Gaz Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 Gaz,sounds like you got a bloody god deal there for £90, going by this My link Hopefully you'll be joining the P&B masses for their first ever"team" outing on the 6th May. Fine and handy for you as starts and finished at The Station Hotel in Larbert,with beer,pies & bridies afterwards Drooper has all the fine details and I think will be re-posting them on this thread soon,once he finishes his fucking flapjack....lucky b*****d!! Yeah I'm quite impressed with it. It's an older model though, not the 2011 one - probably about 2008 or 2009. The boy I bought it from had bought it brand new about 3 years ago, rode it twice, decided it wasn't for him and and kept it in his garage before selling it. It's just got the 14 gears and has the gear levers on the straight part of the handlebars and the brake levers on the dropped part, which I'm getting more and more used to but after so many years riding a mountain bike it's definitely a bit strange! I think it needs a bit of fine-tuning with the derailleur as there is some rubbing on the chain in certain gears. How far is the P&B ride, BTW? 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyblair Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 I'm just back from my second cycle on the new bike. Shieldhill -> California -> Avonbridge -> Standburn -> Whitecross -> Linlithgow -> Polmont -> Brightons -> Reddingmuirhead -> Shieldhill 24.90km in 1:19:41, an average speed of 18.8km/h. Still plodding along but almost 1km/h faster than yesterday. Had to push it for a bit towards the end due to the ascent from Brightons through Reddingmuirhead to Shieldhill, two miles of solid climbing. Really enjoying it though - loving the speed. Already hoping to have a budget of about £500 in the summertime to buy something a bit better, one with integrated brake / gear levers is a must and more than 14 gears. Any chance you could change your speedo to mph??? Just been in to get my new Shimano 9 gear 11-25 rear cassette and they are out of stck Will have to wait until Thursday. Have three cycles planned for this weekend:- 1. South Queensferry to Dunbar (where my caravan is) on Friday afternoon. 2. Out for a 30 miler with a couple of guys on Sunday afternoon 3. Back to South Queensferry on Monday afternoon. Should be about 120 miles in total and flying down the hills on my newly geared speed machine. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unleash The Nade Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) Yeah I'm quite impressed with it. It's an older model though, not the 2011 one - probably about 2008 or 2009. The boy I bought it from had bought it brand new about 3 years ago, rode it twice, decided it wasn't for him and and kept it in his garage before selling it. It's just got the 14 gears and has the gear levers on the straight part of the handlebars and the brake levers on the dropped part, which I'm getting more and more used to but after so many years riding a mountain bike it's definitely a bit strange! I think it needs a bit of fine-tuning with the derailleur as there is some rubbing on the chain in certain gears. How far is the P&B ride, BTW? The route is approx 40 miles with a couple of short sharp climbs but nothing daft. If you want your bike to be given the once over,or even possibly upgraded,the guys over at Stirling Cycle Repairs at Causewayhead roundabout are good. If its handier for you,so is Robin at the Ski & Cycle shop in Brightons. Dont take it to Smiths..Expensive + Fuds Edited March 27, 2012 by Unleash The Nade 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 27, 2012 Share Posted March 27, 2012 (edited) Drooper has all the fine details and I think will be re-posting them on this thread soon,once he finishes his fucking flapjack....lucky b*****d!! Aye, I'll post something as a wee reminder/rallying call in the next day or so. By way of an update of my ride today (including flapjack consumption): I opted to tackle the Peaton Hill again. A 17% gradient (or 1:6 if you prefer). It's a beast of a climb, but the descent is a hoot! Anyway, having completed that section, I returned through Clynder and was met by that heart-sinking bang and hiss that signals a blow-out. This wasn't simply an inner-tube puncture, though. The sidewall of the tyre is well and truly fucked, too. A quick survey of the area revealed masses of tiny shell fragments/shards. A woman who heard the blow-out and stopped for a blether informed that apparently gulls lift shells from the shore area and deliberately drop them on the road so they break, and the birds can then access their juicy contents! I wondered whether she was taking the piss, TBH. I managed a very half-arsed temporary repair and limped back into Helensburgh where the very decent bloke in Helensburgh Cycles helped me patch up the tyre so I could make it home. He confirmed the gull story. Indeed, he told me that the gulls have discovered a nice newly surfaced tarmac area that they also favour for their sneaky feeding strategy....a new cycle path! I shouldn't laugh really Made it home anyway, and despite the ruined Michelin Pro3 Race tyre that cost me £30, has done less than 300 miles, and is now unusable, and the added grief of roadside repairs, I thoroughly enjoyed the day, and made decent progress all things considered. Approx 60 miles, so a good outing and a bit of an adventure into the bargain Positives included the first use of my Specialized BG Comp shoes. I can report that they performed very well indeed. I also used some other new kit that I had been saving for the better weather, so to try them out this early in the year was an unexpected bonus. Edited March 27, 2012 by Drooper 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unleash The Nade Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Bugger it!! Fe up stuck at my desk looking out at this glorious weather Taking a half day,getting on the gear and going a run up and around Carron Valley 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Bugger it!! Fe up stuck at my desk looking out at this glorious weather Taking a half day,getting on the gear and going a run up and around Carron Valley Watch out for broken shells on the road! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paisleysaints Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Did my further cycle run yesterday of 92 miles,from Larbert- Stirling- Bridge Of Allan- Braco-Comrie (via Comrie moor) - Alongside Lochearnhead-Strathyre-Callander-Doune-Blair Drummond-Pakers Lane-Cambusbarron-home. Decided to break from the group with 9 miles left,fully expecting to be caught,but managed to be first man home 92 miles in 5 hours 2 minutes,so average of just over 18mph. Legs are totally buckled today though!! Anyone doing the evans Sportive from Callandar on Sunday? Entry fee only £5.00.5 guys from our club already doing it and think I'll join them http://www.evanscycl...-1st-april-2012 I'm heading up for this one. So what do you guys wear so i can keep out your way lol 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gaz Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 Any chance you could change your speedo to mph??? Sorry guys - used to running more which I measure in km/h (since my preferred distances are 10K and 5K). Average speed of 11.13mph on my Monday jaunt and 11.65mph yesterday. Nowhere near as fast as you guys yet but I'll get there. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 (edited) Sorry guys - used to running more which I measure in km/h (since my preferred distances are 10K and 5K). Average speed of 11.13mph on my Monday jaunt and 11.65mph yesterday. Nowhere near as fast as you guys yet but I'll get there. I have a bit of a thing about this average speed as a measure of cycling prowess thing. I've banged on about this before on here, but great wisdom is always worth sharing again Too many variables for me, to use this is an accurate measure. Wind strength and direction; ascents/descents; road surface; whether cycling solo or in a group etc....etc.... Who really cares that much anyway? Take my ride yesterday for example. I took a break at the 30 mile mark. My computer indicated my average speed as bang on 18mph. This was before I tackled the 1:6 ascent, had a tyre blow out that affected my return leg (having to reduce tyre pressure dramatically and ease off my pace while being particularly cautious of hitting potholes). I then had my monster climb to get back to the house. By that time, my average MPH had dropped to around 16.5. What do I take from that? Not a whole lot, TBH. All-in-all, the above means little in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that I had a good old time to myself. Just enjoy your riding, would be my advice. I suppose there's no harm in setting targets, but I find you get better at riding as you gain experience and as your fitness increases. I find that I enjoy riding (and riding hard when the notion takes me) if I can relax and don't get too hung up on how 'well' I'm doing. Just a personal thing, right enough. Edited March 28, 2012 by Drooper 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unleash The Nade Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 1332949010[/url]' post='6092431']I'm heading up for this one. So what do you guys wear so i can keep out your way lol Sorry , paisleysaints, I can no longer make this run which is a bummer The guys from Falkirk will all be wearing the club colours whitch is a blue and white checked topNot too modern looking but quite retro and refered to by some other clubs ( especially the fannies at Stirling BC) as " The Dishcloth" 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unleash The Nade Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 1332950576[/url]' post='6092471'] Just enjoy your riding, would be my advice. This Also f**k all wrong with a wee tea and scone break,despite the fact Monkeyblair will rip the push if you do it! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 This Also f**k all wrong with a wee tea and scone break,despite the fact Monkeyblair will rip the push if you do it! He's just uptight cause he's shite at riding 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newbornbairn Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 He's just uptight cause he's shite at riding According to his maw and his sister that's true. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dindeleux Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I have been enjoying the short rides I've been doing so far - around 6 miles is the furthest I've been (mostly due to time constraints, not due to being lazy). Planning on a long one on Friday. 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 I have been enjoying the short rides I've been doing so far.... (mostly due to time constraints, not due to being lazy). Planning on a long one on Friday. Your missus will be pleased! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuckles Posted March 28, 2012 Share Posted March 28, 2012 After the above post, I hesitate to mention pump , but today I saw why you guys sing the praises of the track style pump.....100 psi in jig time ! Impressive ! 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broon-loon Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I have a bit of a thing about this average speed as a measure of cycling prowess thing. I've banged on about this before on here, but great wisdom is always worth sharing again Too many variables for me, to use this is an accurate measure. Wind strength and direction; ascents/descents; road surface; whether cycling solo or in a group etc....etc.... Who really cares that much anyway? Tuesday I cycled to and from work. Journey there is hilly, rough road surface, 9 miles long. Average speed just over 14mph.. Home journey, chose a less hilly but longer route, mixture of good and poor road surfaces,10.5 miles long with a stiff breeze in face for about 6 miles. Average speed just over 12mph.... Was a great day for enjoying the bike though, so warm that I had to pop in to the village pub for a wee refreshment en route home .......... 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drooper Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I thoroughly enjoyed getting out on the bike on Tuesday in bib-shorts and short-sleeved jersey. So good was the weather, I got pretty bad sun-burn (I never learn, as the missus would say). A quick trawl in the kitchen cupboard, though, and I discovered some after-sun lotion left over from last year. I've been liberally applying this to the affected areas (wrist up to sleeve line, and knees and shins). Good God, I was thinking, I'm developing a glorious deep golden tan for the first time in my entire life! Wrong! The after-sun has small print. There is a 'self-tanning' ingredient in there, and I am now a Jimmy Calderwood shade of lurid orange, with various streaks around the fleshy whitey blue areas that escaped this magical potion. Oh yes, and my palms also glow in the dark. I've been subjected to a truly tortuous morning of ridicule from the wife and eldest wean, and am having to wear long trousers and a long-sleeved top 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyblair Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I have a bit of a thing about this average speed as a measure of cycling prowess thing. I've banged on about this before on here, but great wisdom is always worth sharing again Too many variables for me, to use this is an accurate measure. Wind strength and direction; ascents/descents; road surface; whether cycling solo or in a group etc....etc.... Who really cares that much anyway? Take my ride yesterday for example. I took a break at the 30 mile mark. My computer indicated my average speed as bang on 18mph. This was before I tackled the 1:6 ascent, had a tyre blow out that affected my return leg (having to reduce tyre pressure dramatically and ease off my pace while being particularly cautious of hitting potholes). I then had my monster climb to get back to the house. By that time, my average MPH had dropped to around 16.5. What do I take from that? Not a whole lot, TBH. All-in-all, the above means little in the grand scheme of things. What matters is that I had a good old time to myself. Just enjoy your riding, would be my advice. I suppose there's no harm in setting targets, but I find you get better at riding as you gain experience and as your fitness increases. I find that I enjoy riding (and riding hard when the notion takes me) if I can relax and don't get too hung up on how 'well' I'm doing. Just a personal thing, right enough. Pish This Also f**k all wrong with a wee tea and scone break,despite the fact Monkeyblair will rip the push if you do it! Pish He's just uptight cause he's shite at riding Pish According to his maw and his sister that's true. Harsh 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkeyblair Posted March 29, 2012 Share Posted March 29, 2012 I use average speed as a good indicator of fitness. I have a variety of routes and keep a record of times etc on them all. Yes, sometimes the weather will be different and wind will be harder but that just means it helps you more too so it all evens out. Anyway I'm right and you're all wrong 0 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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