On yer bike!

laguna · Jan 27, 2016

As a fully paid up member of the fat belly club I thought about getting a bike what do you think?

I was thinking of riding the canal paths and taking a travel rod with me.

Ray Daywalker Clarke · Jan 27, 2016

I use a bike sometimes. I can have a ride around the pits, along the canal.

Sometimes I may take a made up rod with me to a lake, small bag of bits and bait. Landing net and a mat.

In the summer time that is.

S-Kippy · Jan 27, 2016

Not a fan of bikes. Don't own one and have never felt the slightest inclination to either. Most of my experience of bikes now is trying to avoid being killed by one. Some of the nutters you meet on a towpath or footpath round here want locking up.

Its a nice idea but not for me...and living in the Chilterns means wherever i go home is always going to be uphill. Sod that !

john step · Jan 27, 2016

Sensible "middle aged " cycling on towpaths shouldn't upset anyone. Its the lycra nutters that seem to do that.

Try a folding bike. Much easier to transport in the car to the venue.

Don't expect cycling to get you out of the fat gut club though. It will get you fitter but the gut....no way.

mg:

iannate · Jan 27, 2016

Go for it Chris, sounds great fun riding along tow paths with a rod and bag of bits. I used to do it as a kid and this has brought back happy memories..

trotter2 · Jan 27, 2016

Yes go for it, I did it as a kid and still do it now. Its a good way to reach those distant swims that no one fishes.

greenie62 · Jan 27, 2016

john step said:
...Try a folding bike. Much easier to transport in the car to the venue....

Can anyone recommend a folding bike that'll fit in the car - reasonably heavy-duty - ideally suitable not just for canal tow-paths but farm-tracks as well?

peter crabtree · Jan 27, 2016

52 odd years ago I remember riding my bike from Harrow to Greenford to fish the GUC at the Glaxo factory in the bitterest cold of winter. As far as I remember I blanked every time

mg:
The hot water outlet was the hotspot and often crowded out with young and old anglers.
Cycling home was a nightmare, my hands literally frozen to the 'cow horn' handlebars. Rod strapped to the crossbar and stuff in my saddlebag stayed where it was as I rushed indoors and ran the hot tap on my frozen fingers, resulting in horrendously painful chilblains.

and a *******ing off my mum....

trotter2 · Jan 27, 2016

greenie62 said:
Can anyone recommend a folding bike that'll fit in the car - reasonably heavy-duty - ideally suitable not just for canal tow-paths but farm-tracks as well?

I would be interested also, seen plenty off folding bikes would be ok for a trip to the shops but nothing for off road use.

robtherake · Jan 28, 2016

It's just as easy to buy a cheap roof rack and strap your standard non-folding variety of bike on the top. My bike's a £500 Muddy Fox that someone put out with the rubbish and is easily the best bike I've owned - all it needed was a couple of new tyres. It's mad what people chuck away.

The bad one · Jan 28, 2016

greenie62 said:
Can anyone recommend a folding bike that'll fit in the car - reasonably heavy-duty - ideally suitable not just for canal tow-paths but farm-tracks as well?

Brompton Bikes, not cheap, but the best in the world Mike. Fleebay and or others for a second-hand one perhaps. There you go Mike plenty to look at there http://www.preloved.co.uk/adverts/list/3523/bicycles.html?keyword=folding&page=2

dann · Jan 28, 2016

Try decathlon for reasonable folding or normal bikes without breaking the bank.

I do a lot of road and mountain biking, helps keep on top of the weight and gets me outdoors. Would highly recommend it.

terry m · Jan 28, 2016

I too use cycling to keep fit and keep the weight in check. I really enjoy cycling around the villages, with an average speed of about 15mph it does get the blood flowing.

When I work from home, my home office has an exercise bike in it so that I can burn a few calories in the winter when it is too grim to go out.

Hills and rain are nothing, strong winds are the killer!

john step · Jan 28, 2016

greenie62 said:
Can anyone recommend a folding bike that'll fit in the car - reasonably heavy-duty - ideally suitable not just for canal tow-paths but farm-tracks as well?

I have a Brompton which I use on my travels. It was a self indulgent luxury buy. Usually rated the best and exported all over the world. You can buy uprated chunky tyres for rougher ground.

However for casual use Halfords do folders a lot more economically. Also I have seen adverts for folding mountain bikes.

laguna · Jan 28, 2016

Thanks lads.

I've worked out there's close to 60 miles of canal available on my club books. I'll not be doing that lot but it should make some distant swims a bit more accessible if nothing else. I've mentioned getting a bike before to a fishing buddy of mine, neither of us have ridden for 30+ years but I guess its just like riding a bike...

His belly's bigger than mine (thought I would just get that bit in), but he's up for it I think? At least he's not said no when I mentioned we can get much further than the car park swim, and if one of us rides off the tow path into the drink, we can rescue each other.

mg:

My son reckons Cash converters sell em so might pop in over the weekend and see what they have.

One with a bell on perhaps. Do they ring under water?

S-Kippy · Jan 28, 2016

I abandoned bikes as soon as I could drive and never looked back. As a kid I cycled everywhere [as I suspect we all did] with rods tied to the crossbar, basket on me back and bait bucket hanging off the handlebars.

One day when hurtling downhill a rod rest came free and dived into me front wheel. A triple Tsukarha with a wicker basket on your back takes some doing I can tell you.

laguna · Jan 28, 2016

I forgot to mention, I had a bit of a conversation online last night with another fishing buddy who has a bike too, so it looks like I'll be joining the belly tubbies!
He suggested getting one with 15/20 gears... is that right?

My old one only had 3 gears!

qtaran111 · Jan 28, 2016

I commute to work everyday by bike and sometimes bike to the canal to fish. Don't worry, I never have and never will wear any lycra

As someone else said, don't expect it to get rid of your belly, but it will definitely make you fitter.

Brompton's are the best folders, but are really only suitable for the road or paved surface; on anything else you'd struggle. They're expensive but hold their value (2nd hand prices aren't much different from new).

For something that can take a bit more rough stuff, I'd recommend Dahon. They make a cracking range of folders, built to last and have a range that includes bikes for off-road/mixed use like the ios d9 or Cadenza which is like a proper folding hybrid.

As for gears, most full bikes these days have a stupid amount. Mine's got 27 I think, out of which I probably use about 6 or 7. Folding bikes usually have around 3 - 9 gears.

Hope that helps!

The bad one · Jan 28, 2016

Chris forget the gears mate, what you need is the largest chain set you can get, 80 tooth front sprocket and 10 back cog, preferably fixed wheel. Get that turning and you'll never have a belly again mate

Graham Elliott 1 · Jan 28, 2016

Peter.
Its a small world. I used to cycle from Pinner to the GUC at Greenford. Fishing by the pylons by the road bridge.

Rod strapped along the crossbar. Croxley and hemp bridge Ricky also on the bike.

Cyclist. Its great to see the long queue of cars puffing out diesel fumes forming behind them as they save the planet.

Along towpath? A metal bankstick shipped backwards should do it..

On yer bike!

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The fish made me do it!

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AKA Simon, 1953 - 2022 (RIP)

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