General Cycling Discussion - Woo hoo! Finally got my first bike!

Finally settled down and picked a bike (first one since I was a kid); Specialized Crossroads (hybrid) sport and the rest of the kit (patch kit, tubes, etc.)



Thanks for the advice! Only got in a little riding today (between the bike shop and my house), but I am looking forward to the next non-rainy day. :D



Any miscellaneous tips for the new rider (other than avoid all those big, fast, evil metal things)?

Be sure to scrape the bugs off your teeth after every ride.;)

Congrats and welcome. The only thing better than riding, is riding some more. Enjoy, and yeah those big, fast, evil metal things are to be avoided!

Welcome to the club and congrats on your purchase!

The only advice I have is to ride when you can!

Helmet!!!! Helps when coming into contact with those big heavy metal things, or that big round globe in orbit around the sun.:D

Well, let's see...miscellanious tips...

Ride, wear a helmet, ride, wear gloves, ride, work some hills, ride, learn to accept headwinds and the challenge they bring, ride, get a friend involved, ride, check out a local club, ride, post frequently here, ride, ask lots of questions, ride, start stretching your horizons, and oh yes, ride some more!:D

Welcome to a really terrific sport, and this is a great place to share and learn, I know I have!

One other tip- remember hydrate early and often. It's easy to just get caught up in the ride and then all of a sudden, you're dry as the desert.

Enjoy the bike. The first bike I ever bought on my own was a specialized crossroads. I loved that bike until someone stole it from me. :( But ever since, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for them.

Take the Effective Cycling course if they offer it in your area. I read the book last year, bicycled a lot as a kid, and still learned tons, especially the on-road part of the class. Riding in traffic near a regional mall during Saturday lunch (Perimeter mall for you Atlantans) can be challenging, but we all did well and learned a lot more about comminicating with drivers. It also helped my confidence in what much of what I had been doing.

Kevin S.

I'm still picking bugs and rocks out of my teeth; just came in from a short (little over five miles) ride -- which reminded me of how long it's been since I've been on a bike.



It was fun. :D



I grabbed a set of shorts, a helmet, and gloves when I picked up the bike; the gloves are comfortable and have the pad for the ulnar nerve, and the lycra really helps one keep cool -- I'm definitely going to invest in a few more pairs (are they *always* in the $50 - $60 range?). As for the helmet -- well, I'd rather look stupid some of the time than be stupid all of the time.



I'll be looking around for a cyclist safety course in the area (as I'll be commuting via bike in about six months), and I even have a friend to ride with (and two other friends, known as Mr. Mace and Mr. Concealed Weapons Permit, with whom I am well aquainted). I think I'm set (and I'll probably add some ammonia into the chemical arsenal to take care of stray animals).



Enough time spent on the computer (I'm a professional geek, so I'm attached to my terminal at the office waaaay too much as is); I'm going to go out again. :D

Check out nashbar.com or performancbike.com and you can find some deals on shorts. Mine were only $19 a pair, and they are great! Sierratradingpost also has some deals, and and so does longscycle.com.

You start having too much fun, you will be commuting before 6 months, I bet! I work for an ISP, so spend lots of time in front of a monitor myself! But now, I can't wait for work to end so I can ride!

Have fun!

I'll second the Longscycle.com. If you're not particularly concerned with color choices their "Grabbag" is great. Picked up 2 pair of 8 panel shirts at about 20$/pair. It's grabbag b/c you don't know what color the shorts will be. Both of mine ended up being the old Schwinn/Toyota team colors and markings. I ride a Basso and a Colnago ( and sometimes a Cannondale or a Univega) but I'm happy with the shorts. Considering what has happened to Schwinn they're sort of a memorial.

Great bike. I've been commuting on my Crossroads(currently 21mi. each way** and never had a mechanical breakdown. Only advice is to keep the chain clean-easy with Park's chain cleaner, and inflate the tires often. Have fun! :beer: