Are any dads out there cyclists? I am thinking about buying a road bike to get some cardio excercise, any advice on what to buy and any tips on riding?
Cycling????
Get what you can afford
I don't think you need to get top of the line, but if you can afford a step up from the entry level, it is usually worth it.
I started out with a Giant entry level Al bike. But once I got into cycling a little more, I moved onto a Titanium bike. As far as comfort goes, Ti or carbon fiber are probably your best bet.
Just make sure and test ride a bunch of bikes. You may also want to look into a professional fitting or there are some online fit calculators as well, that you can try out yourself.
http://www.competitivecyclist.com/za/CCY?PAGE=FIT_CALCULATOR_INTRO
Other things to consider
Crankset - Triple (53/42/30), Double (53/39), Compact (50/34), if you don't have any hills or never plan to ride any, a triple is not necessary and a double would be just fine. A compact is a compromise between the two, simplicity of only 2 chain rings, lighter weight, but still gets you the low gear ratios to climb. I live in Colorado and have a Compact with a 11-28 cassette which gives me a pretty low gear and the top end is as high as I need.
Pedals - you can get the ones where you have a cleat that snaps into the pedal (Clipless), these are good because it helps to keep your foot on the pedal when pedaling hard. The one drawback is when you have to get out. It seems like everybody falls at least once when they come to a stop and forget to clip out.
Saddle - again try different ones, more padding may seem more comfortable but that is not always true. Also bicycle shorts are definitely the best thing to wear.
And just get out there and ride... Enjoy!
Depends on you, but..
Don't sweat the details.
First, congrats! I LOVE riding, and I can't wait until my truffler turns 9 months old (coming soon!) and I'm cleared to take her with me :)
Now..
You're either the type of person that exercises just for the burn of it or the type of person that loves the ride (or somewhere in between). Either way, the performance of your bike really doesn't matter as long as it isn't an annoyance to you.
How do you avoid an annoyance? First, don't buy a really cheap bike (too heavy, crappy parts). Second, tune up or get your bike tuned up regularly (1-2 times per riding season if you're summer rider will probably do, 3-4 times year-round if you ride in the winter when the bike takes more hit points of damage). (Also, keep your tires inflated a LOT. Most people underinflate their tubes.) Third, in my opinion, don't get a road bike (by which I mean an ultralightweight bike designed for "tuck" position riding).
Why not? Your shoulders, butt, and back will ache, you won't see much of the road, your higher speed won't give you more exercise (doesn't matter what your muscles are fighting, they'll still burn). Bottom line: you won't get better exercise and you'll be less likely to ride.
Now, this advice comes from someone who used to religiously ride high-performance racing bikes. It is true that they're light and they feel like flying, but I had to stubbornly toughen my butt for good long rides, and the shoulder aches eventually sent me away.
What's the alternative? A nice upright-seated hybrid.
Or, better yet, take my solution, and ride a recumbent :). I'm as comfortable as if I were in a barca lounger and STILL get a great ride and workout :). (I sold my wife.. we now have two single recumbents and a tandem!)
Riding advice:
Let's see.. most people ride in too high a gear, your pedals should spin pretty freely as you ride (better for the knees), most people adjust their seat too low (or for recumbents, too close), your leg should be near full extension at the bottom of the stroke).
NEVER TRUST CARS, not a one of them. I've never been in an accident (with a car), at least partly because I'm ultra paranoid. I'm also VERY obvious about my intentions and courteous to cars, bikes, and peds (selfishly: to avoid an accident). SIGNAL. Come (mostly, we're not saints) to a stop at all stop signs, etc.
Get a water bladder (like Platypus or Camelbak). You will dehydrate unless you've got that little tube poking in your mouth reminding you to sip ALL the time.
Check out bike maps.. a quick Google shows one or two for the KC area, though I didn't check which KC it was.
My opinion: ride from home, not from a car "portage". Mucking about with loading and unloading the bikes just reduces your desire to ride. There's got to be plenty that's beautiful and fun to ride through nearby. Even looking at neighbourhoods that you've never walked in your area is fun!
Wear lots of sunscreen (sigh).
Wear a helmet. If you're learning to ride, you may also want wrist guards and long pants for falls.
Find the roads with good pavement, wide shoulders, few parked cars, etc. multi-lane roads also work well if you're willing to hog a lane (which is usually your legal right).
Get a mirror. I use one and ALWAYS know what's going on all around me. This is less important for upright bikes (vs. recumbents) because it's easier to look back, but put it this way: would you drive a car or motorcycle without a mirror? I use a helmet mirror, but again, this may be specific to recumbents.
Get panniers and a rack for those groceries you'll be getting via bike :). (A backpack is OK on an upright, however.)
Find a buddy to ride with, you'll both get the other riding more.
And so on..
Cheers,
Steve
(This message courtesy of a temporarily distracted baby girl.)
Entered the cyclist world
Well, I had been set on purchasing a Trek 1.2 as an entry level bike because of the reputation of Trek and it was in my price range. I went to Bike America yesterday and rode one, so today, I went to a different location of Bike America here in KC, and they didn't have the 1.2, so I was just going to go to the original store. However the sales person showed me another bike that was a 2006 model for about the same price. It is a Raleigh Grand Prix, the things I liked about it was it had a carbon seat post as well as front fork and it has the Shimano Tiagra shifters with flight deck controls (for later in my riding career), where as the Trek had Sora shifters, and 105 drive train, so I was happy about the better components for the same price.
The LBS that I went to also offers unlimited lifetime tune-ups free of charge, and no labor for installing components bought in the store, they also offer 10% off accessories for life of the bike in the store as well. I am planning on taking it on its maiden ride later this evening before dusk since the temp is 94 with a 106 heat index right now.
Nice LBS
Free tune-ups for life and free installs is a great deal! Most every shop I have asked is free tune-up for a year and don't even think of asking for free installs after you take it home. Must be the slumping sales pushing the incentive.
I'm a huge believer in last years models, there are always good deals sitting on the floor of a bike shop somewhere. That being said some of the city shops are small and don't keep that much inventory so when I ordered my last ride I didn't get much of a discount.
Don't forget your helmet, mine saved my life just days after the wife was knocked up. Some jerk almost orphaned my boys (twins) before they were even born, now he's paying their college tuition.
Enjoy the ride, my weekday evening rides/runs keep me from losing my mind! (twins)
First rides
I rode 7 miles last night and another 6 this morning, and love it. I realized a couple things though, one I need to work on holding my line, I am definitely not able to ride a straight line consistently. Secondly, I really need to build up some calluses in my butt. Last night was fine, but this mornings ride was a little uncomfortable.
One other thing that I need to develop is getting my arms used to supporting weight on the handlebars. My shoulders and wrists actually got more tired than my legs did, but all in due time.
Any suggestions on hydration packs, what should I be looking for is a good but inexpensive one?
Try Performance Bike
http://www.performancebike.com/shop/sub_cat.cfm?subcategory_id=4340
They have some good deals, I have a camelbak that works great so I don't know about the other brands they have. I usually just use bottles, one sport drink and one water. And I never put sport drink in the camelbak, that way cleaning is not an issue
As far as your backside pain, if your not wearing bike shorts get a pair (they don't look the best but really do help) also keep changing positions as you ride, stand up some, shift around on the saddle.
For the arms, I think you really want to get your lower back stronger (this is my problem) and be balanced on the back so that you are really not carrying alot of weight through your arms.
Most of this is just getting used to the position, if it still persists after a while. Maybe they could watch you ride and make sure you are positioned properly.
Costco pack?
Congrats!
(Three more weeks until I get out with my baby girl!)
I've had four different hydration packs. My latest is by FAR the best (vs. the Platypus, generic, and Camelbak I had previously). Every feature I could want and has held up beautifully for years.. and I got it at Costco for very little $$.
(Features: #1 is a very tough bag. Also has: hangers to suspend bag in the pack for good drainage, feed holes to send the tube around to the right spot (and strap it on on the shoulder strap), good bite valve + lock for the valve when not in use, good insulation, extra pocket space, TWO packs (one very minimal, one a more normal backpack) in the set, nice big reinforced screw-on cap for filling + a small drain valve for cleaning, bag is otherwise floppy (so no edges for gunk to build up in and easy to maneuver), comfortable and durable overall.)
Sadly, Costco probably rotates their inventory pretty frequently. I can't say for sure how good the current ones are, but I'd keep them in mind.
Cheers,
Steve
(This message courtesy of a temporarily distracted baby girl.)
Sore arms, costco pack...riding
Greetings all,
Although I've been a SAHD for 6 years now, I'm just now tapping into this SAHD community, and this is my first post.
I ride alot, mountain and road bike. Now days its mostly the road bike. I like to ride early before the kids are up. Its a great way to start the day, and stay energized throughout the day.
I have had many hydration packs and, like the post above, I really like the costco pack. Packs have evolved. I now like the type that can hold lots of other items - food, repair equip, clothes etc. Its also helpful if the bladder mouth is large so that filling and cleaning is easy. Must important though is fit; do the straps fit you well, are they padded etc. I only use mine for mountain biking.
As for sore arms: I have found that arm strength is important, but usually the culprit is inadequate core strength. If core muscles are not up to the task a rider will often compensate by putting too much weight on the arms. As core strength improves you can ride with a straighter and stronger back which puts more weight on the seat, not your arms - and then you can generate more peddle pressure! Of course you may also have to tinker with the fit of the bike. Don't hesitate to bring your bike back to the shop to try different angles for the stem, different seats, etc.
Bicycling magazine had a good article on core exercises for cycling in a recent issue. That article may now be on their website.
Have lots fun with your new toy, and never trust that a driver will see you.
-Brian
Core strength
Thanks for the advice. I have really started working on my core muscles recently, so hopefully this will improve my riding some, not to mention it can't hurt when it comes to going to the pool with kiddos.:)
Another addition that I am getting ready to make is the purchase of riding shoes and clipless pedals, i just don't like the toeclips that I have on it now.
Me too
I bought an entry level bicycle several weeks ago. This one:
I've enjoyed getting out in the evening. I am surprised at how much water I go through. A camelbak might be worthwhile.
Joined: 2007-10-11
Dad Points: 36