Pedal Power Thread

Rapscallion said:
Hi all,

after a decade of commuting / working away from home, i've got a perm job 3 miles from home! Added bonus that the employer runs a cycle to work scheme.

Undecided on the type of bike to go for. Quite like the look of the Whyte Sussex and Dorset - anybody have any experience of these. Another shop has the KTM Life Style which is a flat bar, but also looks like a good bike for a commute. But a lot heavier and sturdier than the Whyte.
The commute will be 4 mile each way along the taff trail, which i believe is all tarmac on the sections i will be using (north from the civic centre to whitchurch), but im going for a walk there next week to check.
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Those Whyte's look really nice (I'd like something like that myself). I've never tried on but I've heard that they have quite a relaxed geometry rather than being a head-down racer - this is probably good for a commuting bike but it's definitely worth having a test ride to check you like it. In my experience disc brakes (like they both have) are worth the extra weight.

Personally I wouldn't go with that KTM as it's quite heavy and by the sounds of it you don't need the front suspension. I bought a flat bar bike as my commuter, but the more I was enjoying riding the more I was thinking that I wish I'd got a proper road bike.
 
TopBanana said:
Those Whyte's look really nice (I'd like something like that myself). I've never tried on but I've heard that they have quite a relaxed geometry rather than being a head-down racer - this is probably good for a commuting bike but it's definitely worth having a test ride to check you like it. In my experience disc brakes (like they both have) are worth the extra weight.

Personally I wouldn't go with that KTM as it's quite heavy and by the sounds of it you don't need the front suspension. I bought a flat bar bike as my commuter, but the more I was enjoying riding the more I was thinking that I wish I'd got a proper road bike.
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I was also thinking that KTM maybe too heavy. Not sure how much weight a pannier frame and mudguards would add to the Whyte? Re the front suspension, you are able to lock it out, but for the riding i will be doing it will be locked out for the majority of the time so that will be a bit of a waste.

The local bike shop also mentioned the relaxed geometry on the Whyte which is why they recommended it to me, plus the fact that it has points to attach panniers and mudguards, which i will want.

Im not starting the new job till mid july (getting married and moving house in between so a busy time!), so no rush for me to get one, but im spending a lot of time online researching as i the last drop i bought was a LONG time ago!
 
Rapscallion said:
Hi all,

after a decade of commuting / working away from home, i've got a perm job 3 miles from home! Added bonus that the employer runs a cycle to work scheme.

Undecided on the type of bike to go for. Quite like the look of the Whyte Sussex and Dorset - anybody have any experience of these. Another shop has the KTM Life Style which is a flat bar, but also looks like a good bike for a commute. But a lot heavier and sturdier than the Whyte.
The commute will be 4 mile each way along the taff trail, which i believe is all tarmac on the sections i will be using (north from the civic centre to whitchurch), but im going for a walk there next week to check.
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I haven't a clue about that type of bike, but I have ridden the Taff Trail quite a lot when I visit Pontypridd and all the sections I have ridden have been tarmac. The only thing that annoys me with the trail is all the metal gates you have to go through. Everyone on road bikes can get away with cycling through them but I have wide bars on my bike and have to lift the front over every gate.
 
neil_g said:
Going back to the protection bit for a moment. Another top tip, carry a first aid kit for those moments you propel yourself into a hedge and need to mop up some blood :D
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Steri-strips are a life save. I always carry some in my bag.
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That's a good shout. (y)

Fortunately none of mine were that bad, got reminded what Dmr pedal studs to the shin felt like along with a bloody knee. Few other small punctures from the bush/brambles i landed in and got a blue colour lump forming on a thigh.. Fortunately (i think) I went in back first and my camelback took most of the hit.

Worst thing was those damn nettles. :hungover:
 
Just ordered myself a shiny new Specialized Rock Hopper, all black, super stealth :cool:

Had a Hard Rock from the mid-90s which sadly got nicked. Now I'm back in the land of hills and countryside I decided to splurge a bit to help get fit for rugby season. My knee can't take running so cycling it is! I was going to get another Hard Rock but they were doing 20% off the Rock Hopper so it was a no brainer really.

Roll on Monday evening :D
 
mid_gen said:
Just ordered myself a shiny new Specialized Rock Hopper, all black, super stealth :cool:

Had a Hard Rock from the mid-90s which sadly got nicked. Now I'm back in the land of hills and countryside I decided to splurge a bit to help get fit for rugby season. My knee can't take running so cycling it is! I was going to get another Hard Rock but they were doing 20% off the Rock Hopper so it was a no brainer really.

Roll on Monday evening :D
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Sounds nice (y) I'm all for having everything black. Easy to pick colours for new parts...black, black and more black.
 
neil_g said:
That's a good shout. (y)

Fortunately none of mine were that bad, got reminded what Dmr pedal studs to the shin felt like along with a bloody knee. Few other small punctures from the bush/brambles i landed in and got a blue colour lump forming on a thigh.. Fortunately (i think) I went in back first and my camelback took most of the hit.

Worst thing was those damn nettles. :hungover:
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I find myself digging into my biking first aid kit more for the kids now than myself. My shins used to take a beating from my DMR pedals as well lol. They are the exact reason I got some 661 pads many years ago and still have the scars to show for it. They have seen better days now though so I should really get some more.
 
Did my first TT at the weekend, a 10 miler round Richmond Park. Up at 4.45am Sunday morning and back home by 7.20am. I did it in 31.30 which wan't too bad but I think now I know the effort required and my own ability/reserves I could go faster. I just need to train my legs to keep on pushing as they seem to lag behind my heart rate!
 
menthel said:
Did my first TT at the weekend, a 10 miler round Richmond Park. Up at 4.45am Sunday morning and back home by 7.20am. I did it in 31.30 which wan't too bad but I think now I know the effort required and my own ability/reserves I could go faster. I just need to train my legs to keep on pushing as they seem to lag behind my heart rate!
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We need to meet again !!!
Need to cycle all the way to park so you can show me the route ;)
 
bastic said:
We need to meet again !!!
Need to cycle all the way to park so you can show me the route ;)
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Happy to go for a few laps round the park and show you the TT route- just finding a date is the problem, my summer is mostly booked up. :(

When we do manage it I can hearily recommend the coffee at the hut by the Penn Ponds car park!
 
menthel said:
Happy to go for a few laps round the park and show you the TT route- just finding a date is the problem, my summer is mostly booked up. :(

When we do manage it I can hearily recommend the coffee at the hut by the Penn Ponds car park!
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I Wil see how I feel this coming Saturday and if I go rowing.
If I won't go rowing, will try to get the bike out.
At the moment have most weekends free and can easily swap rowing for cycling so whenever you get a slot let me know ;)
 
Picked mine up after work and went straight out down to Grafenberg hills which are only a 5 minute ride away. Sadly the freak thunderstorm we had last week has devastated the place and most of the trails are blocked every 10-15m :/ Shame I had been looking forward to getting a bike up there for a while, some really good terrain.



bike2.jpg


Not been on a bike in six years, managed to 'blood' myself back in pretty quickly with a nice trip into a pile of felled branches :)
 
finally got Lewis's bike to a good spec

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forks - RST F1RST air 24
Brakes - avid elixir 3 160mm rotors
Crank - Thorn 150mm + RF NW 30t
Pedals - DH sport direct from china
Chain - KMC X10 93
cassette - XT 10sp
Rmech - SLX shadow + medium
shifter - zee 10sp
Wheels - superstar switch evo (rebadged Novatec D881SB front and D882SB) laced to Alex ACE 20 rims with sapim race DB spokes. titanium QRs
tyres - schwalbe rocker ron set up tubeless
saddle/seatpost - SDG bel air & Kore T-Rail post
bar - eXotic Scandium Riser Handlebar 620mm
stem - standard
grips - uberbike lockons
 
I made the mistake last weekend of going out for a ride during Bristol's Biggest Bike Ride. I had no idea it was on and I would be crossing their route until I met quite literally hundreds of cyclists coming in the opposite direction on the fairly narrow Pill Path. For those that don't know this road, it's a gravel track that follows the Avon out from Bristol towards Pill and on towards Portishead. It's comfortably wide enough for two but certainly not suitable for three abreast.

The number of rude, stupid, irresponsible and incapable cyclists was absolutely astounding. Initially I was hugging the left of the track (getting scratched to hell by brambles) to leave as much space as possible, but pretty soon realised this wasn't going to work as oncoming cyclists failed to move over at all. I then went to the tactic of stopping and waiting as far left as I could physically go for groups of 15+ riders at a time. I was astounded at how few people acknowledged I was there, let alone gave me a nod or said thanks - less than 3% of those who passed showed an appreciation (I was waiting long enough to count and do the maths!)

Later, on a wider section of track, a girl of perhaps 17 or so was coming the opposite way. I had slowed to a crawl and moved far left well in advance as she was one of a larger group coming my way. She was looking forward directly at me but mustn't have seen me somehow. She was in the middle of the path with ample space to get by even if she kept on the same line but instead she hit her front break in alarm and went flying over the handlebars. I obviously stopped to make sure she was ok. Fortunately there was no more harm than a grazed hand.

All this made me more determined to set an example for how I felt cyclists should behave so I was saying good day to as many riders as I could without feeling like a loony, I stopped to offer help for a ride who had punctured as I always carry everything needed to repair a puncture and I was as polite as I could manage.

I've never felt so sad at the behaviour of people on two wheels. It's great to encourage people to cycle, but so many were completely unsafe to have been out on the road.

Rant over.
 
Living in the new forests most of my life I feel your pain.

Fortunately now i ride around the South Downs and north Hants areas. I don't know whether it's the more hilly terrain but it seems to be that there are more cyclists that know what they're doing and respect others if I that makes sense ?
 
I certainly noticed a link between the more serious cyclists (based on the assumption that the more serious cyclists invest more money in their bikes & clothing) and better manners, being more considerate and obviously more capable and predictable. It was the number of cyclists who I can only assume didn't regularly cycle but were drawn out by the occasion that were the most hazardous.

I also got my first puncture in 2 and half years about 50 yards from home on that ride. The boredom of going slow and the stop-starting had driven me to play childish games bunny hopping things. I timed my jump poorly up the curb to my house and got a nice big snakebite puncture :LOL: I've just got back from Evans, where I went to buy a replacement inner tube, so I can go through it all again tomorrow. Fortunately I don't know of any events that could disrupt my usually peaceful ride this weekend :D
 
I try and get out early or late in the day, I find that helps too. This time of year you can get up at ridiculous o'clock and get some great riding in and be home for breakfast :D

Speaking of which, up early tomorrow for a ride between the test valley and Winchester.
 
Didn't enjoy today. I had one of those rides where everything went badly.

I think I had:

Fallen trees x 7-8 or more
Out of control dogs x too many
Dog bites x 1
Nettle stings x a lot
Impassable bog x 1
Getting lost x 4

Even the Garmin got fed up of telling me I was off course and stopped recording my progress 2/3 in.
 
I'd certainly be reporting a dog bite too. There's no tolerating that!

I tired the same route again this weekend....closed for the running stage of a triathlon :LOL:

Sundays clearly aren't for cycling!
 
Must be something in the air. I taco'd the back wheel on my inspired trials bike today. Not happy considering I'm on a tight budget building up my AM bike:banghead:

I have some spare 24" rims and plenty spoke laying about so it looks like next weekend i'll be lacing up some new wheels, but that's just more work.
 
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POAH said:
dog bite, I'd be reporting them
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TriggerHappy said:
I'd certainly be reporting a dog bite too. There's no tolerating that!
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to be honest i didnt realise what had happened until id pinged off down the track and by then theyd disapearred into the woods.

the guy had two terrier type dogs and one was running in front of my wheel so was concentrating on that one. thought id clipped a low branch with my ankle but in hind-site the other had nipped it. only a small bruise fortunately.

if i see them again there will be words. not that he wouldve probably given me his details to report it. time to get a gopro and start recording all trips.
 
Had my first ever session at Glentress yesterday. Epic day out with cracking weather. Only downside now is figuring out how soon i can go back!
 
POAH said:
what trails did you ride.
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As it was my first time I stuck to the blue routes even though it interacts with the red occasionally.

Favourites from the day were Betty Blue and berm Baby Berm.
 
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stupar said:
As it was my first time I stuck to the blue routes even though it interacts with the red occasionally.

Favourites from the day were Betty Blue and berm Baby Berm.
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if you are not particularly fit like me lol you can park at the buzzards nest car park and have access to quite a few tracks. you can do freeride park, pennelsvennel, blue velvet, berm baby berm, electric blue, skills park
 
We parked at the bottom and cycled to the top for betty blue (stopping on route for a play on the table tops and box).
Bombed down the routes then cycled back up to the buzzards nest to come down again.

Not bad going for a 35 year old asthmatic :LOL:
 
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POAH said:
if you are not particularly fit like me lol you can park at the buzzards nest car park and have access to quite a few tracks. you can do freeride park, pennelsvennel, blue velvet, berm baby berm, electric blue, skills park
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I think I need to work on my fitness as well. I've found myself using uplifts more and more at the minute. Still building up my new Yeti AM bike and it's not turning out to be the lightest of rides lol.
 
not enough cycling for me - will power lacking. pikes are back in Germany for warranty repair so who knows when I'll be back on the bike :(
 
neil_g said:
ive put my training rollers and schwable city jets in classifieds, no point me keeping them now ive gone tubeless and cant swap tyres around..
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thats some s*** wheels and tyres you have - takes me little time to swap tyres over with my mavic UST rims
 
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