When I went from "comfort beast" to road bike this past spring, my sales guy did what I think of as rudimentary adjustments -- kind of the stuff you'd do for anyone, you know, seat, handlebars, that sort of thing -- and suggested I take it home and ride it for a couple of weeks, then come back for the more "custom" stuff, when I knew what was the bike and what was me.

HE expected me to be uncomfortable for a while, changing position so drastically, and I knew that would likely be an issue too. (he may have thought I was a crazy lady, who wouldn't ride it more than about twice, cuz there I am, in jeans and tennies, a short round lady, saying I want this "more power" bike.

Took my bike home, put on my clipless pedals (poor cannibalized beast sits in the basement, wheels off and all, cuz DH kept breaking spokes and "borrowing" my wheels, so I couldn't ride her if I wanted to! and I don't, really, with the platform pedals. I have grown to really dislike those...)

Anyhow, back to my subject -- went for a ride, loved it, but my hands hurt. Got different gloves to help that (twice) and a few weeks later, I did take it in for some tweaking on the handlebars, along with shims on the brake levers. I also bought a new saddle, and have puttered with its position off and on all summer, but that's all the adjusting that's been done: raised the bars a barely noticeable (by eye) bit, and the saddle. I've gotten much stronger overall, and learned a few things about where to put myself on the bike (the Tour de France is important educational TV, you know -- see what they do, try it, it's amazing!) and with very little mechanical fine tuning, I'm incredibly comfortable on my bike!

(Me, I've undergone extensive "fine tuning" this summer, heck, you could almost call it a major overhaul!)

Karen in Boise