Cycle to work scheme

[Ian H]

I got no luck with the cycle to work scheme so just bought a bike.

First I finished my younger sons specialised, I bought one of the Kona ones for my older son. £380, used once then the guy got a flat tyre.

Then I just bought myself an Orange 5 for £430. Me and the younger one had our first trip out this weekend

 

[motorbiking]

Fantastic bike for that money - You could get more than you paid if you broke it for parts.. If you plan to do a lot of winter riding, I'd go full outers on the gear cables.

 

[Ian H]

I will use it a bit in winter, first thing I want is some waterproof shoes and I might refit the mudflaps that were on it.

 

[motorbiking]

No such thing as waterproof shoes (as a clipless rider ), You can buy waterproof socks...
http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/sealskinz/socks?sort=discount

 

[EFLImpudence]

Do you wear them outside your shoes?

 

[motorbiking]

Do you normally?

 

[motorbiking]

i was out on mine on sunday

 

[Ian H]

The bike against the tree pic, an essential part of every ride!!!

I need a new helmet too.

 

[Brigadier]

used to have something like these

http://www.chainreactioncycles.com/..._dc|pcrid|161850070953|pkw||pmt||prd|504596UK

 

[motorbiking]

good for road bike, but they won’t be much good on flats. They’ll get chewed to bits.

 

[Brigadier]

I used spds on my mtb, although I only did xc for fitness, rather than silly or technical stuff

 

[motorbiking]

I use SPDs for everything including silly and technical stuff. I prefer SPD, to SPD-SL on road too, even when TTing. But its personal choice with much debate as to which one is best.

 

[EFLImpudence]

Do you normally?

I never use them. My car doesn't leak.

However, if there is no such thing as waterproof shoes - which someone said, wellies? - but there are waterproof socks - which someone else said - then wearing the socks (or plastic bags) over the shoes would seem to be the logical thing to do.

 

[motorbiking]

plastic bags over your sox in the shoe actually works fairly well. The problem you have with MTBing in the wet, is invariably you end up going through a muddy trail and having to put your foot down, which will normally result in water going above the waterproofing. You also have the water running down your legs and in to the shoe from the top, decent shoes also have holes in the bottom for cleats. waterproof sox work like a wetsuit and at least let you warm up the water.

I like the wellies idea - I hadn't thought of that. I feel a bit silly now having spent out on race shoes. what was I thinking

Winter MTBing get friggin expensive on high end bikes.. its one of the reasons I took up road cycling. I'd get through half a dozen sets of pads over the winter and sometimes even a couple of cassettes and chains.

 

[EFLImpudence]

plastic bags over your sox in the shoe actually works fairly well.

There you go.

The problem you have with MTBing in the wet, is invariably you end up going through a muddy trail and having to put your foot down, which will normally result in water going above the waterproofing. You also have the water running down your legs and in to the shoe from the top,

Long plastic bags and duct tape?

decent shoes also have holes in the bottom for cleats.

WHAT? That seems like a fundamental flaw.
I've just bought new shoes because there were holes in the bottom of present ones.

waterproof sox work like a wetsuit and at least let you warm up the water.

Two pairs then; one inside and one outside - plus duct tape.

I like the wellies idea - I hadn't thought of that. I feel a bit silly now having spent out on race shoes. what was I thinking

The simplest ideas are often the best.

Glad to have helped.