New Bike!!!

[Lynne]

So, the LBS had a 20% off sale for local customers (one day only). Plus they were closing out a 2004 model. We figured out that my Redline is too big for me and probably causing some of my problems and maybe some of my issues in trying to haul my butt up the hills (because my shoulders are so tired and sore). Plus, it's a cross bike so it's different geometry and heavier (I've been using it as a road bike...when we bought it, I did not know I would love road riding, we figured I'd be a trail girl).

Ok, so I just have less than 6 mos riding experience under my belt, but how could I turn down an INCREDIBLE bike at half off?

Yes, so Lynne is the proud new owner of a 2004 Fuji Professional. I'm so excited, I'm hopping all around! We get to take it for a virgin run today, but already on the test ride it was an amazing difference! Starting from a light was a breeze....getting up a little incline felt GOOD. Course, I look like a dork because this bike is wayyyyyy more than I need or can appreciate right now. But I'll just have to do my best to live up to my bike's expectations of me

I feel like it's Christmas! Can't wait to post how the first ride went. And then I have a fitting on 6/18. Now I KNOW I'll be ready for Cycle Oregon come September!!

[RoadRaven]

Congrats Lynne!

Exciting huh?

My partner is talking about a new bike for my birthday. He reckons we turn my current bike into a time trial bike only, and get another bike with a couple of lower gears so I can get up hills a bit more quickly.

A new bike is def exciting - hope the ride goes well - looking forward to hearing about it

[Surlygirl]

Well I'm still in shock, but Hubby bought me a new Orbea Dama Race last night. It was a my birthday present. I took one for a test ride and I couldn't believe how much faster it was than my poor old Surly. Same as you Lynne, going from a cross bike to a road bike was a shock. I wasn't sure about the aluminum frame but it has a carbon fork and carbon stays and its a gorgeous purple. Now all I have to do is wait, the purple ones are backordered. Tap, Tap, Tap, Tap.
Oh and I have a new favorite bike shop. Gear Works Cyclery in Leominster, Mass. They rock.

I think I'll keep the Surly as my beater bike, put the big old tires on it and use it in the spring when its muddy and wet. I'm sure I won't want to get my new baby dirty. Maybe I should change my name from Surlygirl to Orbeababe.

[massbikebabe]

hey grrls...

congrats on the new rides. Jody, I expect to see you flying thru hills of Worcester soon. How long do you have to wait??

karen

[RoadRaven]

Hey there Surly, must be something in the air for all these new bikes to be about.

Nice to be able to go a bit faster - glad you are enjoying it. Keep us posted on how it goes.

My birthdays not til August, I'll have to live vicariously through you both in the meantime...

[Surlygirl]

Thanks Karen, Thanks Roadraven and congrats Lynne. Didn't mean to hijack your new bike thread, just wanted to join in your fun.

Karen, my bike won't be in for a couple of weeks yet. I still have to decide if I'm changing my handlebars and crankset or robbing the Surly. I have Ultegra 9 speed now so I may just swap those over. Darren at gear Works thinks I should put the new women's Specialized handlebars on, they have a damping collor where the stem attaches. A stem. There's a new one, with a shorter top tube, I can actually have a decent length stem.
As for flying up the hills in Worcester, well I don't know about that, though on the test ride last night I rode up a hill and wasn't even wheezing at the top.

[emily_in_nc]

All new bikes require a photo! C'mon ladies, don't forget!

And MEGA congratulations to you both! There's just about nothing more exciting than a new bike!!!

~ Emily

[Biking Chick]

All new bikes require a photo! C'mon ladies, don't forget!

And MEGA congratulations to you both! There's just about nothing more exciting than a new bike!!!

~ Emily

I concur with Emily ... photos please!

Congrat's to you both! Don't forget to post to the list after that first long ride!

[Surlygirl]

You can see mine at
orbea-usa.com
Its the Dama Race. I'll post a pic when I actually get my bike.

[Lynne]

Just got back and showered from the ride. A bit over 46 miles, didn't have my computer hooked up, but the BF did and he did 16.4mph average (he did a few sprints as he's training for racing), so I figure I came in a bit under 16mph, which beats my best time so far by a little bit I think. And did I mention there was a painful hill almost at the end that's about a mile long? I started off a bit slow, getting used to the bike. But, late in the ride, after I came up the hill, my BF was at the top...apparently another woman had just gone by and I could just see her. He says "You going to catch up to her??" Of course, I had to...I have the better bike and how shameful if I couldn't even catch her BTW, that was some more uphill, just not a *hill*...so I caught her, passed her and kept going up up up.

I'm mostly sore (I'm going to hit the hot tub tonight), but not tired like I was on the previous similiar ride, (which was less steep at the end) which was only a few weeks ago.

No, I didn't quite live up to my bike's expectations of me, but I'll keep trying. My goal is 17mph average on a longer ride like this one with hills.

I'm seriously hoping I continue to improve at the rate I have...that the next 6 mos will show tremendous increases in my ability. We'll see.

Oh, and I'd love to post a picture...how do you do that here?

Oh, and hey, post away! No one's stealing my thunder...I'm so happy just to have this beautiful bike...I'm sure everyone else feels the same when they get a new bike. I'm happy to share the thread.

Oh, and Surlgirl...my BF is doing exactly what you doing...upgrading from his Surly. (his is a road bike, steel frame...heavy as an elephant...omg!!) He's getting a super nice light bike now, but will keep the Surly and do what you're doing with yours. He has such loyalty to that lovely blue bike...it's kind of sweet :-)

[Lynne]

I forgot to ask...Surlygirl, which component set did you get?

[Crankin]

Congrats Jody!! (Surly). Now we definitely have to ride together. You will probably be going faster than me. Let me know when it comes in and we can meet....

[Biking Chick]

You can see mine at
orbea-usa.com
Its the Dama Race. I'll post a pic when I actually get my bike.

Nice ride Surly - I love the linea purple!!!

I hope hubby knows that new bike = new outfit

Congrats again - let us know when she/he whispers her/his name to you

[Biking Chick]

No, I didn't quite live up to my bike's expectations of me, but I'll keep trying. My goal is 17mph average on a longer ride like this one with hills.

I'm seriously hoping I continue to improve at the rate I have...that the next 6 mos will show tremendous increases in my ability. We'll see.

Good Morning Lynne - Glad to hear you had such a great first ride on your new bike.

I can relate to your feeling of not quite living up to the bike's potential. My husband surprised me a year and a half ago with my carbon road bike for my 50th birthday and it didn't take long for me to realize that my new bike was in a totally different category than my 2200 (all tho I still have a lot of affection for that little yellow & blue bike ... she helped make me a roadie).

I can't begin to tell you how a committment to weights (upper body) 3 days a week and a half hour of aerobics/stretching/toning 5 days a week has made in my cycling. The weight training has paid off in the obvious areas of being able to support myself on the bike on long rides but I was surprised at the aerobics. I thought about re-joining our local 'Y' but decided I'd start out with Daily Workout with Denise Austin - didn't have to go anywhere and it certainly was cheaper. That was a year ago and I'm still working with Denise. I'm not very good doing something like this by myself and I get bored with the workout tapes/DVD's - and I've discovered that a number of the exercises friends told me to try cuz they worked for them never seemed to work for me. Surprise surprise ... I now know I was doing them incorrectly. From some of the yoga moves I've learned from the show I now know how to open up my chest ... something I incorporate while biking ... and the value of not hunching up my shoulders (something I apparently did quite often) while riding. I learned the value of stretching following exercise as it increases circulation and circulation is what heals your body. I finally have a non-flabby derriere which really helps on the hills or in a headwind when I need to get down on the drops. I'm finally doing crunchs correctly and am pretty darn proud of being able to tuck a shirt into a pair of slacks but the real benefit comes back when I bike. A toned core really does make a difference.

Enough yakking on my part ... I was just thinking how my 2200 helped make me a roadie but my 5200 (carbon) made me want to be and do that much more. Looks like both road bikes deserve some thanks!

[Surlygirl]

Great Job Lynne,
I concur with your hubby. The old Surly is heavy as a tank but its done well by me and I like to think I'm a stronger rider (or slower) having ridden it.
I'm glad you like your new bike. I too feel like I probably won't quite live up to my bike's expectations but it will be fun trying won't it.
I have a Ultegra triple with FSA 48-38-28 rings on my Surly now and I may just swap those over and put the 105 setup back on my Surly. The bike I tried had a FSA compact crank on it but I ride a lot of hills in the town I live so I think I would miss my granny. I'm also putting a new women's Specialized Dolce short reach handlebar on the Orbea and an extra set of brake levers on the tops. I sure did miss those when I test rode the other night.
Of course the big decision now is what color bar tape and of course I need a few purple outfits don't you think