New bike problems

Hello to all!

I'm a newcomer to road biking. I had a Trek hybrid for 13 years and road mostly on trails. My DH talked me into getting a road bike so that we could do some charity rides (he didn't think that I could make it on my hybrid because my heart rate would really increase on hills).

Well, last month I ended up buying a Bianchi Eros because I really liked the Campy shifting. The problem was the LBS did not have my size in stock and we had to order it based on their measurements...it is 53cm. When I started to ride, I developed a severe pain in my neck and between my shoulder blades. We did some adjustments and also ordered another stem/handlebars but the pain is persisting.

I did go to another LBS for a more extensive fitting and found out that I am on a size smaller bike than I should be. He also told me that the Bianchi's are set up for a more "agressive" posture. I am not in the best of shape and know that I need to work on strengthening my core but I can't continue riding in pain.

What I was wondering, are there any other riders that have had the same problem? He did order another stem with higher rise so I am hoping that will help, but right now I am too frustrated at this point to hold much hope.

Any advice would be appreciated! :)

Aleia

Changing your stem and bars will probably help you- a LOT. Don't give up yet! Let the second LBS help you and work with you. Also keep in mind that the first few rides in a drastically new position (road vs. hybrid) will leave you sore.
You might want to try "albatross" bars, and not only a higher stem but a shorter stem. If your hands are at the same level as your seat (instead of lower) you will be more comfortable.

Albatross bars would make this not be a road bike. If you want a road bike, you don't want Albatross bars. I have those on my townie and they are fine for slow cruising around the neighborhood, but they allow only one handlebar position, and they are not suitable for climbing, for fast stops, for descending, for sprinting, for standing out of the saddle, or really for anything other than casual peddling around the neighborhood. Which I would assume is not what you want if you just bought a new Bianchi road bike.

They would also require her to ditch the Campy shifting that she said was the reason she bought the bike.

A stem with higher rise should help immensely--in fact that may solve your problem. It's surprising how much of a difference in feel can be caused by small changes to the bike. Also, have you tried rotating the bars up just a bit--this brings the hoods closer to your hands. And if you can, without compromising your leg position, moving the saddle forward a little bit might help.

You might also try smaller handlebars. My Bianchi Veloce--also new--has a bar called "Deda 4 Girls"--and it's the tiniest little devil I've ever seen. It's even smaller than the Salsa Poco bar I've got on my touring bike.

Hang onto that hope! The new stem may be just the ticket.

Aleia... if you have only just bought it, and it doesn't fit, surely the first bike shop will swap it?

Or perhaps the second bike shop, as they know its history and it is new, will do a trade in for you?

It would be better to start with the right sized frame rather than cobble together bits to try and make the wrong frame "right"

Good luck

I tried rotating my bars up to get the hoods closer to me. It didn't work out very well because it made my hands have to angle in a peculiar way to grip the brakes. It also angled things so as to make it really impossible to get my hands into the drops. I wound up getter a 3cm shorter stem which was also about a cm taller. That made me comfortable and is working very well for me.

I agree very much with Road Raven though, about it being better to start with a frame that fits you rather than trying to adapt a frame that is not quite right to begin with.

As to albatross bars- my DH has them and he sure can fly! He finds them very comfortable for long rides. And he powers up hills standing up like nobody's business- i myself wouldn't say they were just for toodling around the neighborhood. Whether they make a road bike not a road bike anymore is open to varying opinion. I know a guy who thinks a road bike is not a road bike anymore if you put a kickstand on it. What about a bell? ;)

Aleia is in pain while riding and is afraid it will prevent her from riding enough to build up better core strength- her LBS said the bike she bought has an "aggressive" position.
It's a hard decision to figure out what to do from there, but clearly some change needs to happen somewhere.

Thank you all for your input! It gave me some things to think about. We did talk to the original bike shop (I managed to break my chain in the meantime) and unfortunately there is not much we can do as far as a trade because they had to order in the bike. I am not sure about the second shop because they are not a Bianchi dealer and I really can not afford anything else at this time.

We have a local sports medicine clinic and maybe I will give them a call to see if they can help. I hear that they are pretty good but mostly deal with the bike racers in our area...not that I'm that fast...yet. ;)

Thanks again and I hope to post some pictures soon! :)

Aleia

If they ordered the bike, they have a relationship with the dealer. In which case I really don't understand why they can't take it back. Especially if it was their error which ordered the wrong size.

Can you ask the Better Business Bureau for help?

I also wonder if going straight to Bianchi might help - tell them that their dealer ordered too small a size for you, causing you a lot of physical problems and maybe they would actually let you send the frame back. And tell them that the original dealer has not really been helpful or knowledgable about your purchase, so you are working with another shop. It is worth a try, anyway.

My hubby bought me my road bike and thought he was doing the right thing by ordering me a very small frame. After riding it for about two years, I thought things were ok, but then I went and got a pro-fitting. And he was shocked that I was doing as well on this small frame as I was, since it was too small for me. But he did some headset, stem, handlebar and seat adjustments, making it work for me (a good bike shop can do that). But since you just bought the bike based on what the Bianchi dealer told you, I would think that Bianchi should know-

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Originally Posted by telegirl

I also wonder if going straight to Bianchi might help - tell them that their dealer ordered too small a size for you, causing you a lot of physical problems and maybe they would actually let you send the frame back. And tell them that the original dealer has not really been helpful or knowledgable about your purchase, so you are working with another shop. It is worth a try, anyway.

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I think that's an EXCELLENT suggestion! Smart.

telegirl gives a great suggestion

Go straight to Bianchi... they should try and fix the problem - companies of anything do not want bad press - and you can potentially give them both - one, about how the bike is so uncomfy, and two, about how unhelpful their agant is.

They should want to rectify it... Give it a go, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.