breeze
08-12-2011, 03:50 PM
Hello y'all!
I'm getting back into recreational/fitness riding after 6+ years away (grad school & three cross-country moves) and I feel like I've forgotten anything I ever knew. Here's a brief story, if that helps:
I bought a new 2003 Terry Susan B 11" from a (then-local) LBS in spring 2004 after having a series of hand-me-down bikes that weren't a good fit. I'm just under 5'1, with a 28" inseam and short arms/torso, and I've found that most adult bikes are a problem for me. The bike was in storage from summer 2005- fall 2010 when I finally managed to get it down to Pittsburgh. I didn't have a lot of time to ride in the fall, but when I pulled out the bike this spring, it just didn't feel right. I generally ride on crushed limestone/paved bike trails, and during the week I can usually be found on either the Riverfront Trail (~6mi loop) or the Eliza Furnace "Jail Trail" (~8mi out-and-back), both in Pittsburgh.
I've been gradually adjusting things (raising handlebars, raising seat post) and just dealing with the discomfort (saddle issues, hand numbness, arm pain), but recently I rented a bike on vacation and was completely stunned by how comfortable it felt to ride (a Trek tandem comfort bike in Central Park, so not exactly the same thing). The lightbulb went on-- maybe its not me? Maybe the bike was a poor fit or has become a poor fit?
So, I tried some bikes at Trek today, and liked the Trek 7.2FX WSD in both the 13" and 15". This highlighted another possible issue: the Terry may be too small to begin with.
Anyway, that's a really long intro! I'd be interested in hearing more about how y'all found your "Cinderella slipper" of a bike-- the one that feels juuuuuust right!
I'm getting back into recreational/fitness riding after 6+ years away (grad school & three cross-country moves) and I feel like I've forgotten anything I ever knew. Here's a brief story, if that helps:
I bought a new 2003 Terry Susan B 11" from a (then-local) LBS in spring 2004 after having a series of hand-me-down bikes that weren't a good fit. I'm just under 5'1, with a 28" inseam and short arms/torso, and I've found that most adult bikes are a problem for me. The bike was in storage from summer 2005- fall 2010 when I finally managed to get it down to Pittsburgh. I didn't have a lot of time to ride in the fall, but when I pulled out the bike this spring, it just didn't feel right. I generally ride on crushed limestone/paved bike trails, and during the week I can usually be found on either the Riverfront Trail (~6mi loop) or the Eliza Furnace "Jail Trail" (~8mi out-and-back), both in Pittsburgh.
I've been gradually adjusting things (raising handlebars, raising seat post) and just dealing with the discomfort (saddle issues, hand numbness, arm pain), but recently I rented a bike on vacation and was completely stunned by how comfortable it felt to ride (a Trek tandem comfort bike in Central Park, so not exactly the same thing). The lightbulb went on-- maybe its not me? Maybe the bike was a poor fit or has become a poor fit?
So, I tried some bikes at Trek today, and liked the Trek 7.2FX WSD in both the 13" and 15". This highlighted another possible issue: the Terry may be too small to begin with.
Anyway, that's a really long intro! I'd be interested in hearing more about how y'all found your "Cinderella slipper" of a bike-- the one that feels juuuuuust right!