1st commute on Giant Defy 0

[Kojak]

Hi all,
I'm new to the forum and this is my 2nd post only.
Perhaps not very scintillating but I'm itching to say that I did an 18 mile commute today on the new bike.
I drove in to work this morning when most were still in the land of nod and I've left my car there, unpacking my bike from the boot and cycling home.
Weather was almost perfect if not a shade too windy but I'm impressed with the Giant.
I've only been cycling in my mature years since the middle of last summer and have done this route on a Btwin 540 that used to give me pains behind the knee. That was a long story butin a nutshell it went back and I bought the Defy 0.
No knee pain and 26 PR's on strava without trying for them so all in all it looks like a successful and leasurable change.
Happy riding everyone

[Rossco8854]

Strava app is brilliant!

I'm currently using a reebok mountain bike for my very hilly albeit short commute and in the market for a road bike or cx bike! Have started getting pains in my knees also, wold this be due to ill fitted bike?

[[XAP]Bob]

Excellent - cycling back in the morning?

[Spinners]

Hi all,

Who loves ya baby?

Nice to hear about your successful commute back home. Hope you continue to enjoy your new bike.

[JeremyB]

Strava app is brilliant!

I'm currently using a reebok mountain bike for my very hilly albeit short commute and in the market for a road bike or cx bike! Have started getting pains in my knees also, wold this be due to ill fitted bike?

Strava is great, until you look at who else has ridden your PR segment and find they have done it in half the time...

[Rossco8854]

Strava app is brilliant!

I'm currently using a reebok mountain bike for my very hilly albeit short commute and in the market for a road bike or cx bike! Have started getting pains in my knees also, wold this be due to ill fitted bike?

Strava is great, until you look at who else has ridden your PR segment and find they have done it in half the time...

As I said I'm on a low quality mountain bike and am sitting mid range for most segments, looking forward to getting new wheels to see what I can do!

[JeremyB]

Strava app is brilliant!

I'm currently using a reebok mountain bike for my very hilly albeit short commute and in the market for a road bike or cx bike! Have started getting pains in my knees also, wold this be due to ill fitted bike?

Strava is great, until you look at who else has ridden your PR segment and find they have done it in half the time...

As I said I'm on a low quality mountain bike and am sitting mid range for most segments, looking forward to getting new wheels to see what I can do!

Not knocking it, I love it, but I am sitting bottom on most segments... ☹️

[Kojak]

Excellent - cycling back in the morning?

Nah...got a lift in so I could pick up my car.
I will attempt both ways as soon as it's light enough in the morning though and can't wait actually.
I have lights but I want to increase my chances with the idiots asleep behind the wheel as much as possible.

[Kojak]

Hi all,

Who loves ya baby?

Nice to hear about your successful commute back home. Hope you continue to enjoy your new bike.

Thank you!

[Kojak]

Strava is great, until you look at who else has ridden your PR segment and find they have done it in half the time...

Yes my PR's are no better than mid pack typically 938th out of 1946 etc....
But I must admit to being suspicious about some KOM's.
There is a bridge near me and to drive a car sensibly over it would not make KOM......I'm thinking some are false.

[The utility cyclist]

Excellent - cycling back in the morning?

Nah...got a lift in so I could pick up my car.
I will attempt both ways as soon as it's light enough in the morning though and can't wait actually.
I have lights but I want to increase my chances with the idiots asleep behind the wheel as much as possible.

TBH, I don't feel any less safe at night time, given the less amount of traffic and the contrast of lights against darkness chances are there's not much in it regarding incident rate.

Defy 0 is a great bike, I'm sure you'll get plenty of miles in

[Kojak]

Thanks Utility Cyclist,
I hear your opinion too, I hope you are right and I feel in general of an evening you maybe. Not quite so sure myself about early morning with the cup of coffee on the dash board though.

[[XAP]Bob]

Excellent - cycling back in the morning?

Nah...got a lift in so I could pick up my car.
I will attempt both ways as soon as it's light enough in the morning though and can't wait actually.
I have lights but I want to increase my chances with the idiots asleep behind the wheel as much as possible.

Perfectly reasonable...

[The utility cyclist]

Thanks Utility Cyclist,
I hear your opinion too, I hope you are right and I feel in general of an evening you maybe. Not quite so sure myself about early morning with the cup of coffee on the dash board though.

I think most incidents happen between 3:30-6pm when humans natural nap time kicks in, having being a serial car commuter in the past across home counties and into that there London I think it's the most dangerous by far.
statistically Friday afternoons are the worst days of the week. January 29th between 5-6pm was statistically the worst day/time for motoring incidents in 2016.
Aside from thinking the weather's a bit pants/nice I don't really think about it, just go out and deal with it as it comes as much as one can do at any given time.

[CyberKnight]

Giants are great bikes
with regard to your knee pain behind the knee is normally a sign the seat is to high , assuming you have the same effective height from the pedals and set back they should both be the same.
My MTB i use for crap weather commuting has 5 mm longer cranks so i need to drop the saddle by the same amount to give the same effective height .