Aren't Bicycles Great.

Johnmcl7

We had such great weather at the weekend it was too good to miss so decided to take the road bike out for spin on a country road at night which I've always been a bit wary of doing due to cars going at speed and not seeing me in time. The funny thing was I was actually getting a lot more room than I normally do when cycling during the day. It was one of those rides that I wish I could capture for non-cyclists to explain why I like cycling, there was virtually no wind, it wasn't cold, even with the sun down it was bright enough to see without lights (I had lights on regardless), the sky was blue and the stars were out and bike was just gliding along effortlessly. This picture was taken down the shores of Loch Ness:

Nebulous2

esuhl wrote: »

I keep hearing outlandish rumours of people cycling 100 miles (usually for charity). Normal looking people too -- not the Bionic Man or the Skynet's T-900.

I have managed about 40 to 45 miles (on a mountain bike) before I required muscular transplants and a sweet-shop of Snickers bars. But 100 miles?! Come on -- where are you hiding the batteries?!

I sincerely tip my hat to anyone who can manage such a feat!

Actually it's good to bask in other people's astonishment at the distances covered, but it's not really deserved! Bikes are a very efficient means of transport and it's relatively easy to train yourself to cover long distances.

You need the 'miles in your legs' as they say, so build it up as there is no substitute for getting the practice in.

You also need to learn about your own body and what it needs in terms of food and water. By the time you need the Snickers that badly it is too late. You need to learn to pre-empt it and eat first. Most people will have been there though and part of the training is to teach your body to be more efficient.

There's a group of people who do long distance rides, called an audax. I've only done one and the thing I noticed was how they conserved energy. The regulars didn't pedal downhill, they didn't get out of the saddle going uphill, they didn't sprint to a key point, they just kept spinning away efficiently the whole day. I bet they burned a lot less calories than me by the time we finished.

brat

esuhl wrote: »

I keep hearing outlandish rumours of people cycling 100 miles (usually for charity). Normal looking people too -- not the Bionic Man or the Skynet's T-900.

I have managed about 40 to 45 miles (on a mountain bike) before I required muscular transplants and a sweet-shop of Snickers bars. But 100 miles?! Come on -- where are you hiding the batteries?!

I sincerely tip my hat to anyone who can manage such a feat!

One of my inspectors rides 300 miles a week every week, along with a 40 hour job, a wife and two kids. I don't know how he gets his card stamped to spend that amount of time on his bike.

But it's all about training your body to cope. Two and a half years ago i balked at the thought of a 30 mile ride. Last year just through a gradual increase in distance I managed about 8 hundred milers, but that's about my top end for distance at the moment. I prefer to work quite hard (heart rate average about 150-155) which limits the ability to keep on riding.

mr_fishbulb

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

My trouble with a CX bike is I wouldn't use it off road (nor for CX racing) but I think it would be good as a touring bike while still quick for road cycling. Rose bikes have some reasonable options with hydraulic brakes and they can take mudguards.

I use my CX for commuting. It's a great bike for this - drill holes for a rack and full mudguards. I replaced the knobbly tyres with 25mm slick ones. It's only marginally heavier than a road bike, but I can ride with panniers.

EdGasket

Ref. Aren't bicycles great,

Not really, my daughter was knocked off and nearly killed; I don't call that great! Had she been using any other mode of transport she would not be jeapodised to the same extent. Cycling is Ok if there are no cars/lorries about.

Retrogamer

I've an old heavy cheap steel framed BMX i used to use years ago for practicing tricks that's not been used in years.
I've decided to take it to my work and leave it chained up there.

Means on nice days like today i can take it out and do a few laps of the area around my work. Only 2.5 miles i do and only takes 17 minutes which sounds nothing but as it's a BMX with the seat right down that's 2.5 miles on a small bike with no gears that you don't get to sit down with. Struggling with bunny hops still but hopefully as i lose weight i'll get more height.

EdGasket wrote: »

Ref. Aren't bicycles great,

Not really, my daughter was knocked off and nearly killed; I don't call that great! Had she been using any other mode of transport she would not be jeapodised to the same extent. Cycling is Ok if there are no cars/lorries about.

I'm sorry to hear about your daughter.

Cycling is great for me even with cars and lorries about. They're not the problem. Bad drivers and inconsiderate pedestrians are though.

armyknife

EdGasket wrote: »

Ref. Aren't bicycles great,

Not really, my daughter was knocked off and nearly killed; I don't call that great! Had she been using any other mode of transport she would not be jeapodised to the same extent. Cycling is Ok if there are no cars/lorries about.

Well my elder brother was 'knocked off' his bicycle and killed by a lorry, but I still think cycling is great because his bicycle didn't kill him, it was a man recklessly driving a large lump of metal.

It's kind of surprising that you suddenly pop-up and post in this thread, given your posting history doesn't suggest an interest in cycling, indeed of your last 25 MSE posts, fully 11 have been about motoring matters. :hmm:

So I'll reiterated I think bicycles are great.

And how about you and the other trolling 'petrol-heads' leave others to enjoy their own sport/recreation/choice of transport in peace?

Johnmcl7

mr_fishbulb wrote: »

I use my CX for commuting. It's a great bike for this - drill holes for a rack and full mudguards. I replaced the knobbly tyres with 25mm slick ones. It's only marginally heavier than a road bike, but I can ride with panniers.

That raises a question I've been wondering about the CX bikes, my road bike is far faster than my hybrid - it picks up speed quicker and rolls further when coasting as well. Both bikes use aluminum frames and carbon forks but the hybrid carries a small weight disadvantage due to mudguards, a pannier, disc brake, drum brake and a gear hub. The hybrid is also on larger 32c semi-slicks vs 23c slicks on the road bike, for reference these are the two bikes:

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/2013_1_5_h2_compact/#/us/en/archive-model/details?url=us/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/2013_1_5_h2_compact

http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/2011/archive/trek/sohodlx/#/uk/en/archive-model/details?url=uk/en/bikes/2011/archive/trek/sohodlx (although a Shimano front brake)

I realise the gear hub in particular will rob speed when pedalling and its weight will slow the bike but I still find the difference in performance surprising. When I had the road bike out at the weekend it was flowing along so quickly it's prompted me to rethink the CX idea although with 25c slicks on the CX bike should only be slightly heavier due to the discs and mudguards.

I had a shot of a friend's heavily upgraded Boardman CX bike (it's the entry level one but just about everything replaced on it) running knobbly 32c tyres to see how it rode and although it was a couple of miles it felt pretty good, much like the road bike. On an unrelated note I didn't realise how much I relied on shift indicators which this one didn't have, mucked up quite a few shifts as I wasn't in the gear I thought I was

I guess the short version of what I'm asking is, how do people with CX bikes and disc brakes feel they ride in comparison to a road bike?

armyknife

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

That raises a question I've been wondering about the CX bikes, my road bike is far faster than my hybrid - it picks up speed quicker and rolls further when coasting as well. Both bikes use aluminum frames and carbon forks but the hybrid carries a small weight disadvantage due to mudguards, a pannier, disc brake, drum brake and a gear hub. The hybrid is also on larger 32c semi-slicks vs 23c slicks on the road bike, for reference these are the two bikes:

.....

I realise the gear hub in particular will rob speed when pedalling and its weight will slow the bike but I still find the difference in performance surprising. When I had the road bike out at the weekend it was flowing along so quickly it's prompted me to rethink the CX idea although with 25c slicks on the CX bike should only be slightly heavier due to the discs and mudguards.
.....

Different angle of attack, the lower air resistance/drag from how you ride the road bike will make a lot of difference?

IIRC once over 15 mph the air resistance will start rapidly out weighting the energy lost due to rolling resistance and the total mechanical drag of any given bike.

esuhl

Johnmcl7 wrote: »

I guess the short version of what I'm asking is, how do people with CX bikes and disc brakes feel they ride in comparison to a road bike?

I've been wondering that too. I got my bike to ride mostly off-road, so I got an "all mountain" bike -- hardtail with front suspension and disc brakes. But (since I don't drive and live in a village), I find myself cycling a lot more on the road now.

I have some great tyres (Kenda Nevagal DTCs), which really stick to the road and grip like Velcro. When they lose traction, they slide very smoothly and predictably. But they are noisy and I can feel my speed being sapped. The front suspension is remote controlled, so I can lock it off for ascending hills (although it still moves a little). I like it's versatility and "safety", but it's not an efficient, lightweight road bike.

I just can't imagine being able to ride on the roads safely without my super-grippy tyres, disc brakes and suspension. Even with that set-up, I come across plenty of pot-holes and disintegrating road-surfaces that make me cling on tight to the handlebars.

If road surfaces were perfect, I'd love a road bike. And I see plenty of cheerful-looking cyclists whizzing past me on them, so it doesn't seem to be a problem for them. But I can't quite believe that I wouldn't kill myself trying to ride one! I'd love to give it a go on some smooth empty roads to see what I'm missing!