Happy happy day! I am now a cyclist!

[beeboo]

...or at least, I have a bike!

yay! Yay! YAY!

Went to the bike shop this morning and picked it up, and took it for a couple of miles spin down a lovely cycle way and even onto a road! With CARS and everything! (I'm a bit nervous of traffic )

Anyway it is fantastic and I am happy-happy-happy!



I've organising a date for some cycle training so I can get a bit more road confident so I can start commuting to work - can't wait!

Thanks to everyone who has offered advice over the last few months, the u75 cyclists have been very influential!

 

[Biddlybee]

Yay!!

 

[Miss-Shelf]

go Beebo!

it'll be a liberation and pretty soon you'll be bike bore like many of us!

 

[beeboo]

oooh, I'm impressed! I just measured my little ride which I thought was probably a bit under two miles and it was 3.5 miles - I'm not used to covering ground so quickly and so effortlessly.

This bodes well for the nine mile commute!

 

[gentlegreen]

Congratulations

I can safely predict that at some point you will look back on this as one of the best life choices you ever made. My only regret is that it took me so long to discover cycling.

 

[brixtonvilla]

Innit. Welcome to the club, you'll never leave...

 

[Janh]

welcome, enjoy the ride and please be careful

 

[Orang Utan]

Well done. What bike did you get?

 

[beeboo]

Well done. What bike did you get?

Dahon Cadenza

It folds in half which is pretty neat (the only reason I managed to talk my boyfriend into letting me have one in the flat).

It's all tucked up in a cupboard. I had to have a little peek at it when I got home

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

ah yes i rememebr, good for you, especially braving the traffic

my bike came but it was still too big for me
im not going to get a new one because its going to be wet and im a bit scared of falling off it, maybe next summer but i will probably learn to drive instead. good luck beeboo

 

[Geri]

my bike came but it was still too big for me
im not going to get a new one because its going to be wet and im a bit scared of falling off it, maybe next summer but i will probably learn to drive instead. good luck beeboo

Don't learn to drive instead! If you must, learn to drive as well as.

What size did you get? It's best to try out a few in shops for size if you are going to order online.

 

[golightly]

Dahon Cadenza

It folds in half which is pretty neat (the only reason I managed to talk my boyfriend into letting me have one in the flat).

It's all tucked up in a cupboard. I had to have a little peek at it when I got home

Looks like a good bike.

 

[Herbsman.]

have fun, but stay away from large vehicles such as buses and hgv's... never ride next to them in case they turn suddenly - either stay behind them or in front

 

[Kanda]

have fun, but stay away from large vehicles such as buses and hgv's... never ride next to them in case they turn suddenly - either stay behind them or in front

To add: Stay where you are sure they can see you, but never assume they have

 

[jusali]

Ace! Well done! You will save a fortune, be in tune with your environment, every journey will be an adventure and in theory never be held up in traffic again!
You can't lose!

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

Don't learn to drive instead! If you must, learn to drive as well as.

What size did you get? It's best to try out a few in shops for size if you are going to order online.

i couldnt get to a shop so i ordered a foldable one with 16" wheels, i thought even though im really short that that would be a good size. when it arrived the box said 20" wheel but i measured it and it was 16" and still too big. then seat was up to my lower back when i had my feet on the floor and i just didnt feel secure on it so they are taking it back
driving will be more practical especially with a child. i wonder if i can drive on the pavement if im accompanying a child

 

[beeboo]

Are you sure the 20" wasn't the frame size?

I can't wait for the weekend to go play on my bike!

I know I'm going to be tempted to try to ride it into work tomorrow, but I know I'll get into traffic and panic - I think I need to work up to it.

 

[ShiftyBagLady]

it said wheel size 20" on the box but when i measured it it was 16" it could well have been the frame size, i really dont know

you will have good weather to practise over the weekend beeboo, i doubt i would ever cycle in the rain, think of the hair!

 

[Miss-Shelf]

Are you sure the 20" wasn't the frame size?

I can't wait for the weekend to go play on my bike!

I know I'm going to be tempted to try to ride it into work tomorrow, but I know I'll get into traffic and panic - I think I need to work up to it.

when i started to ride to work, my then b/f came with me at the weekend and cycled the route slowly so i could see what i could manage and where i'd want to get off and walk it across junctions etc

that really helped - it took a while to cycle it all there and back - now I feel confident to try most roads in london (most )

he also advised me to maybe cycle there one morning and bus it back, bus in next day and cycle home to minimise the potential stress of a new activity.

good advice

 

[beeboo]

you will have good weather to practise over the weekend beeboo, i doubt i would ever cycle in the rain, think of the hair!

Never mind the rain, your helmet should wreck your hair anyway!

 

[beeboo]

when i started to ride to work, my then b/f came with me at the weekend and cycled the route slowly so i could see what i could manage and where i'd want to get off and walk it across junctions etc

This is what I'm supposed to be doing with the cycle trainer person, but I don't know yet how long I'm going to have to wait

 

[beeboo]

I am LOVING my bike soooo much!

Already feeling much more confident and enjoying the cycle to and from work and navigating the traffic is challenging in a good way.

I'm sitting here counting away the minutes till I can cycle home.

Sorry, I'm a bit obsessed

 

[Miss-Shelf]

^ knew you'd get there, just didn't know you'd get there so quick!

I love cycling home after work. Whatever sort of day I've had, being in the moment on my bike moves my mood on
i'm so much happier and appreicative of my life since I cycled - its all them endorphins.
and I lost weight and got fitter
win all round

 

[newharper]

Brilliant Beeboo, touring next.

 

[Meltingpot]

This is the best thread I've seen today! Well done beeboo.

 

[gaijingirl]

Beeboo... huge congrats - I'm so pleased for you....

....it's really about time we organised another U75 bike ride I think. I actually have a couple of nice routes which go from Headcorn (where my mate lives).... one is gentle and goes in one direction and the other more challenging going in another direction - both are circular - so all standards could be provided for. And I happen to know of a fabulous couple of pubs in the area for after-cycling fun as well as there being a great vineyard nearby and some fantastic local cider!

My life is about to become void of fun as I start my new job on Monday but maybe in a few months - especially if we get an Indian summer - we could do a good long day trip!