Re: New to cycling
 

nice bike swanny. I like the Merida line up. What kind of componentry does it have? Mine still weighs in at an unsightly 13kg. haha. But I view all that weight as training weight to help me get stronger.

Ratter -even though you got wet, I'd still rather it be on a bike than walking as Gecko said. Still good fun in any weather.

I wanna try and get out again this long weekend. The weather is suppose to be excellent so I dont want to waste the opportunity.

Re: New to cycling
 

Shav,
It's got the Sora derailleur on the rear, 8 speed, with Maxxis tyres running at 100psi. The colour of the frame made it hard to photograph!

It's a big move from a heavy old mountain bike that was too small!

Full specs are here http://www.merida.com.au/2011-bikes/...speeder-t1.htm

Swanny

Re: New to cycling
 

It is an interesting color based on that pic, but at the same time, I like it and how bright it looks. The componentry seems reasonable too. I hope its nice and crisp when it changes gears for you. The ST-R221 shifters, are they rapid fire?

Other than that its a clean looking FBR bike that should give you plenty of fun.

Those tires I have never heard of getting 100psi. That's huge since mine have a max of 70psi. I suppose that has to do with the fact they are proper slick road tires yeah?

Bikes have really come in leaps and bounds since I was a kid. I had an 80s Marauder bmx and that weighed in at something like 20kg and had coaster brakes only. Ok for a kid I guess, but getting my Kona since those times is a HUGE difference.

Re: New to cycling
 

AHHH good choice mate . i have the MERIDA SPEEDER T1 also , but a 2010 , which is slightly different . nothing wrong with the SORA gears at all once setup and adjusted properly . they are rapid fire . dont know about other gear setups but dont pedal backwards with the sora , your chain will come off . get a medium seat saddle , a cycling computer, a pump , drink bottle , spare tube and tyre levers , and a multi tool , and youll have what i have . . i find the bike to be a true fitness bike , a little sturdier and less likely to fall off than a road racer , and i've had mine up to 72kms /hr coming down the mountain at emu plains , i've also found i think competitively it would be a little disadvantaged on a speed endurance run , say 40-60 km distance . i found the racers always catchup and overtake due to better rolling and perhaps 2km/higher average speed for same effort . however its a great bike . cheers,

Re: New to cycling
 

Another ride today, 70 klms and a lot nicer than yesterday.

Although todays had an issue, pulled up at a set of lights, The wife pulls up beside me and panics as she is clipped in, falls off her bike, on top of mine, she ends up sitting on on the ground on top of both bikes at the intersection.
Bent my rear derailleur hanger :doh

Could be a good time to tell her I need a new Dura ace derailleur to replace my bent 105 derailleur :wink

Re: New to cycling
 

Shav, I believe they are rapid fire shifters (two levers - one to shift up, the other for down). The tyres are Maxxis Detonators, not a lot of tread depth in them!

GTFPV, I've got the pump to start with, now I'm looking into a computer and tubes, then all the other bits.

At the moment I'm getting my legs tuned in, by doing 4-5km trips around the suburb. Once I've got those muscles working, I can extend the range, and get more enjoyment out of it all!

Then one day I can leave the Harley at home when I go to work!

Re: New to cycling
 

5 TO 10 kms is a nightmare when you start , but after acouple of weeks , youll be doing 20 . and after a month 40km rides . most ive done without a stop is 60 , but stopping makes it easier . 60 km rides are only really necessary for bragging i found , 40kms is plenty . have fun

Re: New to cycling
 

I'm doing around 20-25 klm on the weekends - nice distance. I try and mix it up a bit with some flats and some climbs - just to keep it interesting. There is one particular section I ride frequently where there is a 1K gradual incline........makes your heart race like a sewing machine........

I've got 2 weapons of choice........1 is my GIANT full carbon OCR Comp ride bike with Ultegra group set and those beautiful MAVIC KSYRIUM WHEELS. Great light bike and nice and fast. Will post some pics when I get a chance of this one

Second is my Mountain Bike.......mid range GT 2.0 with some minor mods and slick tyres for easier riding on paths and mild terrain.
Here's a pic of the GT.......

https://i433.photobucket.com/albums/...f/IMG_1560.jpg

Re: New to cycling
 

A GT in front of a GT, nice pic.

The Giant sounds like a good steed to eat up those road km's, sounds like a choice of two very nice bikes to me.

I just did a 40 km rolling road ride just to keep the rides going every day that I can manage them.

So far just doing frequent rides and eating a bit better (as well as cutting down on the Ice Break iced coffee) I have dropped 4kgs in a bit over a week. That makes a noticeable difference in body fat when you consider that although I have dropped some weight in body fat I have also gained some in lean muscle mass, lean muscle is 3 x more dense than fat.

It is great, I am so motivated right now (easy to be when you have a Merckx to ride), just have to keep it going.

Re: New to cycling
 

Yes its amazing the difference it makes when riding with 3 or 4 kg less load around the waist.....lol

Speaking of light weights , its amazing how light some of yhese bikes can get. My Giant carbon weighs @ 8 kg in total with drink cage and bike computer. You really feel the difference after jumping off the mountain bike.....feels like you're riding nothing at all and then you look at the speedo and realise you're doing 40 klmh........

Re: New to cycling
 

My Merckx weighs in at 7.2kg with pedals, bottle cages x2 (no bottles), a nice light bike makes for a happy place especially when the gradient goes up.

Re: New to cycling
 

ratter - Dam dude. I hope you and your mrs is ok after that fall. No one wants to hear that. On a positive note, I hope you get the Dura-ace groupset you want mate. Seems like a fair deal to me after all that. haha. I know how your mrs feels though, its fear and panic all rolled into about 3 seconds, then crash!.

swanny - good idea getting used to the bike for a few km. Build up your strength over time. Exploring the streets on bike is awesome mate. I tend to take in so much more on bike than I ever did in a car.

gtfpv - Agree mate. between 20-40km is enough for me. Especially on my hybrid. I am thinking of possibly doing the ride to work day on Oct 12th but that is like an 70-80km round trip for me. I could handle it, but getting to and from work involves a lot of hills and different gradients. It mainly my confidence riding in peak hour I would need to get used to. Too many angry drivers in the morning.

ESP - Great photo mate. Love it and the color. Top stuff. You seem to have the best of all worlds. A GT, and OCR comp bike and a racing blue MTB. :drool

Gecko - great to hear your cutting down some of the naughty foods. Your body will thank you for it. I personally should be eating a bit better myself, but without too much in change of diet and doing regular cycling, I have dropped about 10kg of fat and gained a fair bit of lean muscle mass as well in the legs. Awesome work.

I went for a quick ride today. Only 17km, took my time since Im coming off a cold Ive had for the past week. Did it in a lazy 50mins. Flat and hilly roads combined. Stopped at the beach for some quick pics of my bike as it is. I didn't have enough time to clean the bike up, so I apologize for the dirtiness of the bike. It's not much but it handles just about anything I throw at it and has been very reliable to date. Only had it for 4 months.

https://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-03103457.jpg
https://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-03103435.jpg
https://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-03103418.jpg
https://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-03103408.jpg
https://i56.photobucket.com/albums/g...0-03103529.jpg

Re: New to cycling
 

While we are talking about bike weights I think it is important to point out for those that are new to the game that weight is not everything.

Look at my two most recent bikes. The first was my old Monoc TC2 Compact built with durace and campag wheels. This bike was a relative feather weight at 6.8kgs with pedals and cages. My new bike is a Eddy Merckx 1XM that is actually built with all the components off the Monoc, so only the frame, fork and seat post are new. The Merckx is 400gms heavier at 7.2kgs.

Even though the Merckx is heavier, the frame (full carbon) has more lateral stiffness but more vertical compliance than the old Monoc (7000 series aluminium with carbon fork and seat stays). This makes the Merckx a much nicer and more comfortable bike to ride which despite the weight penalty still climbs and rides just as fast, if not faster than the old Monoc frame.

Re: New to cycling
 

Nice work, I love the all black colour scheme, the "Stealth Fighter".

Re: New to cycling
 

Check out this site- got hooked on it years ago when I bought my 1st flat bar road bike in 2006

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/

Some of these guys lose sleep over the weight of the bar tape.....:lol

Mind you - any bike that weighs 6-8 kg complete with all accesories is amazing.......Lambo have a word for it....Superleggera !!!!

My 1st bike ( PROGEAR mountain bike ) weighed in at a porky 15 Kg !!!.....It felt like a B series GT........ha ha

Re: New to cycling
 

Thanks Gecko. It pretty much fits that description. That's what drew me to it initially. Speaking of weight. She is hefty at 13kg without cage, emergency kit, lights and bar extension. So with all the gear on a suspect it will be a good 15kg. But I plant the thing up hills and it keeps going. I got to get my front derailleur adjusted. When Im cranking the bike gear and in 4th or 5th gear rear, I can hear the chain rubbing up against the derailleur on every turn of the crank. It's not a big thing but seeing my legs are 'torquey', I like to crank bigger gears up hills. My cadence isn't overly high, but I tend to generate more power when I need it for the hills.

Re: New to cycling
 

Probably not what you guys are into, but this is what I pedal around on.
Wy wife and I are more recreational bicyclists and do it for relaxation. We usually do 10km round trips, to our favourite cafe two suburbs away and back.

I got the bike online and customised it to taste (still in progress). Rides real smooth and turns heads wherever we go.
I also did up another cruiser but sold it.

Re: New to cycling
 

Got some gloves for my birthday and went for a ride on the weekend to see if they'd cure my numb hands problem. They probably helped, I reckon 25% or so. So, that's better then nothing I suppose.

When I get my new Mountain bike pedals and shoes, I'll go to the bike shop and hopefully they'll be able to fit me to my road bike which I've never had done.

I've got two weeks until my 100km ride Around The Bay. Going to up the training a bit more now and go on the wind trainer and up my jogging too. Really looking forward to the ride!

Re: New to cycling
 

Fled - Nice cruiser mate. That type of bike is designed to do exactly what your doing. Thanks for sharing.

kocho - good to hear the gloves helped. They are a good invest in case you come off. A 100km ride is a fair effort too mate. I hope you train well for it.

Re: New to cycling
 

So.

I completed my very first bike leg in a Half Iron Man triathlon on the weekend. 90km. in 30+ degree FNQ heat in the middle of the day.

The first leg was a 19km ride from Port Douglas to the start of the Syndicate road loop, all flat roads, slight headwind in some parts:

No worries at all, kept a decent pace up, kept up with the fluids and knocked it over in good time (not sure exactly as the cycle computer decided not to work). Wasn’t sore at all during this, llegs were fine…only complaint the seat was a bit low and I wasn’t getting full leg extension. No worries, I’ll do the next leg and stop at the aid station.

Second leg, 16km loop. Nasty road surfaces, train tracks, headwinds in sections and a nasty climb, sheltered from wind:

Road surface made keeping a decent speed difficult, more often than not I was weaving across the road avoiding bumps. The road is a little bit up and down…couple of steady climbs. Come around a corner and a monster of a climb awaits me. I still feel fine at this stage…I’m guessing it is about the 35km mark. Start the climb, no breeze, can feel my temp shoot up so I slowly spin up the hill. Get to the top and see the descent, best thing so far. I opened my can of downhill mtb crazies and clicked it into the highest gear, got off the seat and pedalled down the hill…Not sure what speed I hit, but I was flying. Flat roads to the aid station, grab some new water bottles and start the second loop….

Third leg, same 16km loop.

Legs are starting to burn and I’m getting very hot (thank god for sunscreen). I can feel that I’ve slowed down…Take it a bit easier for a while and crack open some starburst lollies, have a few and spin for a while…then back down onto the aero bars and into it. The climb take 2. I honestly thought I wouldn’t go the distance at this point, I was overheating, no water left and my legs were on fire. I barely get to the top, had to stop for a 5 min breather. Back down the hill at a rate of knots and I feel renewed. Back to the aid station, drinks and off for the 3rd loop.

Fourth leg, 16km loop, last lap.

Wow. Why did I go for the 3rd lap when I know I still have a 19km ride back to Port Douglas afterwards. I stop for another breather before tackling the loop. Slowed down a fair bit, even the elites are struggling from what I’ve seen at this stage. Once again, the climb is in front of me and it’s bigger than ever. I smash a fistful of starburst, jump off the seat, engage ape-mode and smack it up the hill. I nearly die at the top, light headedness kicks in and I’m sure I came close to passing out. I stop for a while. Back down the hill, and to the aid station for the last time. At this point I am struggling physically and I have pushed past my capabilities.

Fifth leg, 19km to Port, the hell march.

Constant headwind. Never has 19km seemed so far, it was like the previous 70ish km were only 5km and I was doing the final 85km. My legs were beyond gone, my quads were cramping, my back was sore…world of pain. Everyone speaks of the wall you hit when it seems you can’t go anymore…it’s real. I push through it with fistfuls of lollies. I can literally feel my legs failing, I stood up at one stage on the pedals and I couldn’t hold. Did I mention the headwind? Slow going. I get to the turn off into port douglas. 5km to go. The longest 5km of my life, I am spent in a big way, everything is hurting…I engage ape-mode again and pedal mash to the finish. I finished in a bit over 3.5 hours. I see my mate there holding a beer, I walk up and neck it like I’ve ever drunk before.

I had a great sense of achievement and pride.

I did it with probably a combined less than 2 weeks training, a bike that wasn’t mine and a steak burger for breakfast that day.

Re: New to cycling
 

great write up mate. Man that's an effort and a half to achieve. Especially in the humidity you have to face up there. Insane. Congrats on completing what I regard as a mammoth task. Inspirational work. Get those carbs back in ya mate. Your gonna feel sore for the next few days no doubt.

Re: New to cycling
 

I reckon riding in to a head wind is the worse thing you can do, even worse than climbing a hill. At least at the top of the hill, you get to go down again! A head wind, you just have to keep pushing in to it.

Great effort XR6_661. It's a great sense of accomplishment when you finish those longer rides!

Re: New to cycling
 

Legendary effort! How is the recovery going?

Ratter - I keep thinking that your wife came to you for support - and you let her down! :biker

Re: New to cycling
 

ahahahahhaha LOL out of interest how old are you mate ? be interesting to see how you cope over the next week , your age will have a lot to do with it . never do that again , you pushed past your limit . if your young you'll be ok . .heheheh .

Re: New to cycling
 

Well you hear people talking about measuring fitness by how quick you recover moreso than performance on the day.

I feel fine. My hiney was a bit sore yesterday and my neck from looking infront of me...I honestly thought I'd be in a world of pain considering how physically hard it was on the day. Hell, I even went to the gym the day afterwards haha.

For the record, I'm 23.

Re: New to cycling
 

Ohhh yeah nothing like grinding against a head wind! Good work mate...

I remember several years ago, doing ATB, hitting Geelong Rd with a massive headwind. My mate had never heard me swear so much as we grinded from Corio to Altona...

Re: New to cycling
 

The question is, how awesome did you feel AFTER a ride? With all those endorphins kicking in, do you find your on a high for an hour or so?

Re: New to cycling
 

If by awesome you mean, like dying.

Nah It was a great feeling afterwards! Been looking at some road bikes now...haha

Re: New to cycling
 

Do it mate. If tri is your thing, go for it. Considering how well you did this time with stuff training, can you imagine how well you would do with some training and good equipment under your belt?

Re: New to cycling
 

blueoval, I've got myself in the same setup as you now! Same sort of mountain bike shoes and pedals for my roadie. Going to go around the block a couple of times just to see if I've got the 'settings' right but can't wait for my ride tomorrow. Also got some padded shorts! :)