done lurking, time to post
After lurking off an on for weeks, I've decided it's time to post. I'm so sorry Mimitabby that I've chosen a username so similar to yours. I couldn't figure out how to change mine to something else, so I hope we can work this out.
Here goes...and I know you've heard this all before. But you all seem so friendly here and I have so much to get off my chest.
I've been riding since early spring. It all started when I hopped on my GT mountain bike with my 8 year old son back on an unusually warm day in March. We took a ride around our very hilly neighborhood. Poor little guy had never ridden on the street before or a sizeable hill, and didn't have any gears to adjust. He really worked it. I did much better on the mountain bike, but I still struggled.
Anyway, I returned home and told my very wonderful DH how much I enjoyed myself...how I felt my body had really done something. Then I went on to say something crazy like, "I should do the Hilly Hundred or something..." The Hilly is a two-day 100 mile ride in southwest Indiana near Bloomington where I went to college.
Well, once I said it and mentioned it to a few people, it's suddenly a go. All of a sudden I'm gearing up as are a couple friends. I look forward to this "century" in October, though I will admit the hills make me very nervous.
We found locally a 53 cm used Bianchi Veloce...it's a great bike. I can't believe how I move on the thing. We're getting to be good pals...rather intimate really.
I'm doing the best I can to get out and ride, though it's not without a few snags....quite a few really. First off, I've not committed to doing anything for myself in a long time. It seems I've pretty much been pregnant for the last ten years, or just recovering from getting pregnant, or trying to get pregnant...now it's tough finding the time to get on the bike and go. My kids are 8, 5 and 1...no built-in babysitters yet.
My family is really helping to make my bike hobby happen, but I do find myself struggling to get just an hour in between everybody else's activities. I'm sure we all have this problem to some extent.
My other serious issue is comfort. I'm very concerned about a few things Yes, it's my "hoo-haa" giving me trouble. I have read a lot here about saddles and I have a few ideas. (It's a process I realize.)
Just this week I put my mountain bike seat onto the Bianchi and did noticeably better. Still it's not good enough. I will look into saddle types I've seen mentioned here and may go so far as to shoot a little KY into my shorts as well. Gee, once I'm done riding I'll be ready for...well, ya know.
Anyway, onto my biggest concern...the fit of the bike. I truly hate to be thinking this way after spending all this money on equipment, but I'm worried I will never get comfortable on the bike. While I'm riding I generally feel pretty good on it. We've moved the handle bars forward and made several other adjustments. Aside for the saddle issue, I generally feel "right" on the bike.
In the end, however, I experience pain. I'm having pain in my neck and middle back after my ride. This pain really bothers be in the sense that I feel I'm damaging myself and that I should be "listening" to it and making changes. But darnit, there's little else I can do to this bike. I'm 5'5 on a 53 cm bike. Does that sound wrong?
I'm really feeling frustrated with this. My husband actually said today that maybe I should be looking into another bike. I really don't want to do that. This bike performs well and I've already invested in it.
Any and all comments are welcome. I could really get addicted to riding and have so many ideas and places I'd like to go on my bike...not to mention the century this fall. I sure hope I can get this figured out!
Well if you've read my post this far down I thank you. I'm so glad to have found this forum.
M
