Background
In spring of 2014 I decided to dust off the old mountain bike that I purchased back in university to start using it again and to get fit. The bike itself only cost me £75 because I got a good deal. It only required some WD40 and a new inner tube to get it going again so on Saturday May 30th, I got on the bike for the first time and went for a ride along the coast.
That was the start of a good year of cycling for me, the bug had well and truly bitten me so I spent the next two months cycling around my town getting my stamina and overall endurance up because I had an objective: cycling to work.
For the rest of 2014 up to around mid-September, I cycled to work. At first just once a week because the 30 mile round trip took it out of me, but before long I built up to twice, then three times a week.
The weight dropped off me, by the end of the summer I was 20 kg lighter than at the beginning! There was one problem though, the rides were really hurting! And not my legs! It was my back. The bike frame is a meagre 17" frame, but I'm over 6' 4" and I was bending over a lot in order to reach the low handle bars. By about 40 minutes into a ride, I would start getting tingling across my hips, by 50-60 minutes it would be painful (pull those times in by 20 minutes if I was doing mountain biking).
I really needed a bike that suited my size better. Fortunately the good weather was ending so cycling any distance (like to work) was becoming less desirable - I don't mind if I have to pull out my waterproof jacket when I'm half-way for a drizzle, but I'm not LEAVING my house when its raining. So the bike got stashed away into the garage.
The Cycle2Work scheme is a little like Personal Contract Hire. You pay for the bike over 12 months (but before you pay tax, so in essence get a tax break). At the end of the 12 months (which I'm not at yet) you can then either return the bike, or pay a small amount to keep it. From my research and sums, it will work out no cheaper than just buying the bike - but you do get an interest free loan to spread the cost out over, ideal for me as I didn't have a lump sum to just drop on the bike.
At this stage, I wouldn't say I'm clued up about bikes. So going to my local bike shop, I went in blind and just asked for their opinion. So off I went to Sandy Wallace Cycles and got talking to Gordon. I'd done the sums on the Cycle2Work website and looked at my own finances so I knew my budget was about £400 on the bike, with another £100 for some accessories.
As per usual, being so tall (6' 4") I was limited in choice. My ideal bike frame size is 20" or 22", unsurprisingly the choice at that size is limited. We did find a really nice Giant (how apt!) bike that even had disc brakes on for bang on £399. I then wanted a pannier rack with pannier bags to take my work clothes in, which was another £105. £504 got me everything I needed! So with that quote I applied for my voucher to get my bike.
Heading back to the bike shop a few days later with voucher in hand to purchase said bike, I get disappointed to find out that the bike in my size is out of stock (probably everyone else buying bikes through Cycle2Work and won't be available again until July! *cry* We quickly amended the order for a Ridgeback Velocity. Similar quality bike (although with a lifetime warranty) same size etc. And I can pick it up within a week! Woohoo!
With my shiny new bike I'm off!
For the rest of 2014 up to around mid-September, I cycled to work. At first just once a week because the 30 mile round trip took it out of me, but before long I built up to twice, then three times a week.
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| Cycling on my mountain bike |
I really needed a bike that suited my size better. Fortunately the good weather was ending so cycling any distance (like to work) was becoming less desirable - I don't mind if I have to pull out my waterproof jacket when I'm half-way for a drizzle, but I'm not LEAVING my house when its raining. So the bike got stashed away into the garage.
And fast forward to now ...
Even though I'd only bought a new, massively more economical car in January which was taking up a good chunk of what was disposable income, I was still considering a bike. My employer is part of the Cycle2Work scheme, which simply put gives you an interest free loan to buy a bike and (some) accessories worth up to a total of £1000.The Cycle2Work scheme is a little like Personal Contract Hire. You pay for the bike over 12 months (but before you pay tax, so in essence get a tax break). At the end of the 12 months (which I'm not at yet) you can then either return the bike, or pay a small amount to keep it. From my research and sums, it will work out no cheaper than just buying the bike - but you do get an interest free loan to spread the cost out over, ideal for me as I didn't have a lump sum to just drop on the bike.
At this stage, I wouldn't say I'm clued up about bikes. So going to my local bike shop, I went in blind and just asked for their opinion. So off I went to Sandy Wallace Cycles and got talking to Gordon. I'd done the sums on the Cycle2Work website and looked at my own finances so I knew my budget was about £400 on the bike, with another £100 for some accessories.
As per usual, being so tall (6' 4") I was limited in choice. My ideal bike frame size is 20" or 22", unsurprisingly the choice at that size is limited. We did find a really nice Giant (how apt!) bike that even had disc brakes on for bang on £399. I then wanted a pannier rack with pannier bags to take my work clothes in, which was another £105. £504 got me everything I needed! So with that quote I applied for my voucher to get my bike.
Heading back to the bike shop a few days later with voucher in hand to purchase said bike, I get disappointed to find out that the bike in my size is out of stock (probably everyone else buying bikes through Cycle2Work and won't be available again until July! *cry* We quickly amended the order for a Ridgeback Velocity. Similar quality bike (although with a lifetime warranty) same size etc. And I can pick it up within a week! Woohoo!
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| Ridgeback Velocity |
With my shiny new bike I'm off!
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