bike types

[dana]

Since I will be doing this race in the fall, I was wondering if it really makes that much of a difference if I ride a $5,000 bike or my $25, 1979
Nashiki, got it at a garage sale. I know I will have to get some repairs made to my bike and a few adjustments for comfort,to tell you the truth my bike right now is not very heavy at all. I guess what I want to know is , is there anyone else out there that rode a race on an old bike then got an expensive bike and how did they compare?

[han-grrl]

not that i am the expert Roadie or anything, but i don't think you need to go out and spend 5 grand on a new bike. around here (ontario) you can get a pretty decent bike for 800$ canadian. it depends how much racing you intend to do. and comfort. weight is an important factor, but no doubt the shifters from 1979 aren't as efficient as today's technology. also the number of gears is important. how much climbing will there be? i did a road tour, totalling 190 km for the weekend on a bike from the early eighties. aside for an uncomfortable seat, the bike was fine. i plan on doing some time trials with the same bike, but since i am not serious about being a racer, just challenge myself a bit and have some fun...my bike suits me fine. i guess what i am trying to say is how serious do you plan to race...it might be worth investing in a new ride...

[DoubleLori]

I have a 1976 Nishiki among my many bikes, and I certainly wouldn't want to ride it in a race! Although I used to think it was light, that was only because I didn't have anything to compare it to. Late-model bikes tend to be about 4-7 pounds lighter than the mid-range bikes of the 70's, and that is a very significant difference, especially with the new wheel technology. And you don't have to pay anywhere near $5000. My latest road bike cost about $1900, but it only weighs about 1/2 pound less than my '95 that cost about $1000 (I had to replace the '95 because it had non-resettable aluminum stays and could not accept 8 or 9-speed parts and I wore out the 7-speed parts that are on it).

[dana]

I guess I should probably look into buying a newer bike. What would be the difference in gears, what should I look for. I will be able to save up some money this summer for a new bike. The bike shops here are few and you either have the real expensive bike shop, or mom and dads fix or repair that stick to selling Schwinn. I would rather not spend more than a thousand on it. Any advice?

[ayermail2]

have you looked into Terry bicycles? I don't have a terry bike, but I hear that they can work with you about measurements, etc to get a really good fit. And they ship, and have a return policy. You can also rent them in some places and apply the rent to the bike if it's one you want....

[Dogmama]

I started riding an aluminum Trek 1200 about 13 years ago. It served me well (read: made me want a nicer bike!). I had a bike custom built 8 years ago & the difference is incredible. For one thing, I went to a steel frame which is much more comfortable. It handles well & fits like a comfortable shoe.

If you're just doing one race - I don't think I'd sink $5K into it. But if you're planning on doing serious riding, I'd recommend an upgrade. If nothing else, the components are much nicer on the newer bikes.

[dana]

My husband bought me a new bike, its a raleigh R400 its a nice bike I love riding it. But, I really need to get a new seat. I went for a twenty mile ride yesterday and like I said I really need to get a new seat. The seat I have rubs the inside of my legs and does not offer that much padding. I was going to get one of those cheaper seats with tons of the comfort gel in it? The guys at the bike store where we bought the bike said to give it a while that I would get used to the original seat, Im not so sure about that.
Any suggestions?

[roadie gal]

Talk to the bike shop about letting you try different saddles. They should let you do that. There are about a zillion types of saddles. Don't settle for something that isn't comfortable. Speaking for myself, I had to try about 6 different kinds. I finally am comfortable on a narrower "mens" saddle because the women's were too wide in the nose and rubbed my legs. Also, the squishiest one may not be the best. They tend to feel too soft on longer rides. You'll have to judge by your own riding style.

One other thought... if your shop won't let you swap saddles, try Terry. They'll let you exchange. You will get stuck with the shipping charges, but it's better than a sore butt.

[debict]

Congratulations on your new bike. My husband got me a Trek 2000 last year and I love it. I also had to go through about 6 or 7 seats before I was comfortable. The bike shop did this at now additional charge, for a $1,900 bike I would think they would. Don't know how much yours was, but I'm sure they'll help you out.