Cycling

[take_yer_points]

Or even changing the tyres and making sure they are pumped up properly  will make a massive diffference

I've actually thought of changing the tyres - the ones I have look very wide and heavy. I didn't think too much about that when i was buying the bike - I go it on a cycle to work scheme and never thought I'd do this much

[ludermor]

Changing from mountain bike tyres to road tyres will make a huge difference, make sure you pump them according to the markings on the tyre.
If your not sure what tyre will fit call into a shop and ask them, generally the shops are very helpful. You will be surprised the improvment in performace a few little changes will make   

[Mayo4Sam]

Air pressure is of utmost importance, u should never leave the house without pumping ur tyres, u need a good foot pump with a gauge, about €20

[Eamonnca1]

How much does the type of bike come into what speed you should do? I'm a bit like flantheman - started cycling in early July and I'm up to 450 miles so far - I've also been doing a few spin classes. I'm using a mountain bike and usually average about 14mph over a 7 mile cycle (commute to work) and can only seem to get to a maximum of 16mph (with a bit of a wind behind me). I've done a few longish cycles - 30ish miles the odd Sunday but haven't done more than 30 on the one trip yet. Should I be getting above 16mph on a regular basis by now or is the bike holding me up?

Mountain bikes are for riding off the road on dirt trails and the like. You're wasting your time riding one of them on the road, they're just not designed for it. Don't listen to anyone saying "oh but with the potholes on the roads out here you need a mountain bike," any decent modern road bike can take the pounding the road will throw at it. If you're in Ireland you'll have to consult someone there about what a good price would be, but be prepared to spend money and make a serious investment. If you can do 30 miles on a mountain bike then you should be fit to easily do more than 45 on a road bike, you won't believe the difference.

[take_yer_points]

Thanks for all the replies. I think I'll go with changing the tyres to do me the rest of this year and look at investing in a good road bike next year - the mountain bike's helped me to get into a bit of shape over the last few months and I'd say I'll do nothing over the winter so I'll persist with it for another month or two. Thanks again- all words of wisdom are appreciated!

[Bingo]

Picking up my road bike in morning - Felt Z100, happy enough and a good first road bike by all accounts. Have been on a Trek over the summer, borrowed from a friend. Similar enough bikes.

Hopefully get a good few decent spins in before winter kicks in.

[Eamonnca1]

If you join a cycling club you might be able to get good deals from any bike shops that sponsor the club. I was able to get 30% off a Specialized Tarmac SL2, and 30% off one of them is a big saving!

Of course it's good to join a club anyway so you can learn more about how to train, how to pace yourself, good roads to ride on etc. And it's better crack than just riding alone all the time. Just make sure and get a road bike first, you won't be able to keep up on an MTB.

[bennydorano]

Quality of gearing & components is also very important, picked up this info along the way for components. 

Cheapest to dearest:
Shimano
2300
Sora
Tiagra
105
Ultegra
Dura Ace
Di2?

Campag
Xenon(largely defunct but still about)
Mirage
Veloce
Centaur
Athena
Chorus
Record
Super Record

SRAM
Apex
Rival
Force
Red

[cadence]

i've cycled for years in london and have continued in birmingham where i live now. i wouldn't have it any other way, despite broken bones aplenty and dealing with pretty much daily all round lunacy, rage and aggression by road users in london. birmingham and brummies are much calmer thankfully.

for daily commuting, a hybrid town/commuting bike works for me. the wheel and tire width are just wide enough to be able to cope with the different standards of road surfaces. and i like having a bike that i can thrash up onto kerbs and being able to go on park trails for short cuts. i've seen so many racers with buckled wheels because of the pot holes. there's a big trend for "fixies", or fixed/single gear bikes over here. they're very stylised and aesthetically pleasing, but aren't great on the hills and, because they tend to be quite expensive, they get nicked a lot.

i'd stay away from buying a mountain bike with wide tyres if it's for commuting. there's no point unless you're going to take it on trails regularly (like most weekends) because the amount of resistance from the fat tyres just means you have to peddle harder than a thinner tyre.

as far as clobber goes, helmet, high vis waterproof jacket, water proof leggings (booties- waterproof socks that go over your shoes- are optional) and elbow pads are a must. you go over the handle bars often enough in traffic, you'll end up breaking bones, so you might as well protect youself properly. oh, and locks, one for the front and back. don't know what it's like in ireland but bike theft is rife in the uk.

helmet = £20
high vis waterproof jacket = £60-£80
waterproof leggings = £5-£10 from a builders merchant\yard
elbow pads =£20

decent town commuting hybrid bike shouldn't cost more than £500 imo. i know this is a UK site but they have a great selection to oogle at and put things on the wishlist...

http://www.cyclesurgery.com/urban/bikes/fcp-category/list?resetFilters=true


the guardian has a good bike blog. i see there's a piece on dublin's bike scheme. never knew dublin did a bike scheme.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/bike-blog

some other bike blogs that are worth having a peep at...

http://ibikelondon.blogspot.com/

http://cyclelondoncity.blogspot.com/


     

[cadence]

funny thread...

http://www.lfgss.com/thread27103.html

[Eamonnca1]

Elbow pads?! Are you serious?

[cadence]

Elbow pads?! Are you serious?

i am! i've cycled in a city with nutty traffic and have learned from bitter experience. i clipped a young lad on his mobile phone in 2007 who walked out between stationary traffic. i broke my left elbow in 6 places. was in theatre twice for 6 hours in total. i've a heap of metal in there, but still my left arm doesn't extend or bend fully. it was a bad one. anyway, the staff at the a&e and the surgeon who operated on me said that the worst fractures they dealt with were from cycling accidents. they also said that cyclists were their number one patient group apparently. so aye, i tend to not be able to deny that cycling has it's risks and subsequent spills i've just had cuts. that's the thing about crashes, you can get away without any breaks for a while, but eventually it's going to happen.

a friend texted me last night to say that another irish man we'd both worked with had a collison with a roller skater and was killed. happened in hyde park in london, so not even out on the roads. no helmet. it just doesn't make any sense to me not to protect yourself. i couldn't give a toss about what i look like, just gimme my elbow pads and helmet and after that it's about riding intelligently and whatever the gods of cycling deem fit to bestow on me.   

[robertemmet]

We have just launched the online regiastration for Tour of South Derry - Sunday 9th October 2011

9 /10/11

Details from - http://www.carnwheelers.co.uk/news/details/?id=287

[cavan4sam]

Probably a bit late posting this on here lads seeing as its on Sunday but some of ye may be interested.

http://fivecountycyclechallenge.com/default.aspx

Starts from Ramor Utd clubrooms in Virginia Co Cavan. Sign on from 8.30am. 3 routes, 50km, 100km and 150km. Entry fee €20.

[The Iceman]

I have signed up to do a charity bike ride next June. Its 80 miles a day for 4 days. Great cause so I thought I would give it a go.
Have a spin bike to train on during the winter but I don't actually have a bike.
I'm not a big fan of the road bikes so I have an idea to make my own hybrid. Wanted to ask any heads that know what they are at for opinions.

This is what i am thinking:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/mountain/sport/29er_sport/marlin/#
with these tyres

http://www.amazon.com/Schwalbe-Bicycle-28x2-35-Allround-Beaded/dp/B00277K9SM