Hello, and about me.

nickesp said:

Gday,
My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve kays
to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no intentions
of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not sure
of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!
Does anyone have any thoughts on the OCR3? I love it!
Nick.

Nick:

Welcome aboard! It looks you have had a good start. You enjoy riding
and that's the best. As the time pass, your fitness and taste wil
further develop, and you might even like to make further moves later o
to enhance your enjoyment

OCR3 is a good choice. You can always change it if your demands excee
its capabilities. And if not, it's a fine bike. I haven't owned one, bu
I say it based on its components and the fact that it's a Giant

Being a part of this community (I'm relatively new, too), does not cal
for owning any particular piece of equipment. People happily exchang
ideas and experience here. That's why I love it, and try to visit i
every day

Happy Pedalling! Amir

-

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

Quoted message said:

My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve

kays

Quoted message said:

to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no

intentions

Quoted message said:

of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not

sure

Quoted message said:

of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!

Sounds like you are enjoying what you are doing now.
You don't HAVE to race ;-)
That being said, I like racing - but I've always been a
competitive sod. If you want to get into it, the best thing
to do is contact your nearest club. Where are you?

If you want to mix it up a bit, try some hills, try some
time trial rides where you have a known circuit or
distance that you try to do as fast as possible. Race
other people on cycle-friendly roads (i.e Beach Rd.
in Melbourne), learn to trackstand, buy another bike,
but make this one a POS and use it to ride to the
shops instead of driving, join a BUG, try cycle touring,
conquer the biggest hill you know, ride in the rain,
ride at night (with lights!).. basically have fun :-)

As for the OCR - I've 0.00% experience with them.

hippy

nickesp said:

Gday,
My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve kays
to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no intentions
of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not sure
of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!
Does anyone have any thoughts on the OCR3? I love it!
Nick.

G'day Nick

welcome to the world of cycling....I am sure your LBS (local bike shop
hopes you become as obsessed with it as the rest of us!.......

The giant OCR3 is a good value for money, entry level road bike, whic
will provide you with years of trouble free comuting & riding etc. A
you get further into cycling you will probably want to upgrade som
components, if not the whole bike. Don't be in any hurry to hand ove
your hard earned on upgrades until you know what you want & what you'r
going to use it for. Keep riding & get some K's into those legs....hop
to see you out on the road someday

cheers

Hitch

-

I found the bike reviews on the web heped me to choose my two bikes in
December 2003 (road and MTB, both Trek)

http://www.roadbikereview.com/reviewscrx.aspx

http://www.mtbr.com/reviews/

Giant OCR-models (1,2,3) all score very well there, check the 2003 reviews
and 2004 reviews. Trek 1000 also scored well (OCR-3 alternative).

cheers

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

Quoted message said:

Gday,

My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve kays
to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no intentions
of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not sure
of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!

Does anyone have any thoughts on the OCR3? I love it!

Nick.

--

Hippy said:

"nickesp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dRaZb.-
[email hidden]:[email hidden]-
enetserver.com...

Quoted message said:

My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve

kays

Quoted message said:

to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no

intentions

Quoted message said:

of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not

sure

Quoted message said:

of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!

Sounds like you are enjoying what you are doing now. You don't HAVE to
race ;-) That being said, I like racing - but I've always been a
competitive sod. If you want to get into it, the best thing to do is
contact your nearest club. Where are you?
If you want to mix it up a bit, try some hills, try some time trial
rides where you have a known circuit or distance that you try to do as
fast as possible. Race other people on cycle-friendly roads (i.e Beach
Rd. in Melbourne), learn to trackstand, buy another bike, but make this
one a POS and use it to ride to the shops instead of driving, join a
BUG, try cycle touring, conquer the biggest hill you know, ride in the
rain, ride at night (with lights!).. basically have fun :-)
As for the OCR - I've 0.00% experience with them.
hippy

Hippy:

As I was reading the string of your recommendations, they got more an
more exciting (and in a way eccentric) as they followed one another
LOL. I wish there was some way that text could show the crescendo in th
spirit of this text

Of course, the very last statement (about OCR) killed the thrill, jus
like a bad ending to a horror movie. Was a fun post :

-

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

Quoted message said:

As I was reading the string of your recommendations, they got more and
more exciting (and in a way eccentric) as they followed one another.
LOL. I wish there was some way that text could show the crescendo in

the

Quoted message said:

spirit of this text.

Of course, the very last statement (about OCR) killed the thrill, just
like a bad ending to a horror movie. Was a fun post 🙂

hahaha lol! I didn't realise I was writing for mood.. If I had
known this was an assessment piece I would've put more
effort into it :-)

Most of what I type just spills forth without too much thought.
Can I resubmit it without penalty? Please, another chance sir,
PLEASE!!

Sorry.. V.C.E. flashback.. too much acid on my cornflakes ;-)

hippy

amirm said:

Hippy said:

"nickesp" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:dRaZb.-
[email hidden]:[email hidden]-
enetserver.com...

Quoted message said:

My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve

kays

Quoted message said:

to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no

intentions

Quoted message said:

of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not

sure

Quoted message said:

of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!

Sounds like you are enjoying what you are doing now. You don't HAVE to
race ;-) That being said, I like racing - but I've always been a
competitive sod. If you want to get into it, the best thing to do is
contact your nearest club. Where are you?
If you want to mix it up a bit, try some hills, try some time trial
rides where you have a known circuit or distance that you try to do as
fast as possible. Race other people on cycle-friendly roads (i.e Beach
Rd. in Melbourne), learn to trackstand, buy another bike, but make this
one a POS and use it to ride to the shops instead of driving, join a
BUG, try cycle touring, conquer the biggest hill you know, ride in the
rain, ride at night (with lights!).. basically have fun :-)
As for the OCR - I've 0.00% experience with them.
hippy

Quoted message said:

Hippy:

Quoted message said:

As I was reading the string of your recommendations, they got more and
more exciting (and in a way eccentric) as they followed one another.
LOL. I wish there was some way that text could show the crescendo in the
spirit of this text.

Quoted message said:

Of course, the very last statement (about OCR) killed the thrill, just
like a bad ending to a horror movie. Was a fun post 🙂

Quoted message said:

--

Good call!! 🙂

--
Nick (not the OP)

nickesp said:

Gday,

Quoted message said:

My name is Nick, and I am starting to get into cycling. I have been
cycling to work for a few months, but recently bought a Giant OCR3 and
some clipless pedals and I want to improve. I currently ride twelve kays
to work and 12 back and on every second day I throw in a 25km ride. At
this stage, I just really like riding the bike, and I have no intentions
of competing. I am 28 and have never competed before, and I am not sure
of which class of racing I'd fit into anyway!

Quoted message said:

Does anyone have any thoughts on the OCR3? I love it!

Quoted message said:

Nick.

Quoted message said:

--

<JOHNWAYNE>
There ain't room in this ng for the two of us.
</JOHNWAYNE>

Ahhh I remember the thrill of "new bike joy". In a few months
hopefully I'll be doing the same.

Just ride and have a good time. Enjoy your better life 🙂

--
Nick

Hippy said:

hahaha lol! I didn't realise I was writing for mood.. If I had known
this was an assessment piece I would've put more effort into it :-)
Most of what I type just spills forth without too much thought. Can I
resubmit it without penalty? Please, another chance sir, PLEASE!!
Sorry.. V.C.E. flashback.. too much acid on my cornflakes ;-)
hippy

If you wrote so entertainingly so naturally, I want to see a well
planned one. Got to be good..

Maybe with the next occasion. :

-

Thanks for the comments, everyone

I'm riding in the Leopold area, near Geelong. I like to ride up th
Queenscliff highway and the Portarlington Rd/Hwy. Both have some nic
hills and flat sections

I'm going in a criterium soon(my first ever race!), so I should find ou
what sort of pace I need to get to I 'spose! Anyone is able to ente
into this race and it's my girlfriend's uncle's event, so that's th
reason I'm going into it

When I feel I'm able to do about 60-70 k's a day, comfortably and at
good pace, I might approach the local bike club (Geelong West). Doe
that distance sound adequate for entry level racing

Thanks again

Nick

-

nickesp said:

When I feel I'm able to do about 60-70 k's a day, comfortably and at a
good pace, I might approach the local bike club (Geelong West). Does
that distance sound adequate for entry level racing?

At the risk of boring those who've heard me quote this advice before,
don't put off getting into racing because you think you're not
fit/fast/slim/strong enough - just do it. You get all kinds at club
races, and the best way to get into shape for racing is by doing it, not
forerver wondering whether you're good enough to even start. This is the
advice I was given and its wisdom has been borne out by experience.

Hope this helps you and anyone else thinking about getting into this
addictive sport!

Even if you don't want to start racing right away, join a club anyway so
that you can go on their training rides - this will help you build your
bike handling skills (e.g. riding safely in a bunch) in case that's what
you need to do. Just be sure to let them know you're a learner and would
appreciate any tips or advice. And/or read this good article (which
hopefully doesn't teach you how to suck eggs):

http://www.randwickbotanycc.com/bunch%20riding.htm

HTH,

&roo

Quoted message said:

When I feel I'm able to do about 60-70 k's a day, comfortably and at a
good pace, I might approach the local bike club (Geelong West). Does
that distance sound adequate for entry level racing?

60-70k's sounds like the average distance a D grade
road race, maybe less. Crits end up much shorter as
you are only riding for 45min or so.

Remember that you will be "sitting on" the wheel of
riders in front of you, i.e. you will generally be racing
in a bunch for most of the race - this saves heaps of
energy because you don't have to ride into the wind
yourself - the riders in front push the wind away from
you.

As Nike and Andrew say... "Just do it!"

hippy
"three cheers for slipstreaming!"

hippy said:

"three cheers for slipstreaming!"

Spoken like the wheel-sucking sprinter that you are (or I fondly imagine
you to be)! :-)

&roo

"Andrew Swan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:LkXZb.843

Quoted message said:

hippy said:

"three cheers for slipstreaming!"

Spoken like the wheel-sucking sprinter that you are (or I fondly imagine
you to be)! :-)

hehe.. I laughed out loud at that! :-)

But just to throw a spanner into your mental image
of me.. I used to try to break away all the time in
D grade - I actually won my first race on a solo
break... breaking from the start line no less!! :-)

C grade, at least at Glenvale, is much, much harder
and in the two recent races I've done, breakaways
just don't seem to get very far at all.

Road season starts soon and the boys take their toys
into the hills (girls too, but it doesn't rhyme!). Poor I
will have to get used to seeing skinny buggers ride
away from me, instead of the other way 'round. ;-)

hippy
wheelie a sucker.

hippy said:

Road season starts soon ...

Our annual club champs started today, with a hilly 43km ITT. I took a
risk and rode the new bike, fortunately it went without a hitch. One guy
had less luck - he flatted, then ran 6km in his socks until someone
threw him a new tube.

The third best time overall was logged by a guy with one arm (avg
~39km/h). I didn't see him climbing, but I reckon he must be able to
spin with the best of them.

My time was good enough to finish third in the women's (had I been a
woman but none of the other guys were, if you follow me ... er ...
better not).

The next event is a 2040m TT - one lap of our crit course! Talk about a
change of pace...

&roo

"Andrew Swan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:8A0_b.952

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Road season starts soon ...

Our annual club champs started today, with a hilly 43km ITT. I took a
risk and rode the new bike, fortunately it went without a hitch. One guy
had less luck - he flatted, then ran 6km in his socks until someone
threw him a new tube.

Ouch... so did he get a good time? :-)

Quoted message said:

The third best time overall was logged by a guy with one arm (avg
~39km/h). I didn't see him climbing, but I reckon he must be able to
spin with the best of them.

Cool! That must be some hard work climbing.. I know I reef on the
bars all the time when going "up".

Quoted message said:

My time was good enough to finish third in the women's (had I been a
woman but none of the other guys were, if you follow me ... er ...
better not).

You're not a woman!! I'm crushed.. but with a name "Andrew'??? ;-)

Quoted message said:

The next event is a 2040m TT - one lap of our crit course! Talk about a
change of pace...

These sound like fun.. Our club champs are a 36k ITT over
rolling hills (Steele's Creek) and a road race at Gembrook and
possibly the climb up the 1 in 20 ITT might also be part of the
club champs? I'll have to check the calendar. I might actually
enter some road races in the hills this season..

hippy

hippy said:

You're not a woman!! I'm crushed.. but with a name "Andrew'??? ;-)

Yeah, I know it's a bit of a girly name. Luckily I don't have long hair
like a, I dunno, a hippy or something.

&roo

"Andrew Swan" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:30i_b.146

Quoted message said:

hippy said:

You're not a woman!! I'm crushed.. but with a name "Andrew'??? ;-)

Yeah, I know it's a bit of a girly name. Luckily I don't have long

hair

Quoted message said:

like a, I dunno, a hippy or something.

Andrew is not a girly name! I hope you don't think I was paying out
more than your reference to not being female. I thought it was pretty
obvious you weren't going to win the _women's_ race with a name
like Andrew, and was paying you out for pointing _that_ out. ;-)

Onto the hair thing.. I think almost everyone I've met recently has
said I should cut it - and now it extends to online peeps! :-)
It's funny, because last time this happened, I reacted by growing
it down to my butt and not cutting it for 9 years or so.. Don't
know if I could do that now - it's just not aero enough ;-)

Warning! _Bike Content_ Warning!
The two Johns at Blackburn's track sessions reckon I should
give racing a shot now. They think I ride ok in a bunch and
can handle the bike well enough to at least give racing a try..
Might head down to the velo on Saturday and see what
happens.. just warning anyone reading to avoid that race :-)

hippy
"crossage of fingers"

just ride, ma

go where the others ride and watch and learn or just have fu

There will always be someone faster than you so dont get fazed by large
groups screaming past along Beach roa

The more time you spend riding the better youre confidence, skills, no
to mention legs will b

Just remember, its yours, this riding thing and that's what p#@$e
drivers off..

PS remember to look up occasionally too. the world can go by pretty fas
sometimes on a road bik

-