Seeking Advice

I too have been riding for a little over a year now and my one advice to give you would be to buy a good pair of bib shorts if you don't already have them.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by swinney20 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

What things do they not do that they should be doing? What's your one piece of advice that you would give to a new cyclist if you could only give one?

Hi Ben

If you're wanting to race in the future, my suggestion would be to join your local racing club and make friends with/train with experienced cyclists. Mixing with guys/ladies who know what they're doing, is the best way to learn.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by steve [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Hi Ben

If you're wanting to race in the future, my suggestion would be to join your local racing club and make friends with/train with experienced cyclists. Mixing with guys/ladies who know what they're doing, is the best way to learn.

+1

. . . also, ride hard on your hard days, and easy on your easy days.
Sounds obvious, I know, but you'd be surprised how many people don't get that right, and just ride at medium intensity (or too hard) all the time.

Bicycle safety is the most important thing.

Make sure you can turn your head while keeping your bike in a straight line - most inexperienced riders can't do this. There is a tendency to drift left if you turn your head left to look behind - and drifting left takes you into traffic where I live.

Don't do anything unpredictable, don't ride at night if you can avoid it and don't ride at night without lights.

Wear bright colours that can be seen.

On the riding side - don't go too easy and don't go too hard. Eat and drink before you're hungry.

And have fun - that's the most important thing next to being safe.

Use the lower gears when you need them, don't try to force your way over a hill. It will just wear
you out and shorten your ride. Shift down and pick up your pace to maintain speed. Down the
road it will really pay off.

When I started using this method I almost doubled my distance per day and was not sore
like before. I quit worrying about how fast I was going and my average speed picked up.

Yesterday I did over 76 miles in under five hours with a top speed of 33.7 mph and
a 16mph average. On a $10 pawn shop bike! [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/biggrin.gif[/IMG] This was over mixed terrain, streets,
sidewalks, and trails.

With only one advice allowed for a novist...LEARN TO FIX A FLAT ON THE ROAD!!!

I can't even count the number of times I had to help a cyclist with a flat, some even carried the pump and tools but didn't have a clue as to how to use them! I also can't count the number of times I've been in a bicycle store and some guy comes in with a flat tire to have them fix! If you can't fix a flat then don't ride!

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Froze [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

With only one advice allowed for a novist...LEARN TO FIX A FLAT ON THE ROAD!!!

I can't even count the number of times I had to help a cyclist with a flat, some even carried the pump and tools but didn't have a clue as to how to use them!

Are you kidding? I was fixing flats on my bike at 6 years old

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Aussie_Al [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Are you kidding? I was fixing flats on my bike at 6 years old

I don't know who you are or know if you can fix flats or not, nor do I care since I wasn't referring to you anyway, I was referring to the original poster Swinney20 who said he was relatively new to cycling, and since I don't know him either I don't know if he can fix a flat on the side of the road. Being that this was your first post on this question, thus there was no way I was referring to you, then why would you put your butt where it doesn't belong other then to cause problems?

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Froze [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

I don't know who you are or know if you can fix flats or not, nor do I care since I wasn't referring to you anyway, I was referring to the original poster Swinney20 who said he was relatively new to cycling, and since I don't know him either I don't know if he can fix a flat on the side of the road. Being that this was your first post on this question, thus there was no way I was referring to you, then why would you put your butt where it doesn't belong other then to cause problems?

whoa - I was simply in shock that there are riders out there who cannot fix a flat , no way was I having ago at you mate - I guess I will use more smileys in future - alright?

I am amazed at the number of new riders who do not carry a spare tube, a repair kit, tire irons, or a pump. Most are afraid of removing their rear wheel.
If the thought of removing the rear wheel bothers you, do it at home; therefore, if you have problems, you will not be out on the road. When I first starting biking,many decades ago, I was afraid of a flat and not being able to change it. It was relief when I had a flat and found out it was nothing to be scared of.

It might pay to purchase or get from the library a book on biking. It sure helped me when I started biking as an adult.

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Aussie_Al [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

whoa - I was simply in shock that there are riders out there who cannot fix a flat , no way was I having ago at you mate - I guess I will use more smileys in future - alright?

Are you also Swinney20? I'm confused, Swinney asked the original question and your answering...Am I missing something here?

Anywho, how long have you been riding? Maybe America is different then Australia? I cannot tell you how many times I had to help someone on the road because they couldn't fix a flat, some of these dopes carry pumps and tubes and patches but don't know how to use them, others don't carry anything but a cell phone because they know they can't fix a flat so they call their mommy...eer, I mean wife, to come get them!! So regardless of how dumb that sounds I still stop and use the opportunity to teach them how to fix a flat. And if there so mechanically backwards then I tell them about flat resistant tires, but I also tell them to practice fixing a flat a home because even a flat resistant tire like the Specialized Armadillo is no guarantee that a flat will never occur, so I tell them to practice over and over and over at home by first taking the rear wheel off the bike then but it right back on over and over so they get use to the complication of the derailleur before they forget how it went on an off in the period of time it would take to "fix" a flat. Once they feel comfortable with that then take the tire tire off, remove the tube, (find an old tube) put a small hole in it and patch according the patch instruction and how I told them. Then reinstall the tube and tire and wheel. And do this over and over. While I'm fixing their tire I'm showing them and talking them through it and having them put their hands on the tools and using them while I'm there. Usually by the time the flat is fixed they have a working idea of how it's done, and hopefully will go home and practice it over and over at home as soon as they get home so they don't forget.

And yes here in America I've seen lots of riders carrying either the bike or the wheel in to get a flat fixed at an LBS! There I can't and don't say anything, but most of the guys I've seen unable to fix a flat were older, probably rich men since their riding on $5,000 plus bicycles.

I know it sounds crazy to some of you, but I can't count on all my hands and feet the number of times I've seen this in the 40 years I've been riding.

Froze, yes, you're missing something here. I read Aussie_Al's first post as reinforcing yours: fixing a flat is so easy that a 6 yr.old can do it....therefore everyone older should too. Can't see an alternate interpretation, but apparently you did.

Then he clarifies his intent, and you ask him if he's the OP, as if he doesn't have the right to respond to your post. People answer for others all the time on these discussion forums....in fact, I just did[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG] .

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Aussie_Al [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

whoa - I was simply in shock that there are riders out there who cannot fix a flat , no way was I having ago at you mate - I guess I will use more smileys in future - alright?

Don't worry about it, Al. I understood your intent without any additional explanation and I suspect most of the folks reading the thread would say the same.

thanks for the back up guys - I really didn't think I was coming off sounding like a [censored] to the poster - but you can never tell online - I was simply in shock that someone would not know how to repair a flat

Now ..to re-spoke a wheel from scratch - Used to be able to do that with ease 20 years ago - I would not even dare to try these days hahha

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by dhk2 [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Then he clarifies his intent, and you ask him if he's the OP, as if he doesn't have the right to respond to your post. People answer for others all the time on these discussion forums....in fact, I just did[IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG] .

Another poser? What the hell is this world coming to?

Yes, you did answer but you did so in the third person, he did it in the first-twice...just odd that's all I'm saying

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Aussie_Al [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

thanks for the back up guys - I really didn't think I was coming off sounding like a [censored] to the poster - but you can never tell online - I was simply in shock that someone would not know how to repair a flat

Now ..to re-spoke a wheel from scratch - Used to be able to do that with ease 20 years ago - I would not even dare to try these days hahha

Australians must be more intellegent, or maybe more mechanically inclined? then us Americans. And quite frankly when the first time I helped a person I was about 18, he was in his 40's, I thought, "gee how odd" someone his age not knowing how to fix a flat, now that it's happened so frequently I'm not longer surprised!

Hi, Aussie!

When you said, 'Are you kidding?' I think you meant "I also find it hard to believe that people don't change their own tires!', but that Froze thought you were saying, 'Are you kidding! I don't believe a word you said.' How easily a misunderstanding can come from simple misinterpretation of intent! That being said, Froze has helped me out on other threads I posted, and is usually a nice guy. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]
THAT being said, you both would be appalled at me, because I have no CLUE how to change a flat. I just started biking in July, so I guess I'd better learn, lol. It would appear that I'm a girly girl underneath all this try-to-be-tuff exterior, because I can't stand the thought of wrestling with tools and getting dirty and greasy under my fingernails, but I'll get over it, lol. Now I just gotta get my hubby to teach me.

Sierra

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by Froze [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Australians must be more intellegent, or maybe more mechanically inclined? then us Americans. And quite frankly when the first time I helped a person I was about 18, he was in his 40's, I thought, "gee how odd" someone his age not knowing how to fix a flat, now that it's happened so frequently I'm not longer surprised!

Yeah - I understand what you are saying - to me its very very odd , then again I guess its no more odd then the millions of people that own computers and know no more about using them, then surfing the net and checking email

Quoted post said:

Originally Posted by SierraSlim [IMG]/img/forum/go_quote.gif[/IMG]

Hi, Aussie!

When you said, 'Are you kidding?' I think you meant "I also find it hard to believe that people don't change their own tires!', but that Froze thought you were saying, 'Are you kidding! I don't believe a word you said.' How easily a misunderstanding can come from simple misinterpretation of intent! That being said, Froze has helped me out on other threads I posted, and is usually a nice guy. [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/smile.gif[/IMG]
THAT being said, you both would be appalled at me, because I have no CLUE how to change a flat. I just started biking in July, so I guess I'd better learn, lol. It would appear that I'm a girly girl underneath all this try-to-be-tuff exterior, because I can't stand the thought of wrestling with tools and getting dirty and greasy under my fingernails, but I'll get over it, lol. Now I just gotta get my hubby to teach me.

Sierra

Hi Sierra nice to "meet" you - well yeah, you have the excuse of being a girl [IMG]/img/vbsmilies/smilies/wink.gif[/IMG]