September rides, bringing in the fall.

We rescheduled our dinner from last week, so given we have to be there at 5:30, decided to go out around 11:30 for a shortish ride. It was foggy earlier in the AM, and blessedly still cloudy and about 70 when we left. No wind, either. As we were leaving, we decided to switch our plan and did our favorite "flat ride," which is 20 miles. I really like this ride, because it makes me feel like I can ride fast, although there is one short hill at the end. I also like this ride in the spring and fall, because a good part of it is not shaded.
Nothing crazy, although I can tell I am finally at the time in the cycling season where I do not need to use my small ring for certain small hills like the one on this ride. There is a road at the turn around part of this ride that is a U, and is really lovely, going by some conservation land, teeny rollers, and shade. When it's really cold out, this road is freezing!
Tons of riders out today. We did one variation at the end, so we didn't have to stop at a light, and went across the highway by my office and through a parking lot of an office park to get back to West Concord.
Done with my antibiotics today, so no more worry about the sun. Thankfully, it was cloudy and rainy this week!
Tomorrow, I am going to visit an old friend from when I lived in AZ. She is from here, and still has her family home on the beach, south of Boston. We worked together at one point, and car pooled. Although we remained friends when we no longer worked together, we lost touch a couple of years after I moved. We recently reconnected on Facebook, so it will be cool to see someone I haven't seen for almost 30 years.

Sheila, got a Salsa Gide Trail stem in 50mm, not 55 as I posted, above. Got it from Jensen where I get a lot of parts.

Crankin, glad you're reconnecting with an old friend. That's always something worthwhile. Have fun.

We're still at summertime hot, today. 86 for a temp while riding my Gunnar single speed for 20.6 miles of pavement. Wonderful ride, though. The sun is at more of an angle this far north in September, so didn't feel as hot as it might in July. I really see this heat as a gift, since I know just how cold it will be getting, real soon. Beats having to bundle up when riding, that's for sure.

We did have a great time yesterday. Her house here is right on the water. Hard to believe that on 9/16, I was wading in the ocean, and it was 80 degrees on the coast. Had some splendid fried scallops (serious guilt), too. Should have done that short ride before we went, because when we got back, we were beat.
Today I went to the gym and then came home, showered, ate, did some stuff, and rode to work.I almost didn't make it... I could not get my trunk bag on the rack the right way, to click in. After calling DH, I figured out you had to sort of tilt it up and then slide it. By this time, I had 30 minutes until my client would arrive in my office. Thankfully, I actually had casual type cycling clothes on, because I rode those 3 miles so quickly, I was totally sweat through, as it was humid as hell. One of those times I could not cool down and I didn't have time to cool off before I cleaned up and changed to my work clothes. But, I had a little reprieve as my client was late, so I actually looked like a human.
The way home was nice and not hot, but the dirt road was full of water in the middle and lots of mud in other spots. I had to get off and walk for a little bit. The neighborhood ride part is nice, but then the next path, by my house had lots of slippery grass and roots. The gravel was OK, but by that time, when I got near the end, I kind of scooted over some final roots. I would have preferred the busy road tonight!
Florence is going to be hitting us tomorrow. While not the same as in the Carolinas, we could have 5-6 inches of rain. I am not sure I will be riding on Wednesday. Of course, this is my punishment for thinking I will ride on Yom Kippur, and not going to services.

Had company over the weekend and will be getting more, tomorrow, so just getting in what I can for rides. Our weekend guest was an old friend of my hubby's and it was great having her for a visit. She's no bicyclist, but was game to try riding on our Specialized Roll step-thu frame bike that I got as a trainer bike after my accident. She did very well on it for our daily ride around the neighborhood. We'll see how our next guests do on it. Getting a lot of use for that bike, considering we only paid $450 for it. Does make a great beginner's bike, though.

My wonderful lingering taste taste of summer is gone, now, but it was great while it lasted. Highs in the 60s for the next week and barely in the 60s on some days. Back to wearing leggings and a sweatshirt for my riding. Oh, well, this cooler weather really is the norm for September, not the 80 degree stuff.

Did ride the new Pugs out on the trails, yesterday, experimenting with the gearing. Yup, you guessed it, I'm thinking of yet another single speed conversion. :)

Hello ladies, sorry to be AWOL so long. Too much going on lately.

Hoping those in the path of the storm are ok. The flooding in NC has been nuts. Then a tornado with one death in Richmond. I have been in NY almost a week, had to delay returning to VA last night due to storms.

I have gotten in some good bike rides, have missed a lot due to traveling for family reasons as well as some fun events. And like everyone else on this coast I have had plenty of rained out rides.

Currently my bike is in the shop, having the rear wheel hub replaced. I might have a chance to get a new hybrid bike for free, which is a long story. I don't actually need a hybrid bike, though.

NY, I thought I didn't need one, either, but I am really enjoying it. I feel like a kid when I ride it.

You've been missed, N.Y. Nice to have you back.

I really can't imagine all that rain and flooding. Have never experienced anything like it. My heart goes out to anyone who has to deal with this flooding and rain.

I never thought I'd ever buy a comfort/hybrid type bike, again. Then I had my accident and then guests and they got to ride my Specialized Roll. One of them even bought one for herself. My bike shop says they are selling the heck out of them. They sell the LIV versions and the brand has been very popular.

Short 11 mile road ride on the Log Lady, then a good brisk 3 miles of trail riding on the Krampus, which is now also a single speed. Getting to the point where all I want to ride is single speed. Kind of locked myself into that style of riding, so just assume that when I post about riding, it's single speed riding. That way I won't have to keep yammering about it. :)

Heard from my son that the house they have under contract in Fayetteville is fine, but he is very glad they are not living there now.
We had about 5 hours of torrential rain, with a flash flood warning (nothing like everyone's phones going off with emergency alerts during a therapy session), but none of the flooding seems to be around my area. I will be able to do a ride today, in cloudy 65 degree temperatures. Heaven to me!

ETA:
I did ride today, and although my speed was in a nice range for me, none of it felt wonderful! It was cool and cloudy when we went out, so I wore a LS jersey, with a sleeveless base layer underneath. I decided my knees should be covered, since it was 62 and windy. That was a mistake. We also left at 11:30, and I was hungry, even though I ate a late and decent breakfast. At mile 8.5, I took my knee warmers off, which required standing on the side of the road and getting my shoes off, too. I forgot to replace my Lara Bar from my last ride, so I ate a Shot Block to quell the hunger. By this time, it was misting, with intermittent spritzing/drizzle. I t wasn't bad, but sort of a clammy feeling, especially after getting overheated. Saw quite a few riders out, including families, as the schools are closed for Yom Kippur (making me feel more guilty I was out on a ride and not fasting!). When we were at the turning point of the loop, one of the roads was down to dirt, for some power company work. That was OK, though, just had to slow. So, all in all, glad I went, I worked hard, but conditions not so great. Just under 20 miles.

My brother, who lives in Wilmington, NC (ground zero for H. Florence) finally got his power on yesterday -- it went out in the wee hours Friday morning. He is fine, as is his house, just a few branches down. He is in the highest part of Wilmington, not near the river or beach, so no flooding. Thank goodness for that! I am sure he was bored without power on for four days, but it sure beats the alternative. He is such a Luddite he doesn't even have a cell phone, and his landline requires electricity, so we didn't even know if he was okay until his power came back on. Needless to day, I (and my poor mom) had been quite worried. He doesn't realize how the media coverage really hyped this up, even in places that were not badly affected. Of course, some spots got hit much harder. Many of the places that suffered the most are in low-lying areas near rivers so have had flooding problems before.

Crankin, glad your son's house in Fayetteville is okay!

Back to our usual rides this week. I've been having to go to the orthodontist every Monday as we're getting close to the end of braces now, so my riding days have shifted to Tu, We, Fr. I do short rides around the campground (to the pool, dumpster, office, and sometimes just around) on my cruiser bike on most days, but the long rides are on those three days, which is working well. It's still very hot, low 90s for highs with heat index over 100 every day, humid, and we've been sunnier than usual as we're getting closer to the end of rainy season. Plus Florence sucked up a lot of the moisture. I actually miss the rain, as it helps cool things off -- and waters my plants. Time to go check the radar and figure out if I need to go out and water plants!

Glad everyone survived the rains and flooding.

Speaking of rain, rode in the rain, yesterday and it was by choice. Didn't get caught out in the rain; it was raining when I started riding. Very light rain, though, and as much drizzle as anything. Did 14 miles of pavement on the Gunnar, then switched to a fat bike for 5 more miles of laps on my trails. The woods are quite lovely in a light rain and peaceful, too, with the rain dripping from the leaves. Wonderful north woods aroma, to boot. On the road, ride saw a lot of deer and a hen turkey with young ones. Wildlife tend to come out of the woods and hang out at the road edges when it's raining, so have to be extra careful when riding or driving.

The fat bike was my Norco Sasquatch, which is a fully geared bike, not a single speed. The Sasquatch is my top performing fat bike with its carbon fork. Handles more like a standard trail bike than a fat bike. Have to admit, after so much single speed riding on the trails, it was a nice luxury to do my climbing with all those low gears. Forgot how easy it makes the climbing. :)

Heavier rain, today, plus we have company. Not sure how much riding I'll be able to do. Possible frost, tomorrow night. Yeah, summer is gone. Sigh.

Sheila, since I'm constantly mixing and matching stems and handlebars, I keep a variety of stem spacers on hand. I do prefer a taller handlebar height setup with more spacers under the stem, typically 4 or 5. Remember, though, you can place the stem between spacers, with spacers on top of the stem, if you want to go lower. No law that says the stem has to always be in the topmost position. Bottom line is not to cut the steerer tube height to short/low. Once you cut it, you're stuck with that height. Totally a personal preference, though, so see what works for you.

On my new Log Lady build, I'm going carbon on the handlebar and it will be a conventional MTB bar. Frightfully expensive, but I have a carbon handlebar on my Gunnar that the former owner had used for his build and I love the carbon. Makes for very responsive handling and, best of all, carbon will absorb some of the road/trail chatter. Also going carbon on the seat post on the new LL for same reasons. This new LL is my first ever custom build, so I want to take my time and do it right. Never would have considered carbon if I hadn't' gotten carbon on the Gunnar.

6 miles of trail riding in a bit heavier rain, this morning, but this time on my Pugsley, 2nd edition fat bike. The heavier rain moved in, just a bit later, so my only ride of the day. Good workout, though, so no complaints, other than I'm ready for a bit of sunshine. :)

Glad everyone's families in NC made it though ok.

Well I rode 37 miles today. Did I mention I have been furloughed at work? End of client's fiscal year and funding has run short, as it has for the past several years at this time. The good news is no layoffs this year. Anyway I have to take 6 days off this month, using sick and vacation time. So today instead of going to work I did a bike club ride with friends. Temperature was right around 80, it wasn't as sunny as the forecast led us to believe it would be but no rain, and if it had been less cloudy it would have seemed hotter. So actually the weather was pretty darn nice.

I am still having problems with my wheel, which I will post about separately because I'm looking for suggestions.

As for the possible free bike -- recently I was pleasantly surprised to learn about a new program from my employer to recognize people who have worked there a long time. I've been at my job for 18 years. Of these 15 count as having been with my current employer (the first three were under a contract with a different company, and in the past 15 years I have been through numerous mergers, but they still count my tenure back to the first company in the line of acquisitions). So I can choose a free gift from a list that they sent me. Many of the options are not useful to someone who lives in a small apartment like me -- huge TV sets, lawn mowers, a sound bar with heavy bass for a home theater. There are numerous jewelry choices, gold and diamonds, which I would never wear. Also a kayak (no storage room for that), a stove (don't need one), golf clubs (don't play golf) and a gun safe (don't own any guns). And... a Trek hybrid bike designed for commuting. It's actually a 2018 model that is sold out on the Trek website. I am going to see if I can get a Trek gift card for the value of the bike instead, and then will use it toward a different bike. If they say no, we will send you a different bike, I will hope to be able to trade it in at the LBS for full price. (If they say they have decided not to offer any more bikes, well then I have no idea what I'll do.)

Now, I don't really need another bike, nor do I have room for one, and I really should not spend any money on another bike. I ride my road bike a lot and my mountain bike sits neglected collecting dust. But with all the rain we've had lately, it occurred to me that it would be nice to have a road bike with full fenders. I can put a clip-on rear fender on my Madone but there's no room for a front fender. Disc brakes and the ability to attach racks would also come in handy sometimes.

IF I am able to apply the cost of free hybrid to a new Trek bike, I am looking at this gravel bike:

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...colorCode=blue

Of course, it will probably cost me $1000 out of pocket, plus saddle and pedals. And maybe shoes, depending on the pedals I get.

Another option is a lower-end aluminum Domane that would only cost me a couple hundred, but that wouldn't come with disc brakes. I might look at their touring bike, too, though there's no WSD version.

https://www.trekbikes.com/us/en_US/b...?colorCode=red

Any of these options involves Shimano Tiagra or Sora components, which I hope will be good enough. I had a Tiagra front derailleur on my old road bike and it was constantly in need of adjustment.

Anyway, the first step is to find out what the option is since the bike currently being offered as a free gift is no longer available.

p.s. Any new bike I get would have to spend a lot of time out on the balcony. It would be covered with a tarp, but still out in the elements. But I think that's okay for something that would be my first choice when there's a likelihood of rain, or during the winter when there's salt on the roads.

I thought about a gravel bike, but basically I ended up with a hybrid (Specialized Ariel) that is more like a hard tail mountain bike. I don't want another drop bar bike. It has disc brakes and a front suspension fork. I put a rack on it, too. The only thing is, it doesn't have fenders, but I could add them. Basically, I don't ride in the rain on purpose, but I will ride this in the winter. It's lighter than the mountain bike I had.
I've commuted a few times with it and rode it on the bike path, as well as a 15 mile ride to a farm market. The gearing feels weird (it's a compact with 11-42 gearing) and I'm no speed demon on it, but it is very fun to ride.

I am open to the idea of a hybrid similar to what you have, Crankin, but definitely would want to be able to ride about the same speed as I do on my Madone. I'm already pretty slow, and wouldn't want long rides in terms of miles to take any longer in terms of hours than they do now.

If I put less knobby tires on my mountain bike (an old 26" hardtail), I can ride a couple of mph slower on pavement then I can on the road bike. And I slow down a lot going uphill, due to the bike's weight.

NY, my speed is just about the same as yours, maybe marginally faster at this time of the year (14-15 mph av, unless it's hilly, then who knows). Remember, I'm riding with a loaded trunk bag to work. When I rode to the market, DH volunteered to take 2 panniers, so I had nothing to carry, as well as on the bike path, where we were only limited by it being crowded and DH had my granddaughter in the trailer. Both of those times, I averaged about 13.8. I also have a serious hill on the way home from work. I just need to get used to the gearing. When I get on my Silque, after riding the Ariel, I feel like a speed demon. My average has definitely gone up on the Silque in the last month, since my vacation, riding the Guru with a packed Arkel bag at a very slow speed, and riding the Ariel. I wouldn't take this bike on a group ride, unless it was an AMC slow level ride, or with my friends who ride at an average of <13, or on a ride longer than 20 miles, unless it was more touring or mixed terrain. It definitely would have been appropriate for my vacation by Lake Ontario. There was a huge long trail that was gravel and I tried it on the Guru, but I couldn't handle it. We also had some gravel on trails through a provincial park. There was no need to go fast, we were day touring.

I got a Checkpoint SL5 WSD in July and I love it. Took it on a bike trip with friends to the Ohio Erie Canal Tow Path trail and it performed flawlessly.

P2 (Penny)

That Checkpoint looks like a great bike, Penny. If I still rode drop bar bikes, I'd have to take a serious look at it.

N.Y., the new version of Tiagra is really pretty good, comparable to the old 105. I had a 2016 Salsa Warbird that came stock with Tiagra. Did about a thousand miles on it, then upgraded to 105, simply because I've always trusted 105. Honestly, though, could not tell a difference between the two. Would have no problem going Tiagra on a new bike if money is an issue.

As per bike speed, keep in mind that overall wheel diameter is a factor in bike speed. A taller wheel like a 700x35 covers a greater distance with each cycle of the pedals than a smaller wheel like a 650B/27.5x35 or even a 26x2.25" wheel setup. Have used a 700x35 and a 26x2.25 for commuting and, yes, I could tell a difference in my ride time with the faster 700x35. Smaller wheels do have advantages, too, but if you're really concerned with maintaining an average speed on your road bike, be sure to consider wheel diameter.

Did our usual ride today and managed to take a little tumble doing a u-turn on a side road we ride for a little extra mileage (right off the bike path we ride). I hit a patch of sand and went down on my left side, super slowly. I made sure to keep my head up so that I wouldn't bang my mouth/braces...lol! :D I have a scrape on my knee, a sore spot on the heel of my hand, and a growing bruise/contusion on my left butt cheek. Nothing too bad, but it did shake me up to fall, especially since it happened at the farthest point of our ride, so I still had to ride all the way home. Fortunately, the first hour was the worst, feeling some aches and pains, and I've barely even noticed it since then. I have three days off the bike (other than my cruiser bike for short rides around the RV park) coming up for our usual weekend routine and an orthodontist appointment on Monday morning, so I am sure I'll be all good when I ride again on Tuesday.

Happy weekend and first day of fall tomorrow, all!

Sorry to her about your spill, Emily, but relieved it wasn't too bad.

High winds all night and most of the day, today, meant that my trail riding was more stopping and removing tree limbs - some quite large - and not much actual ride time. The leaves have been falling for a few days, now, but the worst is yet to come. I could just ride a fat bike - they will ride almost over anything - but want a trail safe to ride with one of the standard MTBs. Frost, tonight, so fall is here.

Sorry both of you had crashes, Emily and Sheila. Both sound like stuff I would do! Sheila, yours reminds me of when my DH fell backwards off the stability ball while we were working out at home, into my bike on the trainer and got gauged by the chainrings on my bike. I hope you don't have a tattoo from those pins, like he did from the chainring. I admit I couldn't stop laughing at him when it happened. It was so slow, he could have stopped it.
We are having a real fall like weekend, so today we will do a shorter ride and then tomorrow, a long one. We have to avoid some of our favorite spots, as apple picking season has begun and the hordes are crowding the roads, as well as parking alongside many of the narrow country roads we ride on. Yesterday, I didn't ride, but went to boot camp and then took a 4 mile walk with a friend. My legs are feeling it; we walked on the bike trail and my calves are tight from that. Next time, we will hike.

Love my flat pedals on all my bikes, but, yeah, you have to respect those pins in the pedals. I've been "bitten" many times with them as I walk my bikes up and down the steps of our deck getting the bikes in and out of the house.

We did a nice neighborhood ride with one of my husband's sisters, yesterday, even though the wind was howling and we were getting hit with light rain and mist. She did very well on the Specialized Roll comfort bike. Not to surprised, since this modern breed of comfort bike is designed for people who haven't done a lot of biking, but she really did manage to get up the hills in very good form.

As for the rest of my daily ride, spent more time getting on and off the fat bike, clearing tree limbs and debris off the trails from the high winds. Definitely more cleaning than riding. I could, of course, just ride the fat bikes over everything - they can roll over just about anything in their path - but I still want to ride some my standard MTB bikes on the trail before winter sets in. Standard 2.25" MTB tires are susceptible to trail debris and wet leaves, so taking no chances when I ride these bikes. Clean trails, only, for these bikes.

I may still get to wear shorts now and then for the next month if we get a nice warm day, but those days will now be few and far between. Leggings and a sweatshirt/jacket are now pretty much standard when I ride. Even gloves on some days. Missing summer, already, though fall, up here, really is a gorgeous time of year.

We accomplished our goal of a short ride, 18.5 miles, with an average above 14, despite starting out going quite slowly. The humidity is gone and it's windy and partly cloudy. It felt quite cool for the first mile or two, but then we climbed, so it was fine wearing shorts and a regular LS jersey. The temperature was between 62 and 66. Basically went south, into the next town of Sudbury and it took quite awhile for the traffic to quiet down, when we were riding through a wildlife area. It's disturbing to see how busy it's become around where I live; but then again, normally in the fall, we are riding in the afternoon on Saturdays, and today we went out at 11 or so. People driving their kids to soccer or doing shopping. In the summer, everyone is at the beach or in the mountains and it is significantly quieter. We stopped at a farm market to grab a sandwich to share, about 4 miles from home. So busy there... this is fairly easy for people from the city to get to, as opposed to where we usually go and it's also a meeting place for cyclists. I don't go here much, despite it being close. When we first moved to MA, took my kids there to get a pumpkin. We got up to the register and it was 26.00! We left it right at the register, with 2 crying little boys. The food and produce at the other place is just as expensive, but I like the vibe better.
Getting ready to meet my son and granddaughter in Somerville for the Fluff festival, as in Fluffernutter. Yes, it was invented here; should be interesting.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

I'm sorry you got hurt, too, Emily.

But I think I can one-up you on that spill. I get the sheer idiocy award.

Yesterday I took a short ride around my block on the Karate Monkey after lowering the stem. When I was in front of my yard, I got off the bike and walked it a few feet while looking at the dying oak tree in my neighbor's yard. I somehow managed to trip on the bike, and the bike and I both fell. Slowly. The pedal and pins made a 4 inch swatch of scratches above my ankle. I too made certain not to hit my head.

Duh.

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Oh man, that must have hurt (bodily and mentally!) So sorry. Sounds like something I would do. I have banged into things while being too busy looking off at birds or some such, and that is no fun. This is one reason I think I need to ride a recumbent trike! Hope you heal up quickly.

My boo-boos are much better today, hardly even noticeable. But I still don't think I'll be telling my mom on our Skype call. She already thinks cycling is accident-prone enough, and at times like these I really can't argue with her!

Crankin, I love fluffernutter! Have not had it in years but it was a childhood fave. Of course, anything with peanut butter is pretty much okay with me. $26 for a pumpkin...I would have walked away too! :eek:

Accidents? Me? What accidents? :) Really, though, bicycling is pretty safe as sports go, depending at what level you bicycle and where you bicycle, basically how much risk you're willing to take. When I look back at all my spills, the lion's share of them could have been avoided, even this last nasty one.

Nice second ride of the day, today, out on the road with Bill and his sister. I rode the Gunnar, today, and had no trouble keeping up, given it's more road friendly gear ratio. Will probably go to an even smaller rear cog at some point to up my level road speed a bit.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Looked at the geometry, and was surprised how long the top tube and reach are. The stacks are fairly high, though. Then I compared to the men's version, and the numbers were the same. So, more choice. Jeeze. The men's are available in some larger sizes. Not sure if there are smaller in the women's not available in men's. But in general. They are no different.

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Wow, you are right. I don't think Trek makes different frames for women anymore. They just change the color and put on a women's saddle. Even the handlebars are the same.

When I went from a men's road bike frame to a wsd frame it made a huge difference in comfort for my neck and shoulders. I no longer had to stretch to reach the handlebars. I don't understand why they would go back to offering only men's frames unless they just think women are too dumb to notice.

I will ask about this at the LBS.

I cannot believe this would be true. My Silque (basically a WSD Madone) is not that old and there were definite differences in the geometry. I get a lot of online stuff from Trek and much of it is for women, about the desirability of their bikes for women. It would be pretty awful if they thought we were stupid enough to believe that changing the saddle and bars makes a bike WSD. I, for one, have never fit right on a unisex bike, even if it was the right "height." My Kutoa was wrong in so many ways, but yes, I could stand over it.
We ended up not going to the Fluffernutter festival, because there is no place to park in Union Square. We usually use Spot Hero for situations like this, and there was nothing. The other choice was to drive and park in Harvard Square for a price and then walk 25 minutes, or worse, drive, park at the train, and either do the walk or take a bus. This is an area being revitalized; eventually they will have a trolley stop, but on a line we can't easily access.
So, we went to our son's house and visited/had dinner. This must be the week for dumb accidents, because I walked in the house and didn't really look, and walked right into a trunk/coffee table in a place where there was nothing before. I kind of fell halfway over on my left side and gauged my left shin. There's a minor scrape, but I got ice and Arnica on it right away, so while it hurts to the touch, I am not in pain there. However, my whole side is kind of aching, like when you turn around and run into a wall. Oy... my son was laughing at me, because this is something he would do.

Cross bikes are notoriously not women specific, in that by nature, there is long reach and geometry to help go through sand, etc. Gravel bikes are a bit better, but after I did my research, the Specialized gravel bike for women seemed to be the only one I would even consider to try. In the end, that's what made my decision.

I just decided, in the end, I didn't want another drop bar bike. Maybe a silly reason, but I wanted a bike that was substantially different from the 2 I already had.

Last night I compared the Checkpoints and one of the Domane carbon models -- men's and women's in frame size 54 (which is what my current bike is). They were identical. Paging through the road bike listings, all I saw were "women's" bikes, nothing labeled as a WSD bikes. Their "women's specific design" page says this:

"Every Trek road, mountain, or city bike with one or more WSD parts can be found in our Women’s collection. What differentiates a Women’s bike from a bike from our mainline collection varies by model. All Women’s models have WSD touchpoints, like saddles and handlebar width. Some Women’s models also have WSD frame geometry, wheel size, crank length, and stem length."

I don't see any easy way to find a frame with different geometry for women vs men. The bikes just say "women's" and that can just mean that the saddle is different. It looks like they are intentionally making it hard to find actual women's frames, so they must not have very many anymore, and they are trying to hide the fact that they are no longer offering them. And calling the men's bikes "mainline" is just an insult.

The bike that is offered through the program at my job is a Trek, a 2018 men's commuter for which there is no comparable women's model. It is sold out according to the Trek website. I was going to ask the company that handles the rewards program to issue a Trek credit to me for the cost of that bike, and then use the credit at the LBS toward a new Trek bike that fits me and would be useful. (So far I've sent the rewards company a message through their "contact us" page but haven't heard any response yet.) My current Trek road bike fits me well enough and I've been content with it, and it is the primary brand at the LBS, so I saw no reason not to get another Trek bike. I was assuming that bikes listed on their website as "women's" meant the frames were WSD, but that is clearly not the case.

The LBS handles other brands too (though I rarely ever seen any other brands in stock there). Instead of asking for a Trek credit, I could try to get a different Trek bike through the rewards program and then trade it in for something else. I would expect that to be a 2019 hybrid at the same price point as the one they show on their website. However I don't know if I could trade it in for full value. I hope I could, since I would be trading in a brand new bike, but I would have to talk to the shop owner about it. And if I want to try a different brand bike that's not in stock, I don't know how easy that would be since I have no idea what their policy is about ordering a bike that I might not want to buy once I have a chance to test it.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

How does the checkpoint compare to your trek that fits well?

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I don't know. I don't know how to measure to get an accurate comparison.

I am doing a live chat with Trek now. This is what they say: "We found that the majority of women would rather have WSD touch points than a WSD frame."

He says I should just get a shorter stem.

I tried that with the old men's road bike, used the shortest stem possible and it wasn't short enough. When I tried the WSD Madone that I have now, it fit right off the rack, no messing around with stems or anything else.

He also claimed that the women's bikes have different handlebars and stems than the men's but that was not the case for the bikes I compared. When I pointed that out he "apologized for the inconvenience."

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Looking at my bike shop's web site, they also carry All-City, Surly and Felt. However when I look at the list of bikes available for special order (none are currently in stock at the shop), not all models are shown -- for example for Surly the Vaya is not shown. Most of the All-City bikes are for 2018 or earlier.

This is turning into quite a project. I don't even really know what I'm looking for.

NY, I remember discovering the same thing as far as the men's and women's frames having the same frame specs on my old WSD Domane. Thinking it was way back in 2013 or so. Kind of surprised me. All I got for my Domane being a WSD, then, was a narrower handlebar, shorter stem and WSD saddle. That was enough, though, to make it the first and just about the, only, bike I've bought that needed no mods to make it fit me. Since, then, I've gone more and more to brands that don't really offer any WSD options, so I always have to change something on the bike to get a proper fit. Always need to change the saddle and go to a shorter stem, no exceptions. Same for cutting the handlebars on the MTBs to get a proper width. I'm okay with this, because I know what a proper fit is and how to do the mods needed to get it. A lot of gals do not and just go by the manufactures generic instructions about bike size and call it good. That's a shame.

This is most disturbing and sleazy... trying the shorter stem on my 48 cm men's bike made it squirrelly as hell. This was with the same handlebars I have now and even shorter reach brakes they no longer make for Ultegra. Oh well, I don't think I'll be buying another road bike (I mean, 5 years down the road, would I at 70, really need one?), but if I do, I'm on to Specialized. And, btw, NY, I have an acquaintance who had a Felt WSD road bike. She is my height and really needed it. She sold it recently and bought a flat bar road bike/hybrid, but I am not sure if that's a Felt, too. But, I remember when she got the road bike and it was *really* nice.
So, as happens more and more lately, DH and I need motivation to get out there, 2 days in a row. I could have been convinced for a long ride, even though I really wanted to hike. However, my calves are still sore from walking Friday, on the bike trail. So, since we both seem to do better with destination rides, we decided since the only thing we needed to do was go to CVS, we could combine that with lunch at a café next door. Mind you, this is not the closest CVS, but it is the one we usually go to. We had thought we'd do some miles on the bike trail after riding there the longer way, but as we got going, we realized the café closes at 2, and we didn't want to rush. So, we ended up doing shorter, but considerably hillier, which was fine. I rode my Guru, first time since our trip. I didn't feel as weird with the change, and the truth is, I love the feel of this bike. It is cool and cloudy today, so I wore commuting knickers and a Terry Soleil hoodie with a SS base layer, and my vest. It was appropriate until we did the climb up Strawberry Hill, but then we were almost there. We both stuffed our vests in DH's trunk bag, thinking we would not need them after lunch. However, when we came out of CVS, it was colder, windier, and then when we started off in the shortest way back home, rain drops were spritzing! However, they did stop, once we crossed the highway.
Could have done more, but, who cares. Not sure I'll get any riding done until after I come back from visiting my son, unless I ride to work tomorrow. Tuesday is rainy and cool and Wed. still chance of rain and thunderstorms. I really want to go on the group ride Wed., as it's an 80th birthday party for a man I like, but I suspect it will be cancelled.

I love the All City bikes for their frames. Very, very traditional, strong, but not overbuilt. Really bring out the best in the ride quality of steel. Love my Surly bikes, too, but Surly builds their steel bike frames heavy enough to withstand a nuclear blast. My factory complete Log Lady, for instance, compares, nicely, in ride quality and handling to my MUCH more expensive, fully custom Gunnar Ruffian. My next bike will be another All City and it will be used for pavement work. Probably go with a Macho Man flatbar or a Nature Boy single speed and then convert it to flat bar. After riding my light, fast, super easy rolling steel single speeds all summer, it's really, really hard for me to go back to riding big heavy bikes for road work. No point in it. I'm not packing heavy loads, after all. Just making daily rides on pavement for the sheer joy of riding.

But even in my trail riding, I'm now thinking lighter and faster. My Log lady, though geared a bit higher than my Krampus single speed conversion, nevertheless pedals easier than the Krampus. Those big heavy 29x3 tires/wheels on the Krampus are harder to pedal single speed, no doubt about it. You can do the calculations in gear inches to determine what gear ratio you need for a particular type of riding, but wheel/tire weight is also a big factor in how easy a bike pedals and how easily it rolls. That's one part of the equation that is not easy to calculate.

Speaking of single speeds, did 23.3 miles of pavement on a beautiful fall morning, this morning. Almost seemed effortless to pedal those miles on such a day. My conditioning is paying off, to be sure, but those miles just seemed to fly by, all the same.

Got home and wanted more, so I switched bikes to the Log Lady and then Star and I did 2.5 miles on the trails. The Log Lady is a racing bike, as in XC MTB racing, and it handles like it. Very fast, agile and nimble, yet stable. Delightful trail bike to ride on a fall day.

Thanks all for your input.

This is my current road bike: 2010/trek/madone47wsd. This is the men's bike I had before it: 2003/trek/2000.

I am 5'7". The above bikes were both 54.

I went to the LBS today. They didn't have a Checkpoint in a 54 for comparison. They offered to let me try a 54 Domane but I declined for now because it was raining. The reason they wanted me to try it was to show me that the frame geometry of the current bikes is way different than it was 7-8 years ago. (Apparently my 2010 bike is retro, not "modern." Go figure.)

I am really not happy with Trek right now, because I think their website is intentionally misleading instead of being straightforward about a big change in their products. However I am happy with the bike shop, and have a long history with them. And I think they are really mostly a Trek dealer. I think I am willing to try out a Trek because of my relationship with the bike shop. If I can't work with their fitter to make a Trek work, I will ask about the other brands. Of course I still haven't heard from the company that handles the free hybrid bike to find out what they will substitute for the 2018 sold-out bike on their website. Until I get that information, I will not move ahead with test rides, etc., since the whole point here is to save a chunk of cash on a new bike.


The main reason I went to the bike shop today was because my Madone's rear wheel squeal (or Mavic moo, as my friend calls it) is worse now than it was before. I rode 58 miles yesterday and it mooed a lot from almost the first mile. Other than that, it was a great ride. I was the leader and I posted it on two bike club schedules. I ended up with 19 people total. And for the first time in a long time I ran out of cue sheets at a ride -- usually most people use a Garmin or Ride with GPS on their phones, so they don't take paper cue sheets, but yesterday most of the riders were old-school low-tech (as I am). Fortunately I knew the route well enough that I could give my cue sheet to someone else.

There was rain early in the morning but the roads were mostly dry by the time we started the ride. Most of the other riders were faster than me (I ride at the low end of the ride category pace) and I think most of them skipped the first rest stop. So I didn't see more than half of them after the ride start. Which is not ideal, but doesn't really bother me. I still had a couple of people to ride with and the weather turned out to be great, with temps in the 70s, partial sun and humidity lowering as the day went on. We had a brisk NE sea breeze when we were near the Chesapeake Bay but that was only for a few miles. Overall it was a great day and I'm glad we had nice weather for a change.

Now it's raining again, and will continue to rain for a few days. So it was a good time to take the bike to the shop to try to resolve the Mavic moo once and for all. I started a different thread on that, and will update it.

I am impressed that you found those numbers! And your understanding of frame geometry is also impressive, Sheila.

I agree that it would make sense to try the Checkpoint in a 52. When I go back to the LBS to pick up the Madone with the new rear wheel, I will see if they have one in stock.

I don't actually have a Domane, I was just looking at one as an example of current frame geometry being very different from older bikes, and had thought about getting one when I first started looking into the current Trek offerings.

Thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Muirenn

Ok, looks like the size 52 is comparable to your 2010 bike..

Trek checkpoint size 52
Stack: 549
Reach: 379
HTA: 71.6 deg
STA: 74 deg
HT: 10.7
ETT: 536

Stack and reach, the most important numbers, are very close. This Head tube is a bit more slack, which is expected for a bike that may be taken off road. Sounds like it’s actually very like your Domane. Do you know what step length is on the Domame? Is it the stock stem?

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I found the numbers for the old Trek 2000 men's bike from 2003, on page 42 of this. No stack or reach numbers, but there is this:
HTA: 73.0
STA: 74.0
ETT: 54.4

Standover comparisons:
CP 54: 78.9
CP 52: 77
Madone 4.7: 74.0
2000: 77.2

EFF for the Checkpoint 54 is longer than for the old Trek 2000.

It's really interesting to compare the details for the different bike frames in different sizes. A 54 for one is quite different from a 54 for another bike.

N.Y., good luck on the Mavic moo thing. Like everyone else, I'd just be guessing as to the cause, but please do let us know if you discover what's causing that weird noise. Hope the new wheel is the solution. Shimano wheels are a pretty safe bet. That's what will be going on my new Log Lady build.

At 5'7", a 54cm bike would be the right place for you to start for a good fit. I'm 5'9" and I go to a 56cm or, better yet, a 55cm, if they make it. I then factor in the usual mods needed when I test ride. As I've said, that's usually a new saddle, shorter stem and, sometimes, a narrower handlebar, even on a drop bar bike. Always a pain in the butt, but that's life for me when buying a unisex or men's bike.

The other factor that complicates predicting how a bike fits is our riding style. Mine, for instance, has changed since my accident. I was more or less forced into riding in a more upright position after my accident, but I now find that I greatly prefer it and tune my bikes, accordingly. If nothing else, pedaling more upright gives me a better view of our wonderful north woods scenery. :) At one time, though, I was pretty heavily into a down and aggressive riding position, but no more. That kind of position, though, is a whole different matter as to bike fit and bike choice. Good luck on your quest.

PS. Just a note of caution when comparing manufacturer's stack and reach numbers. Those are typically frame stack and reach numbers, not handlebar stack and reach numbers that you get when the bike is assembled. The final numbers as far as actual, effective stack and reach to the handlebars will change with the number of fork spacers you use under the stem when you put it on the fork, the length and angle of the stem and, of course the style of handlebar. Even moving your saddle forward or back can change these actual handlebar numbers, not to mention changing your seat height.

This is what I do when shopping for a new bike. I first check the frame stack and reach numbers on one of my current bikes that I like. I then compare those numbers to the frame stack and reach numbers on the new bike I want to buy. The numbers don't have to be a perfect match, though. They can be off 10mm (still less than half an inch) or so, even a bit more, because I can always adjust my final handlebar stack and reach as needed with changing out the right parts.