grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Anyone on here into road cycling? I know that some do triathlons, some are into mountain biking, so does anyone do road riding? If so do you do it just to commute, for pleasure? How manys hours/distance a week do you cycle? What bike are you cycling on? I bought a road bike just to use for commuting, but have really started to enjoy it. Its only a 10km trip 1 way for me, but 20kms a day is not too bad. Great for the fitness though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustGav Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I have a bike, it is in the shed, has been for the past erm... 11 years Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I have a bike, it is in the shed, has been for the past erm... 11 years Might have reached classic status by now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddball Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I've recently took up cycling. I bought a cheap Peugeot racing bike off e-bay for £120. Just something to commute to and from work. Currently I do 9 miles each way, which takes around 37 mins to work and just over 40 mins home. What I will say is that the quality of the roads are rubbish. I had 2 pinch punctures in my first week due to potholes the size of craters! All in all though, I am really enjoying it. My fitness level is improving (my god it needed to!), and I feel fresher when I get to work:) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lukeyboy2k Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I used to commute to work on a MTB with slick tyres on. I did it for a year and a bit in all weathers and for different shifts. The journey was 14km each way which was mostly rural - little traffic but no street lights. In the summer it was fine, in the winter I hated it - on one particular journey the ambient air temperature (i.e not counting wind chill) was minus 9 degrees C. I did get hyper-fit and could eventually do the journey consistently in under 25 minutes. (Record was 23:27). Now I live in suburban London and commute by car to another part of suburban London. In an ideal world it would be great to cycle to work again but I'll never do it. There are too many bad drivers out there, cycle lane infrastructure is pathetic, but most importantly to me there are too many junctions and traffic lights - I don't like the whole stop-starting thing, I need to maintain momentum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I've recently took up cycling. I bought a cheap Peugeot racing bike off e-bay for £120. Just something to commute to and from work. Currently I do 9 miles each way, which takes around 37 mins to work and just over 40 mins home. What I will say is that the quality of the roads are rubbish. I had 2 pinch punctures in my first week due to potholes the size of craters! All in all though, I am really enjoying it. My fitness level is improving (my god it needed to!), and I feel fresher when I get to work:) Thats a pretty decent round trip you have there... I am extending my cycle in the afternoons. Roads on my route are terrible as well. Drivers can be bloody stupid some days as well!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Can anyone recommend a decent bike for around £200-£300 - probably second hand. I've got a crappy mountain bike that I bought for £45, and it's OK but old and rusty and creaky and I could do with one without dual suspension as well, but I don't know anything about bike makes and models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Depends on what you want it for and sort of bike you like the feel of, but for road use, a hybrid with road gearing is probably the best option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Many many years ago I used to do road cycling just for fun. I had a pure road bike, Shimano 600 stuff on a Reynolds 531 DB frame, handbuilt wheels runiing 18mm tyres. I used to go out every night riding the same courses through the countryside near Brands Hatch, always trying to better my time, essentially Time Trialling but just against myself. I used to love it, especially the speed, top recorded speed downhill was 56mph with nowt but some lycra and some crotcheted gloves for protection. Its a very psychological game, is road riding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Looking through some sites the style I like is sport hybrids or sport city bikes, the classic shape, I don't want anything like this: http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/graphics/cdale%20st4feminine.jpg Prefer this kind of thing: http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/graphics/Cdale%20Bad%20Boy%2008.jpg Wonder if I can find a second hand bike with a Rohloff hub for £300. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Many many years ago I used to do road cycling just for fun. I had a pure road bike, Shimano 600 stuff on a Reynolds 531 DB frame, handbuilt wheels runiing 18mm tyres. I used to go out every night riding the same courses through the countryside near Brands Hatch, always trying to better my time, essentially Time Trialling but just against myself. I used to love it, especially the speed, top recorded speed downhill was 56mph with nowt but some lycra and some crotcheted gloves for protection. Its a very psychological game, is road riding. Why did you stop? My best is 36mph downhill, but its a short hill, with a big right hand turn and a speed bump at the bottom... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Shifted into mountain biking, (I remember seeing an MTB for the first time and saying "that'll never catch on") did a couple of Cyclo-cross and MTB races, used to go to Penshurst when it first started where you could arse about with the likes of Rob Warner or Steve Peat, then when I eventually "shacked up" with the now-wife she started to complain about me going out for 5-6 hours off roading, so I started to feel guilty, then I didn't enjoy it so much, then we bought the Supra which diverted my attention and now we have several grands worth of MTB sellotaped to the garage ceiling and I'm 9 Stone heavier and can't walk upstairs without getting out of breath. Still, I don't hold any grudges or resentment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KimberleyAnn Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I went through a stage of biking all the time, and then i had a accident in a forest on a track, flew off it, and hurt myself, never got back on a bike since!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 Shifted into mountain biking, (I remember seeing an MTB for the first time and saying "that'll never catch on") did a couple of Cyclo-cross and MTB races, used to go to Penshurst when it first started where you could arse about with the likes of Rob Warner or Steve Peat, then when I eventually "shacked up" with the now-wife she started to complain about me going out for 5-6 hours off roading, so I started to feel guilty, then I didn't enjoy it so much, then we bought the Supra which diverted my attention and now we have several grands worth of MTB sellotaped to the garage ceiling and I'm 9 Stone heavier and can't walk upstairs without getting out of breath. Still, I don't hold any grudges or resentment. no grudges held at all I also like the MTB side of it, actually prefer it. I only started the road cycling for fitness and leg training... Now, I actually like it Get the missus doing it as well. Mine really likes the trail side of things... Some of the single track stuff is a bit much for her, but its still fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I went through a stage of biking all the time, and then i had a accident in a forest on a track, flew off it, and hurt myself, never got back on a bike since!! Thats a shame, does wonders for the legs Badly hurt or just a bit scary when thinking about doing it again? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 They say you should get straight back on the horse. Obviously easier to say then do if you've broken your collarbone/legs/pelvis/spine etc. Ooh, just remembered, I've done some track riding too at Calshott, that's a weird feeling, riding a fixed wheel bike round a steeply banked track as there is no stopping, you either slowly wind down over a couple of laps or you crash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 When I lived in N. Ireland in my teens, I did a lot of road racing. I was the nutter who cycled EVERYWHERE! I remember riding 40 miles to a race, riding the race and then riding home afterwards. Didn't think anything of it back then. I raced all around the UK and the Channel Islands with the RAF team and raced in the States in 1984 for a bit. Did a fair bit of time trialing too - used to ride long 22's or short 23's for 10 mile time trials. (That's minutes) Was never really much good at 25,s and never managed under the hour - I preferred road racing. In 1983, I did over 14,000 miles in one year - now I'd get out of breath going to the shops! I bought a used mountain bike recently and will use it for riding to work when I've rebuilt the forks. I really need to get a little fitness back! I still have my old hand-built Ellis-Briggs 531 frame lying at the back of my garage rotting. It was pretty special in it's day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Cor, Ellis Briggs, that brings back memories. No one mention the Taylor Brothers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soop Dogg Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Cor, Ellis Briggs, that brings back memories. No one mention the Taylor Brothers! Or Bob Jackson? How about Bespoke of Settle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RiceRocket Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Looking through some sites the style I like is sport hybrids or sport city bikes, the classic shape, I don't want anything like this: http://www.cycle-heaven.co.uk/graphics/cdale%20st4feminine.jpg That's a lady's bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbourner Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 Exactly! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I have an old road bike, i bought it from Halfrauds for £300 not a high spec by any means but has been dependable for the last few years. I cycle about 10 miles a day to the gym with the odd 20 miler when i have the energy. I am thinking about an upgrade of the current components or better still getting a new bike to use as the current bike is passed its best, only half the gears are working, making the hill on the way to the gym a bit of a slog padded cycling shorts and a mp3 player and camelbak are my friends Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahamc Posted August 6, 2008 Author Share Posted August 6, 2008 I have an old road bike, i bought it from Halfrauds for £300 not a high spec by any means but has been dependable for the last few years. I cycle about 10 miles a day to the gym with the odd 20 miler when i have the energy. I am thinking about an upgrade of the current components or better still getting a new bike to use as the current bike is passed its best, only half the gears are working, making the hill on the way to the gym a bit of a slog padded cycling shorts and a mp3 player and camelbak are my friends have you had it serviced?? still a little nervous about using an mp3 player on the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colsoop Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 have you had it serviced?? still a little nervous about using an mp3 player on the road A service, it needs an act of god Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bromy Posted August 6, 2008 Share Posted August 6, 2008 I used to do a bit and still have a Richard Virenque Peugeot in the back 11 years old, Sadly I find the roads too dangerous nowadays to venture out Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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