Is it Me? Or is it Something About the Bike?
First -- I've been reading the forum, learning lots, thank you all, and now I have a question I haven't seen yet (of course, there's LOTS of information here to sift through!)
Last year, hubby and I got our old (late 80's) bikes out of the shed, dusted them off, and rode on weekends. I changed hand-grips and seat, and bought some gloves. Things were pretty good. After seeing some mighty "sloppy" guys riding around in lycra, I figured I could be seen in that stuff too, and it was okay to invest in at least a cheap pair of bike shorts, and things were even better.
Fast forward to this spring: We shopped most of April, and the end result is new bikes, Specialized Expedition, the sport model. They call 'em comfort bikes, and aside from the :rolleyes: comfort seat:rolleyes: I'm quite happily attached to my new bike, and like this new activity a LOT! Kind of a hybrid thing, we sit pretty up-right, and they've got relatively knobby tires, but smoothish in the centers for on the roads. Might outgrow it in a couple of years, but it's a good place for us to start, given the last 20 years of sloth!
So, you might have gathered: that comfort seat, I'm not impressed!
First issue: it's got springs. They squeak, which is annoying as all get out! ALMOST as annoying as my personal comfort level. The seat is a bit too wide, which isn't unbearable, but the MOST uncomfortable part of the seat has to be the back edge. After last weekend's rides, about 30 miles worth, I decided to put the seat from my old bike on the new bike.
No springs on the Serfas Reactive Gel seat, and that's a HUGE improvement.
(Nothing quite like being a heavy rider and having your bike complaining constantly!)
Sit bones are pretty much okay, girlie bits (yes, I'm learning this bike speak quickly!:) ) could use some improvement, but so far, that's not my big complaint. It's still the back edge of the seat. I can sit on my sit bones forever, but my tailbone and adjacent b**t-parts, :eek: YIKES!
So -- the point: Before I go off to the bike shop to talk with the bike guys again, does anyone have any suggestions for either bike adjustments, me adjustments, or the sort of seat I should be looking at? (cut away for the girlie bits is a given)
If it helps, I'm riding at least three days during the week, anywhere from five to ten miles each ride, and both Saturday and Sunday, trying to push myself extra hard, though I'm riding with hubby and one of his friends, and he seems to wear out first, insisting that _I_ must be tired!
(not so important question: if a girl were in Hillsboro for a few days in the middle of July, how would she go about finding this TE store she's been hearing so much about? Is it a storefront where she could shop to her heart's content? She might just consider driving instead of flying!)
Thanks so much ladies for EVERYTHING I've learned so far!
Karen in Boise
Seats, fussy details and female employees
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kano
Since Earl will likely call on his way out the office door this afternoon to suggest I take care of what he considers the fussy details*....... I'm rapidly falling in love with this biking stuff!:D
If I'm learning nothing else so far -- I used to think a seat is a seat is a seat. I can see differences now,
I have also noticed that female employees in bike shops seem to be a rarity.
..........*anything more than "shorts, shoes, helmet on and out the door" is too time consuming. Making my butt more comfortable counts as one of those fussy things, which surprises me, since I am sure he's not comfy!
Thinking a seat is a seat is a seat is like thinking a chair is a chair or a bed is a bed, and so forth and that isn't true (nor is a bike is a bike is a bike). ;)
Not that I can speak from experience about bike seats, my first bike is on order, but I've already had questions for the bike dude about the seat. He says if it doesn't come with what I need, we can swap it out.
I'm getting stoked about this bike stuff too. I can hardly wait till I am one of the gang!
I have seen only one female employee in a bike shop, although I did see a female employee at REI who was teaching a class on women's biking. I took it without a bike, hoping for some tips and ideas. Biggest thing I came away with is that changing a tire is totally doable, and that tools are important. Unless you want to walk your bike home. She has 6 bikes, and rides almost everywhere, which impressed me gobs.
I think fussy details are important, and if your south end ain't happy, you won't want to ride.
I'll have my bike a week from Friday. I can hardly wait! I have to look for a helmet and toolkit etc. I need a bike rack too, but I think I can get the bike home in my camper bus. Sorta wishing it was just a bus right now.
Susan
