new to cycling

jamesbondings

Hi guys,

As a way to keep fit during lockdown I invested in my first road bike, I went for the cheapest I could find (as i couldnt justify spending thousands, if i didnt like it).

So far i am enjoying it alot, not just the cycling but I suppose exploring my locality more than i ever have before. However, on my 3rd cycle i got a puncture. I think my tyre might have been under inflated before I went out.

My question is where would i get a puncture repair kit - today. I want to get back out today and online stores wont have it delivered to me in any timely fashion.
Having not repaired a bike in years (since i was a teenager, nearly 20 years ago now) is there any difference between repairing a mountian bike and a road bike? Is there anything else i need to fix it?

As an aside, does anyone else have issues using strava? The map is NEVER accurate. Did a short 10kms the other day and the map said i went over 30kms north. Having only done a few runs on it, i am yet to get an accurate map. I know it is probably my phone but would be great to be able to fix it.
Thanks for all your help in advance.
James

cletus

jamesbondings wrote: »

Hi guys,

As a way to keep fit during lockdown I invested in my first road bike, I went for the cheapest I could find (as i couldnt justify spending thousands, if i didnt like it).

So far i am enjoying it alot, not just the cycling but I suppose exploring my locality more than i ever have before. However, on my 3rd cycle i got a puncture. I think my tyre might have been under inflated before I went out.

My question is where would i get a puncture repair kit - today. I want to get back out today and online stores wont have it delivered to me in any timely fashion.
Having not repaired a bike in years (since i was a teenager, nearly 20 years ago now) is there any difference between repairing a mountian bike and a road bike? Is there anything else i need to fix it?

As an aside, does anyone else have issues using strava? The map is NEVER accurate. Did a short 10kms the other day and the map said i went over 30kms north. Having only done a few runs on it, i am yet to get an accurate map. I know it is probably my phone but would be great to be able to fix it.
Thanks for all your help in advance.
James

Most local bike shops seem to be operating on a phone call basis, try ringing around me a few and see.

Where abouts are you based? If you were close enough to someone they might give you a loan of a kit

Strava have been having issues for a few weeks now with their mapping. I think they might even have a notice on the website. Normally they are quite good

jamesbondings

cletus wrote: »

Most local bike shops seem to be operating on a phone call basis, try ringing around me a few and see.

Where abouts are you based? If you were close enough to someone they might give you a loan of a kit

Strava have been having issues for a few weeks now with their mapping. I think they might even have a notice on the website. Normally they are quite good

I am in Dunboyne.

There is no local bike shops, perhaps in Blanch there is but are they open yet? I would imagine so on the 18th. There is a local guy who repairs bikes, however I am not a massive fan of his and would rather give my business elsewhere. Ill have a look at bike shops in Blanch and see if i can pick one up today.

Good to know about Strava, all of my mates who cycle rave about it, but I find it hit and miss at the moment. It said on my first cycle (using a 20 year old mountain bike) that i hit speeds of 80km per hour! 1st cycle on the road bike it said top speed 68km, again i dont think thats even possible. I am 17 stone, no major hills to go down......

Is there any kit you reccomend I need? I have ordered a few bits of course. Padded shorts, phone mount, bike pump - next on the list is a few puncture kits, and I might then look at a mount for the car and the shed wall.

Thanks
James

Tony04

You might also get new pairs of tyres when you're at it as they could be worn.

Try turning on high accuracy gps on your phone for strava

jamesbondings

Tony04 wrote: »

You might also get new pairs of tyres when you're at it as they could be worn.

Try turning on high accuracy gps on your phone for strava

Sorry, I got the cheapest new bike i could, tyres should be grand for now i would think. but deffo something to have in the shed ready!

I did turn on high accuracy yesterday before my spin, but even still it is not following the roads - i have a Xiaomi though so unsure of if its my phone, my signal "out the country" or strava.

cletus

https://support.strava.com/hc/en-us/articles/360042757051

some info from strava.

It has been doing weird things for people who use it exclusively. It drew Jackson Pollock paintings for at least two of my friends recently

jamesbondings

Thanks for that, i have deleted and re downloaded the app, hopefully that helps!

hackersphorr

Have you considered a repair in Kilcock? Two Wheels bike shop over there

Buy spare tubes, you don't want to be patching a puncture on the side of the road. Leave that for when you get home. When you puncture on the road just pop in a spare tube and away you go but carefully checking the tire for any glass or thorns etc first.

Track pump with pressure gauge is another thing. The correct pressure range should be on the walls of the tires.

jamesbondings

hackersphorr wrote: »

Have you considered a repair in Kilcock? Two Wheels bike shop over there

Ah no, I mean its just a puncture- should be a relatively handy fix. Should do it myself to get rid of the rust and be able to do it on the side of the road if i need to!

Besides, without a bike rack for the car i dont want to damage the bike or the car. The better half had to pick me up yesterday when it punctured, and went over a bump a little too hard and scratched the paint on the frame of the bike (bike is like 3 days old) i was livid:D:D

But good to know there is one over there! not too far at all!

jamesbondings

Deleted User wrote: »

Buy spare tubes, you don't want to be patching a puncture on the side of the road. Leave that for when you get home. When you puncture on the road just pop in a spare tube and away you go but carefully checking the tire for any glass or thorns etc first.

Track pump with pressure gauge is another thing. The correct pressure range should be on the walls of the tires.

great shout. Thank you. will the tubes that i need also be printed on the rim of the tyre? or are all tyre tubes for road bikes the same?

Tony04

You should be able to find it on the sidewall of the tyre if not post a pic on here. Stupid question but do you have a pump?

jamesbondings

Tony04 wrote: »

You should be able to find it on the sidewall of the tyre if not post a pic on here. Stupid question but do you have a pump?

Not a stupid question at all! I dont! I ordered it the same day as the bike, and the bike got here first. The bike was from Decathlon and the pump from Amazon, it should be delivered this week.

One of the lads has a pump though so he dropped it over a few days ago when i set the bike up.

How long before your backside gets "used" to being on a bike. The padded shorts have certainly helped but there is a good dull pain still lingering - i imagine this goes away evenutally, kind of like breaking in a pair of new shoes?

Tony04

Yeh I reckon that's how you punctured- your tyres mighnt of been pumped up alot and you went over a pothole etc, so you got a pinch puncture rather than going over a thorn/glass.

And it's most likely your body isnt used to cycling so it's just muscle fatigue. You'll get used to it just ride regularly and some stretching might also help

jamesbondings

Tony04 wrote: »

Yeh I reckon that's how you punctured- your tyres mighnt of been pumped up alot and you went over a pothole etc, so you got a pinch puncture rather than going over a thorn/glass.

And it's most likely your body isnt used to cycling so it's just muscle fatigue. You'll get used to it just ride regularly and some stretching might also help

when i went out yesterday i thought it might be a bit low tbh. It was much tougher to cycle, and acceleration wasnt as easy as the day before (when it was initially pumped).

What happens if it was low pressure? does the air seep out or is it more prone to piercing or something?

magicbastarder

if the tyre is too low, as mentioned above, if you hit a pothole or something else, it's very possible for the tyre to bottom out and the rims to puncture the tube.

quickbeam

I'm relatively new to cycling too. I did a bike maintenance course, which isn't likely to be running these days, but worth doing some time in the future.

A hand pump (if that's what you used) will never get the tire to the correct pressure. If you puncture out and about you can get it pumped enough to get home, but that's about it. A track pump is definitely the way to go for correct pumping.

Also, you may not know (I didn't when I started) that tires come with either Schrader or Presta valves, so if you are buying spare tires (recommended), just make sure you get the one with the correct valve type on it.

keane2097

I'm nearly sure I've seen puncture repair kits in Tesco lately.

quickbeam

Oh, I got a cushioned seat in Lidl too. Keep an eye out. They're definitely worth it, used in conjunction with the cushioned shorts. Lidl have bike supplies every now and then. I got panniers there too that were good.

JazzyJ

The Strava issues are more likely GPS issues with your phone especially if you've followed their steps to reinstall and clear the cache after the Google Maps issue.

A dedicated GPS device will almost always be better than a phone.

bbari

OP - I'm not too far from Dunboyne, I can give you a tube if that helps? I can change the tube for you also if you don't know how to....

CramCycle

jamesbondings wrote: »

How long before your backside gets "used" to being on a bike. The padded shorts have certainly helped but there is a good dull pain still lingering - i imagine this goes away evenutally, kind of like breaking in a pair of new shoes?

Quicker than you think but if the bike wasn't fitted to you, that might stop it improving. Make sure the saddle is level, that when at the bottom of a pedal stroke with your foot horizontal to the ground that there is a slight bend in your knee (ie you shouldn't be pointing your foot down or locking out your knee), and that your saddle is far enough forward that you can comfortably rest on the bars. There are a load of videos on yourtube to give better and more detailed explanations but after wahile on Audaxes, it was a fellow rider pointing out that I needed to drop my saddle by a few nches that fixed 99% of my aches and pains.

keane2097 wrote: »

I'm nearly sure I've seen puncture repair kits in Tesco lately.

Yep, I ve seen them in some as well.

quickbeam wrote: »

Oh, I got a cushioned seat in Lidl too. Keep an eye out. They're definitely worth it, used in conjunction with the cushioned shorts. Lidl have bike supplies every now and then. I got panniers there too that were good.

I would disagree. It doesn't move with you and can cause friction issues. Fine for short cycles but anything past a few km and it is a bad idea.

jamesbondings

bbari wrote: »

OP - I'm not too far from Dunboyne, I can give you a tube if that helps? I can change the tube for you also if you don't know how to....

You are very kind! I have the puncture repair kit now. Just awaiting delivery of the pump.
I have changed tyres as a teenager. Just have to figure out how to do it again (especially on the back tyre) without messing with the gears and brakes.

Thank you very much for your very kind offer but I think I should be OK. Besides, it's a bit of time in the shed on my own! Part of the reason I got a bike in the first place!

jamesbondings

jamesbondings wrote: »

You are very kind! I have the puncture repair kit now. Just awaiting delivery of the pump.
I have changed tyres as a teenager. Just have to figure out how to do it again (especially on the back tyre) without messing with the gears and brakes.

Thank you very much for your very kind offer but I think I should be OK. Besides, it's a bit of time in the shed on my own! Part of the reason I got a bike in the first place!

Park Tools on youtube have lots of good videos for this

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hdjB_wHW0-Q

cletus

On the issue of bum soreness. Its a thing when you start cycling, and I think a lot of people who are cycling a long time forget how uncomfortable the aftermath of the first few cycles can be. If you get out on the bike a couple of times a week, you'll find the soreness stops happening after a week or two

quickbeam

CramCycle wrote: »

I would disagree. It doesn't move with you and can cause friction issues. Fine for short cycles but anything past a few km and it is a bad idea.

Interesting. At maximum I was doing 15km each way to work and I definitely found the seat cushion a help. I don't know if that counts as a "a few km". I certainly wasn't doing 100km+ events or anything.

St. Westy

watch global cycling network on youtube for tips and tricks, very enjoyable and informative watch, welcome to the cycling world :cool:

rolling boh

Always worth to get some practice at changing tyre and tube at home on the bike you are using as a puncture is almost certain at some point so carry spare tube for roadside jobs .Some wheels or tyres can take a bit more to change than others .

jamesbondings

rolling boh wrote: »

Always worth to get some practice at changing tyre and tube at home on the bike you are using as a puncture is almost certain at some point so carry spare tube for roadside jobs .Some wheels or tyres can take a bit more to change than others .

do you then recommend those air canisters for on the road?

jaysus i can see how it all adds up! thankfully i got a cheap bike, but all the accessories add up. i was really enjoying being out on the road though so dont mind too much.

next on the list, spare tubes, canisters, bike bag (to hold the above) potentially another bottle cage for the longer rides, bike stand for the shed wall (get it out of the way when not in use) and potentially a car bike holder.

Also decided to get a fitness watch, as i have a xiaomi phone i cant get a fitbit so will look at a xiaomi one. Might help with strava too - although my deleting it and re downloading it may just have done the job, just need to get back in the saddle to find out.

rolling boh

Cannisters are handy to get full pressure up i think not absolutely a necessity but others may disagree a decent hand pump will be ok to get you home ok .Track pump at home is important also you will need to know how to use the cannisters as they are one use and cost a few euro each time .Having good quality tyres is a big thing if you keep pressure up and inspect them on a regular bases you shoud not get too many punctures but practice is crucial in any event because everything looks easy on you tube and a cold day on the side of the road is a real turn off.Will say one thing other cyclists are very good at offering help to people stuck maby no harm stick to popular routes till you have full confidence . i live near Dunboyne and main roads out of it always have a few out and about so welcome to cycling but its not too cheap when you get the bug .

jamesbondings

rolling boh wrote: »

Cannisters are handy to get full pressure up i think not absolutely a necessity but others may disagree a decent hand pump will be ok to get you home ok .Track pump at home is important also you will need to know how to use the cannisters as they are one use and cost a few euro each time .Having good quality tyres is a big thing if you keep pressure up and inspect them on a regular bases you shoud not get too many punctures but practice is crucial in any event because everything looks easy on you tube and a cold day on the side of the road is a real turn off.Will say one thing other cyclists are very good at offering help to people stuck maby no harm stick to popular routes till you have full confidence . i live near Dunboyne and main roads out of it always have a few out and about so welcome to cycling but its not too cheap when you get the bug .

Oh i get ya!

I have stuck to the dunboyne bypass so far. a loop of it from mine is about 10 ks I will also start looking at more country cycles as the roads around here are actually pretty good good. I try to keep from main roads at the moment.

Thelonious Monk

Good tires are a must buy. You pay about 35 or 40 euro for a good tire, but you just don't get punctures. I can't ever remember getting a puncture on decent tires.

CramCycle

quickbeam wrote: »

Interesting. At maximum I was doing 15km each way to work and I definitely found the seat cushion a help. I don't know if that counts as a "a few km". I certainly wasn't doing 100km+ events or anything.

15km is decent enough, there are a variety of factors at play including speed, position etc but if I were to use a padded seat for 15km each way I'd have friction burns that would likely be bleeding from my thighs.

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

Good tires are a must buy. You pay about 35 or 40 euro for a good tire, but you just don't get punctures. I can't ever remember getting a puncture on decent tires.

Depends what you consider decent, ones that don't get punctures tend to be tougher and slightly more uncomfortable. So decide what you want, you can't have everything. I use Shwalbe Marathons for commuting, bomb proof but many would complain they are slightly slower and give more road buzz. I found that once I got the 28s that became a non issue, the 23s nearly broke me

rolling boh

The op is new to cycling and has said he bought a cheap bike which will be fine to get started and to see if he likes it so I would think puncture protection will be a big consideration .Something like durano plus would be ok I have used them or gatorskins around and had very few problems though I know everybody has different views on tyres but do not think the op needs to be going all out on conti tyres just yet or similar priced tyres .

jamesbondings

Just a quick update.

So I got restless waiting for the pump to come, only to then have to repair a puncture before getting out. So I got a loan of a little hand pump (just to put some air in the tube to repair it).

As this is my first ever road bike I was concerned that I HAD to have tyre levers. But went at it like I did as a teenager. 2 butter knives and slowly took it out.
Thankfully I didn't need to take the whole back end off her as the hole was very obvious once I pumped it.
Put the repair kit on and once dry put the tube back in. Pumped it up and put it back in the shed.

Repairing a puncture as a teenager was always something I hated doing but this one was fairly easy! I mean it was a ten minute job (plus another 10 with the toddler running around me) . The hard part was actually putting the tyre back on!

Amazon will have the pump to me on Monday though, but won't risk another puncture due to under inflation so I'll hold off until I get it.

Pigeon Reaper

jamesbondings wrote: »

Just a quick update.
2 butter knives and slowly took it out.
Thankfully I didn't need to take the whole back end off her as the hole was very obvious once I pumped it.
Put the repair kit on and once dry put the tube back in. Pumped it up and put it back in the shed.

You're not the only person doing this. I've had a lot of neighbors borrowing my bike tools and pumps. Normally I'll have a queue of kids looking for pumps but now it's the adults getting back to cycling.

As an aside if you want a good social experiment give a local kid your old pump and tell them they're in charge of lending it out to the others when needed. It can become Machiavellian surprisingly quickly.

jamesbondings

Pigeon Reaper wrote: »

You're not the only person doing this. I've had a lot of neighbors borrowing my bike tools and pumps. Normally I'll have a queue of kids looking for pumps but now it's the adults getting back to cycling.

As an aside if you want a good social experiment give a local kid your old pump and tell them they're in charge of lending it out to the others when needed. It can become Machiavellian surprisingly quickly.

If only I had an old pump! I do have an old bike it works but it's old, so has issues. I'll be giving that to someone local. Want to give it to someone who will actually get use out of it though and not just flog it for a few quid.

I might see if someone local has a foot pump to put the tyre up today so I can get out. I'm not a local local (didn't grow up here) but my partner is so will ask her to put the feelers out on fb!

bbari

jamesbondings wrote: »

If only I had an old pump! I do have an old bike it works but it's old, so has issues. I'll be giving that to someone local. Want to give it to someone who will actually get use out of it though and not just flog it for a few quid.

I might see if someone local has a foot pump to put the tyre up today so I can get out. I'm not a local local (didn't grow up here) but my partner is so will ask her to put the feelers out on fb!

Again..... I'm in Clonee, feel free if you need to borrow pump or bring the bike or wheels over. I'm impatiently waiting for my new bike delivery so pump isn't in use these days.

Balmed Out

I'd normally do a short cycle two or three times a year but have done around 700km since lockdown. Try to do about 5 20km cycles a week now. I have a bike thats 20 odd years and a helmet that's closer to 30 years old, a small pump and a hi vis jacket and don't think you really need anything else. The one puncture I had I went to bike shop and got new tube.
That said nearly 2 weeks ago I ordered padded shorts, a new helmet and a new saddle. It's been 2 months and I still find the saddle very uncomfortable. I'm cycling on my Todd to clear my mind and for fitness and don't see the merit in spending a lot on a fancy bike. You might be a little faster and hills may be a little easier but you aren't trying to keep up with or racing anyone. One piece of advice as a fellow newbie would be to cycle at a gear where you can keep the speed of your legs going rather than as high a gear as you can manage which is what I started doing. Hills are tough but beware the wind too it makes a massive difference. I live in a coastal area and on windier days I'll go inland where its a little more sheltered.

Ps anyone order from merlin cycles recently and did delivery take a long time?

bbari

Balmed Out wrote:

Ps anyone order from merlin cycles recently and did delivery take a long time?

My delivery arrived within the expected timeframe which was 5 to 7 days.

CramCycle

Same here, ordered a few weeks ago, think it took a week, maybe less.

jamesbondings

Big thanks to bbari for offering me a loan of his pump. I was literally about to go get it when I got a notification that mine would be delivered today.

It just came! Huge big box.... For a pump. I'll get the 20k in this evening once the little lad is asleep. Thanks for all your help and advice guys and gals.

If anyone in and around dunboyne has a bike/car/football needing pumped feel free to message me!

jamesbondings

16.5k done - mapometer wasnt too accurate unfortunatley. But delighted to be back out on the road again.
Wasnt in the mood to go but just got up and done it (im doing it to continue the weightloss and get a bit fitter).

Pumped the tyres to 55psi and they held, but the bike felt a bit "heavy" under me. I am going to pump them up to 70 psi tomorrow in the hopes it feels less sluggish. Of course maybe thats just the gleam off the bike now as the puncture makes it " not new" in my eyes.

In hybrid tyres is 70 the max? I would be worried even at 70, just with the bike having 17 stone ontop of it, plus my phone,water etc......Want to make sure i dont get another flat, and it did feel like i was close to loosing the back tyre again tonight. Tyre felt fine when I got home and it didnt appear to loose any pressure at all which meant the patch was a goodun!

rolling boh

Matter of interest what bike did you get ? You mentioned road bike in your first post but hybrid in your last it would make a difference if you have any questions on this forum .

boombang

If you find yourself enjoying cycling, then I recommended considering buying a better bike in time. I don't know how cheap your bike is, but really cheap ones can be really nasty. I'm not talking spending thousands, but the experience of a €500 bike is so much better than a €300.

Also, I very strongly second the suggestion of a track pump. You will only need to use this once to realise it was some of the best money you will ever spend in your life.

cletus

jamesbondings wrote: »

16.5k done - mapometer wasnt too accurate unfortunatley. But delighted to be back out on the road again.
Wasnt in the mood to go but just got up and done it (im doing it to continue the weightloss and get a bit fitter).

Pumped the tyres to 55psi and they held, but the bike felt a bit "heavy" under me. I am going to pump them up to 70 psi tomorrow in the hopes it feels less sluggish. Of course maybe thats just the gleam off the bike now as the puncture makes it " not new" in my eyes.

In hybrid tyres is 70 the max? I would be worried even at 70, just with the bike having 17 stone ontop of it, plus my phone,water etc......Want to make sure i dont get another flat, and it did feel like i was close to loosing the back tyre again tonight. Tyre felt fine when I got home and it didnt appear to loose any pressure at all which meant the patch was a goodun!

What size tyres do you have? Some of the thinner road bike tyres would be up around 100 to 120 psi

Tony04

Generally on tyres with tubes I have I just pump them up until when I pinch them they feel hard, even though i know lower pressures will be comfortable it's not worth running the risk of getting a puncture.

jamesbondings

Hey guys.... I bought this bike.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rc100-road-bike-grey-id_8554266.html

I have a habit of buying expensive things and not using them (gym membership, home gym, golf club membership) and am being made redundant this month or next. So couldn't get the bike to work scheme (without having to pay the rest of the bike in a few months) and also I needed to show the missus I would actually use it and not waste more money 😂😂. We are also saving for a house at the moment so even getting this one was a massive win!

On the description of the bike on the link it has the tyres on it. It mentions hybrid tyres even though its a road bike. My plan is to use this bike to get into the sport and when I'm settled in a new job and the house is sorted (less than a year hopefully) to upgrade to a far better bike. I can upgrade the current one if needs be until then.
I think the better half is very surprised I'm getting out on it as much as I am. So am I really!

jamesbondings

boombang wrote: »

If you find yourself enjoying cycling, then I recommended considering buying a better bike in time. I don't know how cheap your bike is, but really cheap ones can be really nasty. I'm not talking spending thousands, but the experience of a €500 bike is so much better than a €300.

Also, I very strongly second the suggestion of a track pump. You will only need to use this once to realise it was some of the best money you will ever spend in your life.

Also got the track pump delivered yesterday. So handy! Well worth the 20 odd quid I paid. And if looked after I'm sure it will last me years!

cletus

There should be a minimum and maximum pressure on the side wall of the tyre, what do they say

http://www.dorkypantsr.us/bike-tire-pressure-calculator.html

Here a calculator that might get you closer to what you want, but make sure you stay inside the recommendations on the tyre. Sometimes it's just a case of experimenting to see what suits best

Deano12345

jamesbondings wrote: »

Hey guys.... I bought this bike.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/rc100-road-bike-grey-id_8554266.html

I have a habit of buying expensive things and not using them (gym membership, home gym, golf club membership) and am being made redundant this month or next. So couldn't get the bike to work scheme (without having to pay the rest of the bike in a few months) and also I needed to show the missus I would actually use it and not waste more money ����. We are also saving for a house at the moment so even getting this one was a massive win!

On the description of the bike on the link it has the tyres on it. It mentions hybrid tyres even though its a road bike. My plan is to use this bike to get into the sport and when I'm settled in a new job and the house is sorted (less than a year hopefully) to upgrade to a far better bike. I can upgrade the current one if needs be until then.
I think the better half is very surprised I'm getting out on it as much as I am. So am I really!

It's certainly an odd way of wording the description of those tires, I think they might mean hybrid as in those tires are more deeply threaded than a set of dedicated road tires.

I'd say the heavy feeling under you could just be those tires being under-inflated. There's zero information online about those tires so I cant find a recommended pressure, but it will say on the sidewall of the tire, I'd start by running it 10-20psi under the max and go from there!

If all you are doing is road cycling, when the current ones wear out, I'd say go for something more road oriented, maybe a 28 or 30c, it will liven the bike up cause the new tires will be a lot lighter among other benefits

I've set up my mates CADDX recently, and I think I ran the tires at 60psi and it runs 35c for reference. It felt super lively, to the point I want to keep the bike for myself, gravel/cross bikes are fun!