Hello

I'm pretty much brand new to cycling: I cycled quite a bit when I was a kid, up until I was about 15/16, but haven't had a bike since and I'm 39 this year!

Me and some friends are aiming to do the Trans-Pennine trail over Easter weekend next year. That may sound mad, but I'm doing it in honour of my son who was born sleeping last week. I want to fundraise for the Liverpool Women's hospital, and the Mitchell Foundation, both of whom were there for my family when we really needed help. I also want others who go through it to know that, if they want to, it's OK to talk about it: it's unfortunately very common.

So, I took a trip to Formby Cycles yesterday and spoke with Stuart, who recommended that I get on a "dog-bike" first, something that I can run into the ground and get used to cycling again, rather than buying new. I'm looking for something in the way of a hybrid/gravel bike so that I can start to get some miles in on the initial stages of the Liverpool loop line, before working out further east.

Hope to hear from someone soon: I'd like to start training with friends ASAP!

Also, if you'd like to join us, please let me know, and I'll add you to the WhatsApp group At the moment, we're calling it "James' Rock and Ride": I'm hoping to play some tunes while we do the trip to keep us going, and generate a bit of buzz around the event

Many thanks

good on the folks at Formby Cycles for suggesting getting something s/h and low cost to get going on, rather than splashing the cash on something shiny, I am still on the £65 Fb Marketplace MTB I bought two years ago, which is fine for me just to do a few local rides, it's served me well so far.

so I'd recommend taking a look at Marketplace and seeing what's what local to where you are and spending not too much on a decentish brand? There's loads for sale in my neck o the woods around the £100-200 mark, especially Carreras, eg https://www.facebook.com/share/1BXh9VUNYp/

at some point I'll go and get myself a proper bike

hope the TPT goes well for you

cheers,

Keith

Thank you very much for responding, Keith! It's good to know there's life in the old bike dogs yet Ok, I'll give that a look, but if any of the fine folks here have something to offer, I'll give that priority!

Yeah, Stuart was brilliant yesterday, gave me lots of advice about the trail too!

Thanks for the well wishes as well, I think I'll need it

Can you do cycle scheme at work?

Maybe I’m reading it wrong but it sounds like perhaps you’re buying twice. Once to get you up and running and then a second time ready for your big ride next year? Personally I’d bite the bullet, get what you need now and then get used to riding that bike for the next 14 months or so

I need to have a look into cycle-to-work, our company was just acquired so I'm not sure what benefits we have and what we don't, it's a good call though, thank you

I did think that initially, and spoke with Stuart about it. He basically said that, while I'm getting my practice in, it makes sense to get a bike that can get beat-up a bit, rather than buying something new and doing the same. It also means that, if I were to say "no, this is absolutely not for me", I've not lost too much.

I'm looking at it like when I bought my first car: I got a beat-up Saxo and bought something nicer each time afterwards. I don't want to buy the equivalent of an Audi and be stuck with it if I don't like it, or destroy it

Hi all,

I found a Specialized Cross trail being sold literally around the corner from me for £300 today. I bought it: it's hardly used, is the right size and looks totally legit.

Thanks for your help Keith and Simon, much appreciated

Onto the training!

Nice one, good luck with the training

Well done, glad you have found something. Let me know if you want to nip out for a ride on the start of the trail. We could meet at the shop.

Just keep pedaling.

Cheers Stuart

Excellent. Good luck with the training and the ride, and give me a shout if you need any advice (I rode the tpt in a day years back, so can remember most of the trail) or support in the Sheffield area of the trail

Hi all,

Apologies, I didn't check back on this until now! Thank you for the well wishes, and I'd love to catch-up again Stu! I was toying with cycling up to the shop one weekend

I've done a couple of rides: north on the Liverpool loop line to Aintree, and south to Speke Boulevard. The latter was a bloody nightmare to navigate to! After the loop line terminates at Halewood it's so poorly signposted to get back on the trail Long story short: any advice on the trail would be welcomed PaulE!

Also PaulE: one day?! Jeeesus, you're a better man than I

I have no idea what I'll be doing next Easter, but I could well be interested in joining you.

What a great thing to do, to turn your loss into something positive.

One of my colleagues recently went through thus, or rather her sister in law, just heartbreaking.

Will pm you for an add to the WhatsApp group

MLK wrote: ↑Sun Mar 02, 2025 9:12 pm Hi all,

Apologies, I didn't check back on this until now! Thank you for the well wishes, and I'd love to catch-up again Stu! I was toying with cycling up to the shop one weekend

I've done a couple of rides: north on the Liverpool loop line to Aintree, and south to Speke Boulevard. The latter was a bloody nightmare to navigate to! After the loop line terminates at Halewood it's so poorly signposted to get back on the trail Long story short: any advice on the trail would be welcomed PaulE!

Also PaulE: one day?! Jeeesus, you're a better man than I

The bit you've done is the hardest to navigate, from what I remember. I've got the official set of maps I could lend you if that would help?

The one day thing was a fund raiser too, and was a pretty big ride... But it's nearly all downhill once you're up to the woodhead area!

Similar to Verena, no idea what I'm doing next Easter but very happy to provide snacks/drinks/roadside support in the Yorkshire part of the route.

Did you say Snacks??