On yer bike..Jules

Wild-Woman · #1 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 07:02 PM

It is my intention to purchase and bike in the early spring for several reasons.
1-to get fit
2-to save money
3-to get greener and do my bit for the planet
4-to demonstrate my committment to becoming a more greener thinking and doing person, rather than just teaching it to children and adults.

For members that are already cyclists, how do I do this safely? I'm thinking of starting on a Friday and building up weekly, so that I'm out of the car seat, more than I'm in it.
I don't want to do myself some damage by jumping in the deep end. Any good warm up exercises etc.
Also...what's a good bike to buy? Budget circa £200

Jules.

Fourwings · #2 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 07:24 PM

You should get a reasonably good bike for that sort of price Jules.

I enjoy riding my mountain bike and go out for a ride from time to time with one of my sons although I can never keep up with him as he is 20 times fitter than I am. I used to ride it to work but gave that up after a nasty spill which resulted in a badly dislocated thumb, two hairline fractures in my wrist and 14 stitches, but dont let that put you off as it was caused by me going far too fast round a bend in the road

I guess the trick is to build up slowly and not to try and do too much too quickly, try and match your increasing fitness by increasing the distance you cycle.

Get a good quality helmet and also some reflective gear to ensure you are highly visible to other road users.

Above all else enjoy it, its a great way to see the countryside and enjoy our glorious British weather

davewalker · #3 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 07:29 PM

Lovely to read your intentions,and why.

A few tips for safety.
Wear distinctive, bright, clothes.Red or White super visible.
buy a good quality helmet and make sure it is comfortable.
Fit a small rear veiw mirror. Lots of people po-poo this,but they have saved our lives twice!

I will only say about bikes,buy a bike magazine and look 2nd hand.For approx £200you will be able to get a much better bike in the long run.I would look for a comfortable road bike to start.

Work out a three mile circuit initially, and time yourself round, as you build up the muscles,you get faster.then increase the distance.Three miles doesn't sound far, but it is if you get tired and have to push the bike home.

Hope this starts to help

cheers davew

eeyore · #4 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 07:41 PM

you ought to speak to boddie jules - he used to be marketting director for a sadlle company and what he dont know about bikes aint worth knowing

Susie · #5 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 07:45 PM

I'd be inclined to pick up a cheap second hand one first and see how your good intentions go .. if you get into it and find it is practical for you then invest in a quality bike - but that is just the skinflint in me. lol.

nightshade · #6 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 08:14 PM

Pick up a cheap second hand bike is good advice,I gave up after my second new bike was stolen, despite the expensive locks and being registered and having postcode tattoos neither were ever seen again
the police just shrugged

Wild-Woman · #7 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nightshade

Pick up a cheap second hand bike is good advice,I gave up after my second new bike was stolen, despite the expensive locks and being registered and having postcode tattoos neither were ever seen again
the police just shrugged

Blimey.They must have been determined Nightshade.

Thanks for all advice from everyone. I'm taking this all on board.
I expect my posterior will be sore for a while-but I'm hoping to knock 20 years off of it...know what I mean

Garden Carpet · #8 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 08:37 PM

Jules, great idea.. get a good saddle if you go for the second hand bike. oh... and remember... the bloke that designed the anatomical saddle knew nothing about female anatomy

Wild-Woman · #9 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 09:16 PM

As my husband has just pointed out,this goes past our back door in the summer. Might have to tag along!

Tour de France 2007 Route

Oscar2006 · #10 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Garden Carpet

Jules, great idea.. get a good saddle if you go for the second hand bike. oh... and remember... the bloke that designed the anatomical saddle knew nothing about female anatomy

I bet Boddie knows all about this though!

My only claim to fame with bikes is that I helped to manufacture the semi-automatic welding machines that assisted in the production of the BMX bike frames!
So I don't ride often enough to be able to comment!

colsworld · #11 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 09:54 PM

Great idea going out on a bike. Got a work mate who swears by it, he tells me he is out every morning (weather permitting) and cycling for 15 to 30mins. Can't say I have noticed any difference with his physique though. I prefer the gym myself and I know that makes a difference.

Interestingly my birthday present (just passed) from my other half is a new bike, however I have to wait until the spring until I get it!!! She also wants me to ride alongside her with my new bike when she is out horse riding!...So I guess Im glad I use the exercise bikes at the gym

Col

colsworld · #12 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 09:59 PM

Great idea going out on a bike. Got a work mate who swears by it, he tells me he is out every morning (weather permitting) and cycling for 15 to 30mins. Can't say I have noticed any difference with his physique though. I prefer the gym myself and I know that makes a difference.

Interestingly my birthday present (just passed) from my other half is a new bike, however I have to wait until the spring until I get it!!! She also wants me to ride alongside her on my new bike when she is out horse riding!...So I guess Im glad I use the exercise bikes at the gym

Col

Oy · #13 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 10:12 PM

About 18 months ago I decided to go bike.

I'd been biking to work every day for about 3 weeks when "White van man" mowed me down and left me for dead on the pavement. Cracked shoulder blade and my bike still in the road.

He didn't stop.

Nobody stopped.

Other drivers just slowed down and went round my bike.

I haven't been on it since

colsworld · #14 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 10:25 PM

Not a nice story Oy, sorry to hear it. I am appalled that no one stopped to check you were OK.

My elderly Mum has been biking all her life but was knocked off at a corner by a dosy bus driver, he didn't stop either but she got his number and received compo from it.

Dan Salter · #15 (**permalink**) 25-01-2007, 11:08 PM

Great idea julie....

But knowing the places you like to visit and where you live i would definately avoid a road bike as was suggested....a mountain bike can be equally comfortable, can be fitted with road friendly off road tyres if that makes sens? ( hybrid) and when you get braver can be used to explore the more rugged parts of the countryside you wouldnt even get near on a road bike...

Plus the fact....road bikes are very uncool......and everyone knows that chunky tyres and suspension forks = fun fun fun

as for bikes? £200 wont get you anything too amazing brand new but second hand you may do well...but....you may also give up the whole idea after a month and waste your 200 pound anyway?

Personally i rate and use "Specialized" mountain bikes...and even their budget end bikes have all the hard purposeful looks and kit and are a respected make ! ....i have the Hardrock Sport Disc model 2006 which now the new bikes ( 2007) are out you may find a last years model for around £230 mark? Oh and specialized including most other brands do WOMEN SPECIFIC models of their range !

have a nose round the site for the girly version of my bike...Womans Specific Hardrock sport disc.

Specialized Bicycle Components : Choose Region + Language

And as probably mentioned.....A comfy saddle is the key (most come off the shelf with a rock hard little number) and again you can get sex specific as we all have different shaped bits as im sure you know !

Dan

nightshade · #16 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

Blimey.They must have been determined Nightshade.

Thanks for all advice from everyone. I'm taking this all on board.
I expect my posterior will be sore for a while-but I'm hoping to knock 20 years off of it...know what I mean

Oh they were determined, they removed the roadsign from the top of the post
and lifted the bike seven or eight feet up and off the post that I had locked it to!

HARIMAU1610 · #17 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 09:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wild-Woman

It is my intention to purchase and bike in the early spring for several reasons.
1-to get fit
2-to save money
3-to get greener and do my bit for the planet
4-to demonstrate my committment to becoming a more greener thinking and doing person, rather than just teaching it to children and adults.

For members that are already cyclists, how do I do this safely? I'm thinking of starting on a Friday and building up weekly, so that I'm out of the car seat, more than I'm in it.
I don't want to do myself some damage by jumping in the deep end. Any good warm up exercises etc.
Also...what's a good bike to buy? Budget circa £200

Jules.

You could check out the GT BIKES WEBSITE GT BICYCLES they have bikes for road, mountain and all other categories and prices start from about £200 then rise upwards. As for warming up perhaps just have a small routine of warming the legs and hamstrings, shoulders, and also start your journeys of slow so you become warm before you go faster or on a longer ride.It will vary dependant on what cycling you are doing. I suppose just take it easy to start with do what you can....There's no rush....unless you cycle down hill as fast as meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.. lol
PS GET a helmet by a reputable make like giro....

And a puncture repair kit. And a pump.

Take care

The harimau

henrya · #18 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oy

About 18 months ago I decided to go bike.

I'd been biking to work every day for about 3 weeks when "White van man" mowed me down and left me for dead on the pavement. Cracked shoulder blade and my bike still in the road.

He didn't stop.

Nobody stopped.

Other drivers just slowed down and went round my bike.

I haven't been on it since

That's bad news, Oy. My white van man had the decency to scrape me off the road and take me to casualty, but there they failed to notice my broken neck and sent me home with pain killers. Like you, I've not been back on the bike since and that was six years ago.

But look on the bright side - we survived!

henrya

Tinkerbell · #19 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 09:40 AM

Plenty of gears to help with ascending hills would be useful, a good breaking system and as others have also mentioned the best and most comfortable saddle you can find.

I can take a 25 mile ride here in North Yorkshire on my own bike with little difficulty, as the saddle is relatively good, but when we hired bikes in Majorca in October I felt bruised for days afterwards, and spent much of the 25 mile ride standing up on the peddles! It would have been so much more enjoyable had I been able to sit down.

Tinkerbell

lol geoff · #20 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 10:37 AM

Agree with the MTBish type with road biased tyres. I would go for lightness of frame over any sort of suspension or fancy disc brakes. As for road riding I would recommend you ride with assertiveness. Do not hug the kerb as you have nowhere to go if someone squeezes past and that's where all the punctures will be waiting. Make people notice that you are there by making them drive around you. Make eye contact if possible with anyone waiting to come out at junctions or waiting to turn in front of you. Look out for people overtaking you and then turning left in front of you, some people don't seem to realise that you have traveled forward since they overtook you. Try not to overtake up the inside of a line of traffic people won't be expecting you to be there. If you overtake down the outside watch out for pedestrians stepping out in front of you because they will be looking the other way watching for a gap in the oncomming traffic.

As others have said take it easy to start with and you will soon pick up the 'Rules' of the road. Learn a few choice obscenities and use them freely when necessary.

I will probably get flamed for this but if you don't feel safe get up on the footpath, if there aren't many pedestrians about you might as well use it, and if there is always give way to them.

nightshade · #21 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 04:04 PM

"I will probably get flamed for this..." well on the pavement nowdays at least he won't
be lonely

Deer Stalker · #22 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 04:32 PM

As Harimau said, do some stretches to warm up before hand. Less risk of injury.

Wild-Woman · #23 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lol geoff

Learn a few choice obscenities and use them freely when necessary.

You might regret giving me such advice, should I cycle to Hartley one day.

svenrufus · #24 (**permalink**) 26-01-2007, 04:34 PM

Second hand = good as cheaper and less likely to get nicked.

Road bike v. Off-road...? For my part I have a road bike, as it is more comfortable and easier to lug about than the off-roaders for the same price. Whether one is cooler than another or not, I couldn't give a ****, all I'm interested in is comfort and practicality.

Agree with Wing Mirror suggestion, not just coz it means you see more of what's going on around you, but as it sticks out a little way, then motorists are also more likely to give you a wider berth = double safety.

Gears = Very Good! But then I live in Brighton up the top of a hill that hits 1 in 10 or something like that.

Take it easy, go at your own pace, don't try to be like some of the other nutters on bikes that whizz past you, you have all the time you want to give yourself.

Assume that not one single motorist has seen you, never chances. You are the one that loses in any fight with a car.

Dress safe - ie bright, and good helmet. It os worth spending some money on this, but the more expensive ones are more for off roaders, who are likely to take a tumble or ride through trees etc. If you are playing it safe, on the road most of the