where to start

"m0rk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Hi

I used to do a lot of miles in my youth, im now mid thirties, have had
10 years of comfortable laziness = 20+ stone, not much in the way of
fitness.

As an overweight, previously hugely overweight person, I sympathise.

The first time I got back on a bike after many years away from it, I
couldn't cycle five miles without having to stop several times for a rest.

Here's what helped me :-

1. Don't think you can ride a vast number of miles straight away.

2. Start off slowly on very short distances. Cycle at own pace, not anyone
else's. In my case, the local molluscs were faster...

3. Keep at it - regularly. Aim for 3 x per week to start with. Get used to
the short distances at own pace. Then and only then, gradually increase
distances and frequency of rides.

4. Invest in a pair padded bottom Lycra cycle shorts. I wear mine under a
pair of RonHill Bikesters so I do not inflict the populous with my bare
flesh 🙂

5. If necessary, change the saddle on bike to one which fits. Can be
expensive, but worth it in terms of comfort. Good saddle fit combined with
padded rear end = cycling comfort.

6. Remember there is no shame in getting off bike for a breather and no
shame in using the granny ring!

7. Keep hydrated - drink plenty of fluids.

8. Keep at it!

9. Enjoy it.

10. Enjoy it.

Best of luck.

Cheers, helen s

I do have 2 hybrid type bikes in the garage, both of which ive spent a
few weeks on over the last couple years trying to get back into things
but didnt like either of them and eventually went back to my confortable
couch.

Im not going to just buy another bike and try again ... ill start off
trying out both of the bikes ive already got for a while to get my legs
used to moving once again but I already know I wont continue this if I
have to stick with the current bikes ... one doesnt have the right range
of gears and the other just doesnt quite feel right, i'll be ebay'ing
them before long I think.

I quite like the hybrid style of bike ... the look of the scott hybrids
although none of the images ive seen show them with mudguards which is a
concern .... it'll mainly be used evening or weekend as I have no choice
but to drive to/from and around various sites for my work so I wont be
commuting.

Budget wise im thinking £250-£300'ish (can be streched a little if
required) ... so, any recommendations for something to suit a heavy lump
and get him back into shape and enjoying riding again .... i'll be going
to whichever retail outlet will sell them to get fitted up for it
properly this time but like to browse online through pics, specs, etc
.....

In article <[email hidden]>, "wafflycat" <waffles*
$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk> says...

Quoted message said:

"m0rk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Hi

I used to do a lot of miles in my youth, im now mid thirties, have had
10 years of comfortable laziness = 20+ stone, not much in the way of
fitness.

As an overweight, previously hugely overweight person, I sympathise.

The first time I got back on a bike after many years away from it, I
couldn't cycle five miles without having to stop several times for a rest..

Here's what helped me :-

1. Don't think you can ride a vast number of miles straight away.

2. Start off slowly on very short distances. Cycle at own pace, not anyone
else's. In my case, the local molluscs were faster...

3. Keep at it - regularly. Aim for 3 x per week to start with. Get used to
the short distances at own pace. Then and only then, gradually increase
distances and frequency of rides.

4. Invest in a pair padded bottom Lycra cycle shorts. I wear mine under a
pair of RonHill Bikesters so I do not inflict the populous with my bare
flesh 🙂

5. If necessary, change the saddle on bike to one which fits. Can be
expensive, but worth it in terms of comfort. Good saddle fit combined with
padded rear end = cycling comfort.

6. Remember there is no shame in getting off bike for a breather and no
shame in using the granny ring!

7. Keep hydrated - drink plenty of fluids.

8. Keep at it!

9. Enjoy it.

10. Enjoy it.

Best of luck.

Cheers, helen s

thanks for the tips ... im more after the recommended bikes ...

being of the previously extremely fit, then lazy, then fit, then long
term lazy and now a lump variety im well up on how to do things, just
been too damn lazy to actually do them ;o)

ive been the occasional lurker here and remember your weight loss posts,
hopefully I can follow suit.

"m0rk" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

thanks for the tips ... im more after the recommended bikes ...

Well, hybrid should be fine. Key with any bike is *fit* and whether you are
comfortable on it. As it's cheaper than buying a new bike, if you haven't
invested in a pair of padded rear cycle shorts and a decent saddle, that
might be the way to go first of all. Oh, and keeping the tyres pumped up
hard!

Quoted message said:

being of the previously extremely fit, then lazy, then fit, then long
term lazy and now a lump variety im well up on how to do things, just
been too damn lazy to actually do them ;o)

Been there, done that, got many a gold star for it!

Quoted message said:

ive been the occasional lurker here and remember your weight loss posts,
hopefully I can follow suit.

Best of luck - but cycling alone didn't get weight off me. It did, however,
make me a lot fitter and changed some flab into muscle. For that alone, I'm
grateful.

Cheers, helen s

I quite like the hybrid style of bike ... the look of the scott hybrids
although none of the images ive seen show them with mudguards which is a
concern .... it'll mainly be used evening or weekend as I have no choice
but to drive to/from and around various sites for my work so I wont be
commuting.

Budget wise im thinking £250-£300'ish (can be streched a little if
required) ... so, any recommendations for something to suit a heavy lump
and get him back into shape and enjoying riding again .... i'll be going
to whichever retail outlet will sell them to get fitted up for it
properly this time but like to browse online through pics, specs, etc
.....
There's a plethora of bikes to choose from within the price range. You are
unlikely to see all of bikes fitted with mudguards though the Claud Butler
and Dawes ranges seen to fit them as standard.

Have a look at the CTC bike shop (it's really Evans Cycles) for a listing.
Not all of the bikes will be available locally to you if you are buying
through a local bike shop. My local bike shop, for instance, stocks
Specialised, Ridgeback, Raleigh and Claud Butler.

I have a Ridgeback hybrid that has stood up to my diminishing frame, I used
to be 23 - 24 stone, now I'm a svelte 20 stone and have done 100, 150 and
200kn Audaxes, have cycled coast to coast and
completed a Land's End to John O'Groats ride all this year.

Bikes that have stood up to the abuse that I subject them to include:
A Dawes Galaxy touring bike - £200 second hand
A Carrera Kraken (Halfords own brand) mountain bike - currently £266 at
Halfords
A Ridgeback Adventure hybrid bike £80 second hand
Raleigh R100 road bike £150 second hand
The last two bikes were effectively brand new have been ridden once round
the block before being put away by their owners.

It might be worthwhile looking in the local small ads for bikes, there are
some real bargains to be had.

Don't forget to budget for clothing, pump, puncture outfit, possibly drinks
bottle(s) and cage(s) not forgetting lights of course.

It is also worth remembering that at the entry level, the specs of the group
set are likely to be at the bottom end. Having said that, the Alivio
derailleur is giving stirling service on my Galaxy. I'd try to avoid
Shimano Tourney derailleurs...they are rather frail.

On 18 Sep,

wafflycat' waffles*$*A**T*v21net$*££*D*O*T*co*D£$£*O*T*uk said:

Here's what helped me :-

1. Don't think you can ride a vast number of miles straight away.

2. Start off slowly on very short distances. Cycle at own pace, not anyone
else's. In my case, the local molluscs were faster...

3. Keep at it - regularly. Aim for 3 x per week to start with. Get used to
the short distances at own pace. Then and only then, gradually increase
distances and frequency of rides.

4. Invest in a pair padded bottom Lycra cycle shorts. I wear mine under a
pair of RonHill Bikesters so I do not inflict the populous with my bare
flesh 🙂

5. If necessary, change the saddle on bike to one which fits. Can be
expensive, but worth it in terms of comfort. Good saddle fit combined with
padded rear end = cycling comfort.

6. Remember there is no shame in getting off bike for a breather and no
shame in using the granny ring!

Don't try hogging the higher gears, particularly if your weight has affected
your knees. Let the pedals spin, don't be worried if you slow down in lower
gears.

Quoted message said:

7. Keep hydrated - drink plenty of fluids.

8. Keep at it!

9. Enjoy it.

10. Enjoy it.

Best of luck.

Lots of good advice there. Take it steady, and keep in a low enough gear,
don't (as I did) b***** the knees by honking in a high gear, walk if
necessary if the gear isn't low enough to spin.

--
BD
Change lycos to yahoo to reply

m0rk said:

Budget wise im thinking £250-£300'ish (can be streched a little if
required) ...

I'm afraid I find myself agreeing with "Bob" and Simon. It looks to me
as though buying a new bike is a sort of magic talisman for you. At
this stage I would definitely look to improving what you already have.
Particularly I would concentrate on the bike that feels right but has
the wrong gear range. Improving that will get you far more bang for
your buck than buying a new one. If you're not going to be able to ride
regularly on that bike, is there any reason why it should be different
with a newer one once the novelty wears off?

Once you are a regular cyclist again, your weight is down, your fitness
up, you will have a much better idea of what you a looking for in a
bicycle. Then it will be time to start considering a new one, probably
in a slightly higher price bracket than you're looking at now.

--
Dave...

"dkahn400" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

m0rk said:

Budget wise im thinking £250-£300'ish (can be streched a little if
required) ...

I'm afraid I find myself agreeing with "Bob" and Simon. It looks to me
as though buying a new bike is a sort of magic talisman for you. At
this stage I would definitely look to improving what you already have.
Particularly I would concentrate on the bike that feels right but has
the wrong gear range. Improving that will get you far more bang for
your buck than buying a new one. If you're not going to be able to ride
regularly on that bike, is there any reason why it should be different
with a newer one once the novelty wears off?

Once you are a regular cyclist again, your weight is down, your fitness
up, you will have a much better idea of what you a looking for in a
bicycle. Then it will be time to start considering a new one, probably
in a slightly higher price bracket than you're looking at now.

--
Dave...

-------

The bike with not enough gears is a raleigh pioneer ... only has 1 front
ring and 6 gears - the gears dont go low enough to spin up hills although on
a fairly flat terain its ok, I had a quote of £100 - £140 to replace the
gear system with I think a 21 speed a while back which is approx the price I
bought the bike ... I know this amount on an upgrade is half the price of
what im prepared to spend on a new bike but im thinking at least with the
new bike id be getting some better components as it is at least a price
bracket or two above the original price of the pioneer .... is my thinking
flawed on this?

The 2nd bike is similair and does have the required gears but is not quite
the right size, I messed around with the seat and bars to see if could make
any better and I couldnt, it was a £40 ebay purchase I managed to go and
pick up locally.

I dont know if the gears could be moved from one to the other, its more work
than im prepared to do at the moment, my mechanical skills are limited to
changing a tube at best.

I wont mind using them for the initial kick off, I just know once im
starting to get into it again im going to want to get a new bike so I want
to start looking around now for when the time comes.

in message <[email hidden]>, m0rk

(') said:

The bike with not enough gears is a raleigh pioneer ... only has 1
front ring and 6 gears - the gears dont go low enough to spin up hills
although on a fairly flat terain its ok, I had a quote of £100 - £140
to replace the gear system with I think a 21 speed a while back which
is approx the price I
bought the bike ... I know this amount on an upgrade is half the price
of what im prepared to spend on a new bike but im thinking at least
with the new bike id be getting some better components as it is at
least a price
bracket or two above the original price of the pioneer .... is my
thinking flawed on this?

H'mmmm... OK, if it's a Raleigh it probably is pretty [censored]. It might
still be worth swapping over the transmissions between the two bikes to
see if you got something you liked a little better.

Don't get me wrong - quality bikes are a /lot/ nicer to ride than [censored]
and will encourage you to ride more simply by giving more back in the
way of fun. But to get something really nice in the way of a hybrid
you're really looking at £500 rather than £2-300, and before you spend
that sort of money it may be worth just checking out that a hybrid with
a decent gear range really is going to make a difference.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

<p>Schroedinger's cat is <blink><strong>NOT</strong></blink> dead.</p>

In article <[email hidden]>,
[email hidden] says...

Quoted message said:

in message <[email hidden]>, m0rk

(') said:

The bike with not enough gears is a raleigh pioneer ... only has 1
front ring and 6 gears - the gears dont go low enough to spin up hills
although on a fairly flat terain its ok, I had a quote of £100 - £140
to replace the gear system with I think a 21 speed a while back which
is approx the price I
bought the bike ... I know this amount on an upgrade is half the price
of what im prepared to spend on a new bike but im thinking at least
with the new bike id be getting some better components as it is at
least a price
bracket or two above the original price of the pioneer .... is my
thinking flawed on this?

H'mmmm... OK, if it's a Raleigh it probably is pretty [censored]. It might
still be worth swapping over the transmissions between the two bikes to
see if you got something you liked a little better.

Don't get me wrong - quality bikes are a /lot/ nicer to ride than [censored]
and will encourage you to ride more simply by giving more back in the
way of fun. But to get something really nice in the way of a hybrid
you're really looking at £500 rather than £2-300, and before you spend
that sort of money it may be worth just checking out that a hybrid with
a decent gear range really is going to make a difference.

Ok ... so recommending to swap the transmissions of the two hybrids to
try and make 1 workable bike, its not something id attempt myself so
whats this likely to cost at a local bike shop if I take both bikes in?

The raleigh is a little newer than the other but I think only by a year
or two, I think the raleigh was bought 2003 so may have compatible parts
....????

m0rk said:

Ok ... so recommending to swap the transmissions of the two hybrids to
try and make 1 workable bike, its not something id attempt myself so
whats this likely to cost at a local bike shop if I take both bikes
in?

You'd have to ask the shop.

However, I suspect the answer is £x/hr and no guarantees. Because the shop
won't know how knackered the bits are on either bike, nor how much hassle
they'll face in making them work. If it all goes swimmingly, its not much
time to swap the stuff over, but get one stubborn bit, and you can be there
for ages.

If you've two bikes, and both are in the "peanuts" s/hand value, then there
isn't much to be risked by learning how to dismantle the bits from one and
reassemble it yourself. Having taken ONE apart and reassembled, then
swapping parts from one to the other won't be much more challenging. To get
improved gear range, you need the multiple chainrings from one bike and the
front shifter and its control.

But, not everyone is mechanically minded, and you do need a modest tool
collection for it to work (allen keys, spanners, screwdrivers, possibly a
few other things).
The only special tool you may need is a crank puller to remove the RH crank
and chainrings (assume you leave the LH crank in place).

Quoted message said:

The raleigh is a little newer than the other but I think only by a
year or two, I think the raleigh was bought 2003 so may have
compatible parts ...????

Couldn't say, though similar ages probably makes it more likely things will
fit.

--
Nigel Cliffe,
Webmaster at http://www.2mm.org.uk/

m0rk said:

The bike with not enough gears is a raleigh pioneer ... only has 1 front
ring and 6 gears - the gears dont go low enough to spin up hills although on
a fairly flat terain its ok, I had a quote of £100 - £140 to replace the
gear system with I think a 21 speed a while back which is approx the price I
bought the bike ... I know this amount on an upgrade is half the price of
what im prepared to spend on a new bike but im thinking at least with the
new bike id be getting some better components as it is at least a price
bracket or two above the original price of the pioneer .... is my thinking
flawed on this?

No, not really. Getting a bike shop to replace it all with new
components, and charge you their labour time, doesn't make a lot of
sense with a bike of this kind. I agree, that's not the way to get
value here.

Quoted message said:

The 2nd bike is similair and does have the required gears but is not quite
the right size, I messed around with the seat and bars to see if could make
any better and I couldnt, it was a £40 ebay purchase I managed to go and
pick up locally.

I dont know if the gears could be moved from one to the other, its more work
than im prepared to do at the moment, my mechanical skills are limited to
changing a tube at best.

There's a fair chance you could take most of the transmission from the
2nd bike and fit it wholesale to the first. My hesitation is that
you've said you aren't mechanically minded and would want to give any
work beyond changing a tube to the local bike shop.

That's fair enough, lots of us here enjoy tinkering with our bikes and
it's easy to forget not everyone shares this inclination. The problem
is that removes much of your DIY money saving options.

Bike shop mech time is billed far higher than our own and they source
replacement parts from new stock. Given the age and quality of the two
bikes in question unless you feel you want to roll your own sleeves up
and get a bit oily then upgrading/modifying is, sadly, a bit of a non
starter.

"Bob"
--

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