Newbie - Out of shape - HILLS - Right Bike?

I've been researching an reading various forums to try to educate myself on some of the basics, but I'm feeling like I need some advice from experienced riders. I'm 48 and feeling pretty out-of-shape - I'd like to lose about 20 pounds. I loved to bike ride when I was a teenager (still miss my yellow Schwinn 10-speed). I grew up around the flat Texas Gulf Coast, so gears weren't much of an issue unless the wind was really blowing. I've moved to Portland, OR and I find myself walking my bike up almost any hill. (Which is why I've been on my bike less than 5 times in 5 years.) Is it too much to want to have FUN and get in shape at the same time? (I think not!)

SO...I've decided to buy a new bike with a budget of about $1500 - $1700. I want a bike that is fun, comfortable, above average quality, and will help me get up the hills. At first I was leaning toward a touring bike, just to get the low gears, but the sales person at the LBS convinced me that a touring bike was probably overkill. I settled on a Specialized Dolce Comp Triple.

I rode tested some other bikes - Bianchi Volpe, Trek 2.1, Cannondale Synapse, and Specialized Sequoia & Tricross. I loved the Sequoia, but the Dolce was a better fit.

The Dolce has a 50/39/30 with a 12-27 cassette (Shimano 105).

Opinions please?? Does this seem like a good choice? MSRP is $1650, LBS price is $1550. Do I have enough low gears to get my (currently-out-of-shape) self up some pretty steep Portland hills? Do the components seem to be high enough quality for the price? Anything I should be concerned about?

Thanks in advance for your thoughts!

Lori

I like the Dolce -- I don't own it, since the fit wasn't quite right, but I like it. My bike is the Roubaix -- pretty close to the same size, but a longer top tube. PERFECT might have been something in between, but I really like it a lot! (or it might just be that the saddle's still a bit off...)

Now, I don't think that the Dolce is going to guarantee you'll get up the hills, but my Roubaix made a difference -- and eventually, I learned how to get up the hills using it! (it took a while, even with the bike) If you DO find yourself walking the Dolce up some hills, you'll have a much easier time pushing it up!

Karen in Boise

It's going to kind of depend on which hills you are talking about riding.

I used to have a Dolce Comp (2006) and sold it to a friend because it didn't fit me just right. I put over 1500 miles on it in 6 months though...so I got a good feel for it. The first thing I remember about my first ride on that bike is that the hills seemed way flatter! (This was when I lived in rolling hill country in NC). I think just having good working gearing really makes a HUGE difference. A bike that fits you well also really helps. The gearing on the Dolce Comp triple is pretty standard for a triple road bike and should make most hills much easier.

That said, I've seen some of the hills in Portland and even a triple isn't going to help in some cases! I'm 41 and about 30 lbs overweight, so I know how difficult it can be to climb. The best advice is to do what you can and don't give up. You will get better at it!

Gear wise - you can't get all that much better than the dolce. It will definitely help with the hills... but so will learning to spin, getting in shape, and just practice...

Whatever bike you get, make sure it fits. And those hills will get easier the more you do them. It will not be immediate, though. Keep pedaling.

Thanks for your responses everyone. I think this is a wonderfully supportive and encouraging forum. :) :)

As a side note, my old Coscto bike that I haven't been riding weighs in at about 38 pounds! Whatever I get is going to be AMAZING by comparison!

My DH wants me to try out a Fuji Silhouette that he found at Performance Bikes. The Fuji would take me up to a carbon frame and Ultegra components for about the same price.

I'm going to give it a try today, but after reading some of the comments regarding service at PB, I'm a little wary. I found the Dolce at my lbs where they have a solid reputation for great customer service.

I will share that when I first started riding, almost 2 years ago, I had a heavy, clunky bike and walked up every single hill. Then I got a little hybrid that I rode for about 6 months and walked up about 1/2 the hills. A little over a year ago, I got my Trek 2.3. At first, I walked up just a few of the hills. This season, I have not walked up any hills, and I'm doing all the rides that I have been doing + a few more challenging.

I am 57 years old and trying desperately to lose 20 pounds. For 55 years of my life, I was more or less sedentary. So, have patience with yourself and envision yourself in +/- a year where you will ride up every hill!

And guess what? There are plenty of people out there that are too unfit to walk up 'dem hills :)

Do you mind if I ask which bikeshop you found the triple at? I'm in the Portland area too, and I test rode the Dolce Comp Compact Double this weekend, and loved it, but I really need a triple to get up the hills. I went to a couple of places this weekend, but neither of them had the Triple in my size (51cm) and apparently Specialized is sold out that size so they couldn't order it. I'm out of luck apparently unless I can find someplace that has it in stock.

You can buy the lightest bike in the world but if it has a bad engine it still won't get you up a tough hill. Helps though.

You can shape up going to spin class while you work at conquering real life hills. Don't give up, it's the best thing in the world for your fitness.

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Originally Posted by Laphmore

My DH wants me to try out a Fuji Silhouette that he found at Performance Bikes. The Fuji would take me up to a carbon frame and Ultegra components for about the same price. I'm going to give it a try today, but after reading some of the comments regarding service at PB, I'm a little wary. I found the Dolce at my lbs where they have a solid reputation for great customer service.

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I just bought the Fuji Silhouette about three weeks ago, also at my local Performance shop. [I have the benefit of having a BF who lives to tinker with bikes, so ongoing service isn't an issue. Plus he knows all the guys in the PB shop anyway. :)]

BF thought the price was pretty amazing for an all-carbon frame and solid-quality components. With an extra 10% off promo, it came in at around $1300 on a MSRP of $2500...... That being said, I wanted a triple (to handle the hilly Blue Ridge where I live), so we switched out the double drivetrain almost immediately. [The double will go on another bike, so everything will be put to good use!]

I'm still getting used to the Silhouette, but wow, what an improvement over the heavier Schwinn I've been riding for the past 18 months or so. I'm still fiddling with getting the saddle, handlebars, and stem just right, but so far, so good! It handles well, and I'm already seeing a jump in my average speed on routes that I ride regularly. I haven't taken it out to the Blue Ridge Parkway yet---the local 'acid test' for hill climbing---but based on hilly rides closer to home, I think I'm going to be very happy with my choice. Addendum: I logged my fastest av ever on Tuesday morning, yeehaw! 2mph faster than I usually do on this a.m.'s route.

By the way, while I was in the store, debating whether to buy the Silhouette or a less expensive Fuji model, I noticed a woman hovering nearby, watching me spinning lightly on the Silhouette. Finally she came over and said, "I've had this bike for a year now and LOVE it. You won't regret making the choice." Her words alone wouldn't have swayed me, but it was nice to hear someone with a year's worth of experience with this particular bike give it high marks.

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Originally Posted by Bramble

Do you mind if I ask which bikeshop you found the triple at? I'm in the Portland area too, and I test rode the Dolce Comp Compact Double this weekend, and loved it, but I really need a triple to get up the hills. I went to a couple of places this weekend, but neither of them had the Triple in my size (51cm) and apparently Specialized is sold out that size so they couldn't order it. I'm out of luck apparently unless I can find someplace that has it in stock.

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Hi Bramble - I sent an email to you about the bike shop just in case you didn't get back to this thread. I'm getting it from Rivercity Bicycles. They didn't have my size in stock, so they've ordered it for me!

It MIGHT be delivered tomorrow.

:):):):D:D:D

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Originally Posted by Bramble

I'm out of luck apparently unless I can find someplace that has it in stock.

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The shop should be able to tap into Specialized's inventory system - they keep track of where all the bikes are. They should be able to get a shop that does have one to ship to the shop you are buying from. At least that's what they did when I got my Ruby. I'm a very small size (a 44cm) and they only *made* 9 in my size in the year I bought it. They tracked down a bike in a shop all the way over in Australia that had one in stock and had it shipped to a shop over here in Washington for me!

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Originally Posted by Laphmore

Hi Bramble - I sent an email to you about the bike shop just in case you didn't get back to this thread. I'm getting it from Rivercity Bicycles. They didn't have my size in stock, so they've ordered it for me!

It MIGHT be delivered tomorrow.

:):):):D:D:D

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Thanks. :) I did stop by Rivercity, but didn't really get that far in the process due to a lack of bikes in my size to actually test ride. Although that's where I first road the Dolce Comp Double they didn't have anything else to compare against, and I wanted to try a few other bikes before making up my mind.

Quote:

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The shop should be able to tap into Specialized's inventory system - they keep track of where all the bikes are. They should be able to get a shop that does have one to ship to the shop you are buying from. At least that's what they did when I got my Ruby. I'm a very small size (a 44cm) and they only *made* 9 in my size in the year I bought it. They tracked down a bike in a shop all the way over in Australia that had one in stock and had it shipped to a shop over here in Washington for me!

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The shop I ended up at is a realitively new one (just opened this month), so the owner wasn't up on all the options available when I was in the shop. He did check the inventory system, which had nothing, but he called the rep later and they're looking at seeing if they can track one down. I could just wait until the 2010s are out, but now that I've finally made up my mind I want it now. ;)

Well, I'm so bummed out today. :(:( I waited to 2 long weeks (and 3 days) for my Dolce Comp Triple, which was supposed to be on order from Specialized. I contacted the lbs this weekend because the sales-person assured me 10 business days was MAX. Anyway, I asked someone at the bike shop to follow-up on the order and I got a call back in which they explained that they didn't know how it happened, but they couldn't get my bike until LATE AUGUST. :mad::mad: (My guess is that I'd be getting a 2010 and I've heard that Specialized is changing their lineup, so the Dolce Comp is going to be dropped.) Sigh...I was willing to look at other bikes that fit my specs: 1600.00 max budget, triple, minimum 105 components, WSD... no luck.
I went to a couple of other bike shops and bought a bike on Saturday that I don't really love. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to return it and start my search over again.

The problem seems to relate to low inventory in the Portland metro area. Most of the bike shops stock a very limited number of women specific bikes. I've been told again and again that the 2009 inventory is low and the bike shops are waiting for the 2010 bikes to be available. I'm new to biking and wanted to enjoy my bike before the winter rains return.

Sorry for whining...I really had my heart set on THAT bike.

Any suggestions? Are some bike shops in the Portland area known for carrying a larger inventory of women specific bikes?

The other option is to wait around until the end of August? :p

Hi,

I live in Pennsylvania -- Penn's HILL vania.

Here's what I did. Go to a bike shop that will refit a road bike with a hybrid bike's gears. EG: get a Raleigh gran sport, a typical entry level road bike. Then refit the gears with a mountain bike system -- Shimano Tiagra (9-speed) moves also with a Shimano LX (mountain bike) rear derailleur. If you use a compact crank (50 / 34) put the LX rear derailleur on the bike and put on the mountain bike 12-34 9-speed Shimano cassette. The chain needs to be longer.

So change the rear derailleur, chain, cassette and you get a hilly goat of a little road bike. ;)

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Originally Posted by Laphmore

Well, I'm so bummed out today. :(:( I waited to 2 long weeks (and 3 days) for my Dolce Comp Triple, which was supposed to be on order from Specialized. I contacted the lbs this weekend because the sales-person assured me 10 business days was MAX. Anyway, I asked someone at the bike shop to follow-up on the order and I got a call back in which they explained that they didn't know how it happened, but they couldn't get my bike until LATE AUGUST. :mad::mad: (My guess is that I'd be getting a 2010 and I've heard that Specialized is changing their lineup, so the Dolce Comp is going to be dropped.) Sigh...I was willing to look at other bikes that fit my specs: 1600.00 max budget, triple, minimum 105 components, WSD... no luck.
I went to a couple of other bike shops and bought a bike on Saturday that I don't really love. I'm pretty sure that I'm going to return it and start my search over again.

The problem seems to relate to low inventory in the Portland metro area. Most of the bike shops stock a very limited number of women specific bikes. I've been told again and again that the 2009 inventory is low and the bike shops are waiting for the 2010 bikes to be available. I'm new to biking and wanted to enjoy my bike before the winter rains return.

Sorry for whining...I really had my heart set on THAT bike.

Any suggestions? Are some bike shops in the Portland area known for carrying a larger inventory of women specific bikes?

The other option is to wait around until the end of August? :p

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That's what I keep running into in my bike search, also in the Portland metro area. I've got similar specs, but its not even just a problem with WSD bikes. Wanted to test ride a few unisex bikes as a comparision, but there's just been nothing of the right frame size in stock for me to even take test rides on.

My LBS guy did hear from his Specialized rep that there would be a 2010 Dolce Comp, but that it just wasn't available yet. But who knows. It starting to feel like this will be a wasted summer as far as the new bike goes. I should have started looking earlier (wasn't sure I could swing the money this spring.) I'll just chug along on my slow hybrid, way way behind my regular riding group.

July-August is when the new bikes come in, so everyone has trouble getting stock (when I bought my bike last Aug, they immediately got on the phone and tried to reorder--it would be 2 months before they got another one!). Get on the phone and start calling around. It will save you time, now that you know what you want. Somebody has that bike sitting in their showroom.

In the end I wasn't able to find the Dolce Comp Triple at any local shop. But last weekend I ended up test riding a Giant Avail 1, and liking it equally well. Since I'm impatient I went for the bike in the hand and snapped that one up. Inventory problems on that one as well, they weren't sure if there Giant had any small frames left, but there was one at another shop in the chain. Picked it up yesterday.

And Laphmore, as to your original question as to whether a road triple was enough on the hills, my old bike was a hybrid with mountain bike gearing. So I lost a couple of easy gears moving from the hybrid to a road triple. As I'm over 200 pounds I was worried about that, but when I went out for my first ride in my hilly neighborhood I didn't really notice the loss of the easy gears and riding up the hills was almost a breeze. Definately could feel the difference with a lighter bike and thinner tires.

Edit: Just got a call from my local Specialized shop that the 2010 Dolce Comps were now available. Isn't that always the way it works.