Follow-up: New bike panic

[RoadBunner]

Hey, everyone! Sorry for the long delay...was waiting to get the shoes in, then the cleats on, then was away traveling. Anyhow, I finally got to take my bike on a real ride. Only 6 miles which I know is pretty wimpy but I figured it was a good start to break in the muscles and figure out how horrible the saddle is going to be (I'm thinking it's gonna have to go...ouch!)

I will say that I was pretty scared. My boyfriend came along on his bike for moral support and kept commenting on how horribly slow we were going. But it felt blazing fast to me ! I was mainly scared of the cars, people, and descents. On the stretches with little traffic I felt much better and started to have some fun. Obviously I have a lot of learning to do!

I believe the major tweaks that were done to the bike was a shorter stem (I think it's a 7cm from an 8 cm) and the handlebars were actually lowered, but it feels much better than when I was putzing around the parking lots.

So, it's a keeper!

I'm sure I'll have tons more questions but you have all been so helpful thus far and I really appreciate it!

Attached is a photo (I'm also sporting my "look at me, drivers!" jacket I got from TE)...

[rij73]

Fantastic! You look like a pro already.

Trust me, it gets easier. I was a mess when I got my bike last year. I was scared to death and totally uncoordinated. Now it feels so natural.

[Kano]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your first "real" ride! Six miles is nothing to sneeze at if you're new to this stuff! We gotta start somewhere, right?

I love your jacket -- I have a vest in a similar color! Those shorts look familiar too!

I will say that I was pretty scared. My boyfriend came along on his bike for moral support and kept commenting on how horribly slow we were going. But it felt blazing fast to me ! I was mainly scared of the cars, people, and descents. On the stretches with little traffic I felt much better and started to have some fun. Obviously I have a lot of learning to do!

I understand your trepidation on the descents, and in traffic! I find that I'm a whole lot more cautious on curvy descents, where I can't see what's coming up, but enjoy the heck out of a good, straight shot! (took a while, but..) And traffic -- especially where there's no bike lane or shoulder? YIKES! As RIJ73 said, it does get better.

But, can you do something for me, please? If he came along for moral support, then grumbled about speed, or lack of it, well, he deserves at least a small whack upside the head with your new bike shoe! (hopefully, he'll get better too!)

Karen in Boise

[conurejade]

So, it's a keeper!

Lookin good!!!

[mimitabby]

6 miles isn't wimpy for a first ride! take it slow, at YOUR speed, you'll get more comfortable with the idea of being on the road, I promise!

[tulip]

I can't remember if someone suggested taking a road biking course in your last post about this bike. You might want to do that to gain some confidence and skills. League of American Bicyclists has such courses, and your bike shop might know of some, too.

You look great! Take the time you need. Nothing wrong with 6-mile bike rides!

[Grog]

Great ride!

+1 on the "league" or other bike handling + traffic skills course. They do wonders for your confidence, handling, and safety of course!

[RoadBunner]

haha! Kano, I reread what I wrote and it is unjustifiably harsh. DBF was not really making me feel bad about the speed, more giving me reality checks of what we were accomplishing. He did make me nervous, though, because I felt more comfortable with him leading and sometimes he'd go behind me and I'd be worried about not only what was going on ahead, but me braking suddenly and him rear-ending me. At one point we were coasting downhill and I had to yell for him to take the lead because I was braking all the way and was afraid he'd hit me since he's more comfortable going fast. I'm probably not giving him enough credit for his own bike skills and common sense, but I had enough to think about!

I just signed up for the Velo Girls bike handling clinic. Hopefully I won't be too much of a newbie for it! I'm hoping to join their Mellow Velo ride soon, too. The next REI tire change clinic is this coming Sunday and I'm planning on attending that, too (I think at that clinic they also go over road safety, too). Baby steps!

[KSH]

Hey, it sounds like you are working on getting the hang of it! Keep working at it. It will get easier and better.

Nice bike! So pretty!

Oh, and the bike on the back of the car... the Cervelo... that's my tri bike too! HA! I call her Buttercup.

[RoadBunner]

KSH, the Cervelo is DBF's bike. He'd be happy to hear someone else has one but I think I'd better not tell him you named yours "Buttercup!"

We used our rack for the first time yesterday. Of course we were both paranoid whether we did it right, the whole thing may fall off the back of the car, etc. As we were driving DBF said, "You know, if my bike fell off right now, I'd have to be honest...I'd cry." And I said, "You!? What about ME?! I haven't even gotten to ride mine yet!" (He's had his bike at least 5 years now!)

[VeloVT]

btw, is that a hitch-mounted rack? how do you like it? we had a trunk-mount rack briefly (decent quality, I don't remember whether it was Thule or Yakima) and didn't like it too much because a) it was hard to load two bikes and be sure they wouldn't scratch each other and b) the straps fastened over the top tube and the cradles for the top tube didn't really accomodate bf's shaped carbon top tube very well.

Yours looks like it would avoid those problems, while perhaps being a bit easier to load than a roof rack...

I'm actually quite happy with my roof rack -- but it is interesting to see all of the options and how they work.

edit: and duh, how could I forget -- what a gorgeous bike! Congratulations!

[RoadBunner]

It is a hitch-mount type.

We've only used it once but so far so good! We opted not to get a roof rack because 1) I'm an upper-body weenie strength-wise and challenged height-wise so would have had difficulties getting the bike up there and 2) We've got a garage and with my luck I'd decapitate the bikes on the way home.

DBF didn't want a trunk-mount rack because he heard it scratches the paint and then you can't open the trunk.

This one supports the bikes by the wheels and that arm thing ratchets over the front wheel. A guy at the LBS said carbon frames shouldn't be suspended by their top-tubes. The bikes don't touch each other at all.

Hope that helps!

[KSH]

KSH, the Cervelo is DBF's bike. He'd be happy to hear someone else has one but I think I'd better not tell him you named yours "Buttercup!"

HA! Well, for what it's worth... I came up with the name because all the guys on my tri message board tell people who whine, "Suck it up buttercup".

Yea, I got mine because Inside Out Sports was getting rid of some vintage (2002! HA!) Cervelo's. I bought mine, brand new... never ridden... for $500. He might not want to hear that either.