new rider again

[Kano]

So, it counts as being a new rider to go from being a comfort-beaster to a roadie, because I say so!

DH and I went shopping today and found a GREAT deal on a very comfy '06 Roubaix Elite. (deep blue) I did NOT expect all carbon, and even some Ultegra in the mix! I thought I'd be lucky to get tiagra instead of Sora...

Not WSD, but a very nice fit. Much better than the Dolce I also rode. Both were okay up on the hoods, but when I got into the drops, the WSD just wasn't a happy thing. As I told DH, the only comfort issue I found on it was anatomical: MY anatomy got in the way a bit when I was in the drops, and the bike shop will NOT be able to make THAT change for me!

Picture later on today, right now I'm trying to figure out how to get the pedals off my beast so I can put them on my new toy. We have a hedge to massacre, and then, as I told DH, we MUST go for an inaugural ride!

(DH insisted we had to get some kind of ****ering going, even with the discount, so we got 'em to swap the seat for something wider which may end up on my comfort-beast, and to throw in a couple of tubes. They wouldn't do pedals, so that's why I'm swapping out the stock "blocks" for my clipless ones!)

So, any tricks to getting these things swapped out, or do I just need DH's upper body strength, since I"m just pulling and pushing on the wrench with no luck?

Karen in Boise

[Grog]

Hi Karen !

Congrats on the new bike! Make sure you send us pics soon!!

For the pedals, remember that you must unscrew them by turning your wrench towards the BACK of the bike, whichever side you are on. To put the pedals on, you must turn the wrench towards the FRONT of the bike.

This being said, I've often experienced fused pedals which I was unable to remove. When the bike shop finally did the job for me last time, we added a little o-ring (plus the usual grease) and it made a world of difference.

I now put the pedals on and off by using an hex-key (instead of the wrench) on the inside of the crank. Much easier, too.

ENJOY!!

[Kano]

Thanks Grog!

Pedals are on -- DH has better leverage, since he's taller and has more upper body strength than I do, which made him more persuasive getting them loosened from the other bike. I did install them my ownself, though!

I love the ride! It's so much nicer than my comfort-beast. I ca tell that this new riding position will take a little getting used to, like I need to add some core strength, I feel this in my hands and elbows!

The seat may need to change too. Not sure, could be that I'm wearing my yukky shorts today!

So, here she is, and she wanted me to give you a better glimpse of her lovely blue!

Karen in Boise

[mimitabby]

CONGRATS on the road bike!!

Take your time, they take some getting used to.

( I am finally over the big hump in that learning curve)
m

[Kano]

Thanks Mimi!

I feel like I'm flying with almost no effort at all, it's amazing!

Gotta get myself a rear view mirror of some sort, since it would be nice to see where DH is straggling along behind!

Karen in Boise

[SouthernBelle]

Very pretty. Has she told you her name yet?

[wannaduacentury]

Hi Karen !

Congrats on the new bike! Make sure you send us pics soon!!

For the pedals, remember that you must unscrew them by turning your wrench towards the BACK of the bike, whichever side you are on. To put the pedals on, you must turn the wrench towards the FRONT of the bike.

This being said, I've often experienced fused pedals which I was unable to remove. When the bike shop finally did the job for me last time, we added a little o-ring (plus the usual grease) and it made a world of difference.

I now put the pedals on and off by using an hex-key (instead of the wrench) on the inside of the crank. Much easier, too.

ENJOY!!

Thanks Grog, I needed that advice too. I forgot how to do it



Jennifer

[Bikingmomof3]

Sweet Bike! Enjoy her.

[Kano]

Very pretty. Has she told you her name yet?

She has not -- though she might be "Roubaix Blue" -- it just sounds kinda good, you know?

What she HAS told me is "you ain't in as good shape as you think lady!" We won't tell DH, but muscles ache today, and it's DEFINITELY time to do some serious core work!

and "you need new gloves lady!" Old gloves are good on mountain bikes, where pressure is in a whole different place than on this bike. My gloves have padding more toward the outside of the heel of my hand, and I can feel the need for something different in the "thumb web" area now.


Hmmm, you need new gloves lady -- good excuse to go shopping!

Karen in Boise

[Tater]

Sweet bike, Karen!! Can't wait to see it in person. We have got to go for a ride!

[Kano]

Sweet bike, Karen!! Can't wait to see it in person. We have got to go for a ride!

Our next door neighbor said that same thing!

We got her at George's -- the new store! (have you been there yet?) We were going to go there "on the way" to the downtown store, but never did get to that shop (oh well). She's a MUCH nicer bike than I expected to get in the price range. Dolce Elite was supposed to be my top end, and I was pushing it with that model! (I put my foot down on the Sora shifters -- didn't like those at ALL!)

Are you going on the SPIN ride that's coming up? It's April 7, bright and early. Only 16 miles, and as Earl says, it involves food. Looks like a pretty much straight line, out and back type ride, bright and early in the morning.

I've got to go shopping before then: need new gloves and a mirror. Maybe a computer too, though Earl says "use your old one." Now if I could just remember what it was that this one doesn't do that I wished it did -- oh, I remember!!!! altitude!

That means I can post my question in "gear," now that I remember what it was I wanted to ask about!

Karen in Boise

[Tater]

Our next door neighbor said that same thing!

We got her at George's -- the new store! (have you been there yet?) We were going to go there "on the way" to the downtown store, but never did get to that shop (oh well). She's a MUCH nicer bike than I expected to get in the price range. Dolce Elite was supposed to be my top end, and I was pushing it with that model! (I put my foot down on the Sora shifters -- didn't like those at ALL!)

Are you going on the SPIN ride that's coming up? It's April 7, bright and early. Only 16 miles, and as Earl says, it involves food. Looks like a pretty much straight line, out and back type ride, bright and early in the morning.

I've got to go shopping before then: need new gloves and a mirror. Maybe a computer too, though Earl says "use your old one." Now if I could just remember what it was that this one doesn't do that I wished it did -- oh, I remember!!!! altitude!

That means I can post my question in "gear," now that I remember what it was I wanted to ask about!

Karen in Boise

Yes, I have been to the new LBS! It is so nice. In fact, I was just there yesterday stocking up on patches and tubes. The goatheads on Hwy. 16 seem to have this magnetic attraction to my tires lately!

I might skip the SPIN ride, as I have been lengthening my weekend long rides in preperation for a 200K brevet in Driggs in May. But yet I could ride to the start point, do the ride, then tack on more miles afterwards. Hmmm....we'll see.

[Kano]

Yikes, Tater, you're doing brevets now too?

Gotta admit, those sound a little nuts to me YET. Who knows where my thinking will be in a couple more years...

So, DH came wandering down to my office yesterday, and caught me reading my TE forums, and I was just finishing up my last post here, and he was peeking over my shoulder, watching me scroll though the screen, and suddenly, he said STOP! GO BACK! What??? You're posting pictures of your new bike on the web????

Yes, dear, we're women, we do that sort of thing....

Karen in Boise

[Tater]

Yikes, Tater, you're doing brevets now too?

Karen in Boise

Yes, I couldn't resist the call!

[mimitabby]

women put their bike pix on the web? Men do it too!

So what DO you do about the goat head thorns?

When I lived in Boise, I rode a bike exactly 2 miles once. When we brought our kids and their bikes to Weiser once for the Old Time Fiddle Festival, we ended up doing very drastic things to their bikes after 300 flat tires.
(I forget what though)

I hear you are having hand complaints. Make sure the handlebars are where they should be.

and good for you for getting out and riding!