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Getting started....again

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cyclopath

George Smith (75)
Staff member
@ TOCC

There is a law of diminishing returns with more money and bikes.
BUT, below a certain level, the quality of the frame material can be low, as can be the manufacture of said frame - i.e. more chance of frame failure. Many manufacturers won't guarantee beyond a certain period. There is quite a difference in weight, functionality and longevity of components as well between low and high end.
That said, there are plenty of bikes in the 2-3K bracket which represent great value for money.
It depends on what you want to do - as Sully says, if you're just trying to get fitter, then going super-light and expensive is largely irrelevant. If you ride with others who are pretty serious, any edge you get might matter!
Few things - depending on your size / weight you might look at different frame materials. Although they'll sell you a carbon frame without blinking, if you're >100kg be wary. Get set up right - poor position or being bunged on a frame based on your height, not your specific geometry can cause all sorts of issues ranging from poor comfort (sore arse, back, shoulder and neck pain and over / underuse of muscle groups such as too much quad / not enough glute / hammy). I'd recommend running wheels which have 25c tyres - can run at lower psi but similar rolling resistance as narrower tyres with more compliance, and I think better puncture resistance. I made the change 2 years ago and would not go back to 19c or 23c tyres.
In the East - Woolly's Wheels have a big range and good service but not super cheap; Cheeky Monkey at Randwick OK but smaller range / exxy; Europa Cycles at Kensington on Anzac Pde have a big range; Albion Cycles at Bronte (Bronte Rd) but also not cheap. In the city, Clarence St has a big range with some good deals at times.
How tall are you? What weight?
 

fatprop

George Gregan (70)
Staff member
Yeah, hills and other ways that mix stuff up are all very important.

The challenge with any type of exercise is that if you don't mix it up, physical improvement becomes more about the body becoming efficient at that exercise, than getting "fit"
 

chasmac

Dave Cowper (27)
Who's got an update on their bike fetish.
I've managed to do 100 rides this year (Strava) and 3800 kms.
Nearly all the rides are group rides that leave by 6am any day of the week.
Bought a 2nd hand carbon Giant Defy for $800 and love it.
Previous bike was a hybrid from the trading post that cost $200 but got me to work and back when I lived in Sydney.
November 2014 was when I started getting out in the Lycra.
 

redstragic

Alan Cameron (40)
Well done on the hungy. Nice k's too. My friends do the early starts as well but i like my weekend chillouts and am not ready to ride till about 10am.

I do a 12k each way commute 3 days a week and am just a couple shy of 200 rides for the year. I hit a wall about 6 months ago where i was getting no new times on strava then one day it all changed and i started getting heaps of new times again....and am still getting them.

I like that i have got to a point where getting up having a coffee and donning the lycra is just something i do now. When i started all i wanted to do was make an excuse as to why i won't ride that day.

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chasmac

Dave Cowper (27)
Well done on the hungy. Nice k's too. My friends do the early starts as well but i like my weekend chillouts and am not ready to ride till about 10am.

I do a 12k each way commute 3 days a week and am just a couple shy of 200 rides for the year. I hit a wall about 6 months ago where i was getting no new times on strava then one day it all changed and i started getting heaps of new times again..and am still getting them.

I like that i have got to a point where getting up having a coffee and donning the lycra is just something i do now. When i started all i wanted to do was make an excuse as to why i won't ride that day.

Sent from my GT-I9505 using Tapatalk
When I was in Sydney my commute was 10km each way over the harbour bridge. Quicker than the bus and a good hitout before sitting in an office all day.
When the motivation levels dropped I would get back on the bus. This wouldn't last long as the bus was tedious. Win win as I could eat whatever I liked when I was doing 70-80 km per week. I would rarely ride outside of the commute though. It is good to have a group to ride with now and I like looking at Strava to help set some goals.

Well done on your 200 rides that is a great effort. Sounds like 5000kms for the year. Awesome.

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HJ Nelson

Trevor Allan (34)
Staff member
I have a 10km commute as well. A leisurely ride along the beach is a nice way to start the day.

Currently up to 2900km for the year (commute only), and should get to 3000km by the end of the year.

Trying to make the most of it, as I'll be back to driving for 12 months, once school starts again.
 

Tex

John Thornett (49)
Strava tells me 2015 was:
- 206 hours
- 4,015km
- 38,619m elevation gain.

Best ride was a three day camping trip through the Yarra Ranges NP. Sneaked into some restricted watershed areas and found *pristine* bush within 90 mins of Melbourne CBD.

For those with Strava I recommend looking at this website. It extracts your Strava data and rearranges it into something a lot more friendly on the eyes and ticks a few more data nerd boxes.

http://veloviewer.com/
 

Jets

Paul McLean (56)
Staff member
Just completed my first ride today in 6 weeks, had been doing around 100km a week at that stage. Did just over 40km on the river loop in Brisbane and it almost killed me. Hasn't helped that I've done no exercise since my last ride. I enjoyed most of it but the last 10km I just wanted to be home.
 
T

TOCC

Guest
I'm in a similar boat, just returned home after spending a few months working overseas where I did lots of weights and no cardio.

But I've started getting back into it now, keeping the rides simple and local at the moment, just heading to centennial park for an hour and doing laps, getting around 25kms and doing that a few times a week. I find Centenial park good for the moment, plenty of riders you can 'compete' against and a nice, safe and pleasant track with a gentle incline.


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Sully

Tim Horan (67)
Staff member
I'm in the same boat. I've been sporadic at best since dad died in October and work went crazy just after.
Add the grazing in the top paddock over Christmas and you have a perfect storm.
It hit 40 klm's in on Saturday. Luckily I was only 3 klm's from home when it happened.

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