http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/index.php Tue, 07 Sep 2010 10:42:15 +0100 Phorum 5.2.7 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7240#msg-7240 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7240#msg-7240
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/folding-bikes-38954545/]]> Lien Sdrawde The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:25:44 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7239,7239#msg-7239 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7239,7239#msg-7239
I've had a read through some of the forum trying to check if my question has been asked already, and I cant see it has (but i'm a bloke which means I wont have looked that closely), so ....

At coming up to 50, ive decided to get fit again and have chosen cycling as the way to do it.

The bikes that seem to fit the bill are hybrids, or road bikes. My question is why would I choose one over the other? - forgive this next bit if it seems daft - one seems to be more comfort orientated, the other seems built to go a bit faster - but both would get me fitter if I used them. From research so far if you want to go from A-B quicker and ride longer distances choose a road bike - but wont a hybrid go just as far (allbeit not as fast)?

I'm aiming to spend up to £400 if anyone has any tips on whats a fair buy for this money.

Thanks in advance, L.S.]]> Lien Sdrawde The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 07 Sep 2010 09:16:18 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7237,7238#msg-7238 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7237,7238#msg-7238 With regards to brands, as has been mentioned on here many times, about 90% of the bikes you buy are made in the Far East, in a handfull of factories using either Shimano or SRAM components, so what name is on the frame is almost irrelevant. You need to consider which bike is the most comfortable for you personally, and no-one on this forum can tell you that. Go to a few cycle shops near you and sit on bikes within your budget. Once you have narrowed down the options, then you can take into account which shops have been the most helpful and so select one to buy from. What a lot of people buying on the internet do not realise is that a bike comes in a box in various pieces and if you assemble it yourself incorrectly which results in damage it is not warranty. Some shops will assemble a bike that you have bought on the internet, but expect a charge of at least £30 for doing so.]]> cotterpin The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 06 Sep 2010 22:55:20 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7237,7237#msg-7237 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7237,7237#msg-7237 Wide skies The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 06 Sep 2010 21:23:11 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7236#msg-7236 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7236#msg-7236 cotterpin The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 06 Sep 2010 14:19:12 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7235#msg-7235 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7235,7235#msg-7235
I've found the Dahon LOS XL which looks perfect with 24" weels and lots of gears, but it costs a small fortune. So now I'm looking at the Briza D3 which looks almost as good but has only 3 gears. Do you think that will be sufficient for my commute? I've not really cycled since I was a tean ager and I'm really not sure what I need.

http://uk.dahon.com/bikes/2010/briza-d3d7

Or if anyone has any good suggestions of other models or makes that aren't going to make me bank-rupt then that would be amazing!

Thanks in advance

Tamsin]]> Tamsin The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 06 Sep 2010 12:02:32 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7233#msg-7233 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7233#msg-7233 Live in Brighton witch is quite hilly.
I'm quite fit but could be fitter use to cycle a lot but has been a while cyleing about 1 month again about 15 to 20 miles a day.
As for disc brakes mite stick to good quality v-brakes]]> Deathwalker1701 The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:32:42 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7232#msg-7232 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7232#msg-7232
- Murray]]> MurrayLangton The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 02 Sep 2010 16:28:15 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7228,7231#msg-7231 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7228,7231#msg-7231
Contact your local cycle store to see what is available.

- Murray]]> MurrayLangton The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 02 Sep 2010 14:32:12 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7230#msg-7230 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7230,7230#msg-7230 price around 400£ or less.
Thanks for looking
All the best Glen.
Ps high all]]> Deathwalker1701 The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:46:13 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7213,7229#msg-7229 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7213,7229#msg-7229
Still plenty of time to sign up to The Macc Monster!
We’ve got cyclists coming from all over the UK to take part in this fantastic event which will raise vital funds for KidsCan Children’s Cancer Research Centre.

For more information on KidsCan you can visit the website at www.kidscan.org.uk
To sign up to The Macc Monster, please visit www.MaccMonster.co.uk

Hope to see you there!
Many thanks,

Chris]]> KidsCan Cycling Events Thu, 02 Sep 2010 13:14:19 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7228,7228#msg-7228 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7228,7228#msg-7228
My bike has quick release wheels and while I have seen bikes locked to street furniture with the front wheel removed and chained along with the rear I'm a bit reluctant to do that as it means the fork legs are resting on the ground. Are there long cable or chains that will go through both wheels whilst in situ, are of a relevant standard and possibly alarmed as well?

TIA
Simon.]]> Simon The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 02 Sep 2010 11:44:02 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7227#msg-7227 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7227#msg-7227 Ron The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 31 Aug 2010 18:30:17 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7207,7226#msg-7226 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7207,7226#msg-7226 Simon The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:20:32 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7225#msg-7225 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7225#msg-7225
A 10-15 year old mountain bike, especially if it had a decent spec for its day, is ideal.

Good hunting.]]> DocB The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:46:14 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7224#msg-7224 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7224,7224#msg-7224 Ron The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:21:24 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7173,7223#msg-7223 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7173,7223#msg-7223 Head = made of bone

If your helmet breaks, this has no bearing on the damaged caused to your head.

*but* if I was going to decide I'd rather wear a helmet on off road tracks where there is a lot more hard *edges* like (non round) rocks etc than a smooth road. Yes people have fallen over and hit heads on kerbs/roads etc and suffered damage, but people also fall over whilst walking, skipping, running etc...

Then again, if you look at DH riders they mostly use FULL FACE helmets, not some silly plastic covered polystyrene top.

One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet, is cycling without a helmet is quieter... yes we shouldn't rely on sound but having slightly better audio perception has go to be a good thing right? I'm sick and tired of my helmet sounding like a car every minute wondering where the hell it is, and being a little surprised when the sound *is* a car.


There is a really crazy video on Youtube of accidents from Chinese CCTV cameras, being China a lot of these include cyclists. Absolutely 0 of these people are wearing helmets and they all pretty much get up.

And a lot of people will tell you that A&E staff (as good as they are in emergencies) are *not* qualified to say "the helmet saved their life" or the other way around.]]> Malakym The WhyCycle Forum Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:40:47 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7222#msg-7222 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7222#msg-7222
If you *do* go for front suspension, get some with lockout.

When I moved to the road bike, I wondered how people could deal with the road surface, but a little time later I realised it really isn't that bad without suspension. Just have to remember to keep your arms slightly bent and then you have no jarring on your joints.]]> Malakym The WhyCycle Forum Sat, 28 Aug 2010 11:26:24 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7221,7221#msg-7221 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7221,7221#msg-7221
The Lancashire Loop Cycle Challenge is back for its sixth year and 2010 is going to be the biggest so far!

Take your pick between three routes; a family-friendly 18 miles, 50 miles or 100 miles, each taking you on a tour through the heart of beautiful Lancashire countryside, picturesque villages and stunning valleys on Sunday, September 26th.

There is going to be more than 250 cyclists taking part and we want you to be one of them! Simply register online for £15 (non-refundable) and we ask you to raise a minimum £45 in sponsorship. If you are cycling the 18-mile family route, a family of four (two adults, two children) can register for £30 with a minimum sponsorship of £70. Please contact us to register a family.

Each of the three routes are circular starting and finishing at Cockerham Village Hall, near Lancaster. The 18 miles is flatter and more suited for cyclists with children, while the 100 miles is solely for experienced cyclists ascending 5,000ft! Start times are 8am for 100 miles, 10am for 50 miles and 12pm for 18 miles. Full information about the day will be included in your registration pack or you can CONTACT US for further details.

Please note: you can register on the day, but will need to pay a £18 registration fee.
website
contact info: 0161 798 1600 info@medequip4kids.org.uk]]> sarahsuthers Cycling Events Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:58:52 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,5363,7220#msg-7220 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,5363,7220#msg-7220 Guy The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:24:45 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7219#msg-7219 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7219#msg-7219
I live in Feltham, south west London, UK.]]> Guy The WhyCycle Forum Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:59:06 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7218#msg-7218 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7218#msg-7218
You will certainly get conflicting advice about suspension forks.

For: they iron out bumps.

Against: something else to go wrong, extra weight, they absorb some of your pedalling energy (unless locked out), without suspension forks you should hopefully get slightly better quality components elsewhere on the bike for a given overall price.

I've been using hybrid bikes without any suspension for several decades (tyres 35 or 38 mm wide = 1.5 inches) and have found them quite OK for use on canal towpaths, reasonable gravel paths, grassy fields, and similar.

In my opinion you really only need suspension forks if you regularly ride over bumpy ground or poorly surfaced roads.

Can you provide some indication of roughly where you live (town name), in the hope that someone here could suggest some local bike shops for you to have a look at? Most of the major cycle manufacturers do offer hybrids both with and without suspension.

- Murray]]> MurrayLangton The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 23 Aug 2010 21:45:40 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7217#msg-7217 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7217,7217#msg-7217
I am looking to buy a new hybrid bike. Most of my riding is along roads, but I might go across the occasional field, and like the idea of a bike having a reasonable off-road capacity in case I ever get time to do any leisure riding....

When I tell shop owners this, they give me conflicting advice, though I think more suggest that a suspension fork wouldn't help very much unless I was going off-road a lot and would add a lot of weight to the bike which would make road cycling less easy; and that I should get a decent hybrid without suspension forks because that means that more of the price can go on better quality components.

Does that sound right? I tried a Giant shop - I really didn't like the feel of the bikes, but on a test drive, the bike with suspension forks really felt more comfortable even for road riding - as if it was absorbing the bumpiness of the road - though I don't know whether it would "weigh me down" on longer journeys. I also tried the Specialized Crosstrail, which felt extremely comfortable (I think it was the position of the saddle), but I was only able to ride it around a car-park, so I had the same question about that - and lifting the bike, it did feel quite heavy. The owner suggested the Globe Velo as being a better version of the Crosstrail for the price, as long as I could live without the suspension, but I haven't managed to find anywhere where they are in stock.

Any thoughts/advice about whether the suspension forks would be a benefit of a hindrance would be helpful.

Thank you.

Guy]]> Guy The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 23 Aug 2010 18:24:47 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7216#msg-7216 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7216#msg-7216
You should also bear in mind that changing between the front chainrings is roughly equivalent to changing 4 or 5 gears at the rear cog, so when you do change between the front chainrings you should also consider changing perhaps 2 or 3 gears on the rear cog to compensate.

You don't indicate your level of cycling experience or your level of cycling fitness. If either level is low or moderate then I would suggest that you are far better off using the small chainring for now until you have built up your strength and stamina. The time to change to the big chainring is when you are pedalling flat out in the highest gear on the small chainring and still want to go faster.

Also bear in mind that you should be in a reasonably low gear when starting off at traffic lights or whatever, so that you don't have to strain too much just to get going. As a starting point, consider either the 3rd to top gear on the small chainring or the third to bottom gear on the big chainring - obviously you'll have to experiment with different starting gears to find out what suits you.

- Murray]]> MurrayLangton The WhyCycle Forum Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:59:16 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7209,7215#msg-7215 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7209,7215#msg-7215 The question is not so much is this a good bike, as does it suit you? You say that you were more comfortable on it than the Giant so that is the main criteria. As has been said on here many times. Most bikes differ from each other in only subtle ways. The main one being the frame. Beyond that the vast majority use Shimano or possibly SRAM components for the driveline, and whilst there may be some variance in the brakes it does not matter too much so long as they stop the bike. What you will find is that one brand will have perhaps a better fork than another, but then the chainset is of a better quality on the second one. In this way different brands are able to tweak the bike to meet target price points.
If there is a big price variance in the two bikes you are looking at, and one has a lock-out fork I suggest that the two bikes are not of the same quality and there will be other differences between them as well. The purpose of the lock-out is so that you can switch to a rigid fork to save energy by not having to push the suspension up and down as you climb up hills. If you are riding mainly on roads, do you really need suspension anyway? It does add weight and cost to the bike. So for, say, £350 you would get a bike with better components and a rigid fork, than one with a suspension fork.]]> cotterpin The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:29 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7214#msg-7214 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7214#msg-7214 Good points have been made by both contributors. For an average cyclist, a comfortable cadence (the speed your legs go round) is between 60 and 70 revs per minute (ie similar to your heart beat). The emphasis is on comfortable. If in too big a gear then your cadence will be much lower, resulting in the knee problems you mention. On the other hand too low will use up too much puff leaving you out of breath. Use the gears to keep the cadence at a comfortable rate for you, going up or down the gears according to the terrain.
You will also find that you have the same or similar gears in different chainrings. For instance in the big ring and, say 4th gear, the pedals will go round at the same rate and bike speed as when you are in the smaller chainring and say top gear at the back.]]> cotterpin The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:38:02 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7213,7213#msg-7213 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?4,7213,7213#msg-7213
Just to let you know, we have a cycle sportive which we hope you'll all be able to take part in!
The Macc Monster is a brand new cycle sportive on Sunday 10th October.

It's 100km with over 7000ft of climbing which I'm sure will interest many of you!

If you would like more information on KidsCan the link is here, but getting you all interested in the cycle is more important right now!
The website will be going live today for you to have a look around, but you can also view the route on [url=www.maccmonster.co.uk]The Macc Monster Website![/url] - Places are £25 and can be paid by PayPal

You can also follow The Macc Monster on Twitter by clicking this link!

Although this event is in aid of KidsCan Children's Cancer Research Centre, sponsorship is not required. Should you want to raise any we are more than happy to send you the materials.

Thanks again!
Chris]]> KidsCan Cycling Events Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:27:55 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7212#msg-7212 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7212#msg-7212
There is one other point though. Are you using clip in pedals? If you are and they have no float and not correctly adjusted then you can get problems with your knees.]]> DocB The WhyCycle Forum Thu, 19 Aug 2010 09:32:22 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7211#msg-7211 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7211#msg-7211
Use whichever chain-ring makes it easiest for you to pedal without straining anything. Cyclists vary tremendously as to how hard they can push on the pedals and what feels like a comfortable pedalling speed; a lot depends on how used they are to cycling, how old they are, how fit they are, if the bike is the right size with the saddle and handlebars adjusted to fit their size and reach, etc. etc. so what suits one cyclist may not suit another.

As a first approximation, the front chain-rings provide a coarse gear adjustment (flat, uphill, downhill), while the rear cogs (attached to the back wheel) provide a somewhat finer adjustment so that you can adjust your gearing to suit your current situation. It is often less strain on the knees to use a lower gear and not have to push too hard, even if it does mean turning the pedals a little bit faster.

On a short journey I may use a gear which means I have to push moderately firmly on the pedals, but on a longer journey I generally change down a gear as soon as I feel I am pushing even slightly harder on the pedals; when I run out of gears to change down to I get off and walk (I personally don't stand on the pedals going up hills).

- Murray]]> MurrayLangton The WhyCycle Forum Wed, 18 Aug 2010 22:21:46 +0100 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7210#msg-7210 http://www.whycycle.co.uk/whycycle_forum/read.php?1,7210,7210#msg-7210
Does any of this ring true? Has anyone else found this and what advice can you offer.]]> Stuart The WhyCycle Forum Wed, 18 Aug 2010 21:45:10 +0100