Latest Reviews and Articles
Will your next bike be Intelligent? ABS and Smart Bike Tech
Vitus Vitesse EVO Disc Review – Speed Machine indeed!
Advice for a Novice
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:56 pm
Advice for a Novice
Postby kljubic » Sat Jul 07, 2012 8:29 am
Hoping i can get a bit of advice here.
Some background - 34 F Started riding more for fitness.
I have been riding my 8-10 yo GT AGGRESSOR Mountain Bike - had been sitting in the shed for quite a few years - only been the last year or so i have dragged it out done mainy 6-7ks round the block..Lately though since begining of May i have been riding to and from work 25ks each way once a week and a a couple other 20-25k rides every couple weeks. Really enjoying it.
I am tossing up between buying road tyres for my Mountain bike or purchasing a new/second hand Hybrid? Any Advice? Tyres i have enquired about are Armadillo's - meant to be bullet proof priced around $60 each..i just figured if i was going to spend $120 on tyres i might as well spend extra and get a new bike?? Budget for a new bike though is only around the $500 mark...can you get a decent hybrid or flat bar road bike for that price?
I am also thinking of participating in my first charity ride (40km)- i am not sure of proticole..can i just register and turn up or should i be riding that distance b4 i enter. I do not think it would be to demanding..the 25ks to work is fine.. and the ride home s fine also..i will just buy some actual cycling pants..again any recomendations?
Also there seems to be a lot of links to Bicycle Queensland implying i should have insurance...Is this recomended/necessary?
Any advice would be greatly appreciated
-
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:18 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby Ozkaban » Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:27 pm
Just be warned it's a slippery slope. Before long you'll want a roadie, then a full carbon one, then.....

As for a 40k charity ride, if you can happily cope with 25k and it's not a lot hillier, you'll be fine. Just don't get excited and hammer yourself in the first 10k! If it is hilly, just get out and have a crack on a weekend to see how you go.
Cheers,
Dave
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
-
- Posts: 1101
- Joined: Wed Sep 07, 2011 1:18 pm
- Location: Sydney
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby Ozkaban » Sat Jul 07, 2012 12:30 pm
Insurance is only worth it if something goes wrong... I'd definitely recommend it...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
- trailgumby
- Posts: 13042
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby trailgumby » Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:03 pm
I expect to be on the prowl soon for a flatbar for my daughter, who knocked me off my chair a couple of days ago by announcing she wants to ride to uni.

-
- Posts: 2039
- Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:12 pm
- Location: Southside Brisbane
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby marinmomma » Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:43 pm
I started out on a mountain bike with slick tyres and then moved onto a roadie.
I'd suggest putting the slicks on the bike and then save up a bit more to increase your budget to get a better bike....I'd suggest going for a roadie but that's me, I've loved riding my roadie, once I was used to the gears and the skinny tyres....and clip less pedals!
I saw the event that you are considering on the SEQ event thread, IMO, if you are already doing a 25 k commute then you'd be fine with the 40 k's.

-
- Posts: 2039
- Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:12 pm
- Location: Southside Brisbane
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby marinmomma » Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:46 pm

-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:56 pm
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby kljubic » Sat Jul 07, 2012 1:54 pm
Ozkaban wrote:Just saw your comments re cycling pants. Recommended, but not essential. I'd wear them for 25k.
Insurance is only worth it if something goes wrong... I'd definitely recommend it...
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
I currently do not have cycling pants i have just been wearing some Big W Slazanger compression leggings..Im fine on the 25ks to work but coming home around the last 5-10ks i get a bit tender in the seat area..however i did notice on my last ride that i was not as sore...must be toughening up a bit. ... I just figured 40ks in one go better be safe then sore..
Thanks for your advice. I will definately look into the insurance a bit more.
- trailgumby
- Posts: 13042
- Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 5:30 pm
- Location: Northern Beaches, Sydney
- Contact:
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby trailgumby » Sat Jul 07, 2012 5:40 pm
kljubic wrote:I currently do not have cycling pants i have just been wearing some Big W Slazanger compression leggings..Im fine on the 25ks to work but coming home around the last 5-10ks i get a bit tender in the seat area..however i did notice on my last ride that i was not as sore...must be toughening up a bit. ... I just figured 40ks in one go better be safe then sore..
Thanks for your advice. I will definately look into the insurance a bit more.
Depends on where you're gettign sore. If it's your sit bones, that's OK, yes they will toughen up. Your lady bits though should not be getting pressure on them.
Interesting article on female specific bike comfort issues: http://www.stevehoggbikefitting.com/art ... ve-issues/
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:56 pm
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby kljubic » Mon Jul 30, 2012 4:13 pm
I ended up getting a new Flat bar foad bike Merida Speeder t2 - i love it - i did the Logan City Charity Bike ride yesterday - 41km in 1hr 50min and am looking forward to a few more longer rides. I am going to enter the Brisbane to Gold Coast 100km and am going to start building up my distances between now and then...i know it will be hard but hey thats the challange.
I also purchased some knicks - they were very comfy also (i was quite surprised).
Thank you for all your advice.
-
- Posts: 2039
- Joined: Mon Jul 26, 2010 2:12 pm
- Location: Southside Brisbane
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby marinmomma » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:21 pm
-
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Jul 06, 2012 12:56 pm
Re: Advice for a Novice
Postby kljubic » Mon Jul 30, 2012 8:41 pm
Thanks
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Cycling Brands
- Azzurri
- Bianchi
- BMC
- Campagnolo
- Cannondale
- Cervélo
- Colnago
- Focus
- Fuji
- Garmin
- Giant
- Malvern Star
- Merida
- Scott
- Shimano
- Specialized
- SRAM
- Surly
- Trek
- Custom Builders
- Generic Carbon
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete all board cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The largest cycling discussion forum in Australia for all things bike; from new riders to seasoned bike nuts, the Australian Cycling Forums are a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.