Two Things I've realized this week

I have discovered two very important things this week about cycling:

1. I absolutely love my Selle Italia Gel Flow Saddle. It has solved all my girly bits problems, I can ride 20 miles without bike shorts and still feel fine. It is the best feeling ever.

2. A road bike is not for me. I bought a beautiful Felt ZW 75 in July and I just cannot adapt to a road bike. I love to look at it, it is sooo pretty, but I just don't feel confortable on a road bike. It

took me forever to find one to fit me, I needed a 43 cm and after all that, I am selling it. It has 234 miles on it. If anyone is interested, let me know. I live in N.J.

My next problem is, I originally had a Trek 7.2, which I kept after I got the road bike, but now that I am selling the road bike I would like to upgrade to a better Hybrid. I really like the Trek 7.5 and the 7.6, but they don't come in a 13 inch (that is what my 7.2 is) and they are compacs, which my Felt is and I don't like the compac. If I get a 7.4 (which does come in 13 inch and is a triple)
would it be enough of an upgrade to be worth it? I don't want to spend the money on a new hybrid that is pretty much what I have already. Any ideas??

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Originally Posted by Custardcup1

I have discovered two very important things this week about cycling:

1. I absolutely love my Selle Italia Gel Flow Saddle. It has solved all my girly bits problems, I can ride 20 miles without bike shorts and still feel fine. It is the best feeling ever.

2. A road bike is not for me. I bought a beautiful Felt ZW 75 in July and I just cannot adapt to a road bike. I love to look at it, it is sooo pretty, but I just don't feel confortable on a road bike. It

took me forever to find one to fit me, I needed a 43 cm and after all that, I am selling it. It has 234 miles on it. If anyone is interested, let me know. I live in N.J.

My next problem is, I originally had a Trek 7.2, which I kept after I got the road bike, but now that I am selling the road bike I would like to upgrade to a better Hybrid. I really like the Trek 7.5 and the 7.6, but they don't come in a 13 inch (that is what my 7.2 is) and they are compacs, which my Felt is and I don't like the compac. If I get a 7.4 (which does come in 13 inch and is a triple)
would it be enough of an upgrade to be worth it? I don't want to spend the money on a new hybrid that is pretty much what I have already. Any ideas??

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Glad that you found the perfect saddle for you.

As for the road bike, my question to you is....what makes the road bike uncomfortable for you? Is it the handle bar type, or the lower torso position, the thinner tires, etc.?

The reason I am asking is that some of these items can be changed relatively cheaply to make the road bike more comfortable for you. If you can pinpoint the exact issues that you have with your road bike, maybe the TE forum can make suggestions for you, ie. changing to a more upright stem or wider tires or changing the handle bars etc.

As to hybrid suggestions, how about the higher end model of the Specialized Vita (the only thing is that the Specialized Vita won't be good on trails/dirt)?
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2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle
2010 Santa Cruz Juliana with R kit and Crampon pedals
2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle (sold)

The road bike has the compac which I cannot get used to. Also, I definitely don't like the tiny tires and I just don't feel secure. The Felt is a very light weight bike and I feel like I am all over the place on it.

You might be able to put 25s or maybe 28 tires on it. Also if I'm looking at the right specs you have 50/34 mated to a 12/34 cassette. That's a good gear range. If that's not enough you might be able to change out the 50/34 to some cyclocross gearing like 48 or 46 with a 32...

However I'm assuming your discomfort is with the compact gearing but maybe it's something else? Drop bars? Paddle shifters versus thumb shifters? Or..??

It might take some time to get used to skinny tires and the new position. I remember first test riding road bikes and being wobbly. Instead of getting rid of bike perhaps you just need some interim steps??

I agree with TigerMom, try the Vita. The 44cm size on their highest end Vita Limited is really small, it fits me and I ride a 43cm Trek road bike and a 13 inch hybrid. The highest end Vita is a light weight carbon flat bar road bike with a compact double. It is pretty pricey at over $2000. The models step down from there, are aluminum, and come in an extra small size, which doesn't seem to be quite the same size as the 44cm on the Vita Limited but still pretty small and comparable to the 13" Trek, if not even smaller. However, you end up going quite a few steps down to get a triple. The higher end bikes are compact doubles.

The Vita Elite, in the $800 range, has a triple and is somewhat comparable to the FX 7.4. The Trek FX 7.4 is a good bike and is a step up from what you have, and retains the triple that you like. However, neither are major steps up. The compact double might be easier to get used to on the flat bar bikes. They are worth trying out.

http://www.specialized.com/us/en/bikes/multi-use/vita

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Originally Posted by roguedog

It might take some time to get used to skinny tires and the new position. I remember first test riding road bikes and being wobbly. Instead of getting rid of bike perhaps you just need some interim steps??

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Looking back to a year ago when I got my road bike I think that it took me at least 400 miles to get comfortable and natural on the bike.

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Originally Posted by Custardcup1

The road bike has the compac which I cannot get used to. Also, I definitely don't like the tiny tires and I just don't feel secure. The Felt is a very light weight bike and I feel like I am all over the place on it.

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You also might want to try some other types of bikes. You have my problem, finding them small enough. But if you can track one down you could try something like Surly's 42cm long haul trucker. It is a drop bar road bike but made of steel. It is very stable.

What is it you don't like about the compact? You have a 1:1 gear ratio there, with gears as low, or lower than a triple. I have that on one of my road bikes. It did take getting used to having larger spaces between gears and finding the "sweet spot", for flat riding, but other than that it was fine. So, I have to assume you have enough low gears and maybe you are having a hard time getting used to using brifters rather than trigger shifters? I have 23 tires on my carbon bike and 25s on my titanium bike. I can feel the difference, so definitely going just one size up helps with stability. Finally, maybe you need a different bar. Even though it's a small bike for women, you may need a shorter and shallower drop. That's also an easy fix.
Road bikes don't feel like hybrids. They are not supposed to. I wouldn't be so quick to sell it. Make some changes, practice riding on short, flat trails/roads. Go in a parking lot and practice. Like driving.

I definitely like the trigger shifters better, I think that is one of the main problems. Also, and I know this sounds stupid, on my Trek I can see what gear I am in, they are numbered. The Felt bike has no indicators as to what you are in. I hate not knowing how many gears I have left going up a hill. Also, it has the 650 tires which I feel are so little. I know it will be a major step down if I sell the Felt and go back to the Trek line as far as quality components, etc. I am so confused. Also, being 64 years old, has to have something to do with this.

I don't think age has anything to do with it....maybe your ability to adapr easily to new things may be slower. I ride with 3 other ladies from by bike club. All of us ride road bikes and are over 60! Although I do prefer my road bike to my hybrid for long rides, I understand that some do not like the feel of a road bike. However, I would agree that you might want to wait and try again next season before selling the Felt. I really got into my roadie after putting it on the trainer for the winter. I would alternate the hybrid and the road bike and found the roadie much more comfortable for longer sessions. It is even better outside!!!

Good luck with your journey and what ever decision you make will be the best for you. Just make sure you keep on riding and enjoy it.

P2

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Originally Posted by Custardcup1

I definitely like the trigger shifters better, I think that is one of the main problems. Also, and I know this sounds stupid, on my Trek I can see what gear I am in, they are numbered. The Felt bike has no indicators as to what you are in. I hate not knowing how many gears I have left going up a hill. Also, it has the 650 tires which I feel are so little. I know it will be a major step down if I sell the Felt and go back to the Trek line as far as quality components, etc. I am so confused. Also, being 64 years old, has to have something to do with this.

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Most of the 65+yo bikers in my bike club can leave me in the dust if I don't ride as hard as I can.

As to knowing which gear you are in, I get confused a lot too. That's why having a double instead of a triple is easier for me. I know that the front gear is only in the big or the small ring (uphill). As to not knowing how many gears you have left on your back cassette, I just use them until I am out of gears on steep inclines. Even if you know how many gears you have left going up a hill, when you are out of gears, you are still out.

I would change to wider tires before spending yet more money on another bike.

Keep up the biking! Just remember, my 65+yo friends are still going strong. I think one of them is actually 75yo.

___________________________________________________________________
2012 Specialized Amira Elite, upgraded carbon handle bars, Jett saddle 143mm switched to 145mm 2012 Selle Italia Max SLR Gel Flow saddle
2010 Santa Cruz Juliana with R kit and Crampon pedals
2011 Specialized Ariel Sport,suspension post,Serfas Rx Women's Microfiber saddle (sold)

Age has nothing to do with it. I am almost 59 and I am one of the youngest riders in the group I ride with.
As far as the numbers on the shifters. You don't need to know the number. It just begins to feel intuitive... I don't ever think, gee, I am in the 50-15 gear. I bet you know when you need to go to a lower or higher gear! So, maybe it's that you are getting confused about which way to push the shift levers. That just is practice and memory. Don't focus on what gear you're in, just how it feels. Start riding in the small ring (left side) and play around with the gears in the rear (right side). See how each one feels. Then do the same thing in the big ring. Do this on flat ground, so you can really feel the difference. When you get that, start making switches between the big and small ring on the front. Experiment with different combinations. You don't have to know what the numbers are, just how it feels. Eventually, it clicks.
There are people who give riding lessons; maybe you can find someone who is willing to help you.

The one issue you may have getting wider 650 tires is that there are very few choices available. My Madone with 650 wheels will not fit a tire wider than a 25. I found only one 25 tires in the 650 size. The Felt may be the same. If it happens to accept a tire as wide as a 28, Terry sells a 28.

Here is a link to the 650 tire in a 25 width. Not too expensive so worth trying: http://www.amazon.com/Panaracer-Pase...racer+650+x+25

If I want to know what gear I'm in, I look down at the cassette.

I know several riders who are in their 60s and early 70s. They ride almost every day and do lots of touring. They have road bikes, but I think most of them have bikes that are designed more for touring than racing. in terms of things like frame material and tire width. They're not the fastest cyclists I know but they're great at maintaining a pace that will let them go on for miles.

I think pinsonp nailed it. Age doesn't have anything to do with absolute strength or speed or flexibility (though individuals will lose a little over the years, most of the 70 year olds I ride with can leave me in the dust, too) - but age DOES affect our ability to adapt to new things. This is something I saw over and over again as a disability claimants' advocate, and it's even part of the statutory structure of disability eligibility. Ability to adapt starts to decline around age 45! And even though just like physical fitness, we can slow the process quite a bit by staying mentally fit, it still happens to all of us at some point and at some rate.

That said ... it depends on how much you WANT to learn to ride a road bike. You can do it if you want, I know that for sure without even knowing you, but there are some things you really have to want to do. You're the only one who knows whether you want it that badly.

As far as triple vs compact, many bike shops will swap drivetrain components out for you on a new bike for free or for just the difference in cost. Check before buying, since this isn't universal, but it's kind of one of the things that will let you know how customer-oriented a bike shop is.

And this is why I'm an advocate of giving yourself lots of time to get used to a change. I am terrible with change that has to do with adapting to new mechanical or technical stuff, but this has nothing to do with age for me... I was ready to throw my custom bike in the garbage, if you remember last fall. I still feel a little shaky every time I get on it, but I have made myself ride it almost as much as my other bike, and I love it now. I just have to remember to push myself higher up on the saddle when I start, because of the geometry, after too many times of getting my shorts caught on the nose of the saddle! Yesterday I was on a longer ride with this bike, with my Trail Rider on the rack. That adds another dimension for me. Since I was with another AMC leader, as we were scouting a route for a future ride, I just made myself concentrate and not get too out of whack from the slightly different feeling. I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of him. Really, most of these things are in our heads and I use a lot of self talk to improve them.

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Originally Posted by OakLeaf

I think pinsonp nailed it. Age doesn't have anything to do with absolute strength or speed or flexibility (though individuals will lose a little over the years, most of the 70 year olds I ride with can leave me in the dust, too) - but age DOES affect our ability to adapt to new things. This is something I saw over and over again as a disability claimants' advocate, and it's even part of the statutory structure of disability eligibility. Ability to adapt starts to decline around age 45! And even though just like physical fitness, we can slow the process quite a bit by staying mentally fit, it still happens to all of us at some point and at some rate.

That said ... it depends on how much you WANT to learn to ride a road bike. You can do it if you want, I know that for sure without even knowing you, but there are some things you really have to want to do. You're the only one who knows whether you want it that badly.

As far as triple vs compact, many bike shops will swap drivetrain components out for you on a new bike for free or for just the difference in cost. Check before buying, since this isn't universal, but it's kind of one of the things that will let you know how customer-oriented a bike shop is.

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O.K. I've decided I'm not giving up on the Felt yet. I took it to the lbs today (not where I bought it) but where I bought my Trek2, and they made some adjustments to the seat and most importantly to the brakes and the shifters. It seemed to make a big difference. Also, I am starting to practice shifting and using all the gears. I still feel like the bike is pretty squirrely, but I'm hoping I will get used to it now that it's not so difficult to shift.

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Originally Posted by Custardcup1

O.K. I've decided I'm not giving up on the Felt yet. I took it to the lbs today (not where I bought it) but where I bought my Trek2, and they made some adjustments to the seat and most importantly to the brakes and the shifters. It seemed to make a big difference. Also, I am starting to practice shifting and using all the gears. I still feel like the bike is pretty squirrely, but I'm hoping I will get used to it now that it's not so difficult to shift.

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Great! What everyone has said is so true. Heck, even if you grow to love and get totally used to your road bike, if you take months or years off from riding it, it's going to feel really strange and squirrely again when you do get back on, especially if you ride a mountain bike or cruiser bike in the interim. Our first ride on our Bike Fridays (which are road bikes with drop bars) in the US in August after riding only beach cruisers in Belize for a year was frightening at first! By the second ride, it was much more comfortable, and by the third, it felt like we'd never taken a break. So the adjustment period is shorter for a bike you've previously ridden and gotten comfortable on, but the first time; yeah...it takes time. I've gone from upright road bikes to tandems to a hybrid to a recumbent and back to road bikes, and each time, there's an adjustment period. I always think the road bike feels way too squirrely and scary at first. Until it doesn't. :D

Custardcup, I understand how you feel and as Emily and others say, you'll get become more accustomed to the shifting with time. It helped me to get a cadence sensor because I can focus on my cadence and base shifting off that. I had always tried to get a sense of cadence in my my years of spinning, but when I finally got a cadence sensor, that helped me to get a sense of spinning revolution speed. Currently I'm using a Garmin 500 and it offers just enough data for me - cadence, HR, distance, percentage hill grade for climbs/descents. I learned to always sustain a high cadence; I aim for 80-100 rpm. 80 minimum. If I'm going too much above 100, I shift.