Anyone Got Back On Their Bike (after a long break) or Started Cycling During Lockdown?
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I used to ride quite a bit both as a kid growing up (road and yard), then got into in my 20s (singletrack, and other paths available!) Yesterday I got back on after about 17 years and 100 more lbs. I was really embarrassed about having to stop to rest a couple times on only a 5 mile ride, but it still felt so good...and so much more enjoyable than even thinking about running! Hoping to keep back with it - I've really missed it, and really, really need this weight off!!
Excellent, well done. No need to be embarrassed, the way I think about it is yep I'm overweight but at least I'm making an effort.1 -
... Like many others during lockdown I've dug my ......... ancient, rusting bike ......... out and whilst I've not done many miles (my goal is a mere 50 per month) but I've been enjoying it.
Would be good to find a few friends on here with a similar interest.... feel free to add me!
The picture I posted above is my "now" bike. My earlier bike - which I loved, but was no longer right for me - I sold this week to an eager rider. See below picture. I'm posting this so that you can see an older bike (mine is from 1983 and lived a while in my garage) can be spiffed up pretty well, and fairly easily. There are plenty of Youtube videos (and other sources, such as REI) on cleaning and doing basic maintaining a bike for riding. It'll make a world of difference in your riding experience (and safety). I don't know how it is by you, but my bike shop has been swamped with service requests as people un-garage their old bikes. It helps to know the basics yourself.
At least my old friend got a last burst of sunlight to shine in when I took her to her new owner this past weekend.
Good luck and happy riding!
Cheers, nice bike(s)
Old one reminds me of the bike I had as a teenager (a Dawes Lightening which I loved). Thanks for the link, quite useful that.
I managed 6.98 miles in March, 50.43 in April and 65.78 in May. Hoping to manage 100 in June.
Bike was a bit of a mess so I have done some basic maintenance. Have repaired a few punctures, replaced an inner tube, de-greased an re lubricated the chain and gears etc. The rear derailleur was working fine but the front was not working at all (no movement when changing) so I've been riding just on the middle of the chain rings (not sure that's the right terminology! middle front cog) but I've managed to get the front working today.
Unfortunately whilst fixing the front gears earlier I noticed the rear tyre is now really badly cracked and is bulging and split a little by the rim so I've just ordered 2 new tyres, 2 tubes and new rear brake pads which fingers crossed should be here for Saturday meaning I can get out again on Sunday.
Speaking of maintenance I picked up a bike repair stand in Aldi last week for £19.99! Good enough quality wise and makes things so much easier.
The bike itself is a Ventura Crossroads which I think is just a generic type brand really. It's about 10 years old and cost about £90 new so it's not got the best components etc but it served me well for maybe 2 years before it got stowed away and forgotten. In some ways it seems a bit odd spending money on something that has so little value and is not the best quality but at the moment buying something new is not exactly straightforward and I'm hoping I can get a year or so out of it then maybe pass it on to the local cycle recycling cafe.
Enjoy your now bike.
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I used to ride quite a bit both as a kid growing up (road and yard), then got into in my 20s (singletrack, and other paths available!) Yesterday I got back on after about 17 years and 100 more lbs. I was really embarrassed about having to stop to rest a couple times on only a 5 mile ride, but it still felt so good...and so much more enjoyable than even thinking about running! Hoping to keep back with it - I've really missed it, and really, really need this weight off!!
Good for you! I was inspired by my daughter competing in a local women's triathalon in 2017 to get back on the bike and do something about my weight, which had exploded, and my health, which had imploded. Actually, while it was her that inspired me, what moved me was the variety of participants in the event - old/young, in shape and way out of shape. I realized I was wasting my life, literally.
Anyway, here it is 3 years later. At first, a mile was a big deal. Now I ride all over the place. And I've lost 70-80lbs (varies over this covid lockdown). I could easily go another 40-50lbs. Feeling much, much better at aged 65yo. And re-experiencing the world at large I had neglected for a number of years. There's that saying, "the best gift to yourself is preserving and improving your health." So, good luck!1 -
25 hilly miles after work today, almost 2 hours @ 167w.2
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Cheers, nice bike(s) Old one reminds me of the bike I had as a teenager (a Dawes Lightening which I loved). Thanks for the link, quite useful that.
I managed 6.98 miles in March, 50.43 in April and 65.78 in May. Hoping to manage 100 in June.
Bike was a bit of a mess so I have done some basic maintenance. Have repaired a few punctures, replaced an inner tube, de-greased an re lubricated the chain and gears etc. The rear derailleur was working fine but the front was not working at all (no movement when changing) so I've been riding just on the middle of the chain rings (not sure that's the right terminology! middle front cog) but I've managed to get the front working today.
Unfortunately whilst fixing the front gears earlier I noticed the rear tyre is now really badly cracked and is bulging and split a little by the rim so I've just ordered 2 new tyres, 2 tubes and new rear brake pads which fingers crossed should be here for Saturday meaning I can get out again on Sunday.
Speaking of maintenance I picked up a bike repair stand in Aldi last week for £19.99! Good enough quality wise and makes things so much easier.
The bike itself is a Ventura Crossroads which I think is just a generic type brand really. It's about 10 years old and cost about £90 new so it's not got the best components etc but it served me well for maybe 2 years before it got stowed away and forgotten. In some ways it seems a bit odd spending money on something that has so little value and is not the best quality but at the moment buying something new is not exactly straightforward and I'm hoping I can get a year or so out of it then maybe pass it on to the local cycle recycling cafe.
Enjoy your now bike.
Thanks. You too, on yours. What's that saying, "What was old is new again?"
In the draft of my post I started going on and on about the rubber parts (tires, tubes, brake pads, etc.) and such, but I thought it was too much. The ABC check article would cover that. I hear good things about the Aldi stand. It isn't always available over here to look at.
"Bikes are the new toilet paper," is a "thing" over here now (referring to the run on TP when the virus crisis began). Since the covid lockdown, they've gotten pretty hard to come by in stores. Both from demand, and from interruptions in the supply chain (many are Chinese-made). So, you use what you have and can make the best of it.
For my old bike, I knew basic maint tips and techniques, but the tech has changed since 1983, and I found myself in several bike maintenance//trailside repair workshops and seminars when I got the new bike. The three best were offered by my local county Parks system, my bike shop (Park Tools course) and REI (trailside). There are things I'm not wholly comfortable doing (front suspension, hydraulic disk brakes), but I'm able to keep up with the basics.
Nearby me, we have a bike donation/refurbishing center that I donated my kids' garaged bikes to last year, "Second Life Cycles" in Asbury Park, NJ. It feels good that the old bikes get a new home.
Once again, good luck! Depending on where you are in the UK, there's a Youtube channel I watch pretty often, and some of the locales might be familiar to you. leonardmlee ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuC2TeojJTwX0yfPmGFiWA ); he's a bit older, and a bit on the heavy side. Of course, the GCN - Global Cycling Network is UK based, along with their several sister channels, including tech topics, GCN tech ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC710HJmp-YgNbE5BnFBRoeg ).0 -
Thanks. You too, on yours. What's that saying, "What was old is new again?"
In the draft of my post I started going on and on about the rubber parts (tires, tubes, brake pads, etc.) and such, but I thought it was too much. The ABC check article would cover that. I hear good things about the Aldi stand. It isn't always available over here to look at.
"Bikes are the new toilet paper," is a "thing" over here now (referring to the run on TP when the virus crisis began). Since the covid lockdown, they've gotten pretty hard to come by in stores. Both from demand, and from interruptions in the supply chain (many are Chinese-made). So, you use what you have and can make the best of it.
For my old bike, I knew basic maint tips and techniques, but the tech has changed since 1983, and I found myself in several bike maintenance//trailside repair workshops and seminars when I got the new bike. The three best were offered by my local county Parks system, my bike shop (Park Tools course) and REI (trailside). There are things I'm not wholly comfortable doing (front suspension, hydraulic disk brakes), but I'm able to keep up with the basics.
Nearby me, we have a bike donation/refurbishing center that I donated my kids' garaged bikes to last year, "Second Life Cycles" in Asbury Park, NJ. It feels good that the old bikes get a new home.
Once again, good luck! Depending on where you are in the UK, there's a Youtube channel I watch pretty often, and some of the locales might be familiar to you. leonardmlee ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuC2TeojJTwX0yfPmGFiWA ); he's a bit older, and a bit on the heavy side. Of course, the GCN - Global Cycling Network is UK based, along with their several sister channels, including tech topics, GCN tech ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC710HJmp-YgNbE5BnFBRoeg ).
Bikes are definitely in short supply, at least on the east coast (US). This was our local Dick’s Sporting Goods the other night. The local shop I went to had TWELVE bikes in stock, and he said no signs of new inventory (already taking preorders for 2021 which he said usually doesn’t happen until September). He is also completely sold out of kayaks (we live by the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers). Demand plus supply chain disruptions.
My dad has been bike shop hopping out in Idaho/Montana (I told him he has an addiction!
) and finding all these great options for me... the pictures he sends shows decent stock, as far as I can tell. Definitely not the empty racks I see here. I was shopping for a new gravel bike, but instead my 25 year old Cannondale is getting an update. I am OK with that option, a bit sentimental with it, but I was a touch excited about something new. It’ll save me a LOT of money I guess. Even then, some of the parts he was going to get are impossible to find right now.
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moonangel12 wrote: »
... we live by the Shenandoah and Potomac rivers ...
My dad has been bike shop hopping out in Idaho/Montana (I told him he has an addiction! ) ... but instead my 25 year old Cannondale is getting an update. I am OK with that option, a bit sentimental with it, but I was a touch excited about something new. It’ll save me a LOT of money I guess. Even then, some of the parts he was going to get are impossible to find right now.
I follow a bunch of cycling groups over on Facebook (because I too have an addiction, LOL). A bunch of them, such as "Steel is Real!" and more permit bike listings and parts listings and might be worth a shopping browse or parts inquiry. I've browsed sites such as "The Pro's Closet" (but not bought anything) and bikeparts.com and such, maybe you can get lucky. I think you might be in a good bike area (I did a year-long project in the Gaithersburg, MD area a few yrs back so I did some tourist-snooping during that time); maybe one of the older, established local shops out there has a shelf full of old parts in the back that they don't bother advertising. Another option could be swap meets in bike clubs.
You might like the first pic I posted - High Bridge in Farmville, VA, which crosses the Appomattox River. I didn't do the whole trail, as I was doing a stopover on a drive back from the FL Keys, but the area looks to be great.
Good luck, good riding!
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Oof. I haven't needed to get any parts recently but right after the lockdown started I ordered a power meter from jensonusa and had no problem. Got my stuff the next day no problem. I wonder what their stock situation is right now.
I've been an avid cyclist since my high school days. I was part of my college club team. There have been long stretches when I didn't ride a bike, especially when the kids were born. My indoor trainer has seen more miles as a result of covid.1 -
@swirlybee getting a power meter has been the most helpful thing I've ever done as a cyclist. I hope you love yours!0
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NorthCascades wrote: »@swirlybee getting a power meter has been the most helpful thing I've ever done as a cyclist. I hope you love yours!
I must admit that I haven't actually put it to good use yet.1 -
When the weather allows me to hit the road I ride about 40 miles once a week. Started late at age 42 because I didn't like running anymore. I wanted to do some cardio besides weight lifting so I bought my first road bike.
I loved it since my first ride......it helped me through lock down when the gyms where closed. Up here they still are 😒2 -
I don't think gyms have opened here, but I wouldn't go to one until we have a vaccine. The gym is for health. Being in an enclosed space with a lot of people breathing hard during a pandemic of an airborne virus doesn't sound healthy at all.
But riding a bike outdoors? Fun!!4 -
Once again, good luck! Depending on where you are in the UK, there's a Youtube channel I watch pretty often, and some of the locales might be familiar to you. leonardmlee ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCEuC2TeojJTwX0yfPmGFiWA ); he's a bit older, and a bit on the heavy side. Of course, the GCN - Global Cycling Network is UK based, along with their several sister channels, including tech topics, GCN tech ( https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC710HJmp-YgNbE5BnFBRoeg ).
Thanks for the LeonardMLee link, hadn't come across him but have now watched quite a few and subscribed. Nice to have a "normal" persons take on things. Youtube has been really useful in terms of maintenance tips etc. After my last ride on Sunday I decided my 10 or so year old tyres had had enough and were probably a little dangerous so had new tyres and tubes delivered yesterday; now fitted and hoping to get back out there in the morning and start my June mileage.
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Bikes are so much fun! 🥰2
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I started cycling about 1.5 yrs ago after a 30 year break. I rode over 1,000 miles last year at age 64!8
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I only have one bike, and bikes aren't allowed on most of the good trails around here. A road bike is the obvious choice if you're only going to have one. But every now and then I get to rent an MTB and have a completely different kind of fun.
Shocks make a bike extremely forgiving. You can basically just ride wherever you want. You can do potholed gravel roads and tame trails on an “all road” bike, but you have to choose your line carefully. On a MTB I tend to go for the obstacles because it’s fun to be able to.
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NorthCascades wrote: »
Is this photo a Mt. St. Helens locale, or a fire scar? Both pic are great. You've got some great country out there.0 -
Burn scar from 10 or 15 years ago, at Harts Pass. 1
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NorthCascades wrote: »Burn scar from 10 or 15 years ago, at Harts Pass.
I probably mentioned, here and there in these forums, that I lived for a while as a kid outside Seattle (Auburn). Love the geography and the countryside out there and up into the Cascades and Olympic Penninsula. Now, I live at the Jersey Shore, and love it, too, but it's different. Sand, ocean, flat; I live about 3 miles away from the highest point on the Eastern Seaboard south of Maine, appropriately called "Highlands" which is about 230 feet above sea level. As a sailor coming up the coast, you can see it pop up from quite far away. I forget sometimes how much flat we have here until I took my then-young kids (about 8 and 5 at the time) through the "Delaware Water Gap" the first time, in the NW part of NJ. Bracketed by "mountains" about 1500 feet above sea level (not as high relative to their bases), the kids were in awe at the gigantic mounds. They had never seen such things.2
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