Jaysus cycling! (1 Viewer)

[GARYXKNIFEDX]

Buy a new bike,and learn how to MAINTAIN it.

 

[Pedronimus]

I think for a road bike you'd be better off buying an already complete one. Unless you get a fantastic deal on a groupset or frame and forks. If you go to chain reaction and search groupsets and then search complete bikes you'll get an idea on the kinda price cut you'll get by buying a complete bike.

I'd go along with this. If you're trying to save money, you'd have to know what you're looking for and about compatibility issues and be prepared to wait for bargains.

The cheapest new bikes you can buy that aren't absolute dirt are the Carreras from Halfords, anything cheaper is a false economy. There's always second hand though. Plenty of good entry level stuff in the usual places.

 

[oh shit]

thanks for the advice. yeah was thinking about it being a very long term project based around a decent second hand road frame. I bought the flyer on a VAT-free scheme through work, and paid it off over a year so it was affordable. can't really afford to pay out for a whole new set up that isn't going to be shit in the long term. Brick Lane Bikes and a few other places sell complete old racers for quite a lot of money, comparable to an entry level new road bike. In london NOS trades on a few online forums quite cheap all the time, and there are also various small workshops around the place where you can pick up quite a lot of decent parts. was thinking of aiming to have it on the road for spring 2012 so no rush. but then again I could easily save up for a BLB 80s campagnolo by the spring, so yeah probably a false economy.

 

[FiFi_LaRue]

Just a quick question, if looking for a second hand touring bike where's my best bet to start looking? Any of the shops in Dublin better than others for second hand stock?
Was looking at a Claud Butler Regent, or a Trek Vantage, but there don't seem to be too many of those doing the rounds online.

 

[Pedronimus]

There wouldn't much in the way of new touring bikes in shops in Dublin, never mind second hand. Each shop may have a couple of models. Best just to take a wander round them all and see what they have to offer.

You can add a rack and panniers to nearly all bikes except some road bikes. Is it for a holiday or just to commute on?

 

[FiFi_LaRue]

It's initially for a touring holiday in France, so would need to be able to carry a bit of gear on it. After that though it'd mostly be for commuting.

 

[Pedronimus]

A hybrid from any of the big brands would do the job for a holiday in France.

Just found a Claud Butler Regent on offer in Stagg Cycles(Lucan) - http://www.staggcycles.com/content/view/72/62/
Its a 53 frame so might suit someone from 5'6" to 5'9" or there abouts.

 

[FiFi_LaRue]

Cheers thanks

 

[IFF]

i've been struggling speed wise lately (well personally i am not a fast cyclist but even with my slowness has got slower)

today for my 15km evening cycle, i did it in 46:30. my best time for the route being 41:45 at the end of June. With mapmyride.com, this shows this is the slowest time i have recorded on that route with tracking starting last August (the second slowest is 36:02 when the chain fell off when going up a hill). I'm happy with times of 42 - 44 minutes

On my 37.5Km Sunday cycle (includes 6 tough for me hill- the disclaimer being tough for me though hardest is about 4km of tough riding with very few downhill sections), last sunday i did it in 2 hours 22 minutes. My best time being 2 hours 7 at start of July while previous Sunday wa 2 hours 11.

my bike seems to be ok so the problem seems to be me.

 

[rettucs]

i've been struggling speed wise lately (well personally i am not a fast cyclist but even with my slowness has got slower)

today for my 15km evening cycle, i did it in 46:30. my best time for the route being 41:45 at the end of June. With mapmyride.com, this shows this is the slowest time i have recorded on that route with tracking starting last August (the second slowest is 36:02 when the chain fell off when going up a hill). I'm happy with times of 42 - 44 minutes

On my 37.5Km Sunday cycle (includes 6 tough for me hill- the disclaimer being tough for me though hardest is about 4km of tough riding with very few downhill sections), last sunday i did it in 2 hours 22 minutes. My best time being 2 hours 7 at start of July while previous Sunday wa 2 hours 11.

my bike seems to be ok so the problem seems to be me.

what kind of cycle is it though? Is it city/town cycling? Sometimes taking the time is not the best measure. You'd be better off measuring average speed.

The other thing is, are you making a conscious effort to increase your speed? Or do you even want to increase your speed? Personally I'm more of an effort person. If I go out on a cycle its more about the effort and the time I spend on the bike, rather than the speed (I only look at average speeds at the very end).

If you really want to increase your speed you'll need a somewhat more scientific approach. Get a heart rate monitor. Learn about the HR zones and what riding in each does for you. Check out interval training. And this other training model (the name of which escapes me) where you break your training into blocks of 4 or 5 weeks where you gradually increase your effort over that time period, and then repeat all over again, starting at the least effort level.

Though sometimes the body just gets sluggish. That always happens me this time of year. I'd have been training hard enough since November last year. It tends to catch up on you, and the body screams for rest. If you don't give in, it refuses to cooperate. Hence the sluggishness. It'll pass.

 

[IFF]

what kind of cycle is it though? Is it city/town cycling? Sometimes taking the time is not the best measure. You'd be better off measuring average speed.

the cycles i take tend to be rural areas. On Sunday's I go through one village (it's got a good hill into it) but other than that, it's in the countryside.

The other thing is, are you making a conscious effort to increase your speed? Or do you even want to increase your speed? Personally I'm more of an effort person. If I go out on a cycle its more about the effort and the time I spend on the bike, rather than the speed (I only look at average speeds at the very end).

If you really want to increase your speed you'll need a somewhat more scientific approach. Get a heart rate monitor. Learn about the HR zones and what riding in each does for you. Check out interval training. And this other training model (the name of which escapes me) where you break your training into blocks of 4 or 5 weeks where you gradually increase your effort over that time period, and then repeat all over again, starting at the least effort level.

my goal is not neccessarily speed. it's more an aim for satisfaction. it's just that a 10% decrease is dissatisfying.
Because of the constantness of the evening cycles, it allows comparison based on time wise

I do think a HR monitor would be a help

Though sometimes the body just gets sluggish. That always happens me this time of year. I'd have been training hard enough since November last year. It tends to catch up on you, and the body screams for rest. If you don't give in, it refuses to cooperate. Hence the sluggishness. It'll pass.

I think probably sluggishness. It's been a constant since the start of March to be cycling. (the first three months weren't great due to lack of enthusiasm) with only missing 3 Sundays since then (exhausted due to one week, Steve Mason the previous night and the weather on one Sunday) so tiredness wouldn't be unexpected.

Well next week will be a week off the bike .

 

[mr pharmacist!!!!1]

have my eye on a bike on ebay.
its in the uk but id be responsible for the shipping of it over here. anyone done this before? are all courier companies the same price wise?

 

[HMD]

Is it a fixie?

 

[mr pharmacist!!!!1]

Is it a fixie?

yeah, it matches me haircut.

 

[rettucs]

have my eye on a bike on ebay.
its in the uk but id be responsible for the shipping of it over here. anyone done this before? are all courier companies the same price wise?

hey farmy, I've never got a bike delivered but I did get a couple shipped from overseas. I recall it only costing 15-30 euros when you bought straight from the manufacturer.

as regards courier I'd imagine you'll be fisted. It might even be more cost effective to pop over to wherever it is and collect it yourself. Doubtful though. I'd expect courier costs to be 100 lids or more.

Go ask the bike heads on boards. Theres a lot of folks there and I'm sure you'll find someone whose had experience of this.

Be careful buying bikes on ebay by the way. Lots of dodgeyness there.

 

[ann post]

ah lads

 

[rettucs]

that was a deadly cycle home into the wind. DEADLY

 

[HMD]

I made it into work in record time today

 

[rettucs]

this morning was positively dull by comparison. Heres hoping for more storms

 

[HMD]

I'm sure the wind will have picked up by going home time.