advise?

Sesshoumaru

neonman wrote: »

I'm cycling around the same distance as yourself 22-24km each way into work. I only started a couple of weeks ago and I'm already hooked.

the bike i'm using is http://tinyurl.com/prlcmy

I cycle from Clontarf over to Citywest via the city centre. On my way home I go down the canal just to mix it up a bit.

I'm cycling 3 days a week, I think 5 just starting off would be madness and you'd burn out very quickly.

Monday= Cycle
Tuesday= Car (rest day)
Wednesday= Cycle
Thursday= Car (rest day)
Friday= Cycle

Any questions fire away but I'm no expert as I'm only starting out. But this cycle forum/community is great for information and help.

Neon

That seems to be the bike I am gravitating towards. No one has said anything really bad about them Any reason why you chose that over the cheaper FCR 4? or any of the other bikes in the Giant FCR range?

Raam

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

why?

Because it's a little bizarre with all the talk of knee pads and indicators.

DePurpereWolf

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I'm calling shenanigans!!!

You can't just go declaring Shenanigans on innocent people. That's how wars get started.

:pac: (=terrence)

L'Enfer du Nord

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

I can't believe I'm reading this.


In the 15 years that I've been cycling I might have fallen 10 times, once on an icey patch, and nine times because I was being an idiot. (biking without hands and eyes closed comes to mind, my record is 4 seconds, biking on a frozen lake also springs to mind, it's great until you need to turn around.)

Of the top of my head...

Drunk - 3 times (all more than ten years ago)
Wet road + first-time riding bike with toe clips = once
Cleats+plus exhausted = once
Cleats+going too slow = once
Railway tracks = once
Ice=twice

I try not to make the same mistake twice.

thebouldwhacker

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

why?

'I'm gonna pop to the shop for a pint of milk! I'm gonna bring my bike... back in a mo!!'





Sorry I dont mean to take the piss...

Sesshoumaru

ah ok I had a good chuckle at that last post But seriously everyone has had different experiences in life. I've always treated safety as a high priority and had about 36 hours of one on one instruction from a ROSPA certified instructor and was considering trying to become an instructor myself. But it didn't prevent me ending up in hospital with broken ribs, a punctured lung, lacerated spleen, fractured vertebra in my spine etc etc. Picture below is about 14 days after the accident, after the recovery people had dragged my bike down off the back of their flatbed truck. Still had broken ribs, but was able to walk around. My wife said my sad expression was funny, so she wanted to take pictures for posterity Wasn't happy seeing this wreck being delivered home, even less happy when it turned out the guy had no insurance.



Accident happened on Davitt road on my commute home. A very likely route if I were to be cycling. At the end of the day the doctors said I'd be dead if I wasn't wearing my full armor, back protector etc etc. I consider myself very observant, but if some idiot in a car is going to pull in front of you at the last minute without indicating..... then what are you left with? If there is no indication and road positioning hasn't changed..... its just a sudden swerve! you're just left with your final line of defense!

All said and done I still have a relatively high tolerance level for risk. If I didn't I'd have gone back to being stuck in my car for 2 to 3 hours a day I think we can all agree that sucks!

Just for reference, this is what it looked like before the accident.

http://www.irishbikerforum.com/forums/uploads/1184927195/gallery_48_236_170975.jpg

I'll only post the link as this is a cycling forum and I don't want to further derail my thread! I'll make up for it by posting a picture of my new bicycle(I've decided I'll get one this weekend) after I get it!

Lumen

People tend to ride motorbikes quite a bit faster, on account of having 250x more power.

Sesshoumaru

Lumen wrote: »

People tend to ride motorbikes quite a bit faster, on account of having 250x more power.

Well the legal side of the accident is done and dusted now, so I don't mind giving a few details. I was doing 30mph. Not exactly fast. Maybe fast for a bicycle, but a speed that could be attained on a bicycle.

Plus the point was that power and observation were irrelevant!! The car swerved across my path without warning. I could just as easily have been on a bicycle! Having proper gear saved my life.

Lumen

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

Well the legal side of the accident is done and dusted now, so I don't mind giving a few details. I was doing 30mph. Not exactly fast. Maybe fast for a bicycle, but a speed that could be attained on a bicycle.

Plus the point was that power and observation were irrelevant!! The car swerved across my path without warning. I could just as easily have been on a bicycle! Having proper gear saved my life.

In my experience, on the sort of streets where cars pull out dangerously you wouldn't tend to be doing more than 15mph anyway, and covering the brakes.

Do whatever you're comfortable with, but IMO cycling around with a full face helmet and body armour is completely nuts.

Sesshoumaru

Lumen wrote: »

In my experience, on the sort of streets where cars pull out dangerously you wouldn't tend to be doing more than 15mph anyway, and covering the brakes.

Do whatever you're comfortable with, but IMO cycling around with a full face helmet and body armour is completely nuts.

Saying "body armour" gives the impression of something like what the thebouldwhacker posted I specifically said just knees and elbows as I do think being joints they are especially brittle. Even then I'm not necessarily saying I want hard armour on those points. Maybe just cushioned!

Also gloves were the other thing I mentioned. I don't think simple gloves with extra padding around the palm is very excessive. Something like this:



To be honest the full face helmet is probably the only thing I mentioned that I would say could possibly qualify as being slightly excessive and thats only by the current standards of the cycling community

After all there was a time when the general motoring community considered seat belts to be excessive and probably dangerous

* Covering the brakes is something motorcyclists do as well

lukester

I can understand how your accident would colour your view of cycling safety. I ride a motorbike as well, and wouldn't dream of getting on it without proper gear, including a back protector. Touch wood I've yet to come off the bike, except on a race track, and it was my own stupidity that caused it.

Cycling is a different beast entirely. A helmet is all you need. I wear gloves too, as do most people on road bikes, but that's more for comfort.

Nice Termis on the Ducati btw, before it was totalled.

Raam

lukester wrote: »

Cycling is a different beast entirely. A helmet is all you need. I wear gloves too, as do most people on road bikes, but that's more for comfort.

I mostly don't wear gloves in the warm weather so I can avoid panda-hands (new term that I just made up)
In a race I'll wear 'em as there is more likelihood of a crash.

lukester

Raam wrote: »

I mostly don't wear gloves in the warm weather so I can avoid panda-hands

Aren't panda-hands de rigueur according to Euro rules?

Raam

lukester wrote: »

Aren't panda-hands de rigueur according to Euro rules?

If they are, then that is one rule I am happy to break

DirkVoodoo

Yeah not a fan of the white hands, people might think you have circulation problems.

@Sess: Do you wear full leathers on the bike? Nice looking Ducati, shame about the crash

Sesshoumaru

lukester wrote: »

Cycling is a different beast entirely. A helmet is all you need. I wear gloves too, as do most people on road bikes, but that's more for comfort.

I'm going to a bike shop in Finglas this weekend. I'll probably get a good helmet and gloves. After that I'll play it by ear

Oh and probably a Giant FCR of some description. Seems like a good all rounder to me!

Sesshoumaru

DirkVoodoo wrote: »

@Sess: Do you wear full leathers on the bike? Nice looking Ducati, shame about the crash

Full leathers or full Dainese Goretex gear with back protector.

Bike was nice, but happier to be alive. Have another one now, so I don't think about it too much

DePurpereWolf

I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. :pac:

If you're into protection while cycling I might suggest the following advert on adverts.ie:

http://www.adverts.ie/showproduct.php?product=88831

lukester

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

Have another one now, so I don't think about it too much

[thread-tangent] What did you replace it with? [/thread-tangent]

Sesshoumaru

lukester wrote: »

[thread-tangent] What did you replace it with? [/thread-tangent]

Something cheap I had just bought the bike for 8k a few months earlier and I was low on funds, the guy who knocked me off had an insurance certificate but hadn't been paying his premiums. So I had to go through the MIBI. Took about 18 months I think. Long before that though I scraped together a few euros and bought this 1995 M900 off a guy in London through Ebay.

http://www.irishbikerforum.com/forums/uploads/1237419714/gallery_48_291_69447.jpg

I meant to use it only as a sort of stop gap until I got money for something newer and better. But now it has sort of grown on me and I intend keeping it.

It certainly saved my sanity after the accident! I did try both the car and the bus for getting into work. But I was slowly going mad using those options. A feeling I'm sure most cyclists can empathise with!

Now I'm really looking forward to trying the non motorised version! Just a shame that the long range forecast is bad for next week I don't really fancy trying my first bicycle commute in the lashing rain. Definitely if the weather is good I'm going to try and do it on the bicycle as often as possible and who knows I may end up liking it as a hobby as well

thebouldwhacker

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

...and who knows I may end up liking it as a hobby as well

One more of us... one less of them:cool:

lukester

thebouldwhacker wrote: »

One more of us... one less of them:cool:

2 wheels good, 4 wheels bad

@ Sesshoumaru

With the right gear rain is not a problem. Also, if you previously rode a sports bike like the totalled 748, logic dictates you really want a road bike with dropped bars (racer)

Jawgap

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

http://www.irishbikerforum.com/forums/uploads/1237419714/gallery_48_291_69447.jpg



Now I'm really looking forward to trying the non motorised version! Just a shame that the long range forecast is bad for next week I don't really fancy trying my first bicycle commute in the lashing rain. Definitely if the weather is good I'm going to try and do it on the bicycle as often as possible and who knows I may end up liking it as a hobby as well

Nice bike - from what little I know of motorbikes!!

It's probably better to start in the better weather then when poorer weather comes along it's not such a big deal. Get good gear and it'll minimise the discomfort.

Also, I find there's a great sense of achievement setting off in or getting caught out by crappy weather and completing a cycle, even if it's only a commute to work. It's "nice" walking in dripping wet with a rosy glow in the cheeks!

DePurpereWolf

Logic dictates that if you go to a cycle forum full of racers, they will advice you to get a drop-bar.
I've always been anti drop-bars, I did have a road racer for a while a couple of years back (a koga miyata) 2nd hand, and I didn't much like the aerodynamic position (arse in the air and head on the stem. This could also be because the bike was a bit small for me. It just wasn't comfortable for me.

Jawgap

Also, I find there's a great sense of achievement setting off in or getting caught out by crappy weather and completing a cycle,

Only an Irishman could say that: "Hey guys, look, I'm soaking wet to my underwear and freezing to the bone, for the rest of the day I'll be walking around with a drippy nose.
Awesome."

I always have rain gear with me. It's Ireland, it'll rain when the sky is clear.

Definetly when you are not trained, sweating and rain will get you sick.

Jawgap

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Jawgap

Only an Irishman could say that: "Hey guys, look, I'm soaking wet to my underwear and freezing to the bone, for the rest of the day I'll be walking around with a drippy nose.
Awesome."

I always have rain gear with me. It's Ireland, it'll rain when the sky is clear.

Definetly when you are not trained, sweating and rain will get you sick.

I generally have my wet gear with me.

My point was, that if you have the right gear on and it's decent kit then you won't get soaking wet - just a rosy glow on your cheeks!!

To quote John Ruskin- “Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather."

or to put it another way......

There's no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes......

.....except frost!:)

DePurpereWolf

then I completely agree with you.

Oh, and wind blows.

Jawgap

Don't forget - In Ireland if you can see the mountains it's about to rain. If you can't see them, then it is already raining"

surprisingly accurate!

blorg

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Logic dictates that if you go to a cycle forum full of racers, they will advice you to get a drop-bar.
I've always been anti drop-bars, I did have a road racer for a while a couple of years back (a koga miyata) 2nd hand, and I didn't much like the aerodynamic position (arse in the air and head on the stem. This could also be because the bike was a bit small for me. It just wasn't comfortable for me.

It was probably the wrong size. If you think about it, drop bars actually give you the flat hand position on top and then other options in addition. As such they are generally more comfortable over longer distances. I have a wide variety on my bikes from a lot of saddle-bar drop on my racer through a medium amount of drop on my tourer to very little drop on my commuter. Some would have no drop at all! Sizing is definitely more important on a road bike than others all right.

They are generally less wide than straight bars which gives you a bit less 'flickability' for want of a better word (I can throw my mountain bike around more.)

Lumen

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Logic dictates that if you go to a cycle forum full of racers, they will advice you to get a drop-bar.
I've always been anti drop-bars, I did have a road racer for a while a couple of years back (a koga miyata) 2nd hand, and I didn't much like the aerodynamic position (arse in the air and head on the stem. This could also be because the bike was a bit small for me. It just wasn't comfortable for me.

On the Dublin boards spins I've attended, almost no-one turns up on a flat bar bike, yet almost none of those with drops actually race. "Drop bar" does not equal "racer", in the sense that you can buy drop bar bikes which few people would choose for road racing.

For instance, my cross bike has drops but is set up with saddle and bar tops almost level, which is much the same configuration as a "flat-bar racer" or drop-bar tourer.

Bike fit is about tradeoffs (power, efficiency, comfort). To get the most out of any bike, but particularly an aggressive geometry road bike, you need to fit yourself to the bike as much as vice versa, and this takes some commitment and training.

If you just want to sit on something bike-shaped and mooch around slowly then flat bars are fine.

Sesshoumaru

I don't have all the terminology down yet, but I just want something moderately fast and comfortable. Sort of a jack of all trades? Can do the long commute and would be perfectly happy to jump on to just go down to the shop....... type of bike..... if that makes sense?

lukester

My logic is that the OP rode a racing motorcycle, therefore would be of a disposition to enjoy a road bike. There is a misconception out there, used to have it myself, that road bikes are uncomfortable, fragile and only for those who race or ride on silken asphalt. Not much of the latter anywhere in Ireland.

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I don't have all the terminology down yet, but I just want something moderately fast and comfortable. Sort of a jack of all trades? Can do the long commute and would be perfectly happy to jump on to just go down to the shop....... type of bike..... if that makes sense?

You want a road bike then

Seriously, I wouldn't even consider a longish commute on anything other than a road bike. And it's perfectly appropriate for journeys to shops too.

Lumen

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I just want something moderately fast and comfortable. Sort of a jack of all trades? Can do the long commute and would be perfectly happy to jump on to just go down to the shop....... type of bike..... if that makes sense?

Apologies for referencing my own thread, but here's a cut-out and keep guide.

DePurpereWolf

It's a valid point Lukester, but. . . . . . . . . .
Why are there so many non-racer bikes for sale with straight bars?
I don't want to be annoying, I just haven't heard a convincing argument why this guy needs a drop-down bar. I don't think 23 km is that far that you have to use a road-racer. If someone wants to just take the bike to the shop, he would want some flickability. So to start I would not suggest a road racer, because than he could also just use it leisurely.

Don't get me wrong, I think he should try both in the shops. I just don't understand why everybody is so gong-ho about drop-bars.

I just feel there is a little bias in the air when it comes to road-racers here.

Raam

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Why are there so many non-racer bikes for sale with straight bars?
I don't want to be annoying, I just haven't heard a convincing argument why this guy needs a drop-down bar. I don't think 23 km is that far that you have to use a road-racer. If someone wants to just take the bike to the shop, he would want some flickability. So to start I would not suggest a road racer, because than he could also just use it leisurely.

Don't get me wrong, I think he should try both in the shops. I just don't understand why everybody is so gong-ho about drop-bars.

I just feel there is a little bias in the air when it comes to road-racers here.

They ain't neccessarily racing bikes... rather they are road bikes. He can still use a bike with drops leisurely. With the drops, at least you have the option of not using them. Not sure what the deal is with flickability, but I think my road bike is a whole lot more flickable than my MTB.

Drops offer a range of hand positions such as to completely render flat bars obselete for me.

Besides which, drops look miles better.

Lumen

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Why are there so many non-racer bikes for sale with straight bars?

For the same reason that almost all American cars are sold with automatic gearboxes.

They're easier, not better.

ROK ON

IN the past 5 years I have commuted to work for 3.5 years on a flat bar raleigh hybrid and for the past 18 months on a drop bar bike.

The drop bar bike is, IMHO, way more comfy due to the range of positions available Particularly during the windy spring and winter months. Because it is more comfy I use it more (almost every day, as opposed to 2 days a week for the old hybrid).

Years ago when cycling to school and college on an old peugeot 5 speed racer, it was considerable more comfy than on my bro's bmx. I guess its a question of taste. The key thing for me is the name - Road Bike - it implies that it is meant to be cycled on the road - it doesn't say anything about the length of the journey, or speed of journey.

DePurpereWolf

Lumen wrote: »

For the same reason that almost all American cars are sold with automatic gearboxes.

They're easier, not better.

Since when is easier not a good thing? :rolleyes:

If I had to choose between a bike and an easier bike, I'd would go for the easier bike.

Thanks ROK_ON for the valid argument.

So we're looking at a drop-bar hybrid now? Or a thick tyred road racer?

Raam

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Since when is easier not a good thing? :rolleyes:

If I had to choose between a bike and an easier bike, I'd would go for the easier bike.

Thanks ROK_ON for the valid argument.

So we're looking at a drop-bar hybrid now? Or a thick tyred road racer?

Easier is the wrong word. "Requiring less initial effort" might be a better description.

blorg

Sesshoumaru wrote: »

I don't have all the terminology down yet, but I just want something moderately fast and comfortable. Sort of a jack of all trades? Can do the long commute and would be perfectly happy to jump on to just go down to the shop....... type of bike..... if that makes sense?

If you want to do longish distances and also be able to go down to the shop I would prioritise the longish distances, as that is the more difficult bit- as ultimately anything can go down to the shop.

Personally I would go for a drop bar bike with mudguards and able to take a rack for carrying luggage. Some entry level road bikes could do this but lean towards the light side, more flexible would be a tourer or cross bike- but change the tyres on the latter if you go down that route.

niceonetom

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Why are there so many non-racer bikes for sale with straight bars?

For the same reason that argos sells double sus mountain "bikes" that might as well be made out of peanut butter - because people are morons and don't know anything about bikes. What works comes a very distant second to what actually sells as far retailers go, and the two are not strongly linked.

On a distance over 20k hand positions matter. On the first windy day, being able to get low really matters.

@lumen - that was a pretty crap example - very surprising coming form you.

Lumen

DePurpereWolf wrote: »

Since when is easier not a good thing? :rolleyes:

If I had to choose between a bike and an easier bike, I'd would go for the easier bike.

I'm deeply disappointed that my arguments have failed to move you.

DirkVoodoo

Lumen wrote: »

I'm deeply disappointed that my arguments have failed to move you.

So if he gets a drop bar bike he will never have to change gears again?

The only flat bar bike I have is my mountain bike and I find the lack of hand positions when going up fire roads is really uncomfortable. Having said that, if you don't like drop bars then that is fine, for commuting anyway. I can't imagine doing any kind of long distance on one.

Raam

I'm going out on a limb here... but I'd rather never ride a bike again than ride a flat bar road bike for more than 5km. There, I said it.

Chips Lovell

What on earth is "flickablitity"?

Raam

el tonto wrote: »

What on earth is "flickablitity"?

my take: ability to throw the bike around

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

I'm going out on a limb here... but I'd rather never ride a bike again than ride a flat bar road bike for more than 5km. There, I said it.

My son's bike has flat bars (well, risers). He finds them easier because the extra width helps him to control the steering as he learns balance.

His longest ride so far is 2.5km, and he cried on the way home because he was tired. We probably need to work on his bike fit and cadence.

He really should HTFU and ride a proper bike, but I'll probably convert it to drops and cleats once the stabilizers have come off, around his fourth birthday.

Raam

Lumen wrote: »

My son's bike has flat bars (well, risers). He finds them easier because the extra width helps him to control the steering as he learns balance.

His longest ride so far is 2.5km, and he cried on the way home because he was tired. We probably need to work on his bike fit and cadence.

He really should HTFU and ride a proper bike, but I'll probably convert it to drops and cleats once the stabilizers have come off, around his fourth birthday.

At least it's red, so we'll let him off

blorg

el tonto wrote: »

What on earth is "flickablitity"?

I may have used the wrong term but the wider bars on a mountain bike do give you more control and maneuverability around obstacles at lower speeds.

As Raam says I can throw my MTB around under me in a way that would not be possible with a road bike. You sort of maintain a position while the bike goes around things under you.

Not particularly necessary on the road but some people seem to like it for cycling in a city. Definitely not top priority for a 23km road commute.

Comes in useful on the trails mind, I think Lumen saw there were limits to drop bars when he tried to cycle a drop bar bike around Ballinastoe

Lumen

blorg wrote: »

Comes in useful on the trails mind, I think Lumen saw there were limits to drop bars when he tried to cycle a drop bar bike around Ballinastoe

The bars were fine. It was the lack of suspension forks and handling skills that was the problem.

Dear Santi, for Christmas I would like a titanium cross bike with disc brakes and lockable suspension forks.

niceonetom

Lumen wrote: »

My son's bike

brakeless? riser-bars?

bloody hipsters.