A Thread for Cyclists - Where Do you Ride?

cofty

I took up cycing a couple of months ago just to get fitter and lose a bit of excess weight.

I bought a second-hand hybrid bike (weighs only slightly less than a truck) and fitted road tyres. Four or five times a week I will go for a ride after work for an hour or so. I am fortunate enough to live in rural North England surrounded by limitless quiet roads. This evening I went to Holy Island also know as Lindisfarne. It is a beautiful Island just off the coast of Northumberland and is the cradle of Christianity in England - strangely they still let me in. It is cut off by the tide twice a day so I only had time for a flying visit tonight as it was on the way in rapidly. It was an 18 mile round trip from my house and took me 80 minutes. The first 9 miles were into the wind!

So if you ride please tell us about your machine, share tips with a novice and show us where you get to.

Here is where I was tonight...

Looking back along the causeway with the tide incoming..

I wish I had taken this one of the Island at sunset...

And here is somebody who didn't read the tide tables...

LoisLane looking for Superman

What a beautiful spot you live in!

LL

cofty

Yes I am very fortunate to live in a beautiful part of England.

snowbird

Very beautiful.

Are you a photographer?

GrreatTeacher

The smart thing was heading into the wind first. Always save the easiest leg for last!

Our household has been consumed by cycling in the last year. When my husband injured his back he could no longer run so he has taken up cycling since recovering from spinal fusion surgery 2 years ago.

He has gone through several bikes because he's biking longer and longer distances. This past autumn he got up to 25 mile round trips, so a couple months ago he splurged on a much more difficult to destroy bike than the others. It is a Giant bike that is made of aluminum and carbon fiber and cost a riduculous amount of money (over $1000). However, it is much more sturdy and he immediately was able to beat the 4 minute mile mark both because of the reduced weight and the better road tires! It also has an improved rider position since it is built for racing.

Have you measured your mile rate? Or is it just in good fun?

Just 3 weeks ago, he completed his first 40 mile race! I am so proud of him! His goal is to do a 60 mile race this summer and a Century at the end of September. I have no doubt he can do it. The 100 mile race is on relatively flat land near the coast.

This from a man who had a broken back two years ago! When that man sets his mind to something, you can be sure he will do it.

Me? I'm on my second level of bicycle now. It's a Diamondback road bike with an upright riding position great for cruising and seeing the sights. I can go much farther distances on this than the Walmart special I had before. Sometimes we ride together on the local bike trail, but I often feel like I'm holding him back.

Our state has a rails-to-trails program where old abandoned rail line rights-of-way are bought and changed to walking / biking trails. It makes for nice traffic free riding.

I would love to see more photos of your journeys. It seems you live in some beautiful country. Cycling is a great way to travel and sightsee as well as get nonimpact exercise at the same time.

Happy cruising,

GrreatTeacher

cofty

Snowbird - No I love to take snapshots but usually just on my camera phone. The nice sunset pic wasn't mine.

GrreatTeacher - Thanks for sharing your experience, it sounds like your hubby has really got the cycling bug. I am finding it compelling, I always want to find new routes. I sometimes use an app called "mapmyride" that uses GPS to measure your ride. I usually average around 12-14 mph. Everywhere I go around here I have to climb hills!

Putting road tyres on and pumping them up to 85 lbs has made a massive difference. Earlier this week I got a puncture about 7 miles from home. I changed the inner tube but when I got the pump out it fell to bits - damn! Fortunately there was a house half a mile away and the owner let me borrow a compressor.

FL_Panthers

Fixie

sparrowdown

It looks gorgeous spot where you ride.

I have a very "girlie" bike with basket on the front, but that does'nt stop me flying along "free as the wind" most afternoons at about 5:30pm.

I ride along a beautiful bike track that takes you along a serpentine path on the coast all the way to a bluff- complete with candy-stripe lighthouse.

Probably takes about 45 mins round. Just enough to get the heart pumping feel the wind in your face and blow away the cobwebs of the mind.

I listen to music while I ride, nothing like it for stress release.

Oh, and I hope to graduate to a more serious bike ASAP.

cofty

FL_Panthers - That bike needs some TLC

Sparrowdown - That sounds like a great ride. I listen to music as well but I usually only put in one earbud so I can hear cars coming up behind me. One of the downsides of cycling on rural roads is they are narrow for cars passing safely.

FL_Panthers

cofty- that's the style you Wanna have. No brakes no gears

A Thread for Cyclists - Where Do you Ride?

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