Its my intention that the site offers basic advice for people looking to restart cycling in the Wirral area and a support group for those who have or are looking to go on the Lifestyle and Weight Management course.
Now picture yourself in the GP,s Surgery.
You’ve been offered the course (you’ve been assessed as meeting the entry criteria)you’ll be in a similar situation I was in. You’ve been told to loose weight and do more exercise. Running is out (too high impact for those dodgy joints), walking is out (don’t want to buy a dog) Swimming and the Gym(now your having a laugh, I’ve a poor body image your not going to get me in there).Cycling (I can do that, I’ve got one that I haven’t used for years).
Welcome to the world of overweight cycling.
The site is split into two parts: Pages(which are the buttons across the top of the page)
and posts (which are blog entries that are categorised down the right hand side of the page).
To encourage replies you do not need to post an email address with the comments.
They are moderated by myself and spam is filtered.
I’ve started to gather data on which are the most popular pages but the route pictures seem to be going down really well. If you want more tell me.
31 Mar 2007
This page was written when I started this blog and parts of it appear to be a bit dated now. Some pages are quite popular but feedback and support for the Lifestyle and weight management course isn’t one of them. Pity really as it’s why I set the site up. Mind you things have evolved far far beyond what I had in mind at the start.
Thanks to Google I get hits from all over the world some of them pretty remote.
Cycle clothing for the overweight always comes out near the top of the list but there are a host of other keywords that now bring visitors to this site.
I’ll post some stats here now that things have steadied out. There are some mindblowing numbers in the book.
This is the before picture that everyone wants to see. It’s been tucked away under the Work page for a while. I’m third from the left by the way. 46 inch waist and an 18 1/2 inch collar now down to 34 inch waist and a 16 inch collar
Me on the “Toy” at the Wild Wales last year. Thanks to Andy Walsh for the picture.
Three or four years ago a flight of stairs would see me out of breath Last year I was living the dream on the Blych y Groes. ( A top 10 climb in the UK)
03 Jul 08 The stucture of the site is changing slightly, the NHS is a vast organisation and at the end of the day I just had to do my own thing. I’d filled in all the forms when they wanted publicity but hadn’t got any feedback from them. I went out of my way but there are only so many rebutalls you can take. No links to the site was the first, but I’ve evolved from all that.
The sad point is if you do a Google search for ” Life Style and Weight Management Course” I come first before the Course. I’m the pupil not the teacher. There are a load of other sucess stories untold out there, on the last follow up class there was a girl there that had lost 10 Stone and was looking to loose more with a target in mind.
Still living the Discovery Channel dream.
December 08
I still turn up to the followup classes and still pick up tips every month. Today I bumped into a doctor in the gym, I was the first person she had met that had been through the course. Now it’s about keeping the weight off, harder than it looks.
Feb 2011 the site has been running nearly five years now and may be missing a picture or two on older articles. Another upgrade is in the pipeline so the older articles can be viewed as they were written.
Thanks for the phenomenal interest.
Frank Kinlan's Blog 
Hi Frank – youre website is really inspirational and a great resource for reluctant cyclists. I work as part of the team at the LWM service and would be interested in doing an article for the Healthlinks newsletter about your website and weight loss. Just a thought – the nesletter is for health professionals within NHS and LA – drop me an email if you are interested. Website is really great though! Alison
HI Frank, Good site but how about a photo of you?. I go to spin sometimes and am now wondering which of the chaps you are!!
Hi Anonymous, your wish is granted. Its posted in the \”Spinning at the Oval\” page.
Regards,
Frank.
Frank you have a terific site here, I have really enjoyed reading it. I am over 50 and also overweight, and I love my bike and riding it, to read you blog I can sense your enthusiasm which is very refreshing. Most of my sundays are spent in the lanes of Cheshire leading a group of mums and the offsprings on the ‘B’ ride, my days of the ‘a’ rides have gone now, to far and to fast. But I still enjoy my rides as much as I did years ago, maybe we will meet in the lanes one day if our paths cross.
We have tried to get a ride going to the Eureka but coming from Manchester it will have to be car assisted, probably parking at Delamere. It would be great to take some of our youngsters to visit the Eureka as it has now become almost part of our cycling heritage. Do you know of an easy to follow route across, or round Chester we could use going from east to west to get to the Eureka?
Thanks for the comment Dave, I’m sure our paths will cross at some stage. Now here’s a coincidence the Chester and North Wales CTC have got me down to lead a ride to Delamere in Febuary. So I need to get a route sorted out. A lot of the CTC rides return through Chester on the Cycle path, it’s a great route to avoid the traffic. Have a look at the routes I have put on the Cycle SatNav page and use the control buttons on the Google map to zoom in and move around. The Ice Cream Farm is another classic destination with loads of quiet roads leading to it. I’d look at the return route from the Eureka cafe to the Ice Cream Farm , jumping on the canal towpath you can follow it all the way through Chester to the lock basin near Chester Racecourse. I’m still learning the best routes and a good route can really make your ride that much more enjoyable.
Regards,
Frank.
I found your site (which I will read) when I was searching for instructions on how to use the Lidl body fat and water scales.
Yours was the number one entry viz. “Frank Kinlan » Lifstyle & Weight Management
Lidl Body Fat Scales. I bought these as the previous set of scales from EKC … Weight, Fat% Water% and Muscle% plus Calorie balance all come up after you …
frank.kinlan.co.uk/?cat=8 – 42k – Cached – Similar pages”
I still cannot find instructions though what happens “after you” ? I’m ok on choosing a number between 01 and 12 and then standing bare foot on the scales & getting weight in kilos but how do put in my gender and age and get the fat and water percentage to display. Can you help please?
Of course, I do wish I hadn’t recycled the original document a few months ago though!
Ian, thanks for the comment. Here goes.
Switch the remote display on.
Press and hold i button until 1-10 is displayed.
Choose memory location with up down arrows.
Press i button.
Select lb or kg with up down arrows.
Press i button.
Male, female icon should appear.
Up, down arrow to select.
Press i button.
And take it from there.
I selected occupation as sedantary the default is active. It makes a difference to the calculated calorie intake.
I use these scales every day and trust them. They are within 100gramm of the calibrated scales I get weighed with on a weighin.
Hope this helps.
Regards,
Frank.
Hi Frank,
What a great site, congratulations on your metamorphosis into a highly tuned athlete !
Just a quick question. I’m trying to find details of the Steve Cummings training ride, have you got it on your site ?
If not any idea where I could find it ?
Cheers John
Thanks John,
the actual Steve Cummings training ride is all over the site (you may have to go into the archive). If you follow the links on the posts to the Google maps I provide you should see the route no problem.
There is also a Cycling Weekly Rides publication out now with it in. The actual Cycling Weekly article was on 30 Nov 06 from memory.
The MotionBased links have my times too, Steves are a fair bit (a lot) better than mine but the route does flatter. I spoke to Steve about it on the Brimstage time trial. I probably take a cake stop or two more than he does.
Regards
Frank
Catharine from the spinning class,
Great website and an inspiration to all,
Take care,
Catharine
Thanks Catharine,
glad you found the site. It’s funny that you mention inspiration as a few have mentioned it. It’s not a term I would normally associate with myself.
Barbara still hasn’t seen this site and I’ve been writing about her for about a year now. A lot of people are doing Google searches for the very things I write about. These days it is not just about the weightloss. Life is so much better now, the difference is staggering.
If you can point someone in the direction of this site that needs some inspiring I would be more than pleased.
Regards,
Frank.
Did you ever walk in a room and forget why you walked in? I think that’s how dogs spend their lives — Sue Murphy
Hi
Enjoyed reading your site especially your comments about the Garmin Edge 305. I’m fairly new to road cycling. I can’t get out that often and want to get the best out of each ride. I’m therefore thinking about buying the 305 (hopefully very cheap on ebay!) I’m interested in the 305 because of the heart rate monitor. How good do you find the hrm on the 305? Thanks – Richard
Richard thanks for the comment. I’ve never had any problems with the 305 as a heartrate monitor. The cheststrap battery can be replaced unlike the Polar HRMs that have to be sent away.
I’ve about 18 months worth of data to look back on plus all those spinnning classes that I do.
I’ve yet to use the training features but that may change when I start Time Trialing. You won’t be dissapointed with a 305.
Regards,
Frank.
Just seen comment 11, don’t know what that ones about.
Thanks
Richard
Hi Frank
We live in Chester and it is great to read your blog. Hubby did the LEJOG last year and I’m booked to do the Coast 2 Coast from Whitehaven to Newcastle later this year. I’m on the verge of buying an Edge 705 (been looking at it for months now), and notice that people are wary of the Garmin map software (Topo GB). Which map software will you recommend with the 705? It seems that the basemap is inadequate. I like to plan my own routes and where we live are lots of routes we’ve already done. It would be great to recreate them somewhere and load them onto the 705. Advice much appreciated!
Valna,
That’s easy, City Navigator everytime. I’ve written a short post on it on my site (click on my name).
Cheers,
Dave (Wirral).
Valna, thanks for the comment. City Navigator NT seems to be favoured by many. None of the Garmin maps give you footpaths or cycleways like the one along the River Dee.
Hi Dave and Frank
You are both great! Thanks for this. I’m ordering my 705 by the end of the week and hopefully we might bump into each other on routes as I live close to you both and also belongs to the local CTC. I will keep my eyes peeled to this website for more useful advice and nice rides to go on. Dave, great webiste too!
Hi Frank
My car (build-in) satnav shows me as a little moving icon when the map is turned on. Does Edge 705 do that as well? And if I’m on a cycling trip to nowehere, would it show me my location and if I get lost, can I ask it to take me home??
Thanks
Hi Frank / Dave
The City Navigator NT is available as a DVD for loading onto computer as well as a micro SD card. Which one is better to buy?
Thanks
Hi Valna, your pictured as a triangle on the screen. It does show your location on the map and depending on what map you have it would route you home. You can always retrace your track.
Regarding City Navigator NT I’d look at the prices you can buy them at. A micro SD card is not going to be upgradable. Look out for a bundle with a map, it is early days for the 705 and prices will drop.
Mmm. But I can’t wait! I’ve started to train for my C2C ride yesterday and my legs are aching! I’m keen to get the 705 as it will aid my training. I have a Polar heartrate monitor which I’ve had for about 4 yrs now and it is unmissable in the gym as I use their website to log all my training. I’m keen to do the same for the cycling and know I will enjoy the 705. Looks like Handtec is still the cheapest but they don’t bundle the City Nav with the 31 model.
Valna, I’m using obsolete (old version) maps and they are very reasonable on Ebay. An upgrade requires an original version to upgrade from. Handtec very quick for me, running a site like this means I need to stay abreast of the times. It was in stock when I phoned up and the best price around.
Hi Frank,
Great site, really useful.
I am interested in the route for your ride to the Llandegla MTB centre but the Google maps link is not working, anywhere else I can get the route ?
Thanks
Cheers, John
John, as you can see it’s hard work going up the steps. You turn off and go along a track to it rather than climb up from the main road.
Took some finding, I didn’t realise I’d done so much.
Frank, stumbled across your site, as considering looking for a GPS. Just got into cycling and at 16.5 stone and under 6ft have found the whole of this site really interesting and inspirational. Have downloaded the BHF healthy eating plan and will be reading with interest. Cheers, keep up the good work!!
Frank,
Great site. Found it as looking for reference in a blog for Gran Fondo Cymru 2008, to understand the effort and journey back to fitness.
Trying to get back into cycle coming up to 40. Did Wild Wales about 6 years ago in about 7 hours. So far entered
Mad March Hare Sportive
Cheshire Cat
concerning
Gran Fondo Cymru 2009
David Lloyd Mega Challenge 2009
Currently cycling back and from work, i.e. birkenhead to home.
Live in West Kirby myself, so be interest if there is group I could tag onto on cycling out to Wales
Will be back to read more about your experiences. Well done you.
Cheers
Keith
Hi Keith,
The CTC or The Northend do rides from the Eureka. The Northend is a big club and growing all the time. Because of it’s size they can offer multiple rides on a Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Training rides start first Sunday Jan 09.
Training rides are just that, racers doing a training ride with no stop. Hard for me to stay with.
Social rides do include a cafe stop, this time of year the Cheshire Ice Cream Farm is popular but there are others.
Hilly rides in Wales favour fit light riders, I’m not at the bottom of the pile but it is hard work.
I like the Audax Uk events as they are cheap, just as challenging as a sportive and I’m one of the younger riders at 49 so it’s not a race.
The full Dave Lloyd Mega Challenge is one good club cyclists have trouble completing. I’ve ruled myself out of it.
Bound to meet up at some stage, probably at the Eureka Cafe, a cycling Mecca on your doorstep.
Regards,
Frank.
Frank,
thanks for this. Your fame and inspiration has gone to Norway! I told a fellow “big biker” who’s looking to get into road bikes about your site. I’m sure it will encourage him.
What you are doing here may well save some peoples’ lives, as many of us are coming into that age when heart attacks, strokes etc can strike as a result of a lifetime of unhealthy living.
Keep it up mate, you’re an inspiration.
Thanks GE, There was nothing down for me longterm. The decision has to come from within nobody can make it for you. I had absolutley no idea it would turn out like this. The last three years have been fantastic I only wish I had done this years ago.
Regards,
Frank.
Hullo Frank,
Great and useful help..I have adopted the diet and the exercise ..exercise is slow..only done about 5 hours waklking in 3 weeks..but are about to go from that to an hour every 2 days..I have just speed up in the last few days..
I have gone from 129.5 kgs to 125 in just 3 weeks..losing about 200 grams a day without exercise..I think with exercise I can speed it up alot..
I have already come to the conclusion that the exercise is a major part–probablty 60% at least ..otherwise all fails..Anyway thanks for the help..great site
Thanks Dave, finding something that works and sticking with it is the crucial part. You’ll get to the stage were your fitness improves and you will be able to do more next time.
This stops you plateauing and keeps your metabolic rate up and burns more calories.
Getting your diet right is the most important part as your going to be on this for the rest of your life. If you plateau you need to look at portion sizes or what your doing exercise wise.
Regards,
Frank.
Frank, i have a quick question for you about the Garmin 705. How can this device be used in a spin class? I have the GSC that came with the 705 and it works great on my bike. Do i need a powertap?
Thanks,
Derek
Derek, there are a couple of problems, first is you can’t get a loc on a sattelite.It can’t count calories as the equation is a time/distance calculation. You can’t attach the magnet to anything for the speed either.
That said switch the logging from auto to every second and use it as a HRM. You get all the benefits of the charts in TrainingCentre.
I’m not good enough to need a powertap but use the Watt readings when I go on the Tacx Imagic turbo. That comes with it’s own cadence sensor. They’ve just gone back up in price thanks to the weak pound.
Regards,
Frank.
Hi Frank
Saw you on the BBC website. Nice one!
Check out this guy, the amazing shrinking Gaz. Was 39 stone, lost 13 stone and counting through cycling!
http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/
Seems a nice kid from reading his blog. Maybe you could get in touch to offer support…
Happy cycling
Nick
Hi Frank.
Congratulations on your achievement. I find myself in a very similar situation brought about by comfort eating and a very busy working lifestyle which has me working very long hours but invariably sat down in front of one computer screen or a radio studio, and then the TV for relaxation after work…
Tuesday sees my transformation begin from 19st, aiming for at least 16 before October this year. A big challenge I know but I will work towards it with a keen eye on diet (thanks for the BHF link), far more exercise (I am joining the gym on Tuesday which also has a swimming pool) and ditching the car to drive 2 miles to work and using the bike. Even if I don’t get there by October, I will keep going and aim for 15 eventually… I know that in the past just losing a little bit of weight has made me feel better so I know I will feel fantastic by getting even half way to my target.
Thanks for your inspiration… I will keep in touch to let you know how it’s going…
Phil
Hi there Frank,
What a wonderful site…
3 weeks ago I found myself at the Doc’s with a BMI of 42, obese and thoroughly scared… history of diabetes and heart stuff in my family…
anyway at 37 I made a life choice to change how and what I eat and how I view my life…
3 weeks later 1.5 stone lighter and cycling as often as possible (just bought a yummy road bike!)and following an amazing eating plan. It not easy and I find my self needing to stop for very short breaks but I am loving cycling.
Anyway… i read your BBC interview and now your site and wanted to say thanks for sharing your journey and importantly helping me not feel like the only one out there who is (or was in your cases!) severely overweight and worried a bout the consequences.
thanks again and kind regards, Craig
Hello Frank,
fantastic site! I’ve read about you on the BBC website and you’ve inspired me to do something. I’m 40, 6’4 and weigh 30 stone. I played ruby until 2 years ago, broke my leg and have done nothing since.
I’m going to get a bike and see where I go.
All the best,
David in Birmingham
Thanks for the comments, Nick I’ll try and contact Gaz when things quieten down.
Phil I wish you every success as it isn’t easy but you’ve got the right mindframe. Getting the diet right is first then the exercise. I hadn’t a clue it would up like this and I had no target so If your struggling at any point you need to up the exerise not cut down the food.
Craig good on yer, once you get some fitness in you you’ll look back and wonder why you didn’t do it years ago.
David there is a chap who played rugby and found this site, took up cycling and lost a load of weight. We ride in the same club and he wastes me now as he has retained his power. He knows how to train though.
Read the stuff I’ve posted about wheels.
Again thanks for the comments,
Frank.
Thanks for reply Frank… Have been inspired by your story and have even gone as far as to document my journey in a blog – thanks for the inspiration!
http://www.craigdrummer.blogspot.com/
forgot to add my blog addy in case anyone wants to look and support 🙂
Hi Frank did you get the last message I submitted?
No Gary nothing has come through.
Hi Frank, Not sure what happened then, To be honest I thought it was in moderation, Never mind, My post was just saying well done and letting you know I had linked to your site and asking if you would be kind enough to add a link to my blog but you have just offered to do that so thanks lol
I am tempted to do the Liverpool cycle myself as prep for Blackpool, Things are going well but im a little worried I may have taken on more than I can handle lol, What was your time on the Liverpool ride ?
Gaz
http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/
http://www.justgiving.com/gb155
I am also commenting to let you unrntsdaed of the wonderful experience our daughter enjoyed using your blog. She noticed such a lot of details, which included what it’s like to possess an excellent coaching mindset to let the others clearly unrntsdaed specified impossible subject matter. You truly surpassed my expected results. I appreciate you for supplying the priceless, dependable, informative not to mention unique thoughts on your topic to Jane.
Thanks Gary, it wasn’t in the comments section and there was no email notification. Been a busy week for me blog wise, Saturdays ride write up taking nearly as long as the ride. Plus a hell of a lot of comments to reply to.
The Manchester-Liverpool ride was good but with a sting in the tail, a hill. I finished around 2 pm I think before a massive rainstorm.
Start thinking of building the odd hill into your rides as you can’t avoid them forever but start gently. Once you are spinning out on the big ring of your Mountain bike it is time to move on to the hybrid you bought or a road bike.
Couldn’t agree more with you with your comment about that person being in denial, I’ve heard similar stuff too. You’ve got to want to make that change.
Make the most of the weather and try to up your mileage, now your getting faster if the only time you can get out is to work and back, then throw in a bit more. It only has to be a little loop but it can be an interesting one.
I think your going to be fine but you need to build up to it but you probably know that. Your Average speed on your speedometer is your best guide, it should slowly be going up if only by 1/10ths of an MPH.
I’ll keep in touch.
Frank.
Frank, Mate, Thanks, You were so right, I thought, He is right, I will updated it with a few lines lol,
http://gazzasblogs.blogspot.com/2009/05/2k-gaz-emotion-filled-rollercoaster.html
Talk about going on and on and on lolol, Its my biggest update but it feels great to get it out.
Thanks again
Gaz
Frank,
Having found this site recently by accident I am now starting the same road you set out on 2 or 3 years ago. My stats are pretty much as yours were age/height/weight/health wise, even down to the BP and sleep apnea. It felt like I was reading about me.
My plan is to dust off my Mountain Bike (A pretty good one actually. I was a keen MBer years ago) fit a set of less treaded tyres and start a phased ride plan on my daily commute to work. Handily most of the way will be on canal towpaths with various “park and ride” accesses along the way.
My diet is sorted thanks to the PDF on the link to the BHF on your site. Slow but sure is the way to go.
I have got my plans all on my PC and though I won’t be blogging I’ll stop by regularly for motivation, inspiration and to let everyone know how its going.
Cheers for giving me a shove!
Clive
Great stuff Clive, Mine was a Raleigh Dynatech with bonded titanium tubes. The hard part at first was doing 1/2 an hour of cycling after a 12 hour shift.
If you just do the diet side you’ll plataux and you don’t want that.
Regards,
Frank.
Frank,
My bike is a good quality chromoly tubed Ridgeback Sport Circa 1992, Shimano XT groupset and a set of really good handbuilt Mavic rims built by my mate back then at Red Kite Cycles in Solihull. I’ve re fed my faithful Brookes saddle, and much to my shame had to fit a shorter higher stem due to my belly and old rugby injuries! I’ve also taken the front suuspension fork off and fitted a second hand Kona Project 2 rigid fork. I know I shouldn’t, but I do giggle to myself at full suspension bikes being bounced along a towpath or road! I do not see the need for disc brakes just yet! Maybe when I’m fitter and take my first tentative steps back off road to a real mountain. Thanks again for a great site, I’d forgotten how much I missed pedaling.
Cheers Clive
Been going a month now, and I’ve dropped a stone, trouble is I’ve been laid low this week with Swine Flu, it wasn’t a drama, it just felt like a bad cold, but I can feel my chest becoming tight due to asthma, probably weight related asthma, should be interesting getting back on the bike Monday. I think I’m due some new wheels too, my handbuilt Mavics from the 90s are starting to look and feel a bit tired, much like their owner.
Cheers
Clive
Very helpful site Frank, thanks.
In the last few days I have taken delivery of Wiggle’s “Garmin Edge 705 Road Performance Package Team Edition” package which appeared to have everything needed [it’s still on their website. Having just opened the box, I realise that the online spec actually says:
“Preloaded worldwide basemap
INCLUDED preloaded MicroSD road mapping for Europe
For other areas worldwide, see http://www.garmin.com/cartography
Auto routing ‘Where to’ function allows users to enter a destination and allow Edge to provide a road route suitable for bike, car/motorcycle or pedestrian based on predetermined options.
Mark locations
Ride pre-planned routes
Never get lost with ‘Back to start’ function
Compatible with routes from Memory Map or Topo Great Britain”
Now I don’t know whether this package will have the map data you regard as essential i.e. the best possible with Garmin given its limitations. Also I realise that I don’t know whether I will be able to
a] copy or back up these maps since it is pre-loaded, not on micro-SD
b] load backups to the device in the future if need be
Maybe I’m being over-anxious but I’ve read so much about map problems that I’m assuming nothing!
Pre-705, I have been using bikeroutetoaster for some long-distance UK journeys and have learned plenty of lessons about the limitations of its auto-routing/bike.
1 Having created an auto-route, cannot find an easy way to amend/tweak it. Find it necessary to learn from the decisions and use the good ones in a more manually created route.
2 The Cue Sheets are rubbish. I had 62consecutive kms of a 190km route with no instructions at all, including the complete circumnavigation of the Telford area.
3 Cannot rely 100% on any autoroute. Sometimes the routeing jumps over fields between minor roads [no way of telling whether footpaths exist without resort to OS maps]
4 Autoroute/bike does ‘silly’ things e.g. to keep me off the A49 Shrewsbury/Hereford road as much as possible, it sends me down 3/4/5 little streets on a housing estate simply to keep me off the A49 for 200 metres. So one is forced to manual route creation in order to eliminate such foibles.
However, I suspect these limitations are present on the many other alternatives so I’ll work with it.
I’m entered in the Prostate Cancer Charity 145km Pro Ride on Sunday and have created the route in BRT. Hope I can download it to the new 705 for a first experience.
Hi Bill, you can copy the Micro SD card map as the PCbasemap for Trainingcenter.
Bikehike has selectable maps including OS to compare against.
Sounds like you need to take smaller distance steps between Course or Waypoints. You’ve only got 100 to play with.
Not had any problems with Courses lately, Sundays ride was riden as a Course with no Way or Coursepoints.
Good luck with the ride.
Frank
I was given a Garmin 705 at christmas in a pack with cadence and HR Sensors and mapping on micro card. To be honest I have long scorned the Garmin GPS gadgets preferring paper maps – but now I need to learn and via varius internet link, found your site. Thaks very much for the Garmin 705 info. I am sure it will take me ages to learn how to get the most from the Garmin, but I used it today simply mounted on the stem with no other gadgets and I can see it has potential.
I am 56 and currently 12 stone 12 at 6’11”; I was a club cyclist in the ’70’s then dinghy sailed when first married with kids in 1989, but have returned to cycling and time trialling in the past 4 years. With some cycling background knowledge I have read many of the ‘non-705’ parts of your blog with great interest. You are clearly cycling more than many ‘Club’ cyclists with real benefit to your own health and your readers.
Many thanks for your blog. There is really good advice and considered opinion on page after page!
A basic question please: If the mapping card is resident in the 705, is there any risk of overwriting it if a download from computer is initiated? I get the impression from your advice and others, that the city maps on CD/DVD are needed if I want to create a pre-defined route on the computer. Garmin supplied my mapping on micro sd card, but supplied a larger SD carrier that my computer could read (I think)- if my PC can read the maps can I then create transferable routes – or is mapping on a CD/DVD the only option?
Regards
Thanks Chris,
I’ve had a bit of a setback over the last few months but that’s by the by.
The maps on the micro SD card are just files at the end of the day. You can store Routes as Courses, they don’t reside in the map folder. You can reride your History as a Course but the best thing is to plan a Route or a Course and ride that without having to ride it first by using the web based route planning sites.
Frank.
Hi frank
I have just bought a garmin edge 705. I am having problems with the memory card. I have formatted it so its clean, but the garmn will not recognise it, if i put some gpx routes on it from the various websites, the routes are recognised if i store them in the garmins folder under gpx.
Do I format the card as fat or fat32 ? As I cannot see a way to format the card while its in the card slot on the garmin edge? Or am I barking up the wrong tree, and have to go and ride a route and then store it! but even this seems wrong from the a ride round sefton park.
cheers
Richard
Hi Frank
I am struggling with the bikeroutetoaster, I have already put a ropute in and saved it when I have loaded it to make adjustments the edits don’t seem to work, if \i drag a course point nothing much seems to happen, eventually the route changes but seems to follow the cross country route and not the roads, am I doing something wrong?
You are doing good Job, I am always with you.
Hi Frank,
I have a problem with my garmin 305 in as much it has lost satellite connection, on switching it on it show’s accuring satellite with several circles featuring N,E,S,W compass points.I have tried rebooting with decreasing success can you help?
Regards Les ( BNECC)
Hi Frank,
Yet another inspirational blog featuring cycling. I’m facing my own challenge–in addition to weight loss, I’m trying to overcome depression. I’ve found that exercise really is good therapy (and the experts will verify that) so I’ve set myself the challenge of riding across the alps this summer. I’m blogging about and would like to connect with your blog–we need to spread the word about how cycling in any form can help relieve some of life’s ills.
http://www.middleagedmaninlycra.com
Hi, I’m a bit late getting back but you’ve got a link in the new MAMIL section which is surely set to grow. Good look with the trip, i’ll be looking out for you.
Regards,
Frank.
That’s great Frank. I’ve got a link from my site to yours now.
It’s reassuring to know that there are other people out there who have different ‘issues’ but are linked by bikes. I used to do a lot of riding as a teenager (and was pretty good on the road) but one day I came into school and discovered that one of my best friends and riding partners had been killed the night before by a hit-and-run driver. He was 16. I stopped riding after that and didn’t get back on a bike until my mid-30s. It was a great decision and one that is having a major positive impact on my life now.
Keep on riding!
Hi Frank,
I have just started to cycle to work- one week. Not far probably about two miles in total to work and then the same journey home. I cycle to the train station, and then cycle from the train station to work. When I get to work it must take about a hour for my heart rate to get to normal. I have also been doing weight watchers. Is it normal to find it so hard. On Wednesday a little old lady passed me by. I was sweating, and didnt even have the breath to say ‘good morning’. What I want to know ‘ When do you think it will get easier? I have bought a months season ticket for the train. I usually drive and the only exercise I normally do is walk from my car to work-about 100 yards.
Clare
Hi Clare,
There are a few factors going against you here.
1. You’ve lived a sedentary lifestyle
2. You’ve possibly just changed your eating habits, combine that with suddently starting an exercise regime and you can imagine the problems.
The good news is that you will get fast and find it easier, it’s just a matter of time. Soon you might decide you want to go out and ride just for the fun of it. That old lady that overtook you might have been cycling all her life, I know blokes in their 80s as the local club that can ride 120 miles in Wales at the weekend.
One thing I would check as a matter of urgency is bike fit. Is your saddle high enough? You can check by sitting on the bike and put your heel on one of the pedals and when the pedal is at the bottom of the stroke, your leg should almost fully extended at the knee. If your saddle isn’t high enough, it can have a DRAMATIC effect on how easy cycling can be. Also make sure the tyres are pumped up hard – it should be very difficult to squeeze the tyre in your hand.
It might take a while for you increase fitness as 2 miles isn’t a very long way, but you will get fitter and faster regardless.
Good luck.
Hi Clare,
you could probably do with a trip to the doctors to make sure you haven’t got an underlying condition. It’s a big jump from a 100 yard walk to a 2 mile cycle ride in one go. My first attempts had me lying on the floor for 20 minutes trying to cool down.
I’d be tempted to try walking for 30 minutes which is going to be hard enough. It needs to be at a slightly quicker pace than normal to elevate your heartrate. A cheap Heart Rate Monitor will put some numbers to the way you feel.
You should see an improvement in about a month but it’s never easy. Your training your body to operate at a level your not comfortable with at present. As you get fitter the recovery gets easier, so the hour would only be a few minutes.
You’ve done the hard part by making up your mind to get out on your bike.
Stick with it, as once you see the improvents you’ll be spured on to greater things.
Regards,
Frank.
Hello Frank.
We are Barbara & Alan Parker from Bebington.
We are known by the guys for our tandem ride across America in 1997.
Love to meet you, perhaps you could stop for refreshments the next time you are cycling by Lower Bebington ?
Would you like a copy of the video recordings we made of the CTC Spring 50 mile 16-03-2008 which we think you rode?
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