Advice for my road cycling commute (Inner city)

Roady

Roady

Roady

Soldato
Joined
18 Oct 2002
Posts
8,544
Location
Hereford
Hi guys

I started cycling last November for my work commute (7km along inner 'city', with no hills) and have tried to do 4 days a week since then... I've lost close to 3" off my waist-line and just under 2 stone - but now I've found I'm putting on more weight! Nothing diet wise has changed and my legs are defo more toned than a few months ago, I guess I am just building muscle rather than losing fat? Anything I can do (I'm not too bothered but another half stone loss would be nice!)

I've been using Strava to monitor my progress and without it I'm pretty sure I wouldn't still be cycling! :D :eek:

Anyway onto my bikes and the real gaps in my knowledge... Prior to last November I hadn't ridden a bike since the age of around 17/18 (I'm nearly 34 now). I caught a deal at Halfords (my budget was quite low - £180) and figured the '6-week service' they do as part of a purchase would be a good choice and picked up the Carrera Subway hybrid. It was a good introduction or starter for me but as I've got better/fitter and more conditioned I reached the end of the use of the bike, I'm still intending on keeping it for the winter. ;)

A month ago (or slightly less) I took advantage of another Halfords deal and picked up a road bike, I immediately noticed the difference.

But before we go any further, I do realise that Halfords is not the best place to go for bikes and I really wouldn't trust them with more advanced things - but the bike I picked up was again within my limited budget (£299) and the reviews I read online reassured me for my budget I wouldn't find much more (without risking buying a S/H stinker!)

I picked up the Carrera Virtuoso and changed the pedals to some 'normal' flats... I'm fully expecting to change the tyres before long and will go for some SPD's in due time (A520's). But onto why I've posted this here...

Firstly now I've got used to the road bike I'm noticing more about my use of it, coming from flat handlebars to the racer style I found hard. I'm getting there but still find quite a strain on my inner arms, is there something I can do with my body/seat positioning to help solve this? I've only dropped down onto the lower bars a couple of times and do not find it very easy! Again I think in time that'll come.

Next, I'm still finding the skinny tyres quite 'twitchy', especially now there has been a little rain! :rolleyes:
I know these tyres (Kendras)the Virtuoso comes with are not good, what should I be looking at next for my road commute, I've heard gators mentioned? I have yet to experience a puncture, I have a track pump and have been keeping my tyre pressure topped up (around 80psi), tyre maximum is 110psi but no recommended pressure listed.

Although I've pretty much decided on the SPD's I should get (dual use), the A520's how do I go about choosing my shoes? I'm fairly picky when it comes to footwear and have been riding in my Nike Airmax TN's and 95's. Again budget will be quite tight.

And finally, when I bought the bike from Halfords the guy explained to me about 'cross-chaining' and how I should 'half' change on the crank to avoid this (never had to do it on my hybrid)... I'm still figuring it out but now the bikes been worn in I think my front derailer is slightly catching anyway, any tips on how to adjust this or how to avoid the cross chaining?

I realise that longer-term I need to get more budget together for my next road bike...

Thanks for any advice and opinions, noob here willing to learn from you pro's! ;)
 
you'll get used to the possition sooner or later :) well done for doing it but you need to get out more to continue loosing weight..

what happened is simply your body got used to 25miles/week of cycling and that's it.. either start PUSHING really hard to get more out of your short commute - for record I do that distance a day to work and back. Or do more miles during the weekends :)

make sure you seat etc is set properly too, a lot of people drop the saddle really low on road bikes - which is incorrect and generally it should be a little higher than what you would have on a MTB - many videos on youtube etc explaining you how to set up your bike.

bike-fit is a good idea but it's extra money of course.

bars will get comfortable over time as said above but I'd recommend getting some gloves.

as far as tyres go those kendas are probably rubbish and gatorskins while good I PERSONALLY think are very overpriced.. I've done close to 7k miles on vittoria tyres and had no problems -;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/vittoria-rubino-wire-bead-clincher-tyre/ for e.g. are good and cheap.

pedal wise get mtb pedals and shoes for commuting, I've got -;

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/

with

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m064-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/

and they're great.

next time you buy a bike do ask for advice though ;) either a new thread or in the massive road cycling thread we've got going.
 
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Lots of good info from Grudas there. However, AVOID Gatorskins at all cost. I ignored this advice to my peril :p Personally I don't have an opinion on the Vittorias - they might be great - but I have recently switched to Michelin Pro4 Endurance 25mm tyres and they are really really awesome. Infinitely better than the two sets of Gatorskins I used previously and the Bontrager Race tyres I used before that. Might be a bit more than you're willing to pay though :)

Edit: Avoiding cross-chaining is mostly about not using the two extremes of gears on your front and back together. For instance, don't use your smallest front cog at the same time as your smallest back cog. Try to get in the habit of staying on the inner cogs at the back and switching your front as needed for hills/etc. If you have to go up a really steep hill then you want smallest front, largest back. Going down hill and spinning out largest front, smallest back.
 
Thanks for the wealth of good info guys, that's EXACTLY why I posted here! :D

I'll quote and my replies/further questions... Not really for grudas and Tart if anyone wants to offer their advice it'd be gladly welcomed! :cool:

grudas said:
what happened is simply your body got used to 25miles/week of cycling and that's it.. either start PUSHING really hard to get more out of your short commute
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You're right about getting used to it, my 'recovery-time' (once I'm at work and stop sweating & heartrate back to pretty much normal) is probably near 5 minutes now and since the road bike I'm finding it easier to do 4 (sometimes 5) days a week. I am still pushing myself (it's in my nature to always try and improve, Strava has helped with that!)

grudas said:
Or do more miles during the weekends :)
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I'd love to but finding the time is hard! :(

I really want to find a local route with a hill or two to test me - as I have none on my commute! I'm pretty sure they'll finish me ;)

grudas said:
make sure you seat etc is set properly too, a lot of people drop the saddle really low on road bikes - which is incorrect and generally it should be a little higher than what you would have on a MTB - many videos on youtube etc explaining you how to set up your bike.

bike-fit is a good idea but it's extra money of course.
Click to expand...

I imagine this would be better done myself (rather than Halfrauds) due to my non-existent budget? :eek:

Any guides you guys would recommend? Something like this and this?

I've only adjusted my seat and that was only to go a little higher, I did it on my hybrid a number of times as my legs got stronger - longer pedal-stroke I found (as I've got quite short legs).

grudas said:
but I'd recommend getting some gloves.
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Fingerless? I imagine these are for grip not for protection?

grudas said:
as far as tyres go those kendas are probably rubbish
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They are, many of the reviews of the bike I read prior to purchase (not just on the halfords website) mention they'll need replacing.

I'd not heard of vittoria and had the gators recommended by a few guys at work... If it were down to me I'd probably go for tyre brands I knew - Michelin (the Pro4 Endurance read well!), Pirelli, Goodyear etc. I'd happily spend £20-£30 on each tyre, any others I should be looking at?


grudas said:
pedal wise get mtb pedals and shoes for commuting, I've got -;
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-pd-m520-pedals/
with
http://www.wiggle.co.uk/shimano-m064-spd-mountain-bike-shoes/
and they're great.
Click to expand...

Those are the exact ones I've looked at, the A520's are listed cheaper other places, any recommendations on sites? I see wiggle, crc and evans mentioned everywhere but not many others!

grudas said:
next time you buy a bike do ask for advice though ;) either a new thread or in the massive road cycling thread we've got going.
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I'd continue in my own thread, I'm only on page 5 of the massive road thread lol!


FrenchTart said:
Edit: Avoiding cross-chaining is mostly about not using the two extremes of gears on your front and back together. For instance, don't use your smallest front cog at the same time as your smallest back cog. Try to get in the habit of staying on the inner cogs at the back and switching your front as needed for hills/etc. If you have to go up a really steep hill then you want smallest front, largest back. Going down hill and spinning out largest front, smallest back.
Click to expand...

I've tried this the last couple of rides, I get it and for prolonged uphill & I've change down to my lower crank, but for stop-start at traffic/crossings I don't find it very easy - even lost my chain last night and had to put it back on the crank (& lost a chunk out of my thumb doing so!) :eek:

I guess a bike with 3 cranks wouldn't have this problem (like my hybrid), bit late now! :rolleyes:
 
I'm getting there but still find quite a strain on my inner arms
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you mean muscle ache? or you are stretching to much? your arms should be ever so slightly bent and not completely straight.

if you raise your seat you have to stretch more.
if you more your seat slightly forward you counter that.


when I swapped I didn't find it uncomfortable but there's a lot more weight on my arms so sometimes it feels almost like I've been lifting dumbells after a few hours on the bike.

you might want to look into stretching exercises as well and do them before you get on the bike to warm up a little
 
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The increase in weight on my arms is probably it, I'm cycling with more bent arms this week and things don't ache as much. The ache was from the different hand position and I think I am reaching slightly!? It was from the back of my index inger over the top of my wrist and lower arm where the tendon is.

I'm going to raise my seat a little this weekend, will make sure I move it forwards too to help counter the reach! :)
 
you could possibly just be gripping the bars to tight, you shouldn't really be pulling on them at all just gently balancing of course on a steep hill you won't have much choice if you start to struggle and have to pull on the bars with quite a lot of force to keep the wheel straight
 
Roady said:
Fingerless? I imagine these are for grip not for protection?

Those are the exact ones I've looked at, the A520's are listed cheaper other places, any recommendations on sites? I see wiggle, crc and evans mentioned everywhere but not many others!

I've tried this the last couple of rides, I get it and for prolonged uphill & I've change down to my lower crank, but for stop-start at traffic/crossings I don't find it very easy - even lost my chain last night and had to put it back on the crank (& lost a chunk out of my thumb doing so!) :eek:

I guess a bike with 3 cranks wouldn't have this problem (like my hybrid), bit late now! :rolleyes:
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Fingerless gloves (and any decent cycling gloves) will have padding in all the right places to stop your hands from cramping/getting nerve damage whilst you ride. Definitely recommended :)

I use the A530 pedals and find them to be great clipped in. The few times I've had to ride using the flat side I've not enjoyed it but that is partially down to now being used to clipping really.

It sounds like your gears might need adjusting - the chain shouldn't be coming off like that. Probably just cable stretch if you've not adjusted them since getting the bike, but it could also be wear on the chainset/chain.

I ride on a compact rather than triple too and unless you're really doing a ridiculous amount of climbing it's fine - I wouldn't worry too much about missing the triple set up on your hybrid :)
 
FrenchTart said:
Fingerless gloves (and any decent cycling gloves) will have padding in all the right places to stop your hands from cramping/getting nerve damage whilst you ride. Definitely recommended :)

I use the A530 pedals and find them to be great clipped in. The few times I've had to ride using the flat side I've not enjoyed it but that is partially down to now being used to clipping really.

It sounds like your gears might need adjusting - the chain shouldn't be coming off like that. Probably just cable stretch if you've not adjusted them since getting the bike, but it could also be wear on the chainset/chain.

I ride on a compact rather than triple too and unless you're really doing a ridiculous amount of climbing it's fine - I wouldn't worry too much about missing the triple set up on your hybrid :)
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All of this
 
arknor said:
you could possibly just be gripping the bars to tight, you shouldn't really be pulling on them at all just gently balancing of course on a steep hill you won't have much choice if you start to struggle and have to pull on the bars with quite a lot of force to keep the wheel straight
Click to expand...

It's probably my grip combined with a little bit of a stretch - my arms are not used to the position, yet! Thankfully no hills on my commute but I'm determined to do more cycling (ie rather than just my commute) so I I'm looking at some local routes I can cycle evenings/weekends - the increase in exercise will make my commute even faster/easier along with more weight loss! ;)

FrenchTart said:
Fingerless gloves (and any decent cycling gloves) will have padding in all the right places to stop your hands from cramping/getting nerve damage whilst you ride. Definitely recommended :)
Click to expand...

Is Wiggle the best place for most cycling gear? Gloves/shorts/tops and even helmets/pedals?

FrenchTart said:
I use the A530 pedals and find them to be great clipped in. The few times I've had to ride using the flat side I've not enjoyed it but that is partially down to now being used to clipping really.
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I only just spotted the A520's seem to be single sided, I had originally selected them as they looked to have a larger pedal (if I'm not riding in SPD's) and had wrongly assumed they were double sided! The 530's look better suited (double sided), or are there other SPD's I should be looking at with a larger pedal surface for non-SPD riding?

FrenchTart said:
I ride on a compact rather than triple too and unless you're really doing a ridiculous amount of climbing it's fine - I wouldn't worry too much about missing the triple set up on your hybrid :)
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So 2 crank cogs (I used to call them 'drive' cogs lol :rolleyes:) is classed as 'compact'? or is it the big size difference?

As wiggle have a (seemingly) good sale on multiple things I'm figuring to buy my SPD's (& shoes) from there while it's on, even if I don't get around to fitting and using them right away! How frequently do wiggle have sales on like this? (ie how quick do I need to be)

Thanks guys
 
Wiggle are generally good price wise, yes.

A520s are indeed single sided; they're nice pedals. M520s are double sided, spd on each. I have these on my main bike and they're pretty good, but I think I prefer the a520s I used to have on my old bike. My old bike has a530s which are double sided in the sense you're after - spd one side, platform the other. The other double sided one that leaps to mind is the m324, but I've not used them.

As for chainrings... Three rings is a triple, usually something like 53/39/30, so high at the top and super low at the bottom. Combine it with a wide cassette - 11-30 or something and you have a high top gear and super low bail out granny climbing gear. A standard double is something like 53/39, 52/39 or 52/42 if you have an older, like 1980s older, bike. A double is harder work on the hills, as 39t on the small ring is no joke, unless you go for a dinner plate sprocket on the cassette, like 32t or something. A compact is typically 50/34. 50t is more than enough for most of us mere mortals - most of us can't make that much use of 50*11 or whatever - and 34t is a good small ring for climbing. I've not yet found anything I can't climb on 34*28. There's also cyclocross rings which are things like 46/36, but I can't really see why you'd bother on the road.
 
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Dunks said:
FrenchTart, what's wrong with Gatorskins? Seem to have great reviews and I've just fitted some Hardshells to my bike!
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I had a set of regular Gatorskins for about 1.5k miles and after that a set of Hardshells for 2k miles. Utterly guff. Puncture protection on the Hardshells is pretty nice but their grip in the wet (and even in the dry) is awful. Since changing over to Michelin Pro4 Endurance tyres I can corner with much more confidence and I don't feel like I'm going to crash the instant the ground gets a little damp.

Roady said:
*snip*
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I buy most of my stuff from Wiggle and CRC. Sometimes from Planet X too. They all have sales quite regularly and it can be hard to keep track of what a 'real' price is versus a sale price.

The A530s are single-sided too. To be honest I'd seriously consider just biting the bullet and getting something like the M520 at the same time as some cycling shoes. Since moving over to clipless I have ridden using the flats literally twice - and I don't plan to again if I can possibly avoid it.

2 cogs at the front will either be a double or a compact. Compacts tend to have smaller cogs and hence they make climbing easier than a standard double. I've not really heard to them referred to as crank cogs but that could just be me missing out on a common term :)

Definitely keep it with regards to weight loss and the like. I've found cycling great for weight loss and fitness :)

Vonhelmet said:
There's also cyclocross rings which are things like 46/36, but I can't really see why you'd bother on the road.
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Yeah. My bike is 46/36 due to being a CX and I tend to spin out quite often on downhill. I'm a bit concerned about changing up though as I'm quite used to it now.
 
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Vonhelmet said:
There's also cyclocross rings which are things like 46/36, but I can't really see why you'd bother on the road.
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yea 46/36 with a 12-28 cassette which I have tops out at around 33mph at 100 cadence which is slightly to short for those nice descents.

I can't say I miss the granny ring from my hybrid all that much any more as mostly I'm using the 46 chain ring anyway even from standing starts.

What you seem to get on a triple is a really crappy gear range with loads of gears that overlap instead of a fairly linear spacing slowly shifting from one gear to the next always finding the one you want without any huge jumps in effort
 
Dunks said:
FrenchTart, what's wrong with Gatorskins? Seem to have great reviews and I've just fitted some Hardshells to my bike!
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I have some on mine and coming from some cheap conti sports they have less grip but more importantly worse feel - you feel on top of the road not gripping it and while i have not had full loss of grip i have far less confidence in them.

They have been puncture free for me and that is a huge thing, i only got them as i had to get a tyre from Halfords one day and thats all they had - i added a second and will run them but likely not buy again.
 
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