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For varying reasons I'm not confident enough to get out and about on my bike, so for the next couple of months I'll be using my indoor Turbo Trainer. I'm mindful that at the moment I'll be training based on time rather than distance, so want to get myself a decent milometer. Any recommendations?
I've got a Cateye Velo 5 on my bike, good piece of kit.
What do you mean, not confident enough? Get out there in the fresh air, man! Start small, build up. And stay safe, keep to cycle tracks until you're a bit more expereinced.
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One for the cyclists here... on 14:11 - Apr 28 with 30069 views
Thanks for the recommendation, mate. Its a self confidence thing - carrying too much timber so don't want to look like Mr Creosote on two wheels. Traffic around me is mental, especially during chuck out time at the DVLA, plus my fitness has taken such a dip over the last few months I feel I need to build it up gradually. Plus, I won't see Alex Jones on Clasemont Road
get out there mart.Ive good firm buttocks but have a little too much fat around my middle but I still cannot ride without lycra shorts. Ridiculous these days. CAR DRIVERS are biggest concern. Ive gone after a few who ve cut me up and caught them at traffic lights
Park up down the rec in Pontardawe and cycle up the railway line to ystalyfera and back. Nice wide tarmac track and won't pass many people.
Ever since my son was... never conceived, because I've never had consensual sex without money involved... I've always kind of looked at you as... a thing, that I could live next to... in accordance with state laws.
Mart, I've got a Stationary York exercise bike, been using it a lot lately and what I tend to do is warm up for 10 to 15 mins on a reasonable setting [in your case it'll be a gear] then do like a fart leg programme [machine got programmes installed] but you can do it by upping to a harder gear and keep the same cadence up as you had while warming up, but only a minute on and minute off and extended it as you get more cycle fit, worked a treat for me, did my training route yesterday which is a climb of varying degrees on a Fire road with different surfaces, its a killer, I hadn't ridden up there for a year, but I did it yesterday without to many dramas and without stopping for a wiff, been bit knackered today though. Had a few dramas coming back down as its very fast and with the Hydraulic brakes on the bike I had a few near misses, hell of a difference compared to my old bike with V brakes, few times I thought I was going over handle bars and a few near misses with almost high siding
Cheers Steve. Appreciate the reply. Just done 30 minutes on the trainer. F*ck me, I didn't realise how out of shape I'd got. Still, first one done so it's onwards etc etc. I've a dicky tum at the moment so the fart leg won't be a problem
I started back about 18 months ago was over 19 stone dodgy back and knees, I had an old MTB which I hadn't used for five years at least.
As others have said I used a cycle path to build up my mileage until I could ride from my house the length of Afan Argoed without throwing up. It took me a while but I rode every other day rain or shine, I didn't give a shit what others thought as I knew if I kept it up gone weight would come off. I have dropped over three stone and four inches off my gut.
As you already have a turbo trainer and a bike you can use that to get you going. It will be very boring to just sit there spinning so get on YouTube and search for turbo sessions.
Don't worry about mileage just get time on the bike whether it's on the track or turbo, make sure the bike is set up right so you are as comfortable as you can be and reduce injuries.
I use this one it is 45 mins long but adjust to suit, start off with hardly any resistance and use your gears to make it harder or easier, once you feel you can manage 45 mins start knocking up the resistance on the turbo. This is a nice little ride around Melbourne, they also do 1.5 hr one if you want a near death experience.
I think we should start a cycling session getting everyone out for a short ride just to build confidence up for the newbies, Darren could use his chair which would still be faster than I was at the start.
Life is an adventure or nothing at all.
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One for the cyclists here... on 20:58 - Apr 28 with 29858 views
I expect your saddle is either at the wrong height or wrong level, the other possibility is that you should be wearing proper cycle shorts either Lycra or baggy.
Basically no matter how thin the padding is on a saddle you need to have your arse balanced just on the edge of the saddle so your sit bones are on the padding towards the rear of the saddle. The gentlemans sausage should be gently sitting on the saddle not squashed. If you get Numb nutts or pain in the area between your orifices the saddle is either to high or low at the front.
There is also the ability to use chamois cream (or nappy rash cream like sudo cream) which prevents burning, if you are wearing cycling shorts you should be going commando as the seams in men's pants will rub you raw once they get all wet and sweaty.
Hope this helps, I did 7hrs in the saddle this weekend without any issues at all, I did use some chamois cream just in case.
[Post edited 28 Apr 2014 21:03]
Life is an adventure or nothing at all.
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One for the cyclists here... on 21:01 - Apr 28 with 29855 views
Good man I have also encouraged a further four people in work to do the 28 miler none of which have ever done an event before and are new to cycling, I am expecting a jolly old day.
Life is an adventure or nothing at all.
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One for the cyclists here... on 21:06 - Apr 28 with 29847 views
There are no doubt as many ways of setting up a bike as there are websites on the subject. Here is one that seems to work very well for most people.
Saddle height: Sit on the bike with one pedal at the lowest point. Put your heel on the pedal and adjust your saddle height until your leg is almost straight, but not quite. You should be able to pedal with both heels on the pedals without your knees locking out or your hips rocking from side to side. This saddle height should put your leg in a position to deliver powerful strokes when your foot is in the pedalling position. Although it is an efficient pedalling position, for beginners or nervous riders it may feel too high. Also, when you come to rough ground where the saddle may be whipping back and forth between your legs, you may want to avoid very baggy shorts, or have to lower the saddle temporarily. This is why dropper posts are so popular these days. :)
Saddle position: Sit on the bike with the cranks level and your foot in the normal position on the forward pedal. Drop a plumbline over the front of your knee, the line should pass through the pedal axis. If it doesn't then move the saddle forward or backward until the line passes through the pedal axis. Ideally anyway; don't fret if its not bang on, but if its still out by more than half an inch, despite adjusting the saddle as far as it can go, then you might have the wrong sized bike for you. If you can't get far enough back, a layback seatpost may assist. Problem is that this will be moving your body even further away from the bars, which if you have long legs and a short body may cause other problems. Consider longer or shorter cranks. These are available but they will alter the effective gearing on your bike. For example a 165mm crank instead of a 175 will make pedalling harder by nearly 6%. If you have moved the saddle a lot, recheck the saddle height.
Sorting out the above two points meant that our Revered Leader was able to carry on riding his bike instead of suffering (with his customary great fortitude) knee pain that had him contemplating not riding. :eek:
Here's another tip while I'm on the subject. Its a rough guide to determine whether the bike is close to a fit. Not sure why it works. Put your elbow on the nose of the saddle with your fingers stretching out towards the front of the bike. Observe where the tips of your fingers come. With the front wheel pointing straight ahead, the finger tips should be in line with the centre of the grips. Whenever I've checked any of my bikes, my finger tips have always been within half an inch or less of this position. That was a result rather than an objective. But working backwards, if I was way out I'd have to fix it one way or another.
Cateye do good stuff but make sure you get one with a sensor for the back wheel as most cycle computers have a sensor for the front wheel, which in your case would be as useful as a chocolate teapot.
You just need to get out there doing more miles and after many many miles and months of cycling it gets better :-) A decent saddle like Brooks B17 would help and so would some conotrane ointment from the pharmacy.
Get out there and do it. Amazing how quick your fitness picks up, I started about 18 mths ago myself and was a mess but soon started to feel more confident and even gone done the lycra bib shorts route now. Riding with a mate helps hugely and decent shorts crucial.
Also doing the gower ride not sure which one yet but reckon a P.S training run would be a smashing idea.
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One for the cyclists here... on 07:37 - Apr 29 with 29724 views
Reading this is giving me the itch to get back on my bike. Had some mechanical issues lately whichh I think is down to the chain needing changing. Any idea how much that costs? Not technical or good with my hands at all so probably get the boys down at Halfords to sort it for me.
On the subject of training. My main year for riding was 2009. Started in April taking nearly 50 minutes to ride 6 miles!! By AUgust trying to ride 5 days a week early mornings I had gone from 14st 4lb to 10st12 and riding 6 miles in 50 mins to 35 in about 2 hrs.
I don't know what a turbo trainer is like but riding out is great. And the earlier you go the less traffic there is. I've moved since and as it happens live by the DVLA so don't know what the situation is down these parts!!
Enjoy.
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One for the cyclists here... on 08:03 - Apr 29 with 29703 views
Nice one, Pacey. I can feel myself getting the bug and am going to throw myself into this.
Just been looking at cycling shorts - there's bloody loads out there and can be pricey too - any recommendations? I don't mind if they're second hand as long as they were worn by a female, like.
May I say? what a smashing blouse you have on!
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One for the cyclists here... on 12:33 - Apr 29 with 29616 views
Just noticed that Aldi have a cycling offer starting May 4th, all kinds of cycling gear on offer including padded cycling shorts. Their gear is usually pretty good and fairly cheap. Check it out on their website.
I'm cycling to the last home game of the season - sort of! Doing a run I've done many times before, my house to Bucknell in Shropshire (26 miles) to pick up the Heart of Wales train. Gets in to Swansea just after 1.00pm, cycle up to my mate's apartment in the Copper Quarter, ditch the bike, hit the Globe for a couple of well earned pints, watch the match, then cycle to my mother's in Baglan for overnight stay. Reverse trip back on Sunday.
Note for Baker - will be applying E45 cream to nether regions.
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One for the cyclists here... on 19:00 - Apr 29 with 29544 views
The problem with the female ones is the pad is in the wrong place so although you may get some form of "comfort" from wearing them you will probably end up a bit sore ( I guess you may have had some experience of this type of adventerous behaviour before).
I first bought cheap shorts from Sports Direct they were Muddy Fox make for using on the MTB (they also have road bike versions which are tighter lycra). I used them for about six months and they were ok for £16. After I began road riding for a couple of hours it became apparent that they didnt offer a huge deal of support.
I then bought a pair of Continental Bib Shorts from Chain Reaction Cycles which at the time were about £30 but well worth the money.
If you have a look on Planet X (NOT THE ONE ON THE 909 CHANNEL ON SKY this one is a cycle site) they always have good deals but be careful on sizing if it says Italian you may need one or two sizes larger than normal, they usually have decent kit and currently have a full road kit for about £30.
Wiggle (again nothing to do withyour other interests it is purely a sports kit supplier) and Start Cycles all have good offers.
Just saw Hereford Jacks post he is absolutly right about Aldi it is very popular with cyclists the only problem is if your not there at opening it is usually all gone within a couple of hours.
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keep at it Mart, you'll back in tip top condition in no time. 
