Bike tyres, general advice on bike

no_more_cards_for_me

I've lost 2 stone through cycling 2 or days a week. Changed the diet to cut down on fat and chocolate and do circuit training 1 evening a week. The cycling has really helped and is easy to build into my daily routine, probably costs me 1hr in total a day extra time travelling and changing. However the health benefits and saving mean to me that this is worthwhile.

I started on an old mountain bike with slicks that has served me well, but now I'm about to take delivery of a proper road bike. The expense will hopefully be justified by the time saving but its on cycle to work so i've saved before I even start

Good luck

goldspanners

scotsman4th wrote: »

Thanks for that roougers, I'm looking to lose around 7 or 8 stone, it's good to see someones done it.

ive been doing similar for almost 10 months now,firstly i started off with my diet,i joined a healthy eating club with a weigh in once a week.
its not the usual weight watchers rubbish,its about re educating yourself as to what you can eat and when.
ive lost almost 3 stone, i went from 17.6 to 14.9. now im cycling and hoping to get down to the 14 stone pretty soon.
i can still enjoy the odd treat now and again and drink fairly often (but the hangovers have become almost unbareable due to the lack of fat).
the club has classes on in douglas,hamilton,wishaw and holytown. if your interested in it let me know. most folk like me doubted it,but most usually loose at least half a stone in the first week and usually a full stone after 4 weeks if they stick to it.

Rolandtheroadie

I peaked at 23 stone, normally sit at 22st8. I was 14st8 when I passed my driving test.
This morning I was 21st10 thats been a week of walking watching my diet and and my wee bike ride.

I never tried weight watchers or scottish slimmers as I didnt want to pay £3-£5 to get weighed lol.

Was going to go again today, went to get the bike and a tyre was flat. Blew it up (hoping a slow puncture) and sat on the bike. Oh how it hurts
.
The cause of the puncture was a spoke rubbing through the rubber band on the inside of the tyre. I've moved it slightly and put insulating tape round it.

So the road tyres came this afternoon, puncture fixed, new tyres on and a bit less tender.
I'll get out again tomorrow. And look at gel seats/wraps.

Next question. Tubes.
They cant all be the same, does anyone have a preference?

ventureuk

scotsman4th wrote: »

And look at gel seats/wraps.

Next question. Tubes.
They cant all be the same, does anyone have a preference?

Unless you are a competitive road racer then they are essentially all the same.

Forget get seats/wraps they are a con, try a Charge Spoon for a cheap comfy perch.

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/saddles.html

It's not a 'seat' it's a 'saddle', Seldons article makes is clear.

goldspanners

scotsman4th wrote: »

I peaked at 23 stone, normally sit at 22st8. I was 14st8 when I passed my driving test.
This morning I was 21st10 thats been a week of walking watching my diet and and my wee bike ride.

I never tried weight watchers or scottish slimmers as I didnt want to pay £3-£5 to get weighed lol.

i thought that aswell,but the motivation to not let myself down on the weigh-in night helps me out on the odd occasion that i crave something fatty.
each to thier own though.

Cool_Mint

scotsman4th wrote: »

After all the good weather it's raining on my day off. Typical.

Untied the bike from the rafters in the garage, checked tyre pressures. 15psi. Read side of tyres, 40-65psi. So i put 50psi in to get me started.
When I spoke of getting off to push, at my last attempt at cycling I was trying to go up hills with that 15psi.

Gave the chain an oil and gave the bike a quick checkover.

Then went out and did 5 miles. Not much granted, but I'm new to this, I should be able to build it up quite quickly.

Probably about 1 mile on road, rest forest tracks. Had to walk once for about 20 ft as what I thought was a path took me to a bit that a bog snorkler wouldnt have got through.

I've seen places today I have not seen since I was a kid, where we all used to run around the forest tracks around here.
The Forestry Comission have also put in loads of pathways, theres a lot to see out there.

So thats me converted.

You done good! 5 miles is plenty far enough for a first ride after a long lay-off, your muscles won't be used to it so you have to expect some soreness.

What make and model is your bike btw?

Rolandtheroadie

Cool_Mint wrote: »

You done good! 5 miles is plenty far enough for a first ride after a long lay-off, your muscles won't be used to it so you have to expect some soreness.

What make and model is your bike btw?

It's a Salt Lake Falcon. Probably an antique these days, no results on google that look like it. For £150 we got 2 at the time (his and hers)they were that cheap.
Came from JJB at the time, I can see me upgrading and having road tyres on one bike and offroad on the other.

Rolandtheroadie

goldspanners wrote: »

i thought that aswell,but the motivation to not let myself down on the weigh-in night helps me out on the odd occasion that i crave something fatty.
each to thier own though.

Definately a big incentive, me being tight it's purely cost related lol.
I've let myself go today, back onto it tomorrow.

Heres the guy thats gave me the final push. That and hating my job and no confidence to get another at my size.

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/real-life/2010/12/30/doctors-told-me-diet-or-die-i-chose-to-diet-86908-22815577/

Cool_Mint

scotsman4th wrote: »

It's a Salt Lake Falcon. Probably an antique these days, no results on google that look like it. For £150 we got 2 at the time (his and hers)they were that cheap.
Came from JJB at the time, I can see me upgrading and having road tyres on one bike and offroad on the other.

If you can afford a new/newer bike you should upgrade, a bike like that will be hard work to ride which I suppose might be good exercise! But not so much fun. A simple non-suspension hybrid is always a sound purchase.

Mrs_Arcanum

Used to have to walk up the little hill to our house on the way home. Now can do this in a middle gear I have osteoarthritis in both knees & find cycling better than walking.