Second Hand Hybrid Cycles
- Thread starter Brown Bottle
- Start date
flatpopely
Prog Rock/Moderator
Apart from a helmet and hi viz I cycle in jeans and trainers on this, never had an issue.
But then I'm not doing an average of 30kph over 70k every day!
It suits me to a tee, plan to do the coast to coast on it next year.
Highly recommended.
Weekender
pfm Member
I wear a cycling bandana under my helmet to keep the sweat off. Wash bandana with the rest if my kit. Keeps the helmet padded inserts in better nick. I've also washed them on occasion.
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-summer-bandana/
https://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-summer-bandana/
Brown Bottle
UTB
I was aching a bit last night when I went to bed and fully expected to wake up feeling like I'd dropped the soap in the prison shower, fortunately I feel fine today. Now trying to get away from the office to get out on it again!!
Cheers BB
Cheers BB
Take a tip. If you do the C2C, buy some cycling shorts beforehand. I'm not suggesting that you dress up like Lance Armstrong, just get some proper cycling shorts. They can be baggy or tight, and you can put normal shorts on over them if you want. Just avoid the normal grundies and jeans until you get to the pub at night, because trust me, if you cycle a decent distance and the seam of your jeans wears a hole in that bit of skin between your wedding tackle and your fundamental orifice, you will not like it. You will like it still less if you cycle the next day.Apart from a helmet and hi viz I cycle in jeans and trainers on this, never had an issue.
But then I'm not doing an average of 30kph over 70k every day!
It suits me to a tee, plan to do the coast to coast on it next year.
Highly recommended.
AudioAl
pfm Member
Brown Bottle
UTB
Been out 6 times in last 2 weeks, despite 2 ‘heavy’ Saturday nights I lost 6 pounds. Well chuffed, I was very careful with my diet on the other 12 days.
Cheers BB
Cheers BB
clifftaylor
Absolutely retired!
gintonic
50 shades of grey pussy cats
actually you do
Brown Bottle
UTB
I’m a bit lost here. Do you have too have or have not ‘all the gear.’
I may end up with all ‘the gear’ but it will be covered up with stuff that makes me look like an overweight 51 year old Yorkshire man. Lies all round,
Cheers BB
You don't need any gear beyond a pair of cycling shorts. You can put normal shorts over these or get baggies with an insert. Then just wear whatever sports gear you like. Wear a football shirt if you want, or a tutu. Just choose stuff that doesn't go soggy when you sweat a bit.
Brown Bottle
UTB
vuk
\o/ choose anarchy
as i have said before, there is only one rule, and it covers all sporting/athletic activity: would rocky (circa 1976) have warn it on his daily runs. i think even the most fashion-challenge dude can understand. if you're a real man, you are going to get (god forbid) soggy no matter what.
Any fool can be uncomfortable. Decent sports gear allows you to sweat without getting soggy, and it doesn't wear holes in you. I've had a clingy top on a wet run rub me until my nipples bled and I've had a pair of jeans wear a hole just behind my balls on a bike ride. I'll wear the right gear from now on, if Rocky didn't mind his knackers bleeding they must have saved that bit for the director's cut.
JimmyB
pfm Member
Lidl (and probably Aldi) is great for cycling shirts, socks and I've even bought a winter bib from there. Stuff wicks well.
Shorts are generally Endura as don't want to skimp there and waterproofs are lightweight packables.
A good gilet is a great thing to have but before my Endura one I used a cheap Gap one for about 10yrs until it was washed to death.
Your gears are slick now but learn to adjust them as the cables will soon stretch and it's worth not letting them get out of sync.
Shorts are generally Endura as don't want to skimp there and waterproofs are lightweight packables.
A good gilet is a great thing to have but before my Endura one I used a cheap Gap one for about 10yrs until it was washed to death.
Your gears are slick now but learn to adjust them as the cables will soon stretch and it's worth not letting them get out of sync.
glancaster
In the silicon vale
One of the great things about cycling, unlike say running, is that you can wear anything you like. There’s a whole gamut between grannies utility cycling half a mile to the shops (slowly) and people speeding along who appear to believe themselves to be members of Team Sky (RIP - bad luck guys, time to buy some new kit).
You decide how serious, fast, long, and sweaty you want it, and dress accordingly.
You decide how serious, fast, long, and sweaty you want it, and dress accordingly.
Joolzdee
pfm Member
Nice looking bike!!
If you haven't done already swap those pedals out for a pair of basic platform pedals.
A pair of DMR V8s or something similar would be about £25 and will outlast you and the bike. Just don't wear your best Loake brogues with them!!
And don't be tempted into clipless or SPD pedals....you'll spend more time on your arse than on the bike.
If you haven't done already swap those pedals out for a pair of basic platform pedals.
A pair of DMR V8s or something similar would be about £25 and will outlast you and the bike. Just don't wear your best Loake brogues with them!!
And don't be tempted into clipless or SPD pedals....you'll spend more time on your arse than on the bike.
glancaster
In the silicon vale
I bought a pair of Shimano M-324 SPD pedals for my best bike. They have a flat platform on one side and (mountain-bike style) SPDs on the other, so you can ride in normal shoes (more slowly) as well as SPD shoes. They are marketed as beginner SPD pedals, and come with Shimano multi-release cleats that you can unclip using more-or-less any twisting motion (not just in one direction as with more serious cleats). You can also adjust the unclip force all the way from hardly anything to really-quite-difficult. I started off with the hardly anything setting and gradually worked my way up as I grew in confidence, then backed off a tad from the setting I found a bit scary. At first, you have to think about unclipping in advance as you approach junctions and the like, but eventually you can leave it later until you really need to, and it becomes just a natural part of how you ride. Now very happy and, so far, time on arse = 0s. Touch wood. One slight panic (the 'bit scary' part from above), but otherwise fine.
They are not the proper 'road style' clipless pedals, so you can actually walk around more easily on the shoes, and purist roadies will tell you that you got the wrong type.
On my other bike I'm even less serious, and just fitted a pair of plastic toe clips. Even these make a real difference I find, and I wouldn't want to ride very far without these at least. Once you are used to some form of 'foot anchor', riding without seems very slippery and insecure.
Each to his own, anyway.
Kind regards
- Garry
Brown Bottle
UTB
Just to update this thread, my son got me the DMR V8s for my birthday in March. After recovering from a suspected mild bout of Covid 19 (had all the symptoms apart form fever, just got my sense of smell and taste back, 2 weeks after the other symptoms went), I got my bike out yesterday and tried it with the V8's, I've got to say for the cost the improvement is immense, they finish the bike off perfectly too.
Cheers BB