Hello from a born-again cyclist

spinner_43 · Post by **spinner_43** » 10 Sep 2008, 5:28pm

By gum, these forums are addictive ! I seem to be spending hours reading them. High time I joined in.
Um, I wonder, is the plural of 'forum' not 'fora' ?
Reminds me of the story of a Zoo-keeper who wrote to an Indian colleague 'Please send me two mongeese.' But that didn't look right, so he changed it to 'Please send two mongooses.' Again, that seemed wrong so he finally wrote 'Please send me a mongoose. PS. And send another one with it.'
Which just shows that there's always another way...

But I must introduce myself. My given name is Alan, I was born in 1932 and have lived most of my life (apart from some years in the Regular Army) in the Bolton area. In my younger days I was a not-bad cyclist on my cast-iron Coventry-Eagle, fixed-gear bike (couldn't afford 531 tubing then), doing 150 miles a day regularly, and once to London, over 3 days with a pal.
But times and interests change and with a family, mortgage and various jobs in the electronics field, cycling took a back seat. To my regret, I now realise.
So, I've ended up in a sheltered flat, still in good health and wanting to keep it that way. I tried a local Health Club, but the static exercise bikes, cacophonous disco music and surrounded by TV sets, all showing different channels plus a big screen with Sky and complete with commercials (which bugged me more than anything) drove me away. So, with the subscription money I saved I bought an electric bike, which was alright and helped me up the many hills around Bolton- as long as I pedalled. Trouble was, I couldn't really go anywhere, owing to the limited battery power available - something like 14 miles return only.
And recently I've chatted to one or two touring bikers, of my age group, who gave me every encouragement to go solo, but warned that the learning and fitness curve would be steep. How right they were!
But, I've bitten the bullet and bought a Claud Butler 'Regent' tourer (made in Taiwan - so should be called Crawd Butra Legent, I suppose - and not very like the Claud Butler bike that I yearned for as a kid), and, if you want a picture, look on the 'Bikes2Udirect' website, as I did. And the bike is fine, and capable of coping with all that I'm ever likely to ask of it. So I'm now dodging the showers and getting as much time on the road as I can, without overdoing it, and just gradually finding it a bit easier on the hills. But not much.
Fortunately (depending on one's point of view) at my age I don't have to be a fashion-queen so I can wear what I like - though my son has banned me from wearing Lycra. Can't think why. Good shoes are important I think, so I've invested in a pair of 'Exustar' from Spa, which are lovely.
Well then, I hope that this has been of marginal interest and I send my regards to all my reader,
Alan

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At the end of a party, there's always a girl crying. (Peter Kay)

eileithyia · Post by **eileithyia** » 10 Sep 2008, 7:27pm

Hi and welcome, plenty of us in the NW area on here. :lol:

Post by **Mick F** » 10 Sep 2008, 9:08pm

spinner_43 wrote:'Please send me a mongoose. PS. And send another one with it.'

Love it!

Welcome to the Mad House.

I speak as an ex-Wiganer living in the Far-Flung-South-West.

JohnW · Post by **JohnW** » 10 Sep 2008, 11:25pm

Spinner -

I believe that there is a group of the Autumn Tints Cycling Comrades fellowship in Bolton - just ask your computer to find "Autumn Tints" (when you're onto the internet that is) and you'll get the info.

Riding age spans from 50 (youngest permissable for membership) to forever - we have a couple of 78 year-olds and our oldest member (thats Halifax) went off to Spain with a couple of other lady members, two years ago, to celebrate her 80th birthday. She rides on.

Post by **Mick F** » 10 Sep 2008, 11:47pm

Autumn Tints.

Love it!

http://www.autumntints.org.uk/

I'm gonna join!
(I'm only 55 ......... 56 soon)

JQ666 · Post by **JQ666** » 11 Sep 2008, 12:21am

Mick F wrote:
spinner_43 wrote:'Please send me a mongoose. PS. And send another one with it.'

Love it!

Welcome to the Mad House.

I speak as an ex-Wiganer living in the Far-Flung-South-West.

I never knew you were a pie-eater!

I'm a lobby-gobbler, who has also crossed the border down to the South West (North Somerset).

workhard · Post by **workhard** » 11 Sep 2008, 8:19am

welcome to the forum spinner - you'll find a few of us born again(ers) here. I think I'm on at least my second rebirth. Club cyclist as a yoof, big gap, regular MTB-er and occasional commuter in the 90's, shorter gap, London daily commuter in the early 00's, short gap, 4 days a week commuter as of this summer.

enjoy the lunacy.

Dee Jay · Post by **Dee Jay** » 11 Sep 2008, 11:22am

JQ666 wrote:
Mick F wrote:
spinner_43 wrote:'Please send me a mongoose. PS. And send another one with it.'

I speak as an ex-Wiganer living in the Far-Flung-South-West.

I never knew you were a pie-eater!

I'm a lobby-gobbler, who has also crossed the border down to the South West (North Somerset).

Oh, gawd! It's another world, init?? Lobby-gobbler???

Welcome to you, Spinner 43!

From a cycling novice!

ferrit worrier · Post by **ferrit worrier** » 11 Sep 2008, 9:11pm

Hi Spinner

I'll take my hat off to you, an inspiration, well done you, and welcome

Jeckyll_n_Snyde · Post by **Jeckyll_n_Snyde** » 12 Sep 2008, 4:00am

Hi Alan, nice to have you on-board. I will keep an eye out for you when i'm plodding along an give you a wave if i see you. Electronics is my line o' work also btw.
Darren.

Anura · Post by **Anura** » 13 Sep 2008, 9:27pm

Hi there

Am not million miles away from you. Have noticed reduction in fitness over the last 10 years with elderly (former cyclists) parents etc. Just keep on pootling around.

A friend of mine, a very strong cyclist who lives in the NE, has recently bought a Kalkhoff electric bike which was featured doing part of the tour de france course.

She uses it for work as her area is quite far flung and hilly! I know Bolton & it is not easy cycling country.

Just enjoy yourself!
Anura of the Delta trike brigade!

Manx Cat · Post by **Manx Cat** » 13 Sep 2008, 10:25pm

Hello and Welcome from me too.

Ive only 5 years to go before I can join the 'tints'! I really enjoyed the site, thankyou for sharing.

Mary

spinner_43 · Post by **spinner_43** » 21 Sep 2008, 5:46pm

Well, I'm completely whelmed that so many people read and replied to my post!
'Has't geet nowt else to do, yo' lot?'
Anyroad, thank you all for your encouragement and advice. I've looked up the 'Autumn Tints' website and will probably join, if they'll have me - though I'm not yet up to tackling some of the runs they do.
Mind you, it's improving, slowly but surely, so that yesterday I did a round trip of some 15 miles and escaped with nothing more than a sore bum. For the locals, and there are surprisingly more than I expected- I did Bolton (Chorley New Road) to Adlington and return.
Feel free to overtake me at any time. For now...
Regards, Alan

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