Looking into cervelo

[missymaya]

Hey ya'll,
I'm looking into buying a new bike and I've narrowed it down to the cervelo soloist carbon. I'm very impressed with the technology and since I plan on racing, I want a bike that is a viable competitor (either than me on the bike ). Right now, I'm 5'10 and I'm riding a men's Giant OCR3 50mm and I'm finding that the reach is a little too long and that my neck and upper shoulders just ache from pain (and Im finding the next day it hurts too ). So, before I go and give someone a huge chunk of money that I've been saving for who know's how long, I'm asking the ladies here on their thoughts, since not many women in my area ride cervelo. Anybody here rides cervelo? If so, any problems with reach? I'm currently emailing the company asking similar questions, since sizing is different than Giant.

[SheFly]

The best advice you'll get here is to try before you buy. And to have a proper fit. Cervelos aren't cheap, so you want to be sure that you have the right fit before handing over some serious cash.

At 5'10", are you REALLY riding a 50 cm frame and having reach issues? I am 5'10, and ride a 54 cm bike. I have been professionally fit, and this is the perfect size for me.

Good luck, and let us know how you make out!

SheFly

[missymaya]

So far, everything I've read, everyone I've talked to and all the research I've done all points to reach issues. All the pain is in my neck and upper shoulders and I've adjusted the stem on my bike to where I'm almost upright and still too much pain to barely handle a 30 mile ride anymore. If there's any info pointing me elsewhere, by all means, let me know, especially now since I'm going to make a hefty investment.
But, cervelo is what I want to go into, unless it's just not the right bike.Unfortunately, there's only one lbs in town that sells cervelo, and they don't do the computerized fittings (in fact out of all the lbs's in town, there's only one who does, and their new, but dont sell cervelo).
Any other suggestions?

[Eden]

Cervelo's don't come in my little size, so I can't help there - but I do have a tip about shoulder/neck issues. I was having trouble with my right shoulder. After about two hours on the bike I'd start to get a nasty burn in my shoulder neck area and after a while it was like someone was always sticking something sharp and pointy under my shoulder blade.
After a while with a PT I found two things that really helped (in addition to a smaller bike!). 1. no more computer mouse. I chucked the mouse in favor of a graphics tablet that I could keep on my lap so that I wasn't holding my arm up all day. 2. two tennis balls in a sock.... sounds silly, but it works so well. Put two tennis balls in a sock and tie it off. Sit on the floor legs straight on the ground (if it is too difficult at first you can keep your knees bent) put the tennis balls on the floor so that they will be under your lower back along your spine and lie down on top of them, start doing these stretches with your arms out to the side, but later you can try it with your arms over your head as your neck and shoulders start to loosen. Do this several times moving the tennis balls up your back until they are under your neck/shoulder area. I usually hear my back and neck make lovely cracks and I feel soooo much better.
This was the best thing the PT guys did for me - its cheap, really effective for me and I can do it anywhere.

[li10up]

Eden, this sounds like something I want to try. What stretches are you doing? Do you move the balls up along your spine by just rolling on them or do you place the balls, do a stretch of some sort and them move them again? More info please.

two tennis balls in a sock.... sounds silly, but it works so well. Put two tennis balls in a sock and tie it off. Sit on the floor legs straight on the ground (if it is too difficult at first you can keep your knees bent) put the tennis balls on the floor so that they will be under your lower back along your spine and lie down on top of them, start doing these stretches with your arms out to the side, but later you can try it with your arms over your head as your neck and shoulders start to loosen. Do this several times moving the tennis balls up your back until they are under your neck/shoulder area. I usually hear my back and neck make lovely cracks and I feel soooo much better.
This was the best thing the PT guys did for me - its cheap, really effective for me and I can do it anywhere.

[Eden]

Eden, this sounds like something I want to try. What stretches are you doing? Do you move the balls up along your spine by just rolling on them or do you place the balls, do a stretch of some sort and them move them again? More info please.

I don't roll them - I just place them and stretch over the top by lieing down over top of them. I usually do it three times, starting at the down at the small of my back, then in the middle, then up near my neck/shoulders (but I'm short so if you are taller than I am you may do it in more than 3 places..). When I first started I put my arms out to the sides, but now I get a deeper stretch by raising them over my head. I've tried it with softer things, but nothing seems to work better than the tennis balls.