There was some definite improvement in the second ride. I used a bunch of the tips I got here and found myself much more comfortable this time. My speed increased to just under 12mph and I shifted almost like a normal person. My hands were much better since I started riding in the drops downhill and now that the brake is a little better.

However, I now have more questions- How will I know if I need a longer stem or more narrow handle bars? And, I can reach the brakes easily from the drops, but it's a slight reach from the hoods. Is this normal or should they be easier to reach from the hoods?

Lisa- thanks for worrying about my safety. I was a little nervous, so I took it easy. Although my boyfriend is decent with fixing things on the bike, we're going to go to the LBS I really trust to get it fixed properly. We bought the bike from a store that we were very happy with, but we don't have the same confidence in them as we do another nearby store. My brake wasn't connecting all the way and his chain was funky, so we most definitely need to get them looked at.

So far, so good!