n00bie milestones

[Old and Rusty]

I use my Nokia phone, I have an E71 with built in GPS and the Sportstracker is freeware from Nokia. The Nokia touch screen phone N79 can have a Bluetooth heart rate belt incorporated as well. The Sportstracker will work with any Nokia phone with GPS and if you have a mobile internet deal you can actually go online real time during your exercise.
When you go live with it the maps will show on your phone as well. It's not quite as good as a Garmin etc as you can't input cadence and the graphs are a little sweeter with Garmin but if you already have the phone it costs nothing.
I bought an Iphone holder for my cycle so I can see the Sportstracker info as I'm riding.

[novice]

Just downloaded Sportypal app for my iphone and it seems to work fairly well.
Just need to get a good handle bar mount for the iphone now and I should be set.

[Old and Rusty]

Here ya go mate:
http://www.ibikeconsole.com/detail.asp?catid=47850&subcatid=0&pdtid=367040&private=



I love mine, it's got ports for earphones and whatever plugs in the top left of your iphone.

[drubie]

I love mine, it's got ports for earphones and whatever plugs in the top left of your iphone.

No way, not ever.

If I had that attached to my bike I'd have no room for the lever of my La-Z-Boy recliner to work. Not to mention the microwave oven and slow cooker I require for cycling distance over 5km.

[Spork!]

Weather was mild(ish) today, with a SSE breeze.
Did my longest ride since I was < 20 years old. 38k's. From home (Blackstone Heights) to Pateena Rd / Illawarra Rd intersection, near Longford. Homeward leg was fastest with that nice tailwind.
Also my first time wearing arm warmers and leg warmers in public. My self-consciousness about wearing lycra was the main thing preventing me from doing the extra 5-6 k's to the Longford Bakery and making it a 50k trip. Will have to tee up my sister in law to go for a ride with me, she'd draw all the attention for sure.

[Old and Rusty]

I love mine, it's got ports for earphones and whatever plugs in the top left of your iphone.

No way, not ever.

If I had that attached to my bike I'd have no room for the lever of my La-Z-Boy recliner to work. Not to mention the microwave oven and slow cooker I require for cycling distance over 5km.

Did you see the speakers you can get? Thinking I might get some of them to share tunes on the Tuesday night FPR.

[novice]

My self-consciousness about wearing lycra was the main thing preventing me from doing the extra 5-6 k's to the Longford Bakery and making it a 50k trip.

You Big Girls Blouse Spork!
You would have blended in nicely with all the other Lycra clad models at the Bakery.
I did my longest ride yesterday, 30.8 klm Longford - Bishopsbourne and return.
Thought I would stop at the shop when I got there for an Icy Pole before riding home, only to find out there has not been a shop at Bishopsbourne for 30 years. So went home without the Icy Pole. Got a little saddle sore from this ride. I can see it will take time to build the distance.

[Robdog]

slow cooker I require for cycling distance over 5km.

You know how long a slow cooker takes to cook anything Drubie.... are you admitting to something here?

[novice]

Just downloaded Sportypal app for my iphone and it seems to work fairly well.

Scrap that statement!
GPS takes for ever to load and doesn't seem to record the entire trip. Drops out occasionally.
Too inconsistant for my liking.
Back to more research. Might have to splurge the cash and get a Garmin bike computer.

[icoz]

Just did my 5th ride since getting into the sport of cycling just a touch under 70kms, felt cooked at the end of it. Maybe not enough food during the ride, must remeber to take a couple of aldi museli bars next time. Now however suffering terribly from upgrade-itis!!

[drubie]

slow cooker I require for cycling distance over 5km.

You know how long a slow cooker takes to cook anything Drubie.... are you admitting to something here?

I'm admitting to getting in trouble by the time I got home a couple of weekends ago after doing a tough 100km. It would probably have been a nicer reception if I showed up with a slow cooker full of lamb shanks

More seriously, I can't see how anybody operates an iphone attached to the handle bars - I have trouble enough with a 1 button cycle computer, especially with winter gloves on.

[Old and Rusty]

More seriously, I can't see how anybody operates an iphone attached to the handle bars - I have trouble enough with a 1 button cycle computer, especially with winter gloves on.

I know the roads suck in Farmidale

There's no operating, you choose the program, pop it in the case and it acquires the GPS satellites while you pop your gloves and helmet on then press 1 button to start. The program auto pauses when you do under 2kph and to manually pause/stop you hit the same button. I can select backlight to stay on when that program is running and all the info is on one easily read screen. The speed is real time and easier to read tan my bike comp.

@Novice
My GPS played up if I had it in my pocket or seat bag but in the holder it's faultless. They acquire much faster if the phone is still while it's starting up, less than 30 seconds for mine.

[novice]

Week 5 since getting my bike and today clocked over the 500 klm mark.
Getting better and looking forward to the daily ride.
Also dropped 5 kilo's so its all looking positive. Made a few forum friends along the way
Small steps towards a long term and permanent goal.

[you cannot be sirrus]

Did my first 60km run this morning, even wore a cycling shirt, shoes and nicks (albeit under my shorts). I met up with a cycling buddy on the way home who was with a group of 5 others and I tagged along which encouraged me to go that little bit harder on the hills heading back home. Result, longest ride to date, increased my average speed for the run and can't wait for the next ride.
SWMBO still says I can't get a new bike yet.

[Spork!]

Finally did my Longford ride, but (AT) 14c was too cold to stop and refuel, so as soon as I hit the 25k mark (on Woolmers Lane) I turned around and headed for home. Did the 50k's on 1 Woolworth's Trail Bar, 1 liter of staminade and 1 liter of water. Feeling pretty happy now, and confident I will manage 100k ride by the end of the year.
Saw Tassies most optomistic gardener at Longford. A gentle southerly was making the avenue of oaks shed their leaves, and he was attempting to clear his bit with a blower vac. I LOL'd as I rode past, he just shrugged.

Anyone here done any TBUG (Tamar Bicycle Users Group) rides? Sounds like they cater for the casual rather than the competitive cyclist. They have a 45k ride + coffee coming up on the 20th starting and finishing at Hagley. http://www.tbug.org.au/content.php?page=Calendar
Would be great to meet a couple of you other Northern Tasmanian Noobies. I plan to be there if the weather is fine. That will be another milestone for me - first group ride.

[goneriding]

Saw Tassies most optomistic gardener at Longford. A gentle southerly was making the avenue of oaks shed their leaves, and he was attempting to clear his bit with a blower vac

Probably married!

[hh445f]

Well here goes.Took up riding at the start of feb this year, and I thought that if I did 12 km in a ride I was pretty good. I too smoked for about 18 years on and off. More on than off and I know the feeling of when you feel that your lungs are going to explode after just a short ride. But this moring I was on the bike at 7.30am[ it was cold] but I persisted and did a 50km trip incorperating part of the merri creek trail. With each ride it becomes easier to breath and the urge to wack yourself in the back of the head for smoking for all those years gets stronger. I am aiming for the 100km by the end of the year. Only one problem. I need to find a more comfy saddle. My bum herts.

[novice]

I need to find a more comfy saddle. My bum herts.

I know exactly how you feel.
Have been riding for 5 weeks now doing two sessions a day at 1 hour each (except Sundays).
Have changed saddles and got an improvement, but still find it tough to go beyond 90 minutes as the rear end wont take anymore.
Legs feel like they can go all day, just need the bum to keep up.

Saw Tassies most optomistic gardener at Longford. A gentle southerly was making the avenue of oaks shed their leaves, and he was attempting to clear his bit with a blower vac.

Spork, I saw this guy as well today. You must have just about passed me.
Would be interested in the tbug group ride, but don't know if I can do the 45 klm's yet. Best I have done is 32 klm.

[Mulger bill]

Give yer bums time to toughen up a bit fellers, it will take a while.
Sometimes the saddle you're riding just won't suit your bum. If you've got a few hundred kms in and yer still hurting is the time to look for new.
It's prolly the most individual part of your bike, our advice is limited because we don't have your bums.

Can I suggest you read what Sheldon Brown has to say on the subject and maybe try a few judicious position tweaks, do so in very small increments in one dimension at a time, ride at least a few hours and reconsider. Keep a log of what you do and mark your saddle rails with a texta so you can go back to the start if needed.

Shaun

[icoz]

My first 100k ride yesterday. Was pretty pooped after 80k's but gritted the teath and did it. Am a little sore today but all good.

[Spork!]

Congrats icoz. I hope to be posting something similar by the end of the year.

[SeditionTrial]

well done icoz on the metric century -- solo or with a group?

[novice]

My first 100k ride yesterday.

I am envious. Well done.
I did my longest ride yet, today. 38 klm in 1 hour 45 minutes at average 20 klm/hr and I was absolutly stuffed, (well my butt was)
Then again I am 50 years old and weigh 138kg, so I suppose thats not bad. Baby steps!
100 klm looks a long way off for me. I would be happy with 50.

[hh445f]

My first 100k ride yesterday. Was pretty pooped after 80k's but gritted the teath and did it. Am a little sore today but all good.

Good onya icoz. Was that on a roadbike or other.

[icoz]

My first 100k ride yesterday. Was pretty pooped after 80k's but gritted the teath and did it. Am a little sore today but all good.

Good onya icoz. Was that on a roadbike or other.

Roadbike mate, Trek 2.1.