Education We Like to Ride Bicycles

Well, I've started Cycling to get fit (Haven't done it since I was a kid), and am cycling on a crappy cheap bike. My first bike ride was about 1 1/2 miles, then I upgrade to about 3, and then 6. Well today I did 15.6 Miles, and boy do I feel it O_O. It was great cycling to the furthest part away, all nice and downhill, wasn't out of breath or anything, coming back up was a different story I at one point literally almost collapsed from being tired (I haven't excercised for a few years, thanks to a group of "friends" who did **** all. I used to be extremely fit but then I went to collage and lost it).

Anyway, thanks to it all, my arse is destroyed, it absolutely kills me, and my thumb is hurting from the grip. And I was wondering if there was any decent, cheap saddle out there anyone can recommend? I'm not upgrading the bike, even though it's a POS yet, as I'm spending the summer in Florida, so it will be wasted space, and I'd rather not come back to it needing some work or something from staying still for a while, and I should have money then for a good bike as I'm selling my car to live in University.

So yeah, any decent cheap saddles anyone can recommend please?

 

It only hurts because your not used to it.

I bike is roughly worth maybe £1500 when I built it, I could have went crazy, but I use a £20 Charge Spoon saddle. It's cheap, looks cool but I love it.

 

There's literally nothing there apart from a frame and some leather. It has nothing to cushion blows, so when you hit something minutely hard you feel it completely. Just doesn't absorb impacts.

 

Unlucky Mankz , aleast you didn't do any serious dammage to yourself. Last time I snapped a chain I landed throat first on the bar ends which i'd luckily fitted the day before thank god, could of had a BMX handle bar through my neck otherwise.

What Cookie Monster said about warranty unfortunately. The only thing you might be able to do is crash replacement warranty on the forks, because you can't asses damage on carbon (without an X-Ray) the just write it off and basically let you exchange the crashed fork for a new one at a reduced price. Probably worth going to a Trek dealer and see what sort of a deal they can do.


@Pieface - Even if your bike is crappy there is probably some changes\adjustments you can make so it rides a bit easyer\better. Your saddle\stem\bars adjustment will affect how comfortable it is, if one of them are not set up right it can affect everything else.

Saddle adjustment: If you look at the bike side on the best way to set the angle to start with is normally flat, you may want to slightly tweak it up or down after you have everything else set. Height wise you need to be able to tip toe when stationary, also when the pedal is at the lowest point (crank in 6 o'clock position) your leg should be almost straight but leaving a slight bend so you don't damage your knees.

With regards to new saddles the Bontrager Commuter Gel Saddles are a good basic saddle for general use, you get a 30 day comfort guarantee so you can return it for a refund if you don't like it!. http://bontrager.com/model/02236

Tires!: Make sure you have them up to a decent pressure, it's surprising how much difference it will make. If you look on the side wall of the tire it will have a maximum or recommended pressure, the firmer the tires the less resistance you will have but you will feel the bumps more. You can always run the front slightly softer to absorb bumps better as it wont have as much resistance as a soft rear tire. As well as the saddle it's worth considering new tires if yours aren't ideal for the type of riding you're doing.

Might be worth posting a photo of it, i'm sure we can help with making improvements.

Edit:\ Does it say "Brooks" on the saddle Pieface?, similar sort of thing to the photo



Ill stop typing gumpf now.

 

If you need to absorb, lift your ass outta the seat.

You know I speak the truth.

 

Less snow outside now! Yay.

Anyway, answers to questions:

Mankz: what type of servicing did you get done? Did they take the chain off at all? Is it a Shimano branded chain? It's surprising how many people either don't know how or want to properly cut and reassemble a Shimano chain. I've seen quite rather a lot snap because the wrong ten-speed replacement rivet was used. Gather your chain up and take it into the shop with you so they can tell you where and how it snapped, as that is crucial and will tell you where fault lies (wrong gear or incompetent mechanic). My shop typically gets in at least one bike a week with a snapped chain due to improper installation, so it's more common than most will admit to. As well, if you had your bike in for a service and they didn't bother checking your chain for wear or a compromised link, I wouldn't be too happy a customer. Even the lowest service we offer comes with the guarantee that all crucial areas of the bike will be fit for purpose - the chain being one of the more important bits as you well found out. I'm not saying to be accusational or confrontational, as that'll get you nowhere. To echo what others have said: be calm, relaxed and work with them; they'll sort you out.

Pieface: if you've a leather saddle then you're already a leg up! Even a cheap leather saddle will ride about as well as a higher-end plastic/foam/gel saddle. That is, once it is broken in, which does take some doing. My Brooks took about a month of daily use before it began to get comfortable and get to the shape that fit me best, but it is now the most comfy thing I can park my buttocks upon. It takes time to get used to something, so go on a few more rides and see how things improve. There is also the fact that one's own posterior requires some toughening before longer distances can be covered in comfort.

 

All I know, is that it didn't snap where you normally join the chain together, it was a random link about 1/3 of the way around.

 

Well, here's pics of the crappy bike I use!





And the saddle.

 

My road bike is one that my Dad pulled out of a skip at work about 25 years ago,

Get some Lycra cycling shorts with the padded arse bit. Makes things a bit more comfortable.

 

WAHOOOO.

They found a second hand donor bike in London, after a quick phone call and collection, they are swapping parts over for me now

£190 to save my £550 bike. Im chuffed to bits.

 

IT LIVES.....



Replacement front wheel, forks, front brake, one shifter, frame - the rest was salvaged.

 

Nice one Mankz . It's always worth a try with stuff like that, any half decent shop will at least try and help.

Pieface - What sort of riding have you been doing?, your tyres are going to be really hard work on anything this time of year. The taller the tread and more spaced out it is the harder it gets to keep it rolling. This time of year I run the tires in the photo below, low profile ramped blocks that are reasonably close together. Roll really quick for MTB tyre and have enough grip for light offroad and tarmac use. It's worth investing in something more suitable, unless you are riding through mud. Also your stem looks dangerously high, there is a limit as to how high you can adjust them (usually a line stamped on it), I would double check it's not over it.

 

Small Block Eights FTMFW!!!!!!

I run these all year round for that extra bit arse sliding action in the winter. Never came off yet as my ass is usually puckered up and clinging to the saddle

 

Lol. Yer I love them too . I run the SB8's on the XC bike most of the time, on my Remedy it's F: Nevagal \ R: SB8 until it get sloppy then it's Nevagals all round at about 20psi Front 25psi Rear. Got either of those tires on all my MTB's, got a bit of a thing for Kenda's since getting a set with my Remedy. Conti's on the Road bike though.

Have you seen the Slant Six yet?, Nevagal and SB8 lovechild.

 

Thing is, it's not worth me investing really. I'm leaving in less than two months to spend the summer in Florida, and then when I come back I want to buy myself a new bike as I'm trying to sell my car. As I say, this bike is just temporary to try and get myself fit before I leave, so I don't want to be upgrading it on all different things just to buy a new bike.

 

Went on first ride today since coming back to uni.
Haven't ridden in about a month (and even then, was only to and from lectures)
Did about 10km in around 30mins.
Felt like pretty hard work most of the time.
Will try and do that everyday, maybe a little more at the weekends.
Really think I should pump my tires more though, when I'd finished I realised they were a little squidgy.

 

Just got my Transition Blindside some Saint cranks and new J7's pads for the summer, oh and replaced my Pro2 front hub BB's.. was getting a little ruff

Going Cannock Chase next weekend for the first time
Anyone with a bike that can handle the DH fancy joining me?

 

I would if I didn't have my final year submission and exams coming up.

Don't want to go biking and break my arm or something and then not be able to do my exams,


With regards to your Pro 2 hub. My mate has just bought a new bike, which had a pro 2 front hub with a 20mm bolt through axle. There was so much sideways play in the hub that the tyre would rub on the fork.
I changed the bearings for him, and when the hub was out of the fork, there was practically no play with the new bearings, when in the fork, there was only a very small amount, which I thought was acceptable.
However, a few weeks later, after one run at cannock on the follow the dog, the wheel has got more sideways play in it, still not as much as before, but more than should be there.

Has yours got any play? Any views/experience/ideas on it?

He's probably going to sell the bike pretty soon anyway, so might be a moot point, but I'd like to know as its annoying me that with fresh bearings, its still wobbly.

 

Yeah mate, had the rep who sells them in the shop the other month with some. I'm very tempted.

I can't stand Nevegal's, just took one and a Blue Groove off my Trance to swap out for SB8's. They squeaked going round corners too.

Did he buy the bike from new? If so take it back. Does it have the 2 spacers on either side which you would have had to remove to gain access to the bearings?