This reminds me of a mentos commercial.

[RoadRaven]

Hi there 10ch, and welcome to TE.

Like you, I really relished finding a womens forum - the guys ones were interesting but here just feels different, and it is home to a HUGE and diverse range of cycling interests, abilities, bicycle types, roadies to mountain bikers and everything in between... its really a great thing to have discovered.

I only just got my first bike as an adult at the end of 2004... and I will be 42 this year... there are quite a number of TEers who have come back to bicycling having not ridden for years and years since we were kids.

Enjoy poking around the place - I guess two of the features I really enjoy about TE is that women here discuss anything, and I mean anything (yay for moon cups!) - and you don't get that in a male dominated forum. And the other thing is that even the experts in their field here get excited by those just learning how to stay on a bike - and its genuine pleasure we all take in everyone's successes.

I say again, enjoy

[FreshNewbie]

Welcome on board!!!
You have great bikes and the Raleigh looks really neat and classy. TE is great, unbelievable how gals here support each other.
Many safe miles to you on your new bike.

FN

[roguedog]

Man, I like that Raleigh. Very classy machine. Nice site w/ some nice pics too.

[pooks]

You've got a gorgeous collection of bikes, there!

Welcome to TE. You're lucky to have friends who want to take up the sport. I haven't been so lucky, grrr. I'm still working on them, though.

[10ch]

Thanks for the welcome, ya'll.

I spent yesterday out with friends looking at (used) bikes for the 50-miler. My buddy found a been-ridden-three-times-and-stored-in-the-attic-ever-since hybrid for $60, great deal! And I fixed up my Giant, which was wheel-less and dirty for another friend. I'm glad it'll be back on the road.

Today will be my first cable replacement. Zinn's says it's a regular maintenance tasks and not a repair task and that you should just have cables around for swapping regularly. That makes it feel a little less intimidating. Wish me luck!

And to those who commented on the Raleigh, let me say it's my new favorite thing! Yesterday I did a back-to-back test ride with the Gary Fisher, Raleigh and Giant and the geometry on the Raleigh feels so much better that I've decided to invest in upgrading parts (lighter, alloy rims that brake better are up first) and making it my Official Commuter and then converting the Gary Fisher into the badass mtn bike it is at heart. It'll be really neat to be able to go mountain biking whenever I want -- switching tires is a pain, especially with those Nimbus flak jackets. They are a bear to pull over rims.

Happy Sunday everyone, let me know if you have derailleur cable replacing advice!
Beck

[stella]

10ch

welcome to TE...this is a great place to get info and talk. no hardcore advice for replacing cables except: be patient with yourself. I enjoy working on my bike(s)...I've got an old batavus bike (made in holland in the early 1970's). put racks on it like your raleigh has, fenders and am converting it to a single speed/fixed. Some stuff I got through yard saling...

I checked out your raleigh...sweet ride! don't get rid of that brooks saddle! those saddles are awesome!

it sounds like you've got a good group of friends you way to ride with.

what do you do at Duke?

[stacie13]

Welcome! I love your excitement! I'm kind of in that excited, giddy, silly, obsessed spot too. Even though I've always been riding bikes, this is my first foray into road bikes and mega-commuting on it.

I look forward to you sharing all your knowledge in reparing bikes!