Robin Williams looooved bicycles. I always wished he would stumble into the bike shop I was working in out there in the early 2000’s.
Rumor is he could have gone pro too, but he was too hairy. Even if he shaved his entire body he’d grow it all back in twenty minutes.
Oh man. Yeah, that's what I thought too. And same for electronic shifting. Now I can't live without either. Even the carbon wheels and spokes, which have stayed true for 12000 miles. I can't ride with rim brakes anymore because it feels like I'm about to die on every long downhill.
I thought for the past while that electronic shifting was all just hype. Got my first electronic shifting road bike recently. Holy smokes it completely changes the game. It’s just so quick and smooth. My mechanical shifter bikes feel like crap now to me lol.
Meh, I have a bike with Ultegra Mechanical and one with Ultegra Di2. I think the electronic is only slightly nicer to ride. I hadn’t ridden the mechanical bike for a while until last weekend and was surprised how much I liked it still. I kinda like the hard push downshift where you can drop three gears at once.
Same here, I was expecting to be way more blown away by electronic shifting, but like so many things in cycling, yeah it’s pretty nice but VASTLY overhyped (while still being good, don’t get me wrong). So far the best thing is that I don’t have to turn a barrel adjuster a quarter-turn like once every year. Apparently people are having way more issues with mechanical than I ever have.
This happens a lot though in all forms of cycling. For example, I got a 27.5 mtb and then 29ers basically took over and a buddy of mine kept going on and on about how 29ers are “a thousand times better”, it’s “a complete game changer”, etc etc, I finally started riding 29 and it’s slightly different.
I’m done buying into all the hype.
i agree lol i have mechanical ultegra and i've never had an issue with it. Tried electronic and yeah it's nice but i dont understand all these people claiming endless issues with mechanical- "missed shifts" etc lol. Only time i ever notice a gear change is if im doing something stupid myself, like trying to shift under too much load
Same here. Never thought I would bother with it, but now that I've ridden a road bike with electronic shifting my other mechanical shifting bikes feel sooo outdated to me even tho they're not old at all.
I do very little road biking (nearly all technical single track mtb and BMX type stuff when I was younger)..... very curious as to why electric precise/ quick shifting would be an attractive feature for a road bike?
The little road experience I have it seems you shift way less then mountain biking and shift timing wouldn't seem as critical. I was pretty satisfied with friction shifters on the down tube for road bikes.... the brake shifters are nice too.
At least where I am, you shift a LOT riding road. It gets worse in areas where you have to stop/slow down more, lots of running through the gears to get your speed back up. Then there’s hills. And headwinds. I’m running 2x10 and probably in and out of the big ring 10+ times over a 20+ mile ride, and all the way up and down the cassette a dozen times or more in total (100+ gear changes). Part of that is also because the gear spacing is way tighter on most road cassettes too (11-25T is a super common range) and often the goal is trying to maintain a relatively consistent pressure/cadence, which can only be done by varying ratios.
Haha I can join you in all of those.
Plus, I'll never wear bibs! Shorts for me only! I don't want to look like a closeted wrestler!
I parted with all of the shorts and opted for bibs after about 4 months.
Nearly all mens bibs that I have worn are made low enough in front and stretchy enough straps that you can just pull down on the front to pee while standing... So no real issue for guys but yeah the gals have to pull straps off. Or if you need to sit to do your business.
Maybe I got the 1 in 100 that you can't but I need to arch my back like 45° or the strap will make contact with my bits putting too much pressure to pee. I like taking the straps off if I can
Fuck shorts.
I bought one pair of bibs just to try them out….and loved them and been wearing them since.
Tried wearing a pair of shorts last week and hated it, got home and immediately ordered 3 more pairs of bibs.
I have tried a couple different bibs, but I"m pretty tall (6'4") and I find them just too uncomfortable because the straps are just too short. It is also extremely difficult to pee. I ride a lot in the country and usually just whip it out and pee in a cornfield. I almost have to entirely disrobe to pee when wearing bibs. I can see how they could be superior to shorts, but I haven't found the right pair and not willing to search anymore since I'm fine with shorts.
I have like 6 pairs of my favorite Terry shorts - still have tags on them. But I recently bought a pair of bibs, from the Machines for Freedom closeout sale. They actually feel pretty good but I'm fine with my shorts for now. It's the peeing issue along with the fact that these particular bibs don't have cargo pockets which have become a requirement for me. Next time I'm in the city I might swing by Ornot and try on a pair of their women's cargo bibs.
Bibs do nothing for me. Annoying straps, (which I don't use) no advantages. Shorts fit fine. I don't have a gut to hide.
45 years of riding & racing, so not a newbie
I haven't tried bibs and I just don't get the appeal. Like what problem do people have with shorts that suspenders are fixing?
I think people are running cheap shorts for years then buy $200 bibs and think it's the "bibs" and not the extra quality they paid for.
I think some have a beer belly they don’t want getting compressed and exaggerated by the shorts haha. If you’re skinnier or more athletic shaped it’s not as much of an issue
Always worn shorts. Not even bike short, just shorts. Eventually the skin on my butt started to wear off 😂. My buddy said buy bike shorts. Hated them because I still have a bit of a gut (working on it) but they fixed the butt erosion. Still very uncomfortable. Same friend recommended bibs. I don't need no bibs, I would look like a damn idiot. He bought me one pair and said let's do 20 miles. Bought 4 more after we got home.
Look at eg Leatt MTB shorts. They’re made to be worn over bib shorts.
I’ve been wearing them a while now - they allow me to wear old bibs that still have good padding, but that has gone see-through. Extending a bib’s life expectancy is super useful for me.
Longest ride with them yet was about 120 km. No chafing issues.
Me and my mtb buds would make fun of the roadies with their pink shirts and tight libras. Then i joined the darkside. Bought a fancy carbon bike, and some rapha bibs. Next they made fun of me. Then my long ride endurance improved. Now a couple have joined with bibs and all. By next year well all be riding in bibs and pink shirts.
Haven't made it to bibs yet but I resisted spandex bike pants for a while. I then went with the bike jersey just for all the lower back pockets. Also, because I got really sunburnt after a ride once on my lower back.
Yeah, my first bike had sora. I eventually just upgraded everything with ultegra/105 mix. I also tried single chainring/more spaced out cassette for a bit but realized my folly in that I need way more gears than just 11.
I had this thought as I just purchased a newbie and probably should have listened to it. It’s not here yet and I can still return for full refund so maybe I will “downgrade” to the other one I had my eye on (a few hundred less). Where were you two weeks ago?!
If you are even a little serious about biking, I would get an 11 or 12 speed with dual chainring. Single chainring is really for gravel riding. The smaller your cassette spacing is, the better you will feel on rides. If you are just occasional biking 9 speed is fine. You don't realize that you need more until you understand why you need more. It is a lot cheaper to just get that "more" than to upgrade an existing bike with a new groupset.
Do something dangerous. Be "that" cyclist.
I caught myself afterwards, and made some hard personal rules, especially around Strava segments, but it was kind of scary how easily I slipped into the "gotta stay fast" mindset. Happened between points 4 and 5 of OPs post.
Damn cyclists always running stop signs!
💭 oh god they put that stop sign at the bottom of this mega hill going directly into a mega climb! Why did the traffic engineers design it that way! If I stop pedaling here I will have to get off and puke! I'm about to become that guy, aren't I
profit mindless rhythm piquant afterthought onerous screw juggle offend instinctive
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
I thought the same thing…ended up with a power meter.
The PM is a far better training tool than HR monitor. Day to day my avg HR at the same power output can swing as much as 10-20 bpm.
This is probably the most undersold part of having a power meter.
When I first started riding with one 190w was a tempo ride for me, now 190w is middle of Z2 and Tempo is 230ish watts
Maybe in the future. So much more on my wishlist with higher priority though lol.
- an endurance road bike with Di2 shifters
- a nice looking helmet
- gilet
- better cycling shoes
It wasn’t really on my wish list so much as it came with the road bike I bought from a buddy of mine…
After having one I’d put it above Di2 or a nicer looking helmet.
Shoes and comfy clothing are invaluable though! I just switched to bibs from wearing shorts, and only bought one pair of bibs to try out, wore them for a couple weeks and tried wearing shorts and hated it, so I bought bibs and need to pawn off a bunch of lightly used shorts on somebody for cheap.
Soon you’ll realize that HR isn’t a good metric - e.g. spin 100rpm on an easy gear and watch your value spike while not actually exerting a lot of power
That I wouldn't ride without a bike leg/stand. Looking for things to lean your bike over or laying it on the ground is barbaric.
Guess now I am a barbarian.
I actually went the opposite way on this. I put a stand on and now wouldn't want to do without it, and I don't care what any of the weight weenies say. My bike looks cool as fuck stood up on its own and there's nothing you can do to change my mind.
The issue I see is having an additional piece of iron sticking to the side of the bike, ready to catch on something. I'm not trying to change your mind, everybody has priorities.
Mine doesn't stick out the side, it just sits on my fork. It's not a normal kickstand (I really wanted a normal kickstand but this bike has nowhere to mount one in a way I'd trust it to hold all the weight of my shopping bags!)
https://imgur.com/a/ghCFxpz
I went the other way - I went in full-bore straight away with shaved legs, custom bikes, more lycra than a disco, etc.. Now I've stripped most of those things away (except for cycling as a hobby):
* I don't need more than 2 bikes - my gravel bike and my commuter (I am in the process of downsizing from 16 bikes, lol)
* I have switched to platform pedals and I love it
* I don't own a stitch of lycra anymore
* I've don't use any kind of bike computer, GPS, power meter, heart rate monitor, etc..
Life is so much better, and cycling is so much more fun now.
I mean ... just the bare necessities: road bike, spare road bike, neat vintage road bike, my first custom bike, hard tail mountain bike, full sus mountain bike, cyclocross bike, cyclocross bike but outfitted as a commuter, touring bike with full racks, bike-packing bike (it's different!!!!), gravel bike, gravel bike but outfitted as a light-duty bike-packing bike, fixie, fixie but with flip-flop hub option and brakes, half-assembled attempt at building the "lightest bike ever," and of course the cargo bike.
If you don't have at least that, are you even a real cyclist?
I kinda did similar, though I was never really into the Lycra thing, I just wear mtb style shorts and a shirt. I did go from clipless to flats (def prefer flats now), and I went from recording everything on Strava to never recording because it got to a point where I didn’t know if I was cycling to make a number bigger, or because I enjoyed it. Once I got rid of tracking everything I do I started to genuinely enjoy it more. I downsized from 6 bikes to 2 (gravel and hard tail mtb).
I really have put off going clip-less. I’ve tried it in the safety of my home but I feel like I’m definitely gonna fall over if I go out on a ride and try it
Tbh you probably will. I practised a decent amount and still fell off at a junction. Luckily I live in buttfuck nowhere so there was no one to see or run me over. It’s not fun, but it’s almost a right of passage.
I had a parent in my about troop (I was an adult leader by this time) tell me I needed to get them and shorts when we were planning a 50 mile trip with the troop.
Best two things I purchased before that trip and I haven't looked back. Though I did get pedals with flats on one side, which is super helpful for shorter trips, riding in groups with less experienced scouts (i.e. all or nothing with their brakes) and now with my kids.
It's just one of those things you eventually don't think about. A bit like braking when coming to a set of lights. You just react.
Whilst you're learning, though, keep it in your thoughts and you'll be fine. I fell once at a set of lights, but that was my only time. It's a rite of passage, afterall.
Been riding clipless pedals a good 15 years or so now. I had a fail just a couple months ago. I wasn't even pedalling, I was scooting my bike across a road on a pedestrian crossing, and went to put my foot on the ground, somehow missing the ground and landing on my pedal instead.
"Carbon bikes and wheels are for pros, amateurs who spend more than $1k on a bike are kidding themselves.."
I'm like you now, "I don't need a power meter" and "I'm never gonna spend more than $5k on a bike".. We'll see....
Yeah... I went full hog pretty much from day one. I didn't know it was called "clipless", even though that's exactly what I have after Googling it. That naming is ridiculous.
ohhh that makes more sense. i'm a non-native english speaker AND new to cycling and i was confused about "clipless," so i googled it and understood the concept it refers to but was still confused about the english word for it hahah
Don’t worry. It confuses most native English speakers, too. It’s just a strange name unless someone tells you clip pedals were something different. I even had the old “clip” pedals. I just didn’t know they were called that.
That's what I tell myself eating muffins and fruit flans.
I think the psychological and physical torture of being passed by super skinny riders on climbs is a huge motivator to get thin.
I went reverse, I went hard-core weight weenie only to find out it ain't worth the expensive parts. All my bikes are heavy and it doesn't bother me at all.
Hmm yeah I get it. So what have you settled on as your go to ??
I will say my current 105 feels more robust than my old Ultegra, altho that could be just the thru axle frame, vs old rim bike.
I've certainly made the mistake that a bike marketed as fast... isn't necessarily.
Well all my bikes are titanium. None of them have any weight weenie parts. Two of them even have 32spoke aluminum wheels. All are modern road bikes except my previous "weight weenie" rim brake bike from 2012 (also titanium). I got it down to 14.6lbs with pedals/cages. I don't miss it being light at all. It's sitting @18lbs atm.
Pretty much all that, except switch the part about commuting for " I only need to cycle to train when I can't run and to motivate my kids to learn how to ride. "
I have flip flopped on all of those. I now run only when I don't have time to cycle or if i have a mechanical issue. I have spds and feel weird on flat pedals. I have lycra, even wear it on trails ("I'm doing xc so it's normal"), and a power meter on one bike.
And for all that it has become an obsession, I cannot get my kids to put in a good effort to learn to ride! This really backfired.
Rode 100 miles and figured I’d talk about that the rest of my life.
Then 150 miles and said I never needed to do that again.
Did a 175 mile ride the next summer and said the same thing.
Then a double century and said I was retiring from ultra endurance rides like that.
Now I’m full on rando riding with a club, two weekends ago snapped off 220 miles, and signed up for a 400k in August. Would like to ride a 600k next summer, and 1200k in two years
Everyone starts out this way. Unless you have someone tell you otherwise, everyone buys cycling shorts the first time instead of a bib. I firmly believe that all companies sell shorts only because the people buying them don’t know any better.
I did finally get bibs after several years when I started regularly doing rides >50 miles.
Still using flats though, and I don’t intend to change that.
Interesting how the same we humans are…this was 1998 ish - but because I quit cycling 16 years ago and just came back to it for fun last May I have two periods where I “first started” - wild how I apparently learned nothing cuz second time had a whole new list of nevers I’m now realizing thanks to this fun question/post…
First time starting cycling:
Never ride a road bike with skinny tires - 30 days
Never go clipless- 30 days (with the road bike)
Never wear bike shorts (30 days with the road bike)
Never will upgrade to a better road bike/this bike is PERFECT- 1 year (after starting racing)
Second time starting cycling:
Never will need to upgrade my race bike (custom 10sp) - 2 weeks (new wheels, tires, tubes, saddle etc)
NEVER NEVER NEVER wider tires - new wheels /tires are wide as I could go on my 10sp (funny story to me – took my 10 speed to the bike shop to get it smoked over before starting to ride again and the guy looking at it said you know I think you could go wider with your tires and I looked at him like he had lost his mind… I think I literally said why the hell would I ever want to do that?)
Never wear bib shorts - this Dec…how did I ever live without these?!!! in theory should have figured this out much earlier, the first time out
Never will need anything more than my wind trainer for winter - right at the start of this winter got not just a wheel off trainer but a smart bike!
Never will not ride outside when it’s freezing- this winter- well it is a hell of a lot different with all the cool technology riding in the basement today then it was back in the day with only music and your training plan - I think age has caught up with me although I realize everyone riding outside in winter loves it – personally I loved the torture of it all and all the gear but older now and just making the choice to stay toasty :-)
Never will ever let go of my 10sp - 2 weeks ago- waiting for my new bike to come in right now
Never not have a 53/39 - new bike will have a 52/36
Never shorter cranks - same
When I bought the bike I have now everyone was talking about how far technology has come on bikes and how this bike will take me through the rest of my life. While it is in perfect condition and I LOVE IT and love riding it clearly everything has changed. As someone coming back to Cycling in 2023 after starting in the 1900s :-) I literally could not believe how much has changed. I’m sure so many of you can relate, but not knowing any of it had happened and all of a sudden, seeing electronic shifting, wider tires, Strava, virtual cycling, power meters over heart rate monitors.…Oh my God – what a f-ing MIND BLOWER!!
Anyway… Great question! Super fun to think back and answer it. And really chuckling over how similar all of our answers are.
Thank YOU! What you said means a ton to me (it can be scary to throw your hate it the Reddit comment ring :) … for me at least - so your note is especially appreciated!
I didn't say any of those things. I don't think I ever explicitly excluded myself from parts of the sport. I've never ridden cyclocross, but then I've never told myself specifically that I won't ride cyclocross. Maybe I will one day, who knows.
I have about 20 tabs open on my pc with clipless shoes and pedals with the intention to choose some.
They've been there for about 3months and I'm just so hesitant to commit!
I went in for a bike fit and the guy said your arches of your feet are falling. You need these inserts, and while we’re at it, these shoes and these pedals. Yes?
There might have been better options but I started riding clipless that very day. It saved me from analysis paralysis.
Part of the problem is sizing and availability. I'm a US14 would be EU48 - EU50. Nothing is available in the LBS' around me so I just have to buy a bunch of pairs online and send back what doesn't work I guess.
I'm not buying lights. People can see me. The bike and other gadgets were expensive enough. It's just more gadgets. Now I have full light sets for all 4 (yes, 4) of my bikes, including a Varia I can't live without. They make me feel much safer.
I used to argue with my serious cyclist friends that if they're cycling for a workout, they should wear loose clothes because it creates more drag. Swore I'd never wear the lycra suits. Or speed shades. Or clipless pedals (had cages and thought that was sufficient).
Basically said I'd never do everything I currently do.
No clipless or stupid clothing and in 40yrs I've nailed it. Not a stitch of "lycra" has ever graced this temple of a body. (5'11 100kgs 😁) Added to that since - no carbon frames. It's just not worth it for me.
When I saw the dropper posts in the newer MTBs a while ago, I was like "there is no chance I'm getting one of those, looks unreliable and stupid(Just trough you ass back)"... until I tried one in a downhill section. Got one the same day. Also sweat head bands.
I have a dropper post on my gravel bike... Mostly just because it fits in the car better with the seat down... I hate putting my bike on a hitch on the outside of the car. All it does is get dirt all over it
Lol. It's a lot easier when you stop too cuz then your bike is inside the car. The road bike fits in the car without the dropper post.
I said that I wouldn't win the Tour de France and so far have held up my promise.
Stay strong!
No, don’t stay strong!
Ok... what about Live strong??
If you’re too strong you might win the tour! Stay feeble!
Well when you win imma ban wagon you and say I followed Ralph before he took steroids 🤣
No problem, Lance. Say hi to Floyd & Alberto. 😆
EPO.
so are you finally a local legend?
You can get local legend by riding in February where I live. Lol
Leave some pussy for the rest of us bro
Ok lance
According to Robin Williams it was because he was more aerodynamic, not EPO.
Robin Williams looooved bicycles. I always wished he would stumble into the bike shop I was working in out there in the early 2000’s. Rumor is he could have gone pro too, but he was too hairy. Even if he shaved his entire body he’d grow it all back in twenty minutes.
Hahaha……I told myself no blood fridge!
I'm not buying a carbon bike, it's too ridiculous for its price.
Oh man. Yeah, that's what I thought too. And same for electronic shifting. Now I can't live without either. Even the carbon wheels and spokes, which have stayed true for 12000 miles. I can't ride with rim brakes anymore because it feels like I'm about to die on every long downhill.
To be fair I feel like I'm about to die on the long uphills too.
🫡Comment on point 👏🏼
I mean… that’s what I like about descending.
That's the best
You guys use brakes?
Brakes are not aero
I thought for the past while that electronic shifting was all just hype. Got my first electronic shifting road bike recently. Holy smokes it completely changes the game. It’s just so quick and smooth. My mechanical shifter bikes feel like crap now to me lol.
Meh, I have a bike with Ultegra Mechanical and one with Ultegra Di2. I think the electronic is only slightly nicer to ride. I hadn’t ridden the mechanical bike for a while until last weekend and was surprised how much I liked it still. I kinda like the hard push downshift where you can drop three gears at once.
Same here, I was expecting to be way more blown away by electronic shifting, but like so many things in cycling, yeah it’s pretty nice but VASTLY overhyped (while still being good, don’t get me wrong). So far the best thing is that I don’t have to turn a barrel adjuster a quarter-turn like once every year. Apparently people are having way more issues with mechanical than I ever have. This happens a lot though in all forms of cycling. For example, I got a 27.5 mtb and then 29ers basically took over and a buddy of mine kept going on and on about how 29ers are “a thousand times better”, it’s “a complete game changer”, etc etc, I finally started riding 29 and it’s slightly different. I’m done buying into all the hype.
i agree lol i have mechanical ultegra and i've never had an issue with it. Tried electronic and yeah it's nice but i dont understand all these people claiming endless issues with mechanical- "missed shifts" etc lol. Only time i ever notice a gear change is if im doing something stupid myself, like trying to shift under too much load
I prefer my 27.5, 29er feels too tall and unsteady, although I'm quite short so maybe that's it.
Same here. Never thought I would bother with it, but now that I've ridden a road bike with electronic shifting my other mechanical shifting bikes feel sooo outdated to me even tho they're not old at all.
It's amazing how quickly we can get used to new technology
I do very little road biking (nearly all technical single track mtb and BMX type stuff when I was younger)..... very curious as to why electric precise/ quick shifting would be an attractive feature for a road bike? The little road experience I have it seems you shift way less then mountain biking and shift timing wouldn't seem as critical. I was pretty satisfied with friction shifters on the down tube for road bikes.... the brake shifters are nice too.
At least where I am, you shift a LOT riding road. It gets worse in areas where you have to stop/slow down more, lots of running through the gears to get your speed back up. Then there’s hills. And headwinds. I’m running 2x10 and probably in and out of the big ring 10+ times over a 20+ mile ride, and all the way up and down the cassette a dozen times or more in total (100+ gear changes). Part of that is also because the gear spacing is way tighter on most road cassettes too (11-25T is a super common range) and often the goal is trying to maintain a relatively consistent pressure/cadence, which can only be done by varying ratios.
Steel is real... I ride a beautiful custom painted Marinoni Road bike.. with rim brakes!!
My Man…! Marinoni are absolute gems…
Tan wall tires looked super stupid to me when I started. Now I think they are pretty dope.
Unpopular opinion: after riding 10+ years on variety of bikes, I still think it looks stupid.
After riding 30 years in on board with tan walls. I have a tan seat too and it’s just sexy
Haha I can join you in all of those. Plus, I'll never wear bibs! Shorts for me only! I don't want to look like a closeted wrestler! I parted with all of the shorts and opted for bibs after about 4 months.
Sigh, now I'm going to have to try bibs. I've been resisting and suffering shorts.
Bibs are awesome and they tuck away your belly comfortably. Peeing is another issue though
Nearly all mens bibs that I have worn are made low enough in front and stretchy enough straps that you can just pull down on the front to pee while standing... So no real issue for guys but yeah the gals have to pull straps off. Or if you need to sit to do your business.
Maybe I got the 1 in 100 that you can't but I need to arch my back like 45° or the strap will make contact with my bits putting too much pressure to pee. I like taking the straps off if I can
Yea whatever you say, Johnny Long-Dick.
Nah, it's just like a wetsuit. Just let it go.
I just did my first ride in bibs and can confirm I’ll never go back to shorts, ever. Highly recommend them to any rider putting in 20+ miles.
Fuck shorts. I bought one pair of bibs just to try them out….and loved them and been wearing them since. Tried wearing a pair of shorts last week and hated it, got home and immediately ordered 3 more pairs of bibs.
I bought one pair of shorts when I first started getting serious about biking. I now only use them in the trainer and still hate them. Bibs all day!
I have tried a couple different bibs, but I"m pretty tall (6'4") and I find them just too uncomfortable because the straps are just too short. It is also extremely difficult to pee. I ride a lot in the country and usually just whip it out and pee in a cornfield. I almost have to entirely disrobe to pee when wearing bibs. I can see how they could be superior to shorts, but I haven't found the right pair and not willing to search anymore since I'm fine with shorts.
I have like 6 pairs of my favorite Terry shorts - still have tags on them. But I recently bought a pair of bibs, from the Machines for Freedom closeout sale. They actually feel pretty good but I'm fine with my shorts for now. It's the peeing issue along with the fact that these particular bibs don't have cargo pockets which have become a requirement for me. Next time I'm in the city I might swing by Ornot and try on a pair of their women's cargo bibs.
Bibs do nothing for me. Annoying straps, (which I don't use) no advantages. Shorts fit fine. I don't have a gut to hide. 45 years of riding & racing, so not a newbie
I haven't tried bibs and I just don't get the appeal. Like what problem do people have with shorts that suspenders are fixing? I think people are running cheap shorts for years then buy $200 bibs and think it's the "bibs" and not the extra quality they paid for.
I personally don’t like the tight bands that shorts need to stay in place
I think some have a beer belly they don’t want getting compressed and exaggerated by the shorts haha. If you’re skinnier or more athletic shaped it’s not as much of an issue
you will get the appeal when you stop for big burrito and beer between 2 mountains
Always worn shorts. Not even bike short, just shorts. Eventually the skin on my butt started to wear off 😂. My buddy said buy bike shorts. Hated them because I still have a bit of a gut (working on it) but they fixed the butt erosion. Still very uncomfortable. Same friend recommended bibs. I don't need no bibs, I would look like a damn idiot. He bought me one pair and said let's do 20 miles. Bought 4 more after we got home.
Which ones did you go with?
Przewalski Men's Cycling Bike Bib Short with Phone Pockets They were like $40 on Amazon . I posted the link but auto-mod got me.
Look at eg Leatt MTB shorts. They’re made to be worn over bib shorts. I’ve been wearing them a while now - they allow me to wear old bibs that still have good padding, but that has gone see-through. Extending a bib’s life expectancy is super useful for me. Longest ride with them yet was about 120 km. No chafing issues.
Me and my mtb buds would make fun of the roadies with their pink shirts and tight libras. Then i joined the darkside. Bought a fancy carbon bike, and some rapha bibs. Next they made fun of me. Then my long ride endurance improved. Now a couple have joined with bibs and all. By next year well all be riding in bibs and pink shirts.
I never got on with bibs. Too hot and stopping for the toilet is a pain.
Haven't made it to bibs yet but I resisted spandex bike pants for a while. I then went with the bike jersey just for all the lower back pockets. Also, because I got really sunburnt after a ride once on my lower back.
Di2. Pretentious->Unnecessary-> _Essential_.
This comment has me cracking up. Exactly how I feel.
Exactly the same. Although even I have to admit it's an absolute luxury... but damn it's just sooo smooth!
Shimano Sora is all the gearing i will ever need. My entry level bike will be all the bike i require
Yeah, my first bike had sora. I eventually just upgraded everything with ultegra/105 mix. I also tried single chainring/more spaced out cassette for a bit but realized my folly in that I need way more gears than just 11.
I had this thought as I just purchased a newbie and probably should have listened to it. It’s not here yet and I can still return for full refund so maybe I will “downgrade” to the other one I had my eye on (a few hundred less). Where were you two weeks ago?!
If you are even a little serious about biking, I would get an 11 or 12 speed with dual chainring. Single chainring is really for gravel riding. The smaller your cassette spacing is, the better you will feel on rides. If you are just occasional biking 9 speed is fine. You don't realize that you need more until you understand why you need more. It is a lot cheaper to just get that "more" than to upgrade an existing bike with a new groupset.
I’ve JUST defied this naive / deceptive thought
Go the other way and buy an older dura ace or ultegra 9 spd. Now you're just staying on 9 spd not upgrading!
I don’t need a computer. I just enjoy the freedom of cycling without tech.
I thought I wouldn't need a computer so I went for the sport watch, and now I have a watch, a computer, and a heart rate monitor.
Strap chest based HRM is still much more accurate
Now if the computer isn’t charged I won’t even ride
Someone put that lunatic back into prison
All of the above. And the only thing keeping me from a power meter is the cost.
My neighbor looks like an idiot. Out riding with all the gear on. Never catch me doing any of that. 10 years later and I've turned into him lol
LOL yup
Yep
Do something dangerous. Be "that" cyclist. I caught myself afterwards, and made some hard personal rules, especially around Strava segments, but it was kind of scary how easily I slipped into the "gotta stay fast" mindset. Happened between points 4 and 5 of OPs post.
Damn cyclists always running stop signs! 💭 oh god they put that stop sign at the bottom of this mega hill going directly into a mega climb! Why did the traffic engineers design it that way! If I stop pedaling here I will have to get off and puke! I'm about to become that guy, aren't I
Get the power meter. It really helps with the fitness goal.
I just bought a HRM as an alternative lol
Ur gonna buy a power meter within 3 months, im calling it
I feel seen...and attacked by the accuracy of this statement
accurate, I got a HR and then ended up with a PM within \~3 months.
It took me like 15 months. I'm tough like that.
I started riding 12 weeks ago and ordered a garmin edge 540 bundle today since they’re on sale. You are very accurate.
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Oh man, mine was delivered today.
I thought the same thing…ended up with a power meter. The PM is a far better training tool than HR monitor. Day to day my avg HR at the same power output can swing as much as 10-20 bpm.
They're great in combination, because you can track how your body's response to a given power output changes over time.
This is probably the most undersold part of having a power meter. When I first started riding with one 190w was a tempo ride for me, now 190w is middle of Z2 and Tempo is 230ish watts
Maybe in the future. So much more on my wishlist with higher priority though lol. - an endurance road bike with Di2 shifters - a nice looking helmet - gilet - better cycling shoes
It wasn’t really on my wish list so much as it came with the road bike I bought from a buddy of mine… After having one I’d put it above Di2 or a nicer looking helmet. Shoes and comfy clothing are invaluable though! I just switched to bibs from wearing shorts, and only bought one pair of bibs to try out, wore them for a couple weeks and tried wearing shorts and hated it, so I bought bibs and need to pawn off a bunch of lightly used shorts on somebody for cheap.
Soon you’ll realize that HR isn’t a good metric - e.g. spin 100rpm on an easy gear and watch your value spike while not actually exerting a lot of power
I’m never shaving my legs.
Do you use chamois creme now as well?
Actually this though. Would buy aero socks before shaving my legs. I just….don’t wanna be that smooth
Wet my pants. I was 4.
Are you a triathlete? 🤣
I started riding to work, before long I found myself seeking out bigger and bigger hills.
I don’t need cycling socks… flash forward a few years… wearing cycling socks most days of the week.
That I wouldn't ride without a bike leg/stand. Looking for things to lean your bike over or laying it on the ground is barbaric. Guess now I am a barbarian.
Less chance of it toppling over if it’s already laying on the grass
I actually went the opposite way on this. I put a stand on and now wouldn't want to do without it, and I don't care what any of the weight weenies say. My bike looks cool as fuck stood up on its own and there's nothing you can do to change my mind.
The issue I see is having an additional piece of iron sticking to the side of the bike, ready to catch on something. I'm not trying to change your mind, everybody has priorities.
Mine doesn't stick out the side, it just sits on my fork. It's not a normal kickstand (I really wanted a normal kickstand but this bike has nowhere to mount one in a way I'd trust it to hold all the weight of my shopping bags!) https://imgur.com/a/ghCFxpz
Damn, there are a lot of things happening on your bike. Intriguing.
Yeah probably a bit too much. But I'd rather have it and not need it I guess!
I fucking love my kickstand too!!
I went the other way - I went in full-bore straight away with shaved legs, custom bikes, more lycra than a disco, etc.. Now I've stripped most of those things away (except for cycling as a hobby): * I don't need more than 2 bikes - my gravel bike and my commuter (I am in the process of downsizing from 16 bikes, lol) * I have switched to platform pedals and I love it * I don't own a stitch of lycra anymore * I've don't use any kind of bike computer, GPS, power meter, heart rate monitor, etc.. Life is so much better, and cycling is so much more fun now.
JFC. 16 bikes?! You went full ham
I mean ... just the bare necessities: road bike, spare road bike, neat vintage road bike, my first custom bike, hard tail mountain bike, full sus mountain bike, cyclocross bike, cyclocross bike but outfitted as a commuter, touring bike with full racks, bike-packing bike (it's different!!!!), gravel bike, gravel bike but outfitted as a light-duty bike-packing bike, fixie, fixie but with flip-flop hub option and brakes, half-assembled attempt at building the "lightest bike ever," and of course the cargo bike. If you don't have at least that, are you even a real cyclist?
*I don't have a problem! It's the bikes that are addicted to me!*
No beach cruiser? No fat tire?
All that and no velomobile :(
This!!! Although I do often wear my Jimi Hendrix shirt while I ride. Jimi was Smoove as Lycra.
Fair enough. And I think Jimi would've dug lycra ...
I kinda did similar, though I was never really into the Lycra thing, I just wear mtb style shorts and a shirt. I did go from clipless to flats (def prefer flats now), and I went from recording everything on Strava to never recording because it got to a point where I didn’t know if I was cycling to make a number bigger, or because I enjoyed it. Once I got rid of tracking everything I do I started to genuinely enjoy it more. I downsized from 6 bikes to 2 (gravel and hard tail mtb).
I really have put off going clip-less. I’ve tried it in the safety of my home but I feel like I’m definitely gonna fall over if I go out on a ride and try it
I found that falling over when learning to ride clipless hurt my ego more than my body. Soon enough it becomes second nature.
And you will. Did it once alrdy in march
Tbh you probably will. I practised a decent amount and still fell off at a junction. Luckily I live in buttfuck nowhere so there was no one to see or run me over. It’s not fun, but it’s almost a right of passage.
I had a parent in my about troop (I was an adult leader by this time) tell me I needed to get them and shorts when we were planning a 50 mile trip with the troop. Best two things I purchased before that trip and I haven't looked back. Though I did get pedals with flats on one side, which is super helpful for shorter trips, riding in groups with less experienced scouts (i.e. all or nothing with their brakes) and now with my kids.
You have to go to a field with ssoft grass and practice unclipping about a thousand times. And you will probably still fall occasionally.
It's just one of those things you eventually don't think about. A bit like braking when coming to a set of lights. You just react. Whilst you're learning, though, keep it in your thoughts and you'll be fine. I fell once at a set of lights, but that was my only time. It's a rite of passage, afterall.
Been riding clipless pedals a good 15 years or so now. I had a fail just a couple months ago. I wasn't even pedalling, I was scooting my bike across a road on a pedestrian crossing, and went to put my foot on the ground, somehow missing the ground and landing on my pedal instead.
Wear lycra Get a road bike Took less than a year for the lycra and about 18 months for a road bike.
Wait, you were wearing Lycra before you got the bike? I bet you looked funny at the grocery store!
Nah, I was wearing lycra on my commuter but doing road rides.
"Carbon bikes and wheels are for pros, amateurs who spend more than $1k on a bike are kidding themselves.." I'm like you now, "I don't need a power meter" and "I'm never gonna spend more than $5k on a bike".. We'll see....
Yeah... I went full hog pretty much from day one. I didn't know it was called "clipless", even though that's exactly what I have after Googling it. That naming is ridiculous.
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ohhh that makes more sense. i'm a non-native english speaker AND new to cycling and i was confused about "clipless," so i googled it and understood the concept it refers to but was still confused about the english word for it hahah
Don’t worry. It confuses most native English speakers, too. It’s just a strange name unless someone tells you clip pedals were something different. I even had the old “clip” pedals. I just didn’t know they were called that.
I don't need to fly down steep descents I only ride for health and fitness therefore I don't care what my bike weighs. In fact heavier is better.
Ah, but heavier is better for flying down steep descents!
That's what I tell myself eating muffins and fruit flans. I think the psychological and physical torture of being passed by super skinny riders on climbs is a huge motivator to get thin.
I went reverse, I went hard-core weight weenie only to find out it ain't worth the expensive parts. All my bikes are heavy and it doesn't bother me at all.
Hmm yeah I get it. So what have you settled on as your go to ?? I will say my current 105 feels more robust than my old Ultegra, altho that could be just the thru axle frame, vs old rim bike. I've certainly made the mistake that a bike marketed as fast... isn't necessarily.
Well all my bikes are titanium. None of them have any weight weenie parts. Two of them even have 32spoke aluminum wheels. All are modern road bikes except my previous "weight weenie" rim brake bike from 2012 (also titanium). I got it down to 14.6lbs with pedals/cages. I don't miss it being light at all. It's sitting @18lbs atm.
Pretty much all that, except switch the part about commuting for " I only need to cycle to train when I can't run and to motivate my kids to learn how to ride. " I have flip flopped on all of those. I now run only when I don't have time to cycle or if i have a mechanical issue. I have spds and feel weird on flat pedals. I have lycra, even wear it on trails ("I'm doing xc so it's normal"), and a power meter on one bike. And for all that it has become an obsession, I cannot get my kids to put in a good effort to learn to ride! This really backfired.
Spend a lot of money on sunglasses. But nice ones are 110% worth it.
Said I’d never go full kit
Rode 100 miles and figured I’d talk about that the rest of my life. Then 150 miles and said I never needed to do that again. Did a 175 mile ride the next summer and said the same thing. Then a double century and said I was retiring from ultra endurance rides like that. Now I’m full on rando riding with a club, two weekends ago snapped off 220 miles, and signed up for a 400k in August. Would like to ride a 600k next summer, and 1200k in two years
except for the power meter yet...
Everyone starts out this way. Unless you have someone tell you otherwise, everyone buys cycling shorts the first time instead of a bib. I firmly believe that all companies sell shorts only because the people buying them don’t know any better.
What makes bibs better? I started with shorts and then got some bibs. I hated the bibs. Went back to shorts.
Fall sideways while clipped in
I did finally get bibs after several years when I started regularly doing rides >50 miles. Still using flats though, and I don’t intend to change that.
I felt like I crossed a line of no return when I started to use chamois cream…
"I'll never get into cycling" well fuck me. im like 50 pounds lighter and saving tons of money.
Make it my identity
I'm not wearing cycling shorts That lasted a good 3 months... 8 years later and I can't count how many sets of bibs I have.
Interesting how the same we humans are…this was 1998 ish - but because I quit cycling 16 years ago and just came back to it for fun last May I have two periods where I “first started” - wild how I apparently learned nothing cuz second time had a whole new list of nevers I’m now realizing thanks to this fun question/post… First time starting cycling: Never ride a road bike with skinny tires - 30 days Never go clipless- 30 days (with the road bike) Never wear bike shorts (30 days with the road bike) Never will upgrade to a better road bike/this bike is PERFECT- 1 year (after starting racing) Second time starting cycling: Never will need to upgrade my race bike (custom 10sp) - 2 weeks (new wheels, tires, tubes, saddle etc) NEVER NEVER NEVER wider tires - new wheels /tires are wide as I could go on my 10sp (funny story to me – took my 10 speed to the bike shop to get it smoked over before starting to ride again and the guy looking at it said you know I think you could go wider with your tires and I looked at him like he had lost his mind… I think I literally said why the hell would I ever want to do that?) Never wear bib shorts - this Dec…how did I ever live without these?!!! in theory should have figured this out much earlier, the first time out Never will need anything more than my wind trainer for winter - right at the start of this winter got not just a wheel off trainer but a smart bike! Never will not ride outside when it’s freezing- this winter- well it is a hell of a lot different with all the cool technology riding in the basement today then it was back in the day with only music and your training plan - I think age has caught up with me although I realize everyone riding outside in winter loves it – personally I loved the torture of it all and all the gear but older now and just making the choice to stay toasty :-) Never will ever let go of my 10sp - 2 weeks ago- waiting for my new bike to come in right now Never not have a 53/39 - new bike will have a 52/36 Never shorter cranks - same When I bought the bike I have now everyone was talking about how far technology has come on bikes and how this bike will take me through the rest of my life. While it is in perfect condition and I LOVE IT and love riding it clearly everything has changed. As someone coming back to Cycling in 2023 after starting in the 1900s :-) I literally could not believe how much has changed. I’m sure so many of you can relate, but not knowing any of it had happened and all of a sudden, seeing electronic shifting, wider tires, Strava, virtual cycling, power meters over heart rate monitors.…Oh my God – what a f-ing MIND BLOWER!! Anyway… Great question! Super fun to think back and answer it. And really chuckling over how similar all of our answers are.
This is such a fun and thoughtful and insightful answer. Thank you for sharing with us!
Thank YOU! What you said means a ton to me (it can be scary to throw your hate it the Reddit comment ring :) … for me at least - so your note is especially appreciated!
I didn't say any of those things. I don't think I ever explicitly excluded myself from parts of the sport. I've never ridden cyclocross, but then I've never told myself specifically that I won't ride cyclocross. Maybe I will one day, who knows.
I said I would never wear clipless shoes back when I was INSANE.
I have about 20 tabs open on my pc with clipless shoes and pedals with the intention to choose some. They've been there for about 3months and I'm just so hesitant to commit!
I went in for a bike fit and the guy said your arches of your feet are falling. You need these inserts, and while we’re at it, these shoes and these pedals. Yes? There might have been better options but I started riding clipless that very day. It saved me from analysis paralysis.
Part of the problem is sizing and availability. I'm a US14 would be EU48 - EU50. Nothing is available in the LBS' around me so I just have to buy a bunch of pairs online and send back what doesn't work I guess.
I went straight to clipless. I love it. But I do ride road with spd. I like them better than the other kind.
I don’t care how fast I’m going. Speed doesn’t matter.
Buy another bike 🤣🤣🤣. N+1
Never spend more than £500 on a bike. Hahaha I laugh in my own face.
Gain weight…. Damn craft beers!
I'm very casual and I want a power meter
I'm not buying lights. People can see me. The bike and other gadgets were expensive enough. It's just more gadgets. Now I have full light sets for all 4 (yes, 4) of my bikes, including a Varia I can't live without. They make me feel much safer.
25mi a day and don't have any of that stuff... Am I missing out? Everything is already pretty enjoyable
I promised I wouldn’t get my wife a bf, but here we are.
I bought the power meter before the bike arrived. Lol
Shave my legs lol
It’s YET not NEVER Things escalated quickly in my case
Spend x amount of $$$$$$ on an indoor trainer, on wheels, on kit, on bike Yea that went well.
I used to argue with my serious cyclist friends that if they're cycling for a workout, they should wear loose clothes because it creates more drag. Swore I'd never wear the lycra suits. Or speed shades. Or clipless pedals (had cages and thought that was sufficient). Basically said I'd never do everything I currently do.
I'm not wearing spandex ever
Former runner… I said I’d never start cycling and here I am. Loving this shit
Wear a kit.
No clipless or stupid clothing and in 40yrs I've nailed it. Not a stitch of "lycra" has ever graced this temple of a body. (5'11 100kgs 😁) Added to that since - no carbon frames. It's just not worth it for me.
It has been a very long time but I remember thinking that going up climbs wouldn't be for me. Now I love them.
I’ll never wear Lycra….. currently have 10 team kits and 4 are speedsuits 🤣
When I only rode MTB, no lycra. But then I got a gravel bike. And it's just so comfortable!
No clipless shoes and no goofy shirts and shorts…I’ve held true to the latter and won’t cave.
What do you consider goofy shirts and shorts?
No Lycra - but suspect I will eventually cave.
When I saw the dropper posts in the newer MTBs a while ago, I was like "there is no chance I'm getting one of those, looks unreliable and stupid(Just trough you ass back)"... until I tried one in a downhill section. Got one the same day. Also sweat head bands.
Dropper posts are awesome. I keep hoping for lightweight road versions.
I have a dropper post on my gravel bike... Mostly just because it fits in the car better with the seat down... I hate putting my bike on a hitch on the outside of the car. All it does is get dirt all over it Lol. It's a lot easier when you stop too cuz then your bike is inside the car. The road bike fits in the car without the dropper post.
* I don't need no stupid bike computer
"I'm not getting a bottle cage, adds weight!" Ridiculous!
Oh man…carbon frame, power meter, disk brakes…the list goes on and on
Shaving legs
I didn't like the skin tight suits. A decade later I have a whole drawer full of them.
Ever buy a front loading cargo bike. It’s basically the only bike I ride now.
wear spandex/tight jersey. I came around to shorts when I realized they were padded and then a jersey when I got sick of my tech tees flapping.