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Adam finally gets to ride his new bike!

6/4/2014

1 Comment

 
Although purchased almost 4 weeks ago, Adam hadn't yet been out on his new bike, due to weather and work-shift changes.
Well the weather in Northumberland was a little kinder yesterday, and we ventured-out. 
An important first session, Adam hasn't ridden a bike since passing his test at 17, and has NEVER ridden a road-bike before. 
To the uninitiated, a bike is a bike is a bike. Usually to be found with a saddle, handlebars, two wheels and some pedals. 
Those that do ride however, will understand road-cycling is different - different position & feel sat on the bike, and crucially, the way you ride is different: pot-holes and poor surfaces you simply mash-over on your mountain-bike or hybrid, have the potential to inflict major damage on the more delicate wheels of a road bike, not to say the rider! So, you look ahead more, you plan ahead more as irrespective of how powerful your brakes are in grabbing the wheel rim (unlike MTB's/hybrids, discs are rare - we care more about weight!), you've only got a few mm's of rubber on the road so shedding speed needs more control & planning. And as Adam observed within the first mile of our ride - poorly-surfaced C-cat roads from my house to nearest civilisation - YOU are the suspension on a road-bike.
We did a loop of 22 miles at a steady pace - I was more interested in making sure Adam's position and riding style were comfortable, and that he was thinking about unclipping/clipping-in to the pedals (again, totally new experience) all the time he needed. No issues at all (maybe next-time out, we ALL did that slow-mo fall over to the side at 0.1 mph!!).
A slight few spots of rain at about mile 8 started to get heavier - and we had foolishly checked the forecast which indicated no rain until mid afternoon - taking refuge under a bus-shelter until it lightened-up a bit, although we seemed to catch-up to the rain again, so, now throughly wet-through, we took a bigger loop back rather than straight-home. You can see our route on the "My Strava" tab at the top of the page.
 
Really pleased - except the part 2 miles from home (i.e. after 20 miles), where Adam just rocketed up the hill as if it were merely a bump, leaving me for dead huffing and puffing to haul myself up it. Bloody youngsters!!!

Still, a key day/ride, and here's to many more through the coming months as our training progresses.
(still think his bike needs some - ahem - "ballast" in the frame tubes.......)
Picture
1 Comment
Stretch Armstrong
6/4/2014 12:47:22 pm

So you're back! Lance said he'd got a tip off from the new head of the world anti doping authority, Oprah.W. Said that that Anusol junkie had tipped up in Northumberland with another Parkinson's scam. This time with a 'fall guy' - Adam 'The Mule'. Well you won't get away with it this year. Michael Parkinson, Parky to me and Robbie, said he hadn't received a bean from last year's ruse and I also had a strongly worded email from the head of Lancashire county council, requesting I unmasking the blighter who caused mayhem down Blackpool promenade last year. The Illuminations had to be postponed! I presume this year you're off to France to make the caper seem more plausible? Well, let me tell you this - French customs will be donning the rubber gloves faster than The Mule can squeak "Preparation-H" and even if they don't get you for illegally importing Anusol, they'll still pinch you for trafficking rent boys. "Father and Son" pah - they've heard it all before. I'll be keeping a close eye on this website from now on!

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    F1 fanatic, enjoy travel, interested in technology, photography - oh, and re-ignited interest in [road] cycling!

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