I'm a newbie!!!

So go ahead... throw things at me and make me clean yer spokes or
whatever... but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it. i just got a Fuji Crosstown 1.0 hybrid - its shiny.

Yeah, one word of advice.

RIDE!

Sammy took the words right out of my mouth, although I would add
another word to it and make it two words...

RIDE

&

ENJOY!!

or....

"Ride lots." -- Eddy Merckx

Hiya!
Ride it. Get stuff for it (like a water bottle cage and bottle, and
a patch kit, and a pump you can carry on the bike, and another one for
use at home). See if you have a loca chapter of the League of American
Bicyclists offering their "Road One" class. Love it or loathe it, at
least you'll know what it's about. And they may even cover tire repair.
Your shop may have classes on minor repairs, too.
You can even see about what local riding groups there are -- not all
are racing oriented. Some are "get out and have a good time" oriented,
and one I ride with is basically food oriented.
Wanna ride some more? See what markets, movie theaters and other
commercial venues you would normally go to are within cycling range.
Spring is here -- go exploring (take a map with you, though).

Robert Leone

On 8 Apr 2006 17:11:21 -0700, "notsomuchabikerami"
wrote, in part:

.. but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it.

Learn the group mantra;
http://sheldonbrown.com/ yadda yadda as:

http://sheldonbrown.com/beginners/index.html

Always remember, It's _ your_ road too.

Ride fast. Scream loud.

etc.
--
zk

On 8 Apr 2006 17:11:21 -0700, "notsomuchabikerami" wrote:

So go ahead... throw things at me and make me clean yer spokes or
whatever... but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it. i just got a Fuji Crosstown 1.0 hybrid - its shiny.

Ride it 'til it gets dirty.

Clean it.

Rinse and repeat.

Ron

In article .com,
"notsomuchabikerami" writes:

but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it.

Use your bicycle to explore & experience things you've
hitherto missed. It's easy to miss stuff while whizzing
past it in a car. But a bicycle is a "land canoe". It
gives you chances to experience stuff that other conveyances
don't.

And pack along some Kleenexes or a wad of t.p. for
nose-blowing, especially in cooler weather.

Learn to shoulder-check without veering.

Get a copy of John Forester's book: "Effective Cycling",
and read it.


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca

Tom Keats wrote:
In article .com,
"notsomuchabikerami" writes:

but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it.

Use your bicycle to explore & experience things you've
hitherto missed. It's easy to miss stuff while whizzing
past it in a car. But a bicycle is a "land canoe". It
gives you chances to experience stuff that other conveyances
don't.

And pack along some Kleenexes or a wad of t.p. for
nose-blowing, especially in cooler weather.

Learn to shoulder-check without veering.

Combine the two, shoulder check while doing an air hanky.

In article . com,
"landotter" writes:

Tom Keats wrote:
In article .com,
"notsomuchabikerami" writes:

but if any of you have any advice for a newbie, i'd like to
hear it.

Use your bicycle to explore & experience things you've
hitherto missed. It's easy to miss stuff while whizzing
past it in a car. But a bicycle is a "land canoe". It
gives you chances to experience stuff that other conveyances
don't.

And pack along some Kleenexes or a wad of t.p. for
nose-blowing, especially in cooler weather.

Learn to shoulder-check without veering.

Combine the two, shoulder check while doing an air hanky.

There's a bit of an art to that. With repercussions if
not adroitly executed, and being aware of which way the
wind is blowing. OTOH, in the right circumstances there
can be some satisfaction to a well-aimed "accidental"
discharge ("I'm sorry. I didn't see you.")


cheers,
Tom

--
-- Nothing is safe from me.
Above address is just a spam midden.
I'm really at: tkeats [curlicue] vcn [point] bc [point] ca