Flat Handlebars

Hi Gals!! I've been "lurking" over the last two weeks and decided to post. I've had lifelong "weight issues" and started riding a Giant hybrid 5 years ago for fitness.

I'm over 40 and a cross between the poster child for "geek" in the dictionary and Rosie the Riveter.

I now ride a Bianchi Boardwalk with upgrades in shifting and I now have a racing wheel set. I have the fastest CRUISER bike in town!

My co-manager has Multiple scleroris, and like me, is a Fedex station manager with a Fedex husband and kids. I see how she suffers and wanted to do something----hence---I'm the team captain of MS Team FedEx Ohio!!

Question for you all---This is OHIO in winter...I'm riding the Bianchi on a trainer and working out at the gym. My weight training is focused on developing my trapezius muscles. That said, I can now lower my position on the bike.

Do I need to swap out my flat handlbars for drop bars? Will I gain more consistent speed? In 2003 I averaged 8 MPH. In 2004 I jumped to 12-13 MPH and would like a cruising speed of 15 MPH for the upcoming MS 160 tours.

Any ideas? I love my Bianchi but I'm not sure what's involved in the handlebar change. Tx.

Howdy Michele: I can't answer your question - but I guarentee someone can. I just wanted to say Hi and welcome to the board. If you get a chance - theres a thread under the open titled "getting to know you". Gives you a chance to meet us and if you've a mind to - let us know something about you! Again, welcome and enjoy - and trust me - someone will have just the right info you're looking for.

You don't need to change out your bars, the question is do you want to? Going from flat bars to drop bars would mean new brake levers, new shifters, possibly new brakes. (I explored putting drops on my Terry Classic)

Have you tried different tires? Check out Rivendell's Roly Poly or Ruffy Tuffy

http://www.rivendellbicycles.com/webalog/tires_tubes/

Or Panaracer Pasela TG at Nashbar.

They have less "mountainy" tread than the tires that came with your Boardwalk.

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[i]Do I need to swap out my flat handlbars for drop bars? Will I gain more consistent speed? In 2003 I averaged 8 MPH. In 2004 I jumped to 12-13 MPH and would like a cruising speed of 15 MPH for the upcoming MS 160 tours.
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I have a Fuji hybrid that I bought for just tooling around the neighborhood and then got the cycling bug after visiting our fabulous bike trails here in Ohio. I increased my speed a bit by changing to smoother tires. Changing out the bars,shifters, & brakes was nearly as expensive as a new bike. Now I'm at the point where I really think my bike just won't go any faster (as a general rule). I'm lusting after a new, lighter, better fitting road bike so I can be more comfortable and GO FASTER! I'm convinced a lighter weight bike will make a difference in speed.

Hi, Cycling Newbie

I'm new to the board, too and everybody here is so friendly and supportive! You'll have fun, here!!

I'm guessing there's lots involved in changing the handlebars, like snapdragen said, so my thought is it would be worth it to look at new bikes, while you're at it. Sounds like you've found your "thing", so it's worth the investment, IMHO, to have the bike that's just right for you - fit, weight, features, etc.

And, yes, there's no question that a lighter bike (and a lighter person) goes faster!! Been there, done that!! :D Keep it up and you'll have BOTH!

Happy riding and namaste,
~T~

(central BC winters are kinda like those in Ohio....this year I changed it up and started kickboxing three nights a week, very little spinning on the trainer, and not much for weights (that's been in previous years) - but I can't give up the yoga!!)

Where is British Colombia. is it an island, a state or what?
I am from Israel.

naama

British Columbia (BC) is the westernmost province in Canada. And where I live in BC is about a 6 hour drive (west) to the ocean and about a 6 hour drive (south) to the US border. It's a big country!

namaste,
~T~

Boker Tov Naami!!

Are there decent bike trails in Israel? There now are in Ohio!!

Are there any Ohioans aboard? I'm from Columbus...

Dayton, OH here. I used to live in Texas and worked with a guy that took a family vacation to Ohio to ride bikes! I couldn't believe my ears. Now that I live here, I love the bike trails because I hate to ride in traffic.

Ohio Ladies -- I have to take a two-week course this spring and am now registered to take it in Charleston, SC in April. This week, the course director emailed me and asked if I'd consider switching to Columbus (actually, London, OH) in May. It would be easier for me to drive to Columbus -- bring my bike w/me on the TDY. I considered driving to S. Ca. and bringing my bike but decided against it. Anyway, can you tell me a little bit about the Columbus area, please? Would it be feasible for me to find good places to ride (paved trails are my preference)? Are there any decent gyms where I could get a 2 wk guest membership? Thanks.

Check out these links for info on Central Ohio trails.

www.dot.state.oh.us/bike/Central03.htm (Columbus area)
www.dot.state.oh.us/bike/Southwest03.htm (Dayton, Xenia, Yellow Springs)

www.home.earthlink.net/~bikeohio/
www.statetrails.com/

I'm in Dayton, so I only familiar with that area, but Ohio is a beautiful place to ride the trails!

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Originally Posted by cyclingnewbie

I'm in Dayton, so I only familiar with that area, but Ohio is a beautiful place to ride the trails!

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I went to school at the Univ. of Dayton and remember riding the river trail a couple of times on an old 10 speed. I was born and raised a Buckeye--Cincinnati is my home town. If there's one thing I miss about living in Ohio, it's the beautiful deciduous trees. Especially in the fall! And the lightening bugs! Thanks for the trip down memory lane...

Dirt Girl:

Where are you now? How long have you been away from Ohio? I love the Little Miami trail for biking. It runs all the way from Cincinnati north past Dayton to Yellow Springs, Xenia and beyond. And the trails through and around downtown Dayton have been expanded to include miles and miles now. I don't like to ride in traffic, so I love the fact that I can put in fifty miles on scenic trails without ever getting out on the roads. :cool:

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Originally Posted by cyclingnewbie

Dirt Girl:

Where are you now? How long have you been away from Ohio? I love the Little Miami trail for biking. It runs all the way from Cincinnati north past Dayton to Yellow Springs, Xenia and beyond. And the trails through and around downtown Dayton have been expanded to include miles and miles now. I don't like to ride in traffic, so I love the fact that I can put in fifty miles on scenic trails without ever getting out on the roads. :cool:

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I left Ohio in 1987 after graduation, lived in Fort Wayne for 9 years and have been in Spokane, Washington since 1996. My family still lives in Cincinnati, so I visit once in a while. We have a 37-mile trail that follows the river when it can. I'm also hooked on the Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes in nearby Idaho. I haven't done the entire 72 miles yet, but hope to do so this summer. Much of it follows a lake--see photo. The other photo is a view of the Washington Palouse. This is right over the mountain that borders our neighborhood. We mountain bike up there for the incredible views--the city on one side, the Palouse on the other.

Wow! Your pics are gorgeous. The view from the path along the lake is unbelievable! We have great fall color, but Ohio is seriously lacking in lakes. I grew up in Minnesota, the land of 10,000 lakes (and they aren't kidding) and miss them.