Pedal Power

[Aussie Mike]

I've been slowly turning into a bit of a fat bastard over the years. I decided to do something about it the other day and bought myself a bicycle a week and a half back.

I've been commuting about 15K's each way to work and done a couple of rides around home. I just ticked over my first 100KM this morning.

Hoping to get a bit fitter and loose a few KG's

Anyone else interested in pedal power?

Cheers

[letsboogie351]

Yes! of course Mike!
Right foot down and left foot up

[Aussie Mike]

Originally Posted by letsboogie351

Yes! of course Mike!
Right foot down and left foot up

Unfortunately with this machine that sequence needs to be follwed with left foot down and right foot up. Repeat untill you get to work or you run out of puff (Which ever comes first).

[Gav]

Wasn't it you that informed me that it should be law that you can run down 1 cyclist a year Mike?

[leroy17]

I am interested..... Just don't do it enough.

I used to race BMX and then mountain bikes,went to Aussie and world titles and still have my original world tiles bike restored and where I see it every day.

I ride a custom one now which is my favoite...... Work and an active 2yo little girl means that I just don't get much time to ride at he moment.

Can put up a pic later if anyone is interested.... Of bikes... Not me

[Towmaster]

Originally Posted by leroy17

I am interested..... Just don't do it enough.

I used to race BMX and then mountain bikes,went to Aussie and world titles and still have my original world tiles bike restored and where I see it every day.

I ride a custom one now which is my favoite...... Work and an active 2yo little girl means that I just don't get much time to ride at he moment.

Can put up a pic later if anyone is interested.... Of bikes... Not me

Yep me too, went to Triathlon World Champs in CanCun in November 2002... Seems like just yesterday.....

[FWB]

you should be proud....fat bastard makes decent wines

Fat Bastard Wines

[letsboogie351]

"I've been slowly turning into a bit of a fat bastard over the years"
Actualy Mike I'm getting the same condition and should get back onto a treadly but I got rid of it some years back. Although if i get another I don't know what it should be. I don't fancy throwing a leg over another racer their saddles are a bit too narrow and uncomfortable now for my little bum!

Doug

[Aussie Mike]

I was worried about how uncofortable the seat was going to be on a racer. Especially with my 100KG+ of weight squashing some rather sensitive bits down there.

Thankfully these days you can buy mountain bike shorts that have lycra inner shorts with padding in all the right spots. They just look like board shorts. All the comfort of propper bike shorts without having to look like an overstuffed sausage.

I've been doing a 15K ride each way to work and they have been surprisingly comfee.

Some of the commuter bikes and flat bar road bikes these days are great. All the good running gear of a racer but with the more comfortable riding position of a mountain bike.

Cheers

[jcraigau]

Same, used to race BMX back in the early '80s, went to the Aussie titles in Melbourne in 82.
Still have my #3 state plate from that year in my study along with the very dusty trophies...
Back in '07 I got back into indoor cycling when I lived in Sydney. Bought one of those friction wheels from clarence cycles and sat in the study watching the full 6 series of Sopranos, 30 minutes, twice a day. In 6 months lost 10Kg from no fried food, no beer and the cycling, so it can be done.

[stephen low]

Good work Mike keep it up you will appreciate the aerobic fitness and loss of weight.

I stupidly turned to Super-rules footy (fat bastards footy) to help my brother and the local club. No issues with puff but my 50- something old Achilles went snap two games in. That was almost two years ago now.

I found road bikes about a year ago to help with the calf strengthening exercise and wished I'd discovered this sooner. Current normal morning regular ride before work is some 42km in 90 minutes.

However this has also led to that interesting state of becoming a Mamil - "middle aged male in lycra", and on a somewhat local hill that very interesting experience of riding downhill as fast as the cars in a posted 60kph speed limit zone.

However now that its getting chilly again in the mornings I look forward to the return of spring already for less invigorating rides!!

Ignoring the telly tuby this bike belonged to a young bloke that had just gone A grade.



It is a four year old second hand carbon bike I got for $900 and I've done over a 1000km in the year I've owned it now.

Cheers

Slo

[Dimis]

Mike,
I'll admit I'm a lycra wearing cyclist...

You start your fat a$$ on a mountain bike and swear you'll never eat yogurt and never be seen dead in lycra, just like I use to.
Then before you know it you'll be shaving your legs and tipping in thousands to fund the habit.

I used to ride a lot as a kid, I got my car and motorbike license, and I quickly forgot the joys of riding.

On the commute to work, particularly on rainy days, I recall thinking - "those poor cyclist... what a bunch of suckers, all cold and wet ."

Then caught in traffic one day I said bugger that, I'm riding to work tomorrow. Before I knew that 18km trip to work was quicker door to door on my bicycle.

Now, on those rainy days I look into those cars and think to myself, "poor suckers, don't know what they're missing"

Keep at it, you'll be surprised how far you can cover. I've managed as far as 210km in a day on those skin hard road bike seats. Put a pin on a map and actually see how far that is. Most people shirk at the thought of doing it in a car.

Here's a pic of my old machine:
[IMG][/IMG]

Weighed 6.7kg and was an absolute beauty to ride.
New machine on its way weighs in at 5.9kg and is simply put a magic carpet ride

PS: Riding a mountain bike compared to a road bike, is like competing in an Olympic running race, while wearing gumboots
Ditch the mountain bike, get a roady - Many wheels can accommodate 100kg no problems.

[Aussie Mike]

I bought a road bike a week and a half back and I've done 120KM on it already. I park and ride, drive part way in with the bike in the back of the ute and ride the rest. I'm doing about 30KM a day. Did a couple of rides locally and 3 days riding to work so far. I hate exercise generally but I'm enjoying this.

I bought a carbon framed HASA. It's a Taiwanese frame (Most of the big name frames are made there anyway). Despite it's origins the quality seems top notch. All the running gear is good stuff. Shimano 105 and Mavic Aksium wheels etc.

It weighs 8.2KG which is probably less than half the last road bike I owned.

My theory was buy something fairly decent to start rather than a $500 commuter bike bike because if I stick at it I probably would have bought something better anyway. I'm very happy with it so far.



Cheers

[Aussie Mike]

Very nice bikes Slowy and Dimis.

I like you Dimis cycled everywhere when I was a kid and up untill I was about 18 where the interest in Cars and Motorbikes had well and truly take over.

My last road bike was a green framed 10 speed Raleigh Arena back in the early 80's. Loved that bike but the new ones really do make it look like a dinosaur.


Cheers

[RODA]

Mike,
You need to careful this is only just the beginning, once you get started then you get hooked. I started riding again after a knee reconstruction about 6 years ago now my bike is a very regular source of transport. Then it gets worse you decide that you mite do a slightly longer ride, then some one suggest you should do the around the bay in a day and on and on it goes. So 6 years on it progressed to multi sport racing which is running ride and kayaking. Them stupidity takes over to point that this Sunday at the ripe age of 52 I am doing the Marysville to Melbourne multi sport race that consists of a 20km trail run 90 km ride 12 km run 31 km paddle. So as I said Mike be careful it can become very addictive
Rod

[Modena]

yep, when you set off from home, ride to Mt Donna Buang, scale it, then ride home, you'll know you're in shape

90km/h on a bike is fun, but scary!

[750hp]

Mike, you're better suited to two wheels without the pedals.
Come to think of it, you look a bit like Chopper Read in this...



The last time I rode a pushy was a couple of years ago when I went mountain biking for a few hours. Pretty tough track, and I was with a guy who used to race with leroy17, along with his Australian sorting rep wife. I just about had a heart attack...!

[Aussie Mike]

I've been looking at getting another motorbike for a while or resurecting the cafe racer. I'm keen on just getting something I can just jump on and ride.

Rather partial to the Buell XB12SS.



Tuned up Harley 1200 Sportster power plant in a sporting chassis. I kind of think of them as the Motorcycle equivalent of the Cobra. Unrefined lumpy low reving american motor combined with a lightweight razor sharp chassis.

It's the bare minimum motorcycle. Kind of just a big motor with wheels stuck on each end of it.

The other thing I like about them is there is virtually no maintenence. Pushrods with hydraulic lifters and belt final drive. Just change the oil and ride it.

Cheers

[Aussie Mike]

Rode to work 3 times so far. Trying to ride to work at least twice a week.

Yesterday I went and scouted out a different path to the city. I rode the Moonee Ponds creek trail. Have to say it wasn interesting wit lots of ups and downs and corners but could be painfull if you mess up as it's a steep drop down innto the creek in places. I'll leave that one for summer as it was a bit worrying in the fading light. You would need good lights to ride it at night.

Tomorrow I reckon I'll try riding to the station and then taking the train to Sunshine and then riding the rest of the way in.

Cheers

[RODA]

Mike

Sounding like your starting to get hooked on this riding thing careful before you know you will doing longer and longer rides

Rod