Help Pooks Find a New Bike

[indysteel]

Crunches are okay to strengthen your abs, but in my opinion, they address just a part of overal core strength. My abs have always been strong; it's my back muscles that have been my biggest problem. It wasn't until I started to do yoga--a lot--that I noticed real changes in that department. It also helps me stretch my calf and hamstring muscles which, when tight, also affect my lower back. If I don't stay on top of that, I definitely feel more uncomfortable on the bike. Everything is SO connected. The more I ride, the more I get that.

OMG, I've been mispronouncing "celeste" this whole time. Eeeeck.

[pooks]

Yoga? Hmm. I wonder if I can find a class near me. Thanks.

[Batbike]

the Allez was a good start but every bike is different and it is great that you are going to try different bikes! personally, I think you will find a more comfortable bike than the Allez, once you start looking -- you will be amazed!

as for your shoulders/neck, sounds like nerves because hard to imagine you strained anything doing loops and figure 8's around a parking lot ... tension of new bike and new position can be very scary!

whatever bike you do, please get a FIT!!! per your description, I seem to be the same height as you, but that does not mean you and I would necessarily ride the same bike EXACTLY ... we could have different femurs causing our legs to be higher/shorter, different torso lengths, arm lenghts, and flexibility issues ... so it is real important to get a fit before final purchase!

fyi ... in general, I like a road bike with a toptube length between 52cm-53cm, using a stem or 90 or 100 with a slight 6 degree rise ... this may be a good starting range for you, BUT THEN AGAIN (please see above paragraph)

Good luck!

[pooks]

Believe me, Bat -- I'm getting a fit.

Something else we talked about -- I asked the guy about Cross bikes and he thought I might actually like that option. So instead of narrowing anything down, I'm just broadening my scope!

[pooks]

I forgot to ask --

He said he didn't know what kind of Brooks saddle I had, but that if it was wide (typical hybrid) it wouldn't work on a road bike. I thought a lot of you with road bikes had the Brooks 67, right?

[mimitabby]

mine is a b67. it says it right on it.

And Batbike, i felt strain PARTICULARLY doing figure 8s in a parking lot.
and here's this lady saying "oh, you really look comfortable" and I'm thinking "oh, this is not comfortable"

[xeney]

I ride a B67 on my mixte but it would be far too wide for me on a road bike. Butts differ but I would not assume that it will work for you ... most people ride narrower saddles on road bikes.

[pooks]

Thanks Mimi and Xeney -- both voices of experience.

Time will tell, I suppose!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I forgot to ask --

He said he didn't know what kind of Brooks saddle I had, but that if it was wide (typical hybrid) it wouldn't work on a road bike. I thought a lot of you with road bikes had the Brooks 67, right?

The Brooks 67 should work just fine on a road bike. He's probably referring to those gigantioc padded black marshmallow saddles you sometimes see on "comfort bikes". The brooks is not wider all over- just a bit in the back to accomodate women's typically slightly wider sit bones. It doesn't effect where the saddle connects or the saddle nose width or anything.

[KnottedYet]

I forgot to ask --

He said he didn't know what kind of Brooks saddle I had, but that if it was wide (typical hybrid) it wouldn't work on a road bike. I thought a lot of you with road bikes had the Brooks 67, right?

I have a road bike, and a Brooks B67.

It doesn't matter so much what kind a bike you have as how wide your sit bones are and what suits your hip joint angle. If you love your B67, put it on your new bike and ride! Only change saddles if the B67 causes you trouble on your new bike.

(my B67 is VERY comfortable on my Waterford roadie!)

And try cyclocross geometry bikes: Jamis Aurora, Kona Jake, etc.

[pooks]

While my Brooks is much more comfortable than the padded saddle that came on the bike, I have no idea how comfortable it will be on a roadie. The way I know my bike doesn't fit is because I have to practically hang my sitbones off the back of the saddle to get my legs comfortable. So I'm sitting on the saddle wrong, to begin with. But again, we'll see!

And the Aurora has cyclotross geometry? It's a touring bike, right?

[KnottedYet]

touring and cyclocross geometry are very similar. TiCycles recommends the same bike for both functions. Don't get too worried about labels, just try bikes! Lots of bikes! (and be sure to write down your impressions somewhere so you can keep track of what you rode and what you thought.)

(and as for handlebar height and seat height, I like having them almost the same height, or the bars slightly higher, whether it's my commuter/hybrid or my roadie)

did you see the link I posted for Surly? They make some peachy-keen steel bikes. (like the Surly Long Haul Trucker)

http://www.surlybikes.com/lht_comp.html

http://www.surlybikes.com/crosscheck_comp.html

I can't wait to hear how you feel about the Bleriot!

[DarcyInOregon]

Pooks, one thing I can add to the discussion is when you find the bike that fits you the best, and you like everything about it, but if you hate the color - then ask the bike shop what other colors that bike is produced in and order the color you want. Or you can look at the model at the next level, and if the price is still in your budget, the other model might have a color that will make you happy and you can order that bike. The bike shop can order any bike produced by any manufacturer for which they are the distributor, so think of the bikes in the shop as the display models.

Darcy

[pooks]

Thanks, miss girly-girl pink Darcy. (wink)

Display models. That's smart.

Another thing that came up -- I thought some bikes were all alluminum but the guy said that they all have carbon forks these days. Huh? Maybe all the bikes that shop carries have carbon forks?

[KnottedYet]

My aluminum bike has a steel fork.

My steel bike has a steel fork.

There are plenty of debates here about the overall safety and reliability of carbon forks. One thing for sure, though, is that aluminum just isn't a good material for a fork. If you buy an aluminum bike it will have a fork made of something else. And the nice thing is that if you love everything about the bike, but don't like the fork material, you can buy a different fork!