Road biking newbie

shed head

Howdy,

Looking to get into road cycling. I am wondering is this a good bike to start off with - Planet X SL Pro Carbon

I have cycled most of my life (34) but never had a road bike(well with drop bars), never really had a good bike in fact, but ive done miles upon miles on beat up bikes, anything from mtb to your average run of the mill bike.

If i purchase the plant x will i see a significant difference, for example i have often cycled from the city centre to howth on an old mtb or out to enniskerry etc ,not sure of the time it took, under an hour i guess - i am wondering what sort of time i would do it on the planet x, will there be a significant difference?

Its quite an expensive bike but obviously there are some far more expensive, so i am hoping this will do me for a good while and can handle more serious spins when i get into it (which i am more than confident that i will)

Also, what do you guys bring with you on a spin(repair kit etc) and more so, how do you bring them with you?

I am going all out, with the bike, shoes, tights, jacket, top etc etc I shall feel like flash gordon!


Any tips appreciated, sorry if its somewhat of an adolescent post!! We all gotta learn!

Roger Hassenforder

this the same bike?
nice bike to start off with!

bring food in your cycling jersey pocket, drink in a bidon in your cage
you'll need a spare tube or two, carried either in a pocket, saddle pack or bidon container, with tyre levers and either gas or a pump.
have a track pump at home to get your tyres up to pressure before each spin
& invest in a decent pair of bib shorts.
everything else can come after.
Now, off you pop and enjoy, but careful with the socks' height...

Bigus

Planet x are great value for money , good purchase, you'll be able to go to Wexford now using the same energy it took to get to enniskerry, on a mtb , enjoy

reallyunique

I used to do a quick spin from Dundrum to Howth on a full suss bike and moved to a drop bar tourer. Lighter, more efficient and all aero-like. It knocked a few mins off my time but if you obey traffic laws at all you're unlikely to notice a real difference. I don't feel any better on long runs either as I just go faster leaving me as spent as I always was. Drop bar bikes feel a tiny bit better into a headwind but it's mostly psychological for me.

If you time your spin please post up the difference between the bikes. I'd be fascinated to see what sort of improvement you get.
Enjoy your new carbon loveliness

Cookie_Monster

shed head wrote: »

Also, what do you guys bring with you on a spin(repair kit etc) and more so, how do you bring them with you?

buy a little saddlebag to fit under you saddle. equip it with a spare tube, tyre levers, various allan keys at the least. I've also got a mini pump that attached to the bottle cage, invaluable. you could add a chainbreaker into the saddlebag, I had one there till it broke.

smacl

shed head wrote: »

Any tips appreciated, sorry if its somewhat of an adolescent post!! We all gotta learn!

I found the move to drops took quite a bit of getting used to after the flat bar hybrid, with plenty of small aches and pains in the shoulders, back etc... until I got the set-up I wanted and gave the body time to adjust. My advice is don't get put off if it all doesn't click on day 1. These days I love the road bike, and find it not just faster than the old bike but much more comfortable over a long spin. And fun. Great fun!

If you're going to be cycling with lots of stops at lights, and haven't used clipless pedals before, SPDs with mountain bike shoes might be an easier and more practical solution than road shoes and cleats. You can set them loose to start out with (easier to disengage) and you can walk in them with less hassle.

shed head

thanks guys

rflynnr

reallyunique wrote: »

I used to do a quick spin from Dundrum to Howth on a full suss bike and moved to a drop bar tourer. Lighter, more efficient and all aero-like. It knocked a few mins off my time but if you obey traffic laws at all you're unlikely to notice a real difference.

This is true but the point of owning such a bike is that you're less likely to choose urban routes but instead aim for open countryside ASAP. And in that context I suspect you'll notice that the distance covered per hour cycling increases dramatically.