have some bargains on there.
SBBA, glad you enjoyed your ride last Sunday, how's the Christmas wish list coming along?!