Quote Originally Posted by Lisa S.H. View Post
Wow, that's fast if you ask me!
I have 700c x 38c tires - really WIDE, I know, but I started with them on purpose when I started riding 5 months ago- I was scared to death of skidding on the gravely roads we ride here. Was scared of traffic too. Many small but steep hills here, and not many flat stretches of more than a mile or so. Also, my lugged steel bike is somewhat heavy- 27 lbs fully loaded. With all this, I tend to average only 9.5 mph! Pathetic, I know.

But I am over my skidding fears at this point after 5 months of riding now...so I am about to switch to 700 x 27c tires. I suspect that's going to make a big difference for me, going from 38 to 27 width. Lately I've actually been feeling my tires were sort of gluing me to the road! But we do lots of very rough gravel wooded backroads, so I don't want to go thinner than the 27's.

I think you are FAST, girl!
Sometimes I think I am doing fine until a group of very fit and handsome and MUCH younger men fly by me on their bikes That's when I think, I gotta get faster!

I think you are doing very fine especially w/the terrain. You will probably feel like you are being pushed by angels when you go to the skinny tires! I know that's how I felt when I switched from my mtn bike to the hybrid. I remember thinking, this feels effortless!

I'm in a rural area, so roads are not as daunting. But now that it's more wintery and getting dark so early, I like to stick to the trail. I'm 99% of the time riding alone, so I always try to be very cautious.

Colleen