TeePee in shock bicycle buying horror!

[TeePee]

I am well known for my contempt for the lycra-clad hooligans who blight our british roads, and so no-one is more surprised than I am with my latest purchase:



It's a $155 (£85) Walmart special. Yes, I know it has a kickstand.

Since I don't have a car over here, and the nearest store is 4 miles away, I considered this a necessary evil. But it's actually kind of fun.

I have tried to ride in the true 'British' style, deliberately obstructing traffic, but it's hard to do when most roads have at least two lanes and a 4ft wide strip of tarmac to the side. When it's a small road with only one lane, several minutes go by between cars, so they easily overtake me.

I thought, briefly, about running red lights and relying on car drivers to break and swerve to avoid me, but the thought of a stereotypical soccer-mom piloting a 3 ton SUV was enough to discorage any attempts, and you are allowed to turn right on a red here anyway.

Riding down pedestrians was another non-starter. There are no pavements (or sidewalks), and no pedestrians, they are all cruising past in air conditioned comfort.

My sole consolation is that I have been too cheap to pay the $8 for a set of lights. But then, it doesn't get dark until after 9, so I haven't had a chance to ride at night.

I guess I'm just crap at being a British cyclist...

[herulach]

If that seat is set at the right height you got a size frame too big. Hit a bump while youre out of the saddle and say goodbye to any hope of kids

Id also be tempted to get rid of those pedals, as they look like recipes for taking chunks out of your shins.

And just as a comfort thing id see about getting some brake levers that come up so you can brake while not being on the hoods/drops.

Shy of that, looks good, bet it will get very sweaty later in the year though

[TeePee]

This was Walmart, there's only one frame size! I do use it a bit higher, but my housemate rode it before the picture was taken. I'm not sure when I'd need to come out of the sadle. I'm at an elevation of 23 feet, 5 miles from the ocean. Even if I did an insanely long ride inland to somewhere like Okeechobee, I'd only have to climb another 11 feet. The nearest Hill is either in the very north of Florida, or Cuba!

Since you mention it, both my shins are currently sporting large scabs.

[herulach]

ah right. Fair enough. Wait till you get hooked, sounds a lot like an ideal location for il pompino or maybe a spesh langster

[Rave]

That is quite absurdly cheap for what appears to be a decent-ish bike. Where are the gearshifters?

Take the kickstand off to save weight, and the wheel reflectors too, they're sod all use to anybody. Make sure the tyres are at at least 80psi for maximum speed. You could get some toeclips for the pedals- should only cost a few dollars, and they reduce the chance of foot slippage as well as improving your pedalling efficiency. You quickly learn to flip the pedal over before engaging.

[herulach]

That is quite absurdly cheap for what appears to be a decent-ish bike. Where are the gearshifters?

Take the kickstand off to save weight, and the wheel reflectors too, they're sod all use to anybody. Make sure the tyres are at at least 80psi for maximum speed. You could get some toeclips for the pedals- should only cost a few dollars, and they reduce the chance of foot slippage as well as improving your pedalling efficiency. You quickly learn to flip the pedal over before engaging.

road bike shifters work by moving the brake lever side to side

[TeePee]

Good ones do, this one has flimsy plastic shifters on top of the bars.. They had to save money somewhere I guess.

I've just got some clipless pedals and shoes which cost me about $50... And the dollar is crashing lower and lower...

[herulach]

many comedy dismounts are in your future i feel. i fell off about 5 or 6 times on my first ride out clipless, off road though. but make sure theyre set up very loose till you get used to ig

[TeePee]

If I don't post back later in the week, I've rolled over onto my back with my legs still clipped into the pedals, in front of a truck...

[5lab]

tbh that saddle is of a fine hight for a road bike - many only have short seatposts. you can get away with it due to the lower bb height and less need for control..

make sure you keep the tires up nice and high (i run 70psi on my road bike) - it does wonders for the rolling resistance.. and wear a lid. ya might not like how they look, but ones saved my life in an incident that was no fault of my own..

[Rave]

I was going to suggest clipless pedals, but I thought that might be a suggestion too far for such an avowed bicycle enemy.

Anyway, good move- clipless rocks. I might have toppled over once while I was getting used to them, but that was it. A week after putting them on my mountain bike I nailed a 2'6 bank on the way out of the supermarket carpark that I'd naver had a hope with with conventional pedals- just yanked the bike up and I was over. On the road they must have raised my average speed by at least 1mph. I'm just gutted that my achiles tendon gave up the ghost, I should really get it sorted.

[TeePee]

So lets play 'Guess how many times TP fell over today...'

On the plus side, my new cyclo-computer (A Cateye Astrale 8, $22.46), has recorded a top speed of 28.7 mph. Not bad for a newb!

Now to go and coat myself in Neosporin...

[herulach]

10 at least i would hve thought. Youre gonna get the roadiebug, youll be shaving yourlegs next.

[TeePee]

It would make cleaning my injuries a lot easier....

Not going to happen....

Ever.

[Lee H]

So lets play 'Guess how many times TP fell over today...'

Falling over on a bike at your age? clipped or no clips I never fell when cycling to college & uni etc.

What you putting on your cornflakes in the morning? Vodka

[herulach]

Falling over on a bike at your age? clipped or no clips I never fell when cycling to college & uni etc.

What you putting on your cornflakes in the morning? Vodka

bollocks, i bet even lance armstrong fell off the first time he rode clipless, certainly everyone i ride with has, and a fair few (including me) still have the odd comedy clipless moment