Cycling Thread - All Peddlers and Pedallers welcome.

[VivaLeBeaver]

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

Hi Phoebe, I've only been cycling since October so still experimenting with gear - I've only got clear glasses which DH got me after a couple of incidents with flies in my eyes - I expect someone will be along soon to give you advice about the yellow lenses.

My winter cycling trousers are from Lidl or Aldi and have been ok but probably not the best padding. I have bought some Endura capris (£££) but I'm currently only using them for spin as it's too cold here for anything thin. I can't really tell what they're like in spin as we spend hardly any time with our bums on the seat, but I'm hoping the padding is better for that price when I finally get to wear them on the bike.

Hi Phoebe! I believe yellow lenses can be used at night as they filter light so you can see better (eg, you don't get dazzled by car headlights etc) but I think some people use them on overcast/grey days too. Apparently they take some getting used to but are really effective.

Wiggle do a brand called 'dhb' which have really good reviews for the shorts and are a decent price. I think others on this thread have recommended then before. I have a Castelli and a Sportful pair which I got in the sale before Christmas for quite cheap, so I think it's worth keeping an eye out for previous seasons stuff.

Hi all I used to post here with a previous name. I love my Altura Progel shorts they are so comfortable and in the cold I wear Ronhill tracksters over the top rather than bib shorts. Aldi gear is very good quality I find, especially gloves, vests and arm warmers.
I just finished my second 100k of the year, and got up a hill I always had to walk up in the past. Woo! After three years of effort I am nearly out of special measures! Just need to lose another stone and I might be able to keep up with club rides!

Wow well done on your 100km - that's my goal for May. Beautiful day here today and had a lovely (but very hilly ) 30km ride with a friend. Roll on spring as my fingers & toes were still freezing for the first half hour

Thanks and don't worry, if you can do 30km now you will be fine by May. My DP is a long distance expert and he says we can all manage double our previous longest ride. I am aiming for a 200k sometime this year but I'm not sure when. This weekend is looking promising, and we are going over to France with the club for two days riding and

Just came on on to say that I think I have inspired DS1 in the ways of things 2 wheeled. DS2 was ill on Fri, looked after at home by DH. Suggested to DS1 (7) that we cycle to school (a shade under 6 miles each way with a climb). He went for it, and kept telling me he enjoyed the peace and fresh air - and we cycled home too. Didn't trouble the record books, but I'm very proud of him.

Cliff hope you enjoyed france! I am very jealous.

Blue well done to your DS. Do you think you'll try and make it a more regular thing or is it too far for ds2 to go too?

Not much to report here. I am knackered all the time (been referred for a blood test by my GP because of it) and DP has been hogging the turbo anyway as he's got his first ever race a week on Sunday. Hope everyone is well!

Too far for DS2, or rather, it would take even longer! Thought about a trailgator but road islands are not designed to accommodate these (found that out with the trailer), and there are a couple of very useful ones on the route.

Give us a couple of years ...

Hope you feel better soon Felix

First commuter ride of the year today (been too dark til now as Oop North) 20 hilly km and can feel it in my thighs. Need to shift my winter podge tho so hoping it'll help!
Hope you're feeling better Felix

Hi all - did anyone get out much over Easter? It's not really a Bank Holiday here in Fife so we only went out for our normal Saturday run. At least we're up to 20 miles every week now and the mud is drying out so the tracks aren't so bad.
How are you doing Felix? I hope you are feeling better and able to get out a bit.

That's a fair way blue champ for a 7yr old, I'd doubt I could get my DD to do that and go to school...well done .

Well I did a commute 18mile total, on Friday my first for a while due to an endless winter of bugs brought home from DD2 at preschool. Hoping this is the start of trying to get fitter and feeling better again. I've signed up to a charity ride at the end of June. The 100k I did last year. It's 11weeks away, I should just about have time to build my fitness again but I'm going to be hampered by DH working away and not having any help with the DDs. Plus he was hoping to do the 100mile route so we are going to both want to get weekend training rides in! Anyone else signed up for some interesting rides? I found last year it gave me a reason to say I had to go out for a wend ride and peace n quiet for a couple hours child free bliss..

Forgot to say Aldi have some cycle kit in next week. Think it was mtb bike stuff. We bought some of their winter stuff and found it good value.

Anyone tried using sufferfest DVDs whilst on turbo trainer? Silly question but how do you "use" them. Do you need to have any other gadgets when riding so you can use heart rate or revs? Or do you just watch them and use it to motivate you to cycle harder or longer?? My dh is now working away during the week which is really making it hard for me to get out on my bike especially now the weather is SO nice. So I'm looking at alternatives to keep my fitness.

ssmile my DP uses something similar sometimes (may actually be the same thing, I'm not sure). He has a garmin/HR monitor and power meter set up but I think you just need to monitor HR. Don't quote me on that though!

No riding for me recently. Trying to set up a business and also look after toddler dd means I have no time to do anything. Don't know when I'll ever get round to it

I have a Garmin 910xt, and on the turbo trainer I have a cadence and speed sensor (dh has appropriated my HRM) to make training meaningful. It doesn't make it less boring, but does make me work hard.

Weather is glorious here and looking forward to a hard ride at lunchtime.

Hi
I was on here last year when I got my bike, then I dropped off. I used it a bit last summer but I've been struggling with problems with my knee. Fingers crossed it's improving now and I went out on my first ride this year. I took it slow and stuck to a cycle path but I want to build up to more. My issue is I either need a nine rack for my car to go to better routes or I need to brave riding on roads and I'm really not confident with this. Did you all just go straight on to roads?

Hello :). I'm new here...hope it's ok to butt in?!

I'm overweight, unfit and fed up. I'd like to start cycling. Dh is a keen cyclist and built me a super bike a few years ago, which I've ridden once . Anyway, my eldest dd rides well on her own now and dh has bought a trailer to pull our twins in so there's no excuses now!

I was wondering if there are any training apps, a bit like the couch to 5k but for cycling?

Thanks :).

Hello, been a while since I have posted here. Hello Milo , sorry I don't have any useful information!

We rode for 8 miles tonight with DD (8), both of us have Nutcase helmets. She has decided that she has gone off her design (has had it for 3 years though), being the meany that I am I am refusing to buy her a new one until she needs it size wise. I have a carradice cover on mine in the winter but wondered if anyone knew of anywhere I could buy a similar 'funky flower' type of cover to 'help' her get over her dislike of the pattern she has loved until now.

Hi Milo I don't know about specific training apps but I'm in the podgy and unfit category and I use an app called strava. You can use it to record your rides and it'll give you data on altitude, distance and calories. Routes are divided into short segments and you get encouraging little 'trophy' icons when your time on a segment decreases. You can also build routes for yourself on the Strava website so you can plan distance, hills etc.

I find it really useful and it helps to keep me motivated

Thank you, I'll have a look :). I've ordered some cropped joggers and Dh has almost finished his maintenance on my bike...eeeek looks like I might have to go for it soon!

I think just going out, and cycling a few miles is the way to go Milo. Don't worry about your speed, just get comfortable on the bike. Then go a bit further each time till you are out for a good length of time, and then try and get faster

You're right, little and often is probably the way to begin. It just seems so daunting!

If you can, find ways to use tour bike in the day. I commute on mine a few days a week (it's only a couple of miles, though) but the thing that's really made a difference is using it for errands - to my shame it's quicker to get to the supermarket by bike than it is to go by car, and yet only recently did I start doing it. If you have a rack on your bike get some panniers - it changes a bike from being a fun way to get you from place to place to a practical tool (that's also a fun way to get you from place to place).

If you can, set aside some time each week just to ride - don't worry about how far you go, or how fast, or how often you push or stop altogether - just get out for a set amount of time, and soon enough you will find that in that time you are going further and faster.

Riding a bike when you are unfit is not much fun, to be honest (I didn't like it anyway) but once you get even a little bit fit it starts to be fun.

Good luck.

And get some padded shorts or leggings!

Milo - after I had been ill and unable to do anything for a year I started cycling 2 miles a day, I knew that the first house I came to on the little road I use is 1 mile, the road is two miles long so I built up to four miles, etc., etc.. I think finding a point to ride to is a good place to start.

I don't do a lot tbh, all I can fit in is 3 rides a week which is 40 miles ... I go to feed my horses so it has a purpose.