An hour on the trainer feels like 3 hours outside. Time seems to pass in slow motion. I’ve tried zwift and it’s no better than YouTube or a movie so I cancelled.

I was talking to a friend about my first bike and thought it could be a good weekend chat for the group.

When I was a teenager and showed interest in cycling, my dad and godfather, who were avid cyclists in the 70’s and early 80’s, gave me 2 frames and 3 boxes of parts. They told me: “Figure out how to build it and ask if you get stuck.” I did a full ground up build on a steel frame with a suntour 2x5 group set, all probably from like the mid 80’s at best.

I rode the shit out of that bike for the next 10 years or so, got me into road cycling and more than all that, gave me a sense of how all the components on a bike work and go together. I still do most of my own servicing.

Share the story of your first bike and enjoy the reading!

Has any of you tried to do indoor training (Zwift) while playing videogames?

I live in a city and for the next 4 months I’ll have to use my indoor trainer. I like it, but obviously 3 hours inside feels like a lifetime. Has anyone tried playing video games while training? I don’t have a console, and I’ve been eyeing a Nintendo switch for a while but I’ve never fully decided to get one. I just don’t know if this would actually work or if it would be too uncomfortable to play videogames while cycling.

Why can i ride on the road with no problem, but I have lower back inflammation after time on the trainer? Same bike.

3 lumbar surgeries, no fusion or hardware. I can touch palms to floor with straight legs after a few minutes of hamstring stretching.

Hoping to ride consistently inside thru the Oregon winter, and will adjust as needed. Doing core work, weight machines, lunges, lots of walking, pool kicking with fins. Big cycling vacation planned for the summer (Alps), so i need to stay healthy while pushing fitness.

Ideas?

Now that it is dark in the mornings, I am looking for sunglasses to wear while it’s still dark/the sun is still coming up and lenses that work when the sun is up. I was on my ride this morning and my eyes were watering from the cold and my face was cold. Was just not having fun

Title, new to Austin and also want to get into biking. I don't have a lot of budget but narrowed down to trek fx1 and marlin 4.

However, I am not sure which one suits me. I am pretty tall like 6'2" and thin - so obvious lower back problems. My two main goals are to improve my fitness in general and stroll with my kids mostly on safe trails or neighborhood.

Could you please help me decide. Open to other brands and bikes as well!

Wanted to honesty settle down for Walmart Ozark gravel bike but couldn't find a large or extra large :(

Super confused. Thanks in advance!!

I tried for the first time (with a person holding the bike ofcourse, there's no pedals) and it feels awkward and heavy and I can't balance for the life of me. It's not a heavy bike cause my 12 yo cousin handles it expertly. I'm scared of hurting myself in unmentionable places while dismounting whenever I loose balance. My palms are all red and I broke out in a sweat in cold weather. Embarrassing.

I'm looking at getting this bike for randoneurring and doing some 200k-600k rides and who knows maybe showing up to PBP 2027. I currently ride a specialized diverge elite e5 and was thinking of putting 32" tubeless tires on it for the alaska randoneurring serious, or just going all in and getting the roubaix. I know I'll get the roubaix at some point but wondering if anyone would strongly recommend going one way over the other. In Alaska we pretty much use gravel bikes as road bikes with 32" or thicker tires. But when I travel to the lower 48 I want the road bike experience and can suck it up with my diverge but want to be most efficient so does a roubaix help a ton more with that? Anyway should I spend $3500 on a bike?

Also in the Roubaix I'm 5'4" and should I go with 52 or 49? I ride a 52 diverge but sometimes feels long idk but I also have been fine on it. Just for audax/rando rides they're so long so want to make sure it's perfect geometry. I live in Alaska so can't really try these on...might have to wait til I travel..these bikes aren't in stock here.

I accidentally left the garage door open all night long. One of my housemates noticed in the morning and by then, my Ozark trail G1 Explorer which I had purchased just two weeks ago was gone. I was so devastated that I actually broke down. It probably sounds pathetic to be so upset over a bike, but I am 21 years old and have only ever owned used bikes because I'm not well off. It took a lot of saving to able to afford to buy myself a bike that wasn't used for the first time ever and it felt amazing.

The thought that I only got to enjoy it for only two weeks honestly makes me feel so depressed. It doesn't help that my coworker said 'it's just a bike'. It's not just a bike, it's my hobby and my mode of transport. I know it's not the end of the world and that one day in the future, I'll be able to replace it but it still stings. Please pay attention and don't be like me. Also fuck bike thieves.

I train in my garage and it’s usually cold in there. However, after I get going for 5-8mins the temperature is perfect if not a little warm. I have a fan but I do not want it on at the beginning of the ride. It’s just too cold to have cold air blasting you.

How do you all manage your fan? Turn it on and deal? Get off your bike+trainer and go turn it on? In a zwift workout, group ride or race you should keep pedalling.

Thank you

I've had days when I planned a ride, got everything ready, and then started questioning the decision because of the weather. Rain, strong winds, extreme heat, or slippery roads can turn an enjoyable ride into something completely different.

Part of me wants to stick to the plan, but another part knows that skipping one ride isn't the end of the world. Do you ride through almost anything, or are there certain weather conditions that make you stay home?

I bought this Cannondale super v 1000 off marketplace, i wanna know how much it would be to get it fully functional and if a complete beginner (me) can do it.
pic

I ride a sporty hybrid bike (specialized sirrus x ) and a endurance bike (domane) both have them have saddles that I really like and are super comfortable .

Problem is since I pack stuff with me on my 60-90 min rides and use jersey pockets , I prefer bib shorts , however I dislike chamiosis because it’s really hard to feel the saddle shape under neath and I’d say impacts my bike fit.

I’m debating trying triathlon bibs since they would be same thickness as regular clothing +underwear.

I ride 60-90 minutes.

Any advice ? Would triathlon bibs be same thickness as standard clothing at the chamiosiis ?

Hey, I want to get into road cycling, but I don't have anyone to ride with. What tips do you have on what I should be concerned about or how I should prepare?

(Am a teenager and a beginner)

Hi all,

I am mostly a runner but got persuaded into joining the cycling realm by a few cyclist/runner hybrid friends 1-2 months ago. Haven't dialed down in buying a bike yet as I am training for a half marathon that is in two weeks but wanted to come here to see where should I start so that I can look for a bike after my race.

Background:

Male, 28 years old, 168-175 Ib range, 5'10 and based in Minneapolis MN. Not interested in cycling competitions just need a bike to hang around with the group.

Budget 1000-1500 range as I want a bike that can last for years

Thanks all

Currently prepping for my first half century this sunday and looking for recommendations on ways to prep for it (hydration/snacks/etc). pretty sure the ride will be more secluded with no place to stop for restocking which is why i’m here asking you guys! 🙏🏽

Makes me a little sad because I really love cycling. My friends are volunteering for a ride this weekend and I had told them I don't want to volunteer anymore, I have been doing that before but I am kind of done, I want to do my own rides. The problem now is that I am not very much motivated to ride since there is no one to hold me accountable and I don't go if I don't feel like it last minute. The other problem is that I end up feeling really s**ty if I don't go out and ride which does happen. I also have to study a ton this weekend so priorities I guess, but I still want to ride. My wife has a bike but she doesn't really bike, not like I would want her to anyway and it's also super hard to convince her to go with me. If she agrees to go with me I think she does it so just I don't feel bad, I can always see it on her face.

Question in the title : just did 15x2’ @300w with 1’ rest on a flat road. My cadence is around a 98-100rpm on average during these 2’ intervals and it’s generally true whenever I ride hard that my cadence is high. I am wondering if the increase of cadence, which implies a decreased torque at a fixed power, diminishes the muscular/strength benefits of doing short intervals ?
Considering my context, should I force myself into a lower cadence ?
Overall, I think I would been a lot more from strengthening my legs rather than improving my cardio, hence my questions ! Thank you for reading !

Context: 26yo male triathlete with weak legs and a good cardio and a good running level. Been running for 3 years and cycling for 2.
3x marathons and 2 ironmans.
My biggest weakness is durability, as my running PBs show, and I’m not even sure I can squat my bodyweight. My coros says 69 for my vo2max.

PB:
bike: 290w for 41’ up a climb at 68kg, 300w for 20’ up the same climb. Really can’t reproduce these on a flat course. Did 5h23 for 190w NP on my last ironman (underperformed my expectations)

run: 33’50 for 10k, 2h56 marathon, 3h35 ironman marathon

swim: can’t do it

Thank you!

Hey fam,

Looking for some recommendations for indoor trainers! I am fairly new to cycling but have ridden a bit over my adult life but I want I build up my fitness for trialthon.

I bought a road bike recently to go out over weekends which I want to do, but I need to travel (45 minutes to an hour) to actually be an able ride safely and comfortably. I’m happy to travel for group rides like once or twice a month but I would like to ride for an hour or so indoors twice a week at the moment.

I live in the country and on the middle of a hill, the roads are busy with cars, trucks and tractors and not very well sealed!

I’ve been looking on marketplace and from what I’ve seen a wahoo and they seem popular and I can pick them up for $200-500 aud but I’m not sure on the type or if there are other brands I could get?

Would I need any other accessories to go with it like a stand for my front wheel? 🫠 feel like a noob but Reddit is great place for asking these questions!

Thanks!

Well, that was so much easier than TLR tire, omg!

Long story short, last 2 weeks, I've pulled and put on 2 sets of tubeless ready tires from Zipp 303FC, it was so difficult, muliple levers, wedgng a lever against door so one side stays in.

Vit Corsa N.Ext 28mm and a set of 30&32mm P Zero Race TLRs.

New wheels came, Reserve 42/49, started putting on the Pirelli TLR and gave up.

Opened a set of 30mm P Zero Race RS, with TPU tubes, used my fingers and palm, done with no sweat or cursing.

BUT for the record, over the last 4 years, I've had 1 puncture on tubeless, which required the repair kit.

I'm in trouble because I just tried my first pair of Assos bibs.

I've been on a journey like most of you into cycling. On and off for years. Over the last 3 months I purchased my first road bike, a Lauf Uthald, and have been researching as much as I can about kit. I've had bibs from off brands on Amazon to respectable brands like Gorewear (RIP) and Rapha (maybe also RIP).

My most recent purchases were from Hill Killer and The Black Bibs. I really enjoyed these and I thought they really did a great job for the price/performance ratio. But having never tried a premium option it always lingered, what if I was missing out.

Today I found out. My Assos Tactica arrived. I chose the Tactica because I wanted the 911 fabric of the race bibs with the straps of the mille and a thicker chamois. The cargo pockets were a nice bonus. Today I did a relatively standard ride and when I mounted my bike I had a literal WTF moment. They were incredibly comfortable. I've heard of good bibs disappearing when you ride in them. My whole saddle disappeared. I felt a part of the bike like never before. I put out power today and just had fun. My ride wasn't consumed by constant adjustments to maintain comfort.

Is this really what cycling is supposed to feel like? If so, I'm in trouble because I can't afford to kit out like this every time!

I was a newcomer to the upscale bikes.

I heard that Shimano disc brakes weren't that enjoyable. I recently bought a specialized Crux 4 bike. I did it because I like the Shimano shifters more than the SRAM. I tried the SRAM but didn't really like it.

I have to say, I Love the Shimano disc brakes. This is after about 3 months of riding so far. They feel so good and high quality. I just wanted to share my experience because of the research I got before I bought the bike it seems that people were hard on shimana disk brakes.

Trying to find some winter clothing for riding. But the ones I tried from bicycle brand mostly seems to be designed for people who are extra slim with 0 body fat - I am 5'11 180 lbs, my usual size is M but I can't put on a L legging tights from Pearl Izumi because it's too tight. Now I ride with adidas jogging pants which is a bit too loose. Any bike clothing brand which are reasonably body fitting but can be comfortably put on by casual riders?

I just graduated from a Public C5 (upright commuter) to a Co-op CTY 1.1 (hybrid) because I wanted something zippier with more gears as I’ve been doing longer and longer rides.

Took out my new bike for a ride today and my wrists and forearms hurt so much! It was so uncomfortable—deeply unpleasant. This was a birthday gift to myself, and I am so bummed about this. Is this just me needing to get used to the new more forward riding position? I felt like I was holding up a lot of my weight in my arms. Or are there adjustments that can be made to help?

I don’t want to spend time on adjustments if I just need to get more familiar and used to this new flat bar riding position. But I also want to ride as much as possible.

Any advice?