How do I know when it's time for a different bike?

[northstar]

Karen,


Are you happy with your Trek Pilot? The LBS I'm going to on Saturday has several Pilot 1.0's on sale, at least according to their web site. I've got it on my list of bikes I want to try. Is there a big difference in riding position from the Trek 1000 to the Pilot?

If anyone else has any thoughts about the Trek Pilot, I'd appreciate it if you would share!

By no means am I an expert on this stuff, but I thought I'd chime in as I just bought a Trek in April (a 5000). What the guy at my LBS said is that he could tweak the stem, etc. on the 1000/1200/5000 (whatever one you're looking at) so that the rider would sit more upright like on the Pilot. So, ride the 1000, ride the Pilot, have the salesperson swap out stems to get the right bike to feel just right. You might be surprised which bike ends up feeling right (or maybe neither will...and you'll need to go to a different brand).

Good luck, and have fun! I'm excited to see what you end up choosing!

[twinkie]

Are you happy with your Trek Pilot? The LBS I'm going to on Saturday has several Pilot 1.0's on sale, at least according to their web site. I've got it on my list of bikes I want to try. Is there a big difference in riding position from the Trek 1000 to the Pilot?

Hi Livin',

For me, a short test ride doesn't do a whole lot except tell me when a bike is definitely uncomfortable. I'm pretty new to riding, so it takes a little while (20 miles or so) for me to realize stuff feels weird or that it could be better (and then, half the time, I'm not sure if it's just me getting used to something new or is something is actually wrong).

Both the 1000 and Pilot 2.1 felt great when I first hopped on them and did test rides. It was only after doing a longer ride on the 1000 that I wanted to do some extra tweaking. Like Northstar mentioned, one of the things my LBS did was swap out the stem to see if that would help (which it did...some).

I didn't realize a huge difference in the riding position between the two, but I was definitely more comfortable on the Pilot for a 75 mile ride than a similar ride on the 1000. Plus, the sloping top tube is nice for a little extra clearance since I'm so short. They switched out the stem on the Pilot to the longer size to match the 1000, but it actually fit better with the stock stem on the Pilot.

Sorry for being so long winded, but I hope that helped some!

[Livin the Dream]

Thanks for the input, Twinkie, your post was very helpful.

I rode a Giant OCR 1 (they didn't have the OCR 3 in a medium frame) and the Giant FCR 3 tonight. Both of them shifted sweet and I could tell they were much faster than my heavy, clunky hybrid. I definitely felt more comfortable on the FCR 3. It was an adjustment in position, but I think I would get used to it fairly quickly. I liked the shifting and the hand position with the flat handlebars. The saddle wasn't very comfortable.

The OCR 1 was very different. My back hurt, the girly parts hurt and the hand position felt very strange. It would definitely be a challenge to adjust to riding that bike. I felt like I was stretching my arms out to an unusual position. I didn't have any trouble reaching the brakes -- the LBS owner assured me that bike size was right for me. It just felt strange. He also told me that I was trying to sit upright too much. that I needed to position myself so my spine was in alignment more. Which put even more pressure on the girly parts.

He asked about the riding I was doing/intended to do. He said that I was stretching the limits of the FCR 3. He told me I should consider the OCR 1

So, I definitely haven't fallen in love with one of the Giants. I could sure get used to the FCR 3 pretty quickly, I'm just not sure it's what I want. The OCR with the drop handlebars would be much more of an adjustment. But, what I don't want to do is to get a bike just because it is closer to my comfort zone, then decide a road bike is the one I should have chosen. I also don't want to get a bike that puts me in pain every time I ride. Or, maybe I'd be better off going with the middle of the road bike, then planning to move up to a road bike again in a couple of years???

I'm hoping that one of the bikes I try out on Saturday will speak to me!

[Torrilin]

The stock saddle may not be suitable (meaning "get this freaking torture instrument off the bike so I can see if it fits"). Ask him if there are other saddles you can try on the OCR1 to see if that helps.

[DrBee]

Be prepared when you test ride the Trek roadbikes, too - the saddles are veritable torture devices. I have a Pilot 2.1 (WSD) and I love it! I test rode a few brands of bikes and found that they all felt really different in terms of stability, smoothness of the ride, etc.

I made it about 9 months on a Trek hybrid (7200FX) before I started drooling over roadbikes. For me, Trek bikes fit better and felt better, but that will be different for each rider. The pilot didn't feel much more upright to me than the other models, but was a much much much smoother ride. After my crash, the LBS owner testrode my bike after the repairs and was even commenting on how smooth a ride it gave. You'll know the right bike when you sit on it. If you feel too stretched out, it may be that the bike was too big, too.

Just remember that when figuring your cost - you will most likely need to replace the saddle.

Good luck!

[Livin the Dream]

I did it -- I ended up with a Trek Pilot 1.0. Blue & White. I'm at work now, but will post a pic when I get to a computer tonight. I am SO excited! It feels so light and fast - it makes my Trek Hybrid seem so big and clunky!

I rode several bikes on Saturday and this one felt pretty good. I say pretty good because the new position is still a an adjustment for me, but after a 30 minute ride on the Pilot, I wasn't in pain, I was comfortable with the shifting and I felt like I could get used to it. I like that it has "helper" brakes on the flat part of the handlebar. I think that will help me feel more comfortable. I noticed, though, that after riding for 15 minutes, I was comfortable riding with my hands on the hoods.

We got the bike back to the campground and DH couldn't even come close to keeping up with me on his hybrid! It felt good. Unfortunately, I didn't get to ride yesterday -- it rained earlier in the day, then when I was ready to take a ride, we got company So, tonight we'll see how she does!

I'm not impressed with the saddle at this point -- the LBS said they to try it for a couple of weeks and go from there.

So, should I start out riding for a short time and build up, or ride as long as I can tonight???

[SouthernBelle]

Congrats & look forward to the pics.

When I first bought a road bike, I thought I might need 'cheater' brakes on the tops. In addition to the different position, I have small hands. But I never got 'em and never missed 'em.

Enjoy,

[sandra]

CONGRATULATIONS! I can't wait to see pics.

I'm just beginning to have these same thoughts about bike upgrading, so this was an interesting thread.

[Livin the Dream]

Here she is! Blue is one of my favorite colors, so I'm glad that the bike that seemed to be the best fit for me is a color I liked!


I have to tell you though, that today wasn't exactly the day I had imagined! Before reading ahead, you have to promise me that you'll be laughing WITH me and not AT me! What I really wanted to do tonight was come home, get on the bike and take a fairly long ride, by myself. Well, that didn't happen. Two step-grandkids had tournament baseball games tonight. So, I thought I'd ride my bike down to the ball park. My six-year-old grandson has been gone the last week; he came over and wanted to ride with me. How could I say no? So, we rode through town at 8 MPH, with me nervous as heck about him riding on the streets in our small town (his first experience riding on anything but neighborhood roads). He did a GREAT job and I'm very glad we did it.

We watched the ball games and as I was getting ready to leave, I turned to talk to him. I was standing over my bike. Well, I must have moved my foot when I turned to talk to him and my foot got caught in HIS bike wheel. Down I went, down went my brand new bike. In front of about 25 people, most of whom I know

Believe it or not, there is not a scratch on my new bike, and nothing appears to be damaged at all. The gears shift fine and the brakes work fine. But, my hand landed on his helmet and broke it. (He said I owe him $1.50 for the helmet.) So, I rode home kicking my tail all the way for being such a klutz. In the four years I've been riding the hybrid, I've never fallen. Day one on my new bike and down I go -- in front of an audience.

So, today's ride was memorable, but not in a way I want to remember. I rode 6.3 lousy miles, and am still feeling like a fool. But, I love the bike. The saddle felt better today than it did on Saturday. And, I'm riding with my hands on the hoods most of the time and it feels like a very good position for me. Now if I can just stay upright....

I'm still so anxious to take a nice long solo ride. The plan tomorrow is to haul my bike to work and ride the bike trail after work before I even get home and get pulled in different directions. Hopefully the weather will cooperate --there is rain in the forecast.

Then after my ride, grandson and I are off to the store to buy him a new bike helmet

[sandra]

Sorry about your fall, but the bike is a beauty!

[Jo-n-NY]

What a beautiful bike. I am sending you wishes for all safe and enjoyable riding miles.


I also enjoy reading your post. Things happen, I fell twice on my trainer, (quick release was not in the notch correctly) LOL. One of the falls I almost went into our 62in tv. Yup, things happen.

Your grandson sounds adorable. Enjoy shopping with him for a helmet.

~ JoAnn

[DrBee]

Congrats on the Pilot purchase! She's a beauty. And, look at it this way - you got your first fall out of the way

[northstar]

Wishing you many happy miles on your new ride! Have fun!!!