[Official P&b Cycling Thread]

Route for pedal for Scotland is up. Looking forward to it anybody else doing the 51 miler

[Official P&b Cycling Thread]

Yep well done to the guys that did the 100 miler.

I'm doing a thesis at the moment yep zzzzz, but it is due in Tomorrow so bike hasn't been in use for a week. Itching to get back out on it and get a good ride in for Pedal for Scotland. I'm sticking to the 51 mile route thou!

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I suppose a lot will depend on how well you are looking to do on the day. If you don't have any particular level of expectation, then you just need to relax and look upon it as a fun day out with no pressure. It might be hard going at times if you're not used to cycling very far, but the occasion and atmosphere should carry you on. Pacing yourself is also key. Don't hammer it too early on. Clock who is round about you and find someone who doesn't seem too hardcore, but who looks fit enough, and use that person to pace youself in the initial stages. You might 'hit the wall' around the 35 or 40 mile mark, but that's common enough, and it's a case of gritting your teeth and getting on with it.

The Trek is a MTB bike AFAIK. What tyres do you have on it? If it has knobblies, take them off and fit a pair of semi-slicks, or even road specific tyres such as Schwalbe Marathons (good, bombproof tyres that can hack a great deal of varied terrain). The investment in a new set of tyres for the ride will make the world of difference.

PFS is in mid-September? You've got time to get a couple of 35 mile rides in before then. Decide you're going to take the bike out, set a route, and do it! You'll enjoy the ride on the day much more if the miles are in your legs as the bike-types say, and it won't seem so daunting. I'm doing the Glasgow 100 mile ride next weekend, and haven't cycled further than 70 but hope that I'll have enough in the tank on the day to complete the ride okay.

I'm currently doing 10mile runs quite easily in 40mins and regularly with the occasional 30mile+ run every so often for PFS. I don't know the route this year, as it isn't up yet and finishes at Murrayfield, this year, but it was out Duke Street, Edinburgh Road, through Easterhouse, Coatbridge, Airdrie, Caldercruix to Linlithgow and then into Edinburgh. Uphill all the way to Caldercruix particularly from Coatbridge then mostly downhill, with occasional climbs.

You can get Schwalbe City Jet tyres for your MTB which I did on mine. They are cheap- £20 a pair ish, better than knobbly MTB tyres, good puncture protection, and hard wearing- however they are a bit of a heavy tyre and better rolling ones might be available.

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Hi guys, looking at possibly getting myself a bike for commuting to work however don't know a great deal about bikes and was looking for some help from you guys. My commute to work is about 9 miles each way (Paisley to Glasgow), I have a had a look on the net and Hybrid bikes seem to be recommended for what I'm needed. Can anyone provide suggestions for suitable bikes? Budget will be about £00-350 max prob. Cheers.

Hybrids aren't bad- but given the way this thread goes you'll be on a road bike in 2 months. Well maybe not but you start looking for more speed etc.

[Coupon Bursters]

Middlesbrough amongst many to be fair- 90+2 equaliser. Grrr.

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I'm wondering about transport as well.

I keep meaning to phone ScotRail about booking a bike space, but even if I manage it I doubt it'll make much difference if they're swamped with people looking to carry bikes.

I can't seem to reply to this for some reason- try for the third time!

In my experience ticket collectors aren't too bothered by bikes as long as the trains are not packed or they are blocking the aisles. I've been on an old train without a bike bit recently and despite 3 bikes there the ticket collector was fine with it.

Another option is to put the bike in your car, drive to Edinburgh leave your car there near the finish and take the transport in the morning to Glasgow I suppose.

I'm getting a lift back from my folks who I asked to come for me ha!

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Its just an £800 Specialized Allez. Its not one of these carbon effors that costs thousands. I'll leave that sort of stuff if I can prove to myself that I can be decent.

I'm getting on a bit now so that is going to be a limiting factor but I've read that a 25 mile time trial in under an hour is considered a big thing. That sounds very fast to me and no idea if I'm capable. I've only been on a £100 old mountain bike so far so times have been relatively slow. I've been using a heart rate monitor however to guage my effort and have being doing interval sessions on that very cycle track you mention.

I'm going to be doing a lot of cycling over the weekend and it will give me an idea of what standard I'm at just now.

That bike is more than decent! Very nice bike, I've got a £299 effort, for my first road bike which if you delve back a few pages you'll see, I agree not to start out too fancy.

25miles in a hour is very fast for me. I'd do more like 12-15miles in an hour. The best target I'm told if you are serious is usually the 20mph barrier where possible. I'm nowhere near that yet, but monitoring it my pace is steadily improving around 14-15mph tonight which is consistent with other improvements.

Aim for 20mph where you can but as Drooper says don't get beat up if you can't hit it, so many factors in it. Need to get a P&B cycle run in some time!

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I've got mudguards...

Hmm only mentioned because I'd been getting mud up my back particularly in the half dry, half wet weather on some routes where the weather is dry but the road is wet.

Somehow I've gone off them since the P&B community has spoken . Actually more useless weight and parts for me to rage at- no thanks!

I've only just started cycling and have been using an old £100 mountain bike for the past couple of months. Bought a proper road bike yesterday.

Can one of you cyclists give me an idea of what are considered good times for cycling? I'm particulatrly interested in time trial races.

I'm relatively fit (resting heart rate of around 55) and until injury, I was able to run a 10k in 35 mins and a half marathon in 1 hour 20 mins (and was still improving). My aim is to start racing. My intention isn't to race though until I can finish ahead of most of the field in a good time. I just want an idea of what I need to aim for.

You are going to have to tell us what road bike you get. We P&B are a nosey bunch.

Impossible to say depending on route, hills, wind, I guess even a bit of bike and weight of the person! I was told the Etape Caledonia race which is 80miles and a good old climb is around 20mph average to be close to the front.

Around Paisley I average about 12mph in urban areas with stopping and starting at lights etc- but did 15mph to Kilmacolm the other day on cycle track- so probably faster if I wasn't stopping at junctions. If you can regularly get over 15mph over around 20miles you aren't doing too badly for me

I'd say a good time over a long distance for most club cyclists would be 20mph with a few going faster?

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With regards to front cog,I really think it's all down to personal preference and if truth be told,not really a huge difference on one over the other.

Like I said previously,I'm finding a definite difference on the flat and dont know if its because my new bike has a large cog,or I'm getting fitter,but more than likely the former!

I think the same, triple or double matters little but like other things in the cycling world to some people they are prone to snobbery about specs or getting into nonsense arguments about different tyres, different cassettes etc.

Note to self- need to get mudguards fitted to road bike before it hoses down at Pedal for Scotland!

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Great wee run today, however there was a Easterly wind which meant I was rather assisted going from the west of Glasgow up the hill to Kilmacolm! Rained and I was soaked but there you go!

However still did that in a record 53mins which is 14mph average so seems times are improving and way back was 49mins so 15mph despite being into the wind. Anyway 25miles covered today so half the distance for Pedal for Scotland.

Applied for Pedal for Scotland so will be doing that on the 11th September.

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I've got the same problem i upgraded from a MTB to a Hybrid just last month now i'm chomping at the bit to upgrade to a road bike but with mr Mrs due to give birth there is no chance of me twisting her arm to upgrade bikes just now oh well maybe by the start of next year

flyingscot i was looking at the pedal for scotland ride i might be intrested in doing the 50 miles also should be a breeze after this 100 mile stint in a couple of weeks which i am now worrying about the distance haha

Aye well there is a 100mile version of that too

Nah doing the 50 mile version but haven't applied yet- will do so this weekend if I get round to it.

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Just got clipless pedals at the weekend and after falling over in my garden trying to clip in and out I managed to cycle to work and back without falling off, I'm gearing up for this 50mile pedal for scotland with my pal, I reckon I could do the 100 miles but I want to enjoy it not kill myself, got to work in 35 minutes not bad for 11 1/2 miles. I was hooked on Le Tour these guys are proper athletes. Any one know any decent routes in the Falkirk area some of the roads are terrible here?

Just gone mad and got myself an HTC Highroad Jersey, Gloves and Socks so if you see me out say hello haha. I'm on a Giant Defy 2. White/Black/Yellow.

Not bad- understatement for me! That isn't far off 20mph which is an excellent average speed a lot will like to achieve. I barely average 12 or 13 miles an hour (20kph!) at best less on urban roads through towns.

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haha while you're taking in the lovely sights, think about me and flying scot going through the lovely area of Port which the cycle path goes through

I done just over 55 miles yesterday headed towards the Port but once i came to the end of the cycle pather i head back down it and towards Kilbirnie legs are knackered today need to give myself a rest day could even face cycling to work

I went to Kilmacolm today, hot, into the wind and tired after a party the night before. I did ok until just after Linwood and then I was dead lol. Guy on a boardman mountain bike took me at Brookfield and I actually kept with him to just after Kilmacolm but then faded. Slow time compared to usual 70mins from outskirts of Glasgow to Kilmacolm.

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Did you go by the old playtex factory then the street with every window boarded up lol I felt the need to pick it up through there

Aye what a horrible place. The windows aren't even all boarded up, some have been left wide open (wood nicked ) doors are open too and at least one had fire damage I think. Did not spare the speed between the start of Port Glasgow and Morrisons in Greenock. Seriously what a shit hole, but nice views of the Clyde!

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Anyone else get out today?

Yep, went from Paisley to Gourock on the bike. Was going to go to Kilmacolm and back but it was a nice day went to Gourock and got the train back as it was too late to cycle back to Paisley.

40km (25 miles) in 2 hours 8 mins so about 12mph average.

Not a fan of the cycle track in Port Glasgow / Greenock area. It feels dodgy at parts and has more glass than a window factory on it too. I just got to the Port and met two guys on motorbikes on the cycle track then met a group of 6 guys with loads of booze going for a session with one of them standing at the edge of the cycle track having a slash . I lost the cycle track too around the Cappielow area so ended up cycling round the hills and the estates with boarded up houses and stuff lol! I think I was the first cyclist ever in Greenock the way they looked at me!

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Have we all retired our bikes for the last few days?? How is everyones training coming along for the Glasgow 100 & Pedal for Scotland,

I've just been going back n forth from work this week about 15 miles or so, Also done 20 odd going out to Kilmacolm where i came across a cycling team in full flow, those boys can fair shift

Aye the cycle teams can! I did the M74 cycle and was about 2 miles into the 6mile run at Rutherglen as they were coming back flying the other way. Some had got trapped at the back of the pack and were making their way though which was a bit hairy too.

Most of them are quite friendly though, passed a few of the Johnstone guys on the cycle track at one point who said hello as did the Glasgow Southside (I think) too. Occasionally you can get the odd tit though, like the guy who somehow avoided me after taking a racing line round a blind bend at speed.

I did my best time yet out on a loop round Paisley and Renfrew- but it is getting time to go long cycles I need to do.

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I done 55 miles on Sunday there took me 4 hours cycling time according to my cycling app but we did have a break at the pub which wasnt included of course, I've said its goign to take me between 8 and 10 hours (i hope) to complete things 100 mile trip

You'll do the 50 miles in a breeze i done that on my hybrid you'll blow that time on your road bike

Yeah, I just get bored too easily!

I'm tempted by the 100km ride- I've done 40km in 2 hours on the cycle track- so fancy pushing myself for that too.

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The reality is hitting home to me, that's for sure - it's a long, long way

It is- 100miles is serious territory.

On an average day I do 20kph or 12mph cycling (granted that includes red lights and junctions) but even allowing for that it would take me at least 8 hours non stop to do in total!

I'll stick to pedal for Scotland at the moment. 50 miles seems fine for me.

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When you come off cycle track at Glengarnock you come out in an industrial estate then its all back roads to kilwinning not bad but not great

Aye that road in Glengarnock in the industrial estate isn't potholed but is the roughest road I've been on not to have any for me!

I just hated the road surface and hills on the way to Kilwinning

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done just under 55 miles today, went from paisley to kilwinning and back then out to kilmacolm got caught in that down pour on the way home apart from that it wasnt bad

Cycle track? How was the bit from Glengarnock to Kilwinning?

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Important tip for everyone - make sure you get the right sized bike, it was well worth taking the other one back, feels much better.

Totally. I tried the smaller frame out on mine first of all and it was just all wrong.

Mind you sadly enough I noticed a pic in the paper today of Nicolas Sarkozy out riding his bike (no not his missus ) and noticed it was the racing edition of my own bike

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I was actually looking at that route at the weekend think i'll give it a pass now, Done the lochwinnoch run on sat that was enough for me. Been looking at sustrans trying to find out new routes might head up towards Glasgow way next time. Really thinking about getting myself a road bike now

Yeah was really steep! My runtastic app thing shows that in 4 mins 22secs I climbed from 40m to 75m overall which is a fair old climb. Looking at distance the steepest part of the first hill it was roughly 250m along the slope, and a gain of 23m in height, thus fag pack calculations say that is a 9-10% gradient . Other hills further along are checking out 6.5% and then a short section called of 10% too over 100m. Seems a really hardcore route for a National Cycle Route- you don't get those gradients often I don't think.

A road bike is a good option, I like mine getting it fitted and set up right it makes a difference. I might need to change the pedal type or get proper shoes as the metal pedals are digging into my feet on longer rides. I'm really happy with mine so far but hybrids looked nice too- saw a few which were simply road bikes designed with flat handlebars.

Last time I headed up Glasgow way I just used the main Paisley Road West- faster than cycle track which kind of gets less direct around Pollok and you keep up with traffic fairly well but it isn't that nice a cycle.

I'm thinking of doing the shorter 40mile pedal for Scotland, did the 25miles to Kilwinning in just under 2 hours so should be good for a 3 to 3 and a half hour cycle to Edinburgh.

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Did Paisley to Kilwinning on NCR7 today which was good. Nice to have some good weather for a change even if my arms are now a wee shade of red. I'm guessing I put that suncream on a bit too late! Oops.

Not sure I'd do it again to Kilwinning though. Don't like the section between Glengarnock and KiIwinning and never saw another cyclist or walker- just 2 cars the whole time! It has some seriously short but steep hills, the surface is rubbish with potholes and at one point has been resurfaced with those chippings on tar which are lethal on a sharp turn. It's really poorly signed around there too in comparison and the mileage to Irvine at one point a good 5 mins apart goes Irvine 11 the next sign is Irvine 10 the following Irvine 11! Never mind chucked it at Kilwinning where I was getting a lift from- noticed on the Sustrans website there is a proposed new route in the Valley following the railway through Dalry- hope that is done soon!

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My gears had got a bit out of adjustment so phoned to get it looked at today and was booked in for Monday. Went to drop it off today and the guy just gave the gears a once over on the spot, got it all fixed up there and then. Cracking

I've replaced the handlebar stem with a new one day which offers a degree of adjustment and has helped me get more comfortable so far too.

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Done the paisley to greenock trip yesterday. was looking to go further but lost the route down next to the fire station in greenock so about turned and headed back ended up 32 mile round trip longest cycle yet

Good on you. It does get a bit messy near Victoria Dock as they are building bits- it is on road mostly- down Container Way past Tesco then onto Esplanade and past Battery Park.

I went to go to Lochwinnoch on the Monday but errr tried to pass 2 walkers on a corner of the cycle track and caught the edge of the path with the rear wheel- put my feet down to stop me completely decking it and jarred the left foot- but not too bad. My right one took the brunt - it's sore and bruised with my toes that lovely shade of red, blue and brown! Got a couple of miles more to Morrisons in Johnstone and realised this actually hurts so got a lift home from there. Well that is no cycling for a week perhaps! My gears have not been 100% too that day but I'll test them out soon as it is now due the free catch up service to tighten that up. My hands aren't as sore recently- new specialised gloves help, but another cyclist at the lights said he felt the stem might be the cause and to try and get an adjustable one and raise the bar angle a bit- bring it closer. Might try that for £30 notes.

Why are so many people walking so clueless on that cycle track and seem totally surprised people cycle along it? Not unusual to have them take up the whole width and don't move for ages even when they see you, get loads that ignore the bell and shite themselves when you appear behind them and others that have their dogs running all over the shop and they always run right infront of you at the last mo- nearly got decked stopping for one the other week. Grrr rant over!

Looking to get a cheap bike as i am embarking on a keep-fit crusade. Could any of you folks give me an idea of makes/model which would suit a novice.

Any help/advice greatly appreciated.

Does not matter if its a roadbike or mountain bike

Where you riding- roads and cycle paths? If so get a road or hybrid road bike, really is worth it over a mountain bike unless you need the MTB for off road stuff.

Budget is an interesting one I went for a budget of £350 all in- spent £299 in the end. It can be done cheaper certainly but if it is something you want as a hobby/keep fit and maybe work up to more expensive ones if you are interested it isn't a bad step. Certainly bikes can be bought used,sometimes decent but I was more concerned on how good they would be maintenance wise and if I was buying a pup plus didn't want hunting for right size etc etc!

Always budget an extra £50-60 on bits that somehow seem to come along with it- I have a new drinks holder, new gloves, new chains and that is before the stuff I was planning to buy lol!