Holy cow! A new bike already?

[SouthernBelle]

Yep.

And it's also scary, because all the talk of geometry? The only reason I passed geometry is because the football coach who "taught" it would rather chat than "teach" geometry, and graded accordingly.

And right now I'm using one of those 8-gear-in-the-handlebar things, and I have a feeling my next bike might have regular gears -- and a chain.



I dunno. I'm rather overwhelmed at the thought of all of it.

I remember how scary it was when I made the exact same leap. I know now that my my old bike was too small too. The first couple of rides were scary. Now I can't imagine going back. Riding upright would feel wrong.

[Geonz]

You don't have to know the geometry - you have to know what feels right. The LBS has to know the geometry

Take your time. Take mulit-mile test rides and keep trying different geometries so that you get a sense of what you will "get used to" and what is still just not right. (I got a road bike once that I thought I would get used to. I didn't. No, I didn't get properly fitted - it was a very good deal and it did feel fine to ride for a little while, so I bought it... but after thirty miles I got all cranky and mean.... again and again. This has made me reluctant to go for a road bike.)