newbie intro and first bike advice

Hi, everyone! I've been lurking for a couple of weeks now and thought it was time to introduce myself and ask some questions.

I am just getting into cycling. I'm currently a runner who wants to get a bike for cross-training and getting into triathlons. I did some research and decided a road bike was definitely the way to go.

I've set my budget somewhere around $2K. I debated getting an entry-level bike and seeing how it goes, but I have a pretty strong feeling I'll too quickly regret not going with a slightly higher-level bike.

This weekend I finally got out to a LBS or two (or four!) and got on some bikes. The first place I went to is mainly a Trek dealer. I rode a '08 Pilot 2.1 WSD and a '08 Madone 4.5 WSD (both 47 cm) I was able to take the bike's out over a rough road and definitely preferred the carbon Madone to the Pilot. So between those two bikes, I'd go with the Madone but I knew I should go see other bikes.

Two days later I hit up a few more stores and got on 5 more bikes. They were:
'08 Specialized Ruby Comp (47 cm)
'08 Cannondale Synapse Feminine 3 (not sure of size but I think 50)
'08 Orbea Onix TDA (48 cm)
'07 Scott CR1 Pro Contessa (47 cm)
'07 Giant OCR C2 (XS)

The problem I had the second day of bike riding was that my seat bones were bruised from the Trek day and thus I had a harder time judging how the ride felt. I was pretty surprised at this because I felt the Treks were pretty comfy saddle-wise (I was also wearing jeans) but am now a little worried if just 20 min of bike riding left me feeling sore.

From the second group of bikes I liked the Orbea (want to go back and try the WSD version) and the Giant (not sure if I will make up my mind fast enough to snatch up the '07 deal).

Honestly though, I am a total newbie and am having a hard time with what feels right. The LBS that put me on the Cannondale and Ruby didn't really take measurements and sort of just threw me on the bikes with a little bit of a seat-height adjustment. I think that's why I didn't really like those bikes much. The Trek LBS and the third place I went to really took the time to tweak the bikes to make them just right for me.

At this point, I think I need to start with fresh seat bones and pick a day I can go back to both shops on the same day to make some decisions.

I guess I am open to any collective wisdom from everyone here on this process. I've read a lot about people just "knowing" when they found their bike but as a beginner I'm not sure what to look for. I've taken the bikes for spins around some short back roads by the store. Each LBS has offered to let me take it out for a longer ride, but since I'm new I'm not comfortable going out in traffic just yet.

One main difference between the treks and all the other bikes was that the Trek has a triple and the others all have compacts. One LBS (not the Trek one) told me that a triple would be the way to go but another guy seemed to think I could get everything I needed out of a compact. I live in the SF Bay area so we have a bit of hills. Most of the bikes have 105/Ultegra mixes but the Giant has full ultegra, I believe, and if I stretch the budget a little I could get Ultegra on the Orbea, too. Also, should I be concerned about the bruised feeling in my seat bones?

I'm planning on throwing some aero bars onto the bike if I get into longer-distance triathlons (right now I'm hoping to make a goal of a half-ironman someday). I was told by the Trek LBS that the Madone would be good for that because of the more aggressive geometry (a Lemond LBS even told me that the Lemond would not be good for that since it is better for touring).

If it helps, I'm 5'2" (and a half :D). The measurements one LBS gave me are: Inseam 74.1, Torso 56.9, Arm 55.3, shoulders 40.5. The second LBS said I should shoot for a TT of 50.5-51.0.

Sorry this is so long-winded! I'm looking forward to participating on the forums and learning from everyone here! Thanks!

go back to the LBS that you like and tell them the saddle on that Trek was awful and see what happens after that.

I'd go for a triple in San Francisco!!!

Welcome to TE!

We have a whole section of this forum dedicated just to saddles, it is a highly individual and sensitive point here. You should be able to ride on a saddle for 20 minutes in jeans(without extreme pain), but there is SOME breaking in that should be expected.

I live and ride in the Bay Area and highly recommend the triple, regardless of what bike you go with.

Also, even for a test ride it would probably be a good idea to have some bike shorts on to really get a better feel for how the bike and the saddle are going to feel. (If you haven't yet been to Sports basement you should check it out. they have 3 locations in SF area: Marina, by Pac bell or whatever it is now park and somewhere in the South Bay. Anyway, they generally have some good deals on shorts and gear you will likely need to have with your new toy.)

I would recommend really getting a feel for the bike and how it handles, developing your skills well, before you toy with the idea of aero bars. :)

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Originally Posted by maillotpois

I would recommend really getting a feel for the bike and how it handles, developing your skills well, before you toy with the idea of aero bars. :)

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Good idea to hold off on the aero bars for a while (at least). If you decide to start riding with a bike club (which I recommend to get comfortable riding with people and improving your skills), you may not be allowed to use aero bars in group rides. This is for a good reason, as aero bars can be dangerous in a crash. Also, with arms on the aero bars, it's harder to control the bike, and that's no good with a group of people going 15+ mph.

Thanks, everyone for the suggestions. I am definitely not planning on aero bars anytime soon! It's just something I want to take into consideration when selecting a bike. The Lemond LBS got me thinking since he told me it would be harder to get into the aero position on the Lemond geometry.

A quick question re: saddles. When I was actually on the Trek the saddle felt very comfy even in jeans. Just the next day I felt sort of bruised in the seat-bone area. I wasn't sure if this was just something your body adapts to or if this means the saddle wasn't good for me. I also understand that I need some bike shorts to really simulate what it will be like, but even with the padding is a bruise-like feeling "normal" or unacceptable?

if you really haven't ridden for years, it could be your sit bones just need to be conditioned. 20 minutes making you sore just seems a bit extreme. If you really are planning on riding you probably ought to get some bike shorts anyway. And even with bike shorts you're going to get sore.

RoadBunner, I recently was in the market for bikes and spent an afternoon, wearing jeans, trying out like 5 bikes: a few cyclocrosses, an entry-level road bike, and a touring bike. The next day I was incredibly bruised in my sit bones as well and couldn't ride my brand new bike for a couple of days while they healed up. I had been riding indoors but on a cushier wider seat on my old bike. I had issues with the saddle that came with the new bike the first few rides but now I pretty much have no problem. You'll bruise for a little while like I did but in time it too shall pass. You may want to spread out the days you test bikes if you have the bruising problem like I did.

Well, don't pick a bike based on how comfy the seat is, because that can be changed out. As for your sit bones... you just have to break your butt in on the bike. If I don't ride at least 3 days a week, my sit bones are typically always sore when I get back on. Yes, padded shorts help this some, but will not completely fix the problem.

You have a lot of choices there. Maybe you should sit down, make a chart and list the components and your general feedback on each one.

You also need to know what you want and don't want. Do you want a full carbon bike? Do you want all 105 components? All Ultegra? A mix of both? Does it matter to you? Do you want a comfort road bike, like the Ruby or the Giant.... or do you want a racing road bike? Do you care about the color?

As for the double versus triple. If you ride serious hills, get a triple. You can switch it out to a double once you get stronger on the bike. But starting, you might want to get a triple.

By really narrowing down what you want and don't want... you can narrow down your search some.

Also, you said your budget is $2,000. Does that also include... bike shorts... clipless pedals... shoes... a tool bag with goodies inside... bike pump... water bottles... bike computer... new saddle... etc? That stuff and easily run up a $150-$500+ bill. EASY!

When I went to look for a new road bike (started with a Trek 1000), I knew what I was looking for. Once I found the bikes that fit my criteria, I test rode them. One bike stood out amoungst the crowd. When I rode it, it wow'ed me... and I knew it was the one.

I was in your same situation last year. I rode those bikes and analyzed components and cost...I spent weeks trying to figure out what was right.

In the end I went with the carbon Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD. Why? Cause I liked the Trek dealer more than the others. Cause 2K was my upper limit and you get what you pay for so I went for the bike that cost exactly 2K. Cause I liked the color.

As someone new to a road bike I found it impossible to determine which one felt better, I knew the few that didn't feel good but after that they all seemed the same to me.

They tried to talk my into a double but I went with a triple because it is more important to me that I can get up hills than that I can shave a few seconds off a straight-away time.

I went with the Pilot because I tend to have issues with my shoulders and long distance comfort was again more important that a few seconds of speed.

A year later I am still happy with my purchase, mostly because I know I can talk to my LBS.

If you go by saddle comfort, you will wind up picking the first bike you ride on a given day. The pain should go away after a few rides, no matter what saddle you have.

Hi I just purchased a carbon road bike in December. I narrowed my choices down to the Trek 5.0 Pilot and the Specialized Ruby Expert. I also live in SF and tested these bikes going up a very steep hill! The Ruby did a better job of climbing and was more $$ but at the sale price, I got a deal on an 2007 bike.

I tried just about every brand of carbon road bikes in the $2000 range and in the end just felt like the Specialized bikes fit my body better. As another poster stated... the right bike will just stand out and you will know that is the one! Good Luck!

Hi Bunner! (I love your user name...I used to have a rabbit, and we just called him The Bun.) :)

Everyone here has good input. The one thing I would add is to see if you can arrange for a longer, calmer test ride one way or another.

I remember trying to find my first bike. I really had nothing to compare anything to, so it was really hard to tell any differences when I rode. The traffic issue on test rides pretty much erased any way for me to tune into how the bike really felt.

There was one bike that I ended up not buying, and regretting it within a few months, all because the test ride was in traffic that I was NOT equipped to handle as a new person.

You might ask the shops if you leave them your credit card, your diamond ring, your firstborn, whatever...if there is any way you can take the bike with your car somewhere calm to really relax and see how it feels to you.

And, the sit bones are likely to be sore for awhile...even if you have the right shorts and a good saddle...my butt always has to get used to the saddle if I am off for awhile. :o

Thanks everyone, for all the suggestions! Especially in regards to the bruised feeling and triple feed-back. My boyfriend (who already has a bike) and I just bought a hitch and bike rack for our car in anticipation of getting out riding together and for bringing the new bike home.

I'm not sure if this is the way to do it, but I've decided down to two LBS's and will be going back to see what is best for me that they have. I just felt very comfortable with them and for a newbie that's really important for me.

Most likely I'll be between the Trek and the Orbea. The Giant is a great deal and felt nice but I'm not in love with the look of the bike and I'm sad to say it counts for something for me :o

I am becoming a total geek about this staring at geometry charts (even though I have little clue to what it all means and my small knowledge will probably get me into trouble--I had a prof. in college who used to say, "A little learning is a dangerous thing."). KSH, I will be making charts!

I will try to get out for a longer ride, too. Both shops offered to even get a bike sized for my boyfriend so he could accompany me on a longer ride, but I was too much of a chicken to want to take it out in traffic.

One new question. My boyfriend suggests I get bike shoes and clip-in from the get-go...I'm more inclined to use platform pedals to get my bike mojo back before strapping myself on. But then a part of me thinks maybe it is better to get used to everything at once so I don't have to unlearn habits. Thoughts?

Starfish, I am a total rabbit lover. The picture is of my beloved lop :)

Of course looks count in your new steed!!

And, just my .02, go for the clipless shoes and pedals right off the bat. My experience was that it was way harder to flip the cages around and get settled into that than it ever was with clipless. I waited a year or two, and once I got clipless, I was in heaven. It was way easier, and I wondered why I waited.

Oh, I am definitely not going to mess with cages. They would probably be more dangerous for me. I was thinking more along the lines of the type of pedals my bike as a kid had :D

Thanks also for that comment about the look of the bike. I would hate to say it to someone at the LBS, though!

As a side-note: I am a runner and would wear the ugliest shoes ever if they were the best for my body-type and would prevent injuries...I'm a little surprised this doesn't cross over into bikes!

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Originally Posted by RoadBunner

Oh, I am definitely not going to mess with cages. They would probably be more dangerous for me. I was thinking more along the lines of the type of pedals my bike as a kid had :D

Thanks also for that comment about the look of the bike. I would hate to say it to someone at the LBS, though!

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Go for clipless. :)

You know, I have made it clear to my LBS that looks and color are part of the package for the next bike. I'm still on my first road bike, and hoping maybe this summer/fall to get a new one. My bike is OK...but it doesn't make me want to turn around and give it a second look when I put it away...

You know how certain cars just make you want to pinch their butts? :p The Ferrari 456 GT comes to mind...well, I want my next bike to give me the same feeling. I will not settle for another plain-to-me bike this time around. I want the next bike to be sexy, knowing that it is all in the eye of the beholder.

My experience is that the guys in the bike shops get it.

I think looks definitely count... And I think bike shop guys feel the same way. If not, then the highest end bikes would all be ugly instead of drop-dead gorgeous, right? Part of what has gotten me really into biking is the beauty of a really nice bicycle. Once I started paying attention to the style, it became just as important as the function. I think the car analogy is good... People who are into fancy cars, are really into the looks.

Definitely go for the clipless pedals right away. I bought a pair for my mountain bike years ago but was afraid I'd be trapped in them and crash, so I never put them on. :o When I bought my first road bike (Trek 1600) about a month ago I decided to go for it and had the LBS put them on my new road bike. I took a few rides around a large parking lot practicing getting in and out and I'm still kicking myself for waiting so long to try them - it is so easy you won't believe how quickly it becomes natural. Just find a safe place to practice for a little while.

I also second the idea of going with the LBS you feel most comfortable with, especially just getting into it like I am. There's a lot to be said for feeling welcome rather than a burden when you bring your bike in for an adjustment.

I debated mostly between the Giant OCR1W and the Trek 1600 (both close-outs so they were great deals) and went with the Trek mainly for the looks (along with the ultegra rear shifter over the 105 and it was a little lighter which justified the $150 difference in price). :)

Go clipless! Also, style-wise, you just can't rock a sweet ride like the Onix Dama without being clipped in! Taint right!

You can totally do it. If you want to practice clipping in and out - put your sweet baby on a trainer (LBS will have one you can use in the shop, or borrow one - you're gonna need one anyway if you live in the north) and get used to the technique.

Then ride on some grass and practice. It will take ten minutes to build the muscle memory to perform the task. If you fall, it won't hurt and you just might want to film it and put it up on youtube!

Also, any add ins, like arch supports, shims, that you use in your running shoes, put in your stylin' road shoes. My .02.

Go new bike!