Finally bought 1st road bike!!
10-13-12, 05:12 AM
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Finally bought 1st road bike!!
Alright!!!
I bought a 2012 giant defy 5... Entry level but just getting into the sport I want to make sure that I ride and get fully into it before upgrading and it's no dept store bike either... Along with the bike and that it was on the high side of my budget, I also bought cages, tire repair kit.. Yes with a saddle bag. I also put on an iPhone holder for music and bought a cateye computer for cadence, speed distance and all that good stuff! Also made them throw in some white bar tape which now realizing I need gloves! Haha!!
Anyways at 5'11 and 255lbs, I thought it would be a good choice to lose weight and enjoy the sport. First ride was about 10 miles and averaged 15 mph with a cadence around 75... Not too bad but much improvement left! Love the road feel. Enjoyed being in the drops and def saw a speed change when crouched more. Also liked the feel out of the saddle!
Do you guys clean your bar tape being its white? What do you use to clean it? Or do you always replace it?
I'm ready to roar! Can't wait to get out of work and go on my second ride!
I bought a 2012 giant defy 5... Entry level but just getting into the sport I want to make sure that I ride and get fully into it before upgrading and it's no dept store bike either... Along with the bike and that it was on the high side of my budget, I also bought cages, tire repair kit.. Yes with a saddle bag. I also put on an iPhone holder for music and bought a cateye computer for cadence, speed distance and all that good stuff! Also made them throw in some white bar tape which now realizing I need gloves! Haha!!
Anyways at 5'11 and 255lbs, I thought it would be a good choice to lose weight and enjoy the sport. First ride was about 10 miles and averaged 15 mph with a cadence around 75... Not too bad but much improvement left! Love the road feel. Enjoyed being in the drops and def saw a speed change when crouched more. Also liked the feel out of the saddle!
Do you guys clean your bar tape being its white? What do you use to clean it? Or do you always replace it?
I'm ready to roar! Can't wait to get out of work and go on my second ride!
10-13-12, 07:10 AM
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Welcome to the club! It's all down hill from here! well hopefully anyway!
White bar tape isnt as bad as it seems. I only clean mine a couple of times a season if its getting really grimey looking. All I use is a little dish soap in water and a rag, and it comes right off with a tiny bit of scrubbing.
Load Strava on your iphone(this really helps to push you to go further and maybe a little faster), then just get out and ride and enjoy it. You have no where to go from here but up in distance and speed and down in weight! You'll be fitter and stronger before you know it.
Sounds like you've already got the part that matters most, a bike you love to ride. Enjoy!
White bar tape isnt as bad as it seems. I only clean mine a couple of times a season if its getting really grimey looking. All I use is a little dish soap in water and a rag, and it comes right off with a tiny bit of scrubbing.
Load Strava on your iphone(this really helps to push you to go further and maybe a little faster), then just get out and ride and enjoy it. You have no where to go from here but up in distance and speed and down in weight! You'll be fitter and stronger before you know it.
Sounds like you've already got the part that matters most, a bike you love to ride. Enjoy!
10-13-12, 07:13 AM
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Gave up on White bar Tape after 1600 miles. Went to silver.
Congratulation on the new bike.
Congratulation on the new bike.
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Fred "The Real Fred"
Fred "The Real Fred"
10-13-12, 07:42 AM
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Welcome to the club! It's all down hill from here! well hopefully anyway!
White bar tape isnt as bad as it seems. I only clean mine a couple of times a season if its getting really grimey looking. All I use is a little dish soap in water and a rag, and it comes right off with a tiny bit of scrubbing.
Load Strava on your iphone(this really helps to push you to go further and maybe a little faster), then just get out and ride and enjoy it. You have no where to go from here but up in distance and speed and down in weight! You'll be fitter and stronger before you know it.
Sounds like you've already got the part that matters most, a bike you love to ride. Enjoy!
White bar tape isnt as bad as it seems. I only clean mine a couple of times a season if its getting really grimey looking. All I use is a little dish soap in water and a rag, and it comes right off with a tiny bit of scrubbing.
Load Strava on your iphone(this really helps to push you to go further and maybe a little faster), then just get out and ride and enjoy it. You have no where to go from here but up in distance and speed and down in weight! You'll be fitter and stronger before you know it.
Sounds like you've already got the part that matters most, a bike you love to ride. Enjoy!
And 10 wheels, yea I been 10 miles with it and disgusted already!
)Any good iPhone albums that are upbeat that would be good to listen to while riding... Getting them off iTunes... I say albums cause 10 bux for 20-30 songs even sometimes 99 songs is better than 1.29 a song... Obviously.
10-13-12, 08:33 AM
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Welcome, congrats and enjoy the bike. I have white tape on a white bike so I just clean it when I wash my bike down every 2-3 rides. I have Fizik micro whatever and it cleans pretty good.
10-13-12, 08:52 AM
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When I had white bar tape, I cleaned it using Windex. After every other ride I would grab the Windex, spray a little on the tape itself and then soak a paper towel with it and twist away. Make sure when you clean your bar tape you follow the wrap. Dont rub against the tape or you will drastically shorten its life cycle. My white bar tape was felt so I am not sure how well windex would work on other materials but it worked wonders for me.
10-13-12, 10:15 AM
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So true that!!--->Sounds like you've already got the part that matters most, a bike you love to ride. Enjoy!
I use gray/black camo tape - no cleaning required, and the electrical tape repair patches are invisible.
Not for everyone - it's an acquired taste.
I use gray/black camo tape - no cleaning required, and the electrical tape repair patches are invisible.
Not for everyone - it's an acquired taste.
Last edited by Cfd; 10-13-12 at 10:20 AM.
10-13-12, 11:02 AM
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Recusant Iconoclast
Bar tape is cheap. Play with different colours when it needs replacing. My white ones lasted a whole season before I replaced it, and only because I crashed.
10-14-12, 06:55 AM
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I will as soon as I get to a computer... Workin 65hrs a week hauling fuel I do t get too much time... Everything is from my iPhone :/
10-14-12, 07:43 PM
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I phone owners. Yikes! You know you can like send pics from your phone to places, right? You ever have deja, deja, deja, deja vu? Lol.
