Just bought a bike!

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Replies

  • CM_73
    CM_73 Posts: 554 Member
    joehempel wrote: »
    Well, learned the gearing system.....my ride was much better and I averaged an extra 1.6 mph on the roads....I just wish they weren't so curvy sometimes I maxed at like 23 on the straights at one point.

    Excellent, that's a good average increase.
    That's good advice above on not upgrading a cheaper frame, it's actually better value to just replace it.
    If you're maxing out at 23mph, that will just be the limit if your gearing although being able to hold 20mph over 10 miles is very good going and it's a good way to practise increasing your cadence!

    Hopefully your bike will serve you well though, keep it up!
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    edited May 2015
    I did a 50 mile ride yesterday with a few friends. We averaged around 10mph because one person was out of shape and on a mountain bike instead of a road bike, but my HRM logged about 2000 calories. I was able to do two sprints reaching about 25mph.

    A lot of it depends on the gearing ratio of your bike, it's weight and also lubrication. My previous bike was top of the line for it's time, but didn't have the ability to cruise as fast or as long as this one.

    Just like your body, you are limited by "genetics" o:)
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    I tried not to cruise and keep peddling for some "free speed" downhills, but yeah, blind curves made me slow down. I didn't want to get hit by a car lol
  • gdyment
    gdyment Posts: 299 Member
    I did my first races on a used beater road bike, and it works just fine. You can spend 100 bucks and get some clip-on aero bars closer to your 70.3 but in the near future you might want to get some road shoes/clipless pedals.

    Shimano R540 SPD-SL for 40-50 bucks, some shoes for 100 and cleats for 10-20. That will last for years and you can move it all to a new bike if you want (better bikes don't come with pedals anyway). Skip the plastic toe-clip things that go over your shoes.

    Also get a flat kit and learn how to change them on the side of the road. 2 levers, some screw-on co2 cartidges, an inflator and a couple of spare tubes. Multi-tool and patches too.

    47 mph on a road bike is fun. 57 is terrifying. :)
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    Ha, 47....thats nuts
  • Goom731
    Goom731 Posts: 2 Member
    Frankie_Felinius wrote: »
    Whatever works, right?! Mine has no gears, coaster brakes and a basket but hey...I've gotten stronger, lost weight...as long as it serves it's purpose! :)
    I just did the same thing! But my new bike is blue! Walmart, coaster brakes and basket! Loving it!

  • paulwgun
    paulwgun Posts: 439 Member
    padded shorts will be your friend, I bought a cheap pair at first then some cycle friends told me to buy the more expensive ones the difference in padding was amazing :D
  • brocantrs
    brocantrs Posts: 273 Member
    So, how is the bike riding going?
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    It's going well! I've moved up from averaging 12mph to 14-15.....Did my longest ride the other day of 55 minutes and 13.3 miles...there are a LOT of hills in my area and they only seem to go up LOL. Learning the correct gears, what's comfortable for me, and also standing up while going up hills as been a big help.

    Had to make some adjustments to the bike, but it was easy enough to do.

    Should have my power and cadence sensor tomorrow from the garmin watch.

    This is the map, but on the stretch that was on the corner of 127 and Waycross I forgot to start my Garmin again after a red light so the mileage may be screwed up, I don't know. I remembered to turn it back on as I was turning onto another street so it's just a straight line.

    https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/790775869

    Having fun on it though. Running is still my main sport until after my Marathon in September, though I take the bike instead of the car whenever I can.
  • csman49
    csman49 Posts: 1,100 Member
    Flak kit? Whats that?
  • tdatsenko
    tdatsenko Posts: 155 Member
    joehempel wrote: »
    This is the map, but on the stretch that was on the corner of 127 and Waycross I forgot to start my Garmin again after a red light so the mileage may be screwed up, I don't know. I remembered to turn it back on as I was turning onto another street so it's just a straight line.
    Most GPS apps have a feature that don't time you when you're stopped for a red light or something.

  • lishie_rebooted
    lishie_rebooted Posts: 2,973 Member
    tdatsenko wrote: »
    joehempel wrote: »
    This is the map, but on the stretch that was on the corner of 127 and Waycross I forgot to start my Garmin again after a red light so the mileage may be screwed up, I don't know. I remembered to turn it back on as I was turning onto another street so it's just a straight line.
    Most GPS apps have a feature that don't time you when you're stopped for a red light or something.

    Garmin's have an auto-pause feature that you can set to pause automatically or after a set time.

    I too just got a bike since I'm banned from running.
    It's fun!
  • joehempel
    joehempel Posts: 1,543 Member
    tdatsenko wrote: »
    joehempel wrote: »
    This is the map, but on the stretch that was on the corner of 127 and Waycross I forgot to start my Garmin again after a red light so the mileage may be screwed up, I don't know. I remembered to turn it back on as I was turning onto another street so it's just a straight line.
    Most GPS apps have a feature that don't time you when you're stopped for a red light or something.

    Yeah, I just forgot it had autopause (and it was turned on...I was using it earlier!!) and stopped the damn thing. LOL

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