Newbie advice

My wife bought me a cheap MTB last year.
And I'm loving it. I put some semi-slicks on and am doing some
commuting, 40-50km fitness rides on weekends, did the 'Gong ride and
am pulling the kids to school on a shadow rider etc.
Now I want to take my cycling up a notch and don't quite know how.
I probably cannot afford a new bike for a while but would like to do
some group rides, maybe get into some gentle racing, learn a bit more
about the equipment that can improve my experience and give me more
reason to get fit etc.
Where should I start?
Over to you - let the wisdom of the crowd be my guide!

Simon.

On Apr 18, 1:09 pm, Simon Sharwood wrote:
My wife bought me a cheap MTB last year.
And I'm loving it. I put some semi-slicks on and am doing some
commuting, 40-50km fitness rides on weekends, did the 'Gong ride and
am pulling the kids to school on a shadow rider etc.
Now I want to take my cycling up a notch and don't quite know how.
I probably cannot afford a new bike for a while but would like to do
some group rides, maybe get into some gentle racing, learn a bit more
about the equipment that can improve my experience and give me more
reason to get fit etc.
Where should I start?
Over to you - let the wisdom of the crowd be my guide!

Simon.

Dunno about wisdom, but anyway...

What's up a notch? Decide what you want to achieve - this should help
you determine the type of bike you want/need. No point buying a roadie
if you want to hammer dirt. No point buying a mtb exclusively for road
use.

Decide your budget. Examine ebay, the Trading Post, various forums and
see what you can get that comes within budget. Re-evaluate
budget... ;^)

Ride some similar models (join a club?). Re-evaluate what you want/
need. Re-evaluate budget. ;^)

Tony F

What's up a notch?

I'm thinking road.

Simon

Simon Sharwood wrote:
What's up a notch?

I'm thinking road.

Simon

Where are you located Simon? Check out your local cycling clubs (either
road or MTB??) to see if they have any skills programs or regular bunch
rides for you to come along to. If you're seriously thinking road then
I would suggest a road bike or at least slicks and drops for your MTB.
Flat bars don't go well in a tight bunch.

--
Bean

"I've got a bike
You can ride it if you like
It's got a basket
A bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could
But I borrowed it" Pink Floyd

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

Where are you located Simon? Check out your local cycling clubs (either
road or MTB??) to see if they have any skills programs or regular bunch
rides for you to come along to. If you're seriously thinking road then
I would suggest a road bike or at least slicks and drops for your MTB.
Flat bars don't go well in a tight bunch.


Err ... slicks? Drops? Flat bars?

I really am very new to this!

Simon.

In aus.bicycle on 17 Apr 2007 22:01:01 -0700
Simon Sharwood wrote:

Where are you located Simon? Check out your local cycling clubs (either
road or MTB??) to see if they have any skills programs or regular bunch
rides for you to come along to. If you're seriously thinking road then
I would suggest a road bike or at least slicks and drops for your MTB.
Flat bars don't go well in a tight bunch.


Err ... slicks? Drops? Flat bars?

I really am very new to this!

Slicks are faster tyres. Your normal MTB has treaded wide low
pressure tyres - good for sand or gravel and bad surface, bad for
speed. So if you want to do fast type riding you would need higher
pressure tyres with not much tread.

You can get them for cheap to try at www.torpedo7.com.au check in the
MTB section under tyres. (Even if you don't go racing, you will find
high pressure slicks get you to work much faster!)

Drops are the curvy bars you see on racing type bikes. They are narrow,
and change how you sit and how you control the bike. In "bunches",
which are the really close together groups you see racer types in, you
need to be careful about getting tangled with others, so the bike and
rider have to be narrow and well controlled. Flat bars are the widish
bars that MTBs have - they give good control and are comfortable, but are
too wide and also lead to elbows out some. The bunch needs everyone to
be predictable and move the same way, so prefers everyone to be sitting
and moving in the same way.

Pretty much if you want to do anything close to road racing (rather
than just ride in a group without trying to get close together to take
advantage of the aerodynamics of being "on someone's wheel" meaning they
cut the wind for you) then you have to have a bike that's more like a
road race bike.

Best is to get one for the purpose - light and properly set up.
You'll find the MTB a bit of a handicap for anything serious.

That said, best you can do is find a club, turn up, talk to people.
Once you find one you feel happy in then you can chat about what is
needed and look at people's bikes.

Then you can decide if you get a different bike (and what kind) or if
you just mess about with yours.

Zebee

Simon Sharwood Wrote:


Err ... slicks? Drops? Flat bars?

I really am very new to this!

Hi there Simon,

May we introduce you to the wit and wisdom of Mr Sheldon Brown:

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

Enjoy your stay.


--
cfsmtb

Zebee Johnstone wrote:
In aus.bicycle on 17 Apr 2007 22:01:01 -0700
Simon Sharwood wrote:
Where are you located Simon? Check out your local cycling clubs (either
road or MTB??) to see if they have any skills programs or regular bunch
rides for you to come along to. If you're seriously thinking road then
I would suggest a road bike or at least slicks and drops for your MTB.
Flat bars don't go well in a tight bunch.

Err ... slicks? Drops? Flat bars?

:-) Sorry Simon, I couldn't b bothered writing what Zebee has provided,
hence the lingo.

Many clubs will have programs to help invite new road cyclists into the
fold. They are your best first port of call. If you can't identify the
clubs then go to your LBS (local bike shop) and ask them... likely some
of the people who work there are members. The LBS might also have
useful suggestions for the right bike for you or what you can do with
the one you have. Be mindful, if you seriously get into road cycling
you might end up with an expensive habit! :-)

--
Bean

Remove "yourfinger" before replying

On Apr 18, 3:32 pm, Bean Long wrote:
Be mindful, if you seriously get into road cycling
you might end up with an expensive habit! :-)

hehe - back to my original points - re-evaluate your budget!

Tony F
who finds mtbing can be an expensive habit, and better go order that
new derailleur now...

On Apr 19, 9:27 am, thefathippy wrote:
On Apr 18, 3:32 pm, Bean Long wrote:

Be mindful, if you seriously get into road cycling
you might end up with an expensive habit! :-)

hehe - back to my original points - re-evaluate your budget!

Tony F
who finds mtbing can be an expensive habit, and better go order that
new derailleur now...

I hit a wombat last night in westerfolds park (actually, it hit me,
three(!) times ... third time it took my front wheel out from under
me), and my rarely used MTB now needs a new front wheel