So - My new road bike

[sandra]

My new Trek 1000 is wonderful after being on a hybrid. Picked it up at the LBS yesterday after getting the stem flipped and a couple of other adjustments. I love it. Can't wait to ride!

The big problem is that DH is still on a hybrid. It's not easy for a couple to ride together with one on a road bike and one on a hybrid.

Hubby is in the market for a new bike now, BUT he has back and shoulder problems chronically and does not know if he could ever adjust to the position of a road bike. He is hoping to find the most "upright" road bike possible.

We do not ride competitively, just for fun, but want to be a little faster so we can ride farther, etc. Any ideas?

[Tri Girl]

Has he thought about a recumbent bike??? Would surely help him go faster and would be kind to his back/neck.

[sandra]

Has he thought about a recumbent bike??? Would surely help him go faster and would be kind to his back/neck.

I didn't realize it would be any lighter or faster than a hybrid.

[Triskeliongirl]

I didn't realize it would be any lighter or faster than a hybrid.

Oh Yes, I believe the HPV record was set on a recumbant. You can get windshields for them that provide a huge drafting effect. But, it does depend what you buy. Look for a light one. Perhaps one of the recumbent lists could help him out. I bet they even list used ones.

[Tri Girl]

I'm not toally sure about being lighter, but I know for a fact that the men who ride bents on the trails around here FLY! Maybe they're just strong riders- but I've seen them putting in some serious speed on those puppies.

[chort]

Depends on what recumbent you get.. If you got top end you should be good... Mine weighs 65lbs and was $900 and is slow as dirt. But it's fun to ride around on.

I test road one that weigh 25lbs and it went fast, but no way could I keep up with my road bike and that recumbent was $1400.

Forgot to add, I am also talking about Recumbent TRIKES.

[mimitabby]

recumbents are SLOW on uphills.

When you and DH were both on Hybrids; how well matched were you speedwise?

If he's a strong rider, I wouldn't worry about the diff. too much.
He ought to be able to keep up esp. if he was faster than you before.

[Triskeliongirl]

Trek Pilots are also supposed to support a more upright riding position.

[northstar]

Ride, ride, ride some more! Enjoy that bike!

[Bad JuJu]

getting the stem flipped

How does a stem get flipped? I'm trying to visualize. Do you mean turning it around so the extension comes toward you rather than pointing forward? That seems like it would bring your bars a little closer--am I envisioning the right thing? I ask because I could stand for my bars to be a tiny bit closer to me but have already got the tallest stem with shortest extension possible.

[sandra]

yes. It only changes them a little bit, but I think it was perfect for me. The stem points up rather than down now which brought it closer to me.

You may want to read here. We discussed it somewhere in this thread.
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=17613

[chort]

Hey - I forgot to ask, what color is your Trek?

This is mine: http://www2.trekbikes.com/Bikes/2006...areduotone.jpg

I love the colors! DH got a moutain bike in the same color scheme..

[RoadRaven]

Sandra, if he doesn't want to change you could treat your rides with him as active recovery rides...

A slow training ride for my partner is about 27kph... that speed pushes me above active recovery and into reasonable training (he races with a low 40 average, I race just above 30kph average).

So he always has to ride slow when he rides with me... and that works for both of us, we just don't do all rides together, because I just could not keep up.

[sandra]

Here's mine.

[Kalidurga]

The other option is to have a steerer tube extender added to whatever road bike DH picks out. I was having neck/shoulder issues so my fitter installed one on my bike, which brought the bars just a bit above level with the saddle. Even if his problem is lower back, it might be worth trying.