New Biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiike!

[Pedal Wench]

Good luck with it! It's a beauty!!!

I gotta say, the thought of riding in cages would terrify me! Clipless is much less restrictive, in my opinion!

Good luck and safe riding!

[teawoman]

Good luck with it! It's a beauty!!!

I gotta say, the thought of riding in cages would terrify me! Clipless is much less restrictive, in my opinion!

Thanks! The whole durn world says go clipless , but I am as yet too uncoordinated with the steering. I don't think I can think too much about both my hands and feet at the same time. I really will do it...I sorta see how it could be better.

[Velobambina]

Many happy miles on your new bike!

I agree Pedal Wench--cages terrify me. You might try the Shimano MP 324s (I think that's the pedal number---dual spd/platform---that way you can use the platforms while you adapt to clipless).

As for road vibration---you might get used to it. Unless the saddle is killing you, I'd see if you adjust to the feel of your new bike. What kind of seatpost do you have? Is it carbon? That might dampen some of that vibration, if it's really bothering you.

Don't worry. With time in the saddle comes confidence. Just keep getting out there. I guarantee that with miles, you will be less tense and worry less about wiping out. You'll be hammering down hills before you know it.

What do you mean by "dropping and braking?" Are your hands on the hoods or flats of your handlebar? Are the brake levers too big for your hands?

[teawoman]

Many happy miles on your new bike!
What do you mean by "dropping and braking?" Are your hands on the hoods or flats of your handlebar? Are the brake levers too big for your hands?

I mean I was braking from the hoods and I found that very hard on the hill. I was too scared to move my hands down the bars. When I drop my hands (into the curve of the handlebar) down so I can grasp the levers at the bottom, I get a faster stop, but I wobble while I move my hands down there. I expect I should have done that at the top of the hill . ....ok I looked it up...it's "braking from the drops".

I don't know if they are too big or maybe stiff...I was fine last night...it was a pretty steep hill and I was going fast. I am not used to those speeds.

[mimitabby]

I used cages for years. Get used to the bike, take your time. You might also consider powergrips before you start clipping your feet into the pedals

and congrats on the new bike!

[wiseowl]

Congrats on the bike! I just found a really good year end deal on an OCR as well. I completely agree on the powergrips idea. The idea of being attached to my bike was too scary for me at first- the powergrips were a much easier mental leap, and totally trained me to twist my foot in and out as I started and stopped. I switched to spd clipless a month ago, and the transition was a piece of cake. I still have them on the loosest setting, and I got double sided ones, and it has been completely painless. In fact, the powergrips are more of a challenge in reality, but I needed that mental handholding.

[RoadRaven]

Doesn't it help when bike shop people are interested and pleased for you just because you want to ride... and feel your goals are real because you are passionate and it doesn't matter if you will never make it to the Olymppics, because those goals are yours...

I have a Giant TCR2 for time-trialling on and its a fabulous bike. We have several Giants in our fold and I think you will find it will stand you in good stead and support you well in your tris.

Congrats on the adition to your household

[teawoman]

Congrats on the bike! I just found a really good year end deal on an OCR as well.

Ooo! Sistahs in OCR-ness!

[indysteel]

Congrats. I, too, love white bikes! It sounds like you found a good LBS in that they took the time to fit you on the bike. That's great; not all shops are that attentive.

I, too, think that cages are scarier than clipless pedals. You might try a pedal that has a clip on one side and a regular platform on the other. Otherwise, I'd just bite the bullet and start climbing the clipless pedal learning curve. They're really not that bad and don't take that long to get used to.

Regarding the road vibrations, are you using padded gloves and a good pair of cycling shorts? One word of advice regarding bumps and what not on a road bike. Keep your grip light and some bend in your arms, especially when going over rough pavement. Also, don't overinflate your tires. I typically run mine between 10 and 20 psi less than the specified maximum pressure. You might play around with it a bit to see what feels best for you.

I, too, am not sure what you mean by "drop and brake." You should be able to reach your brakes while in "the hoods." If you can't, you might take it back to your LBS and see about getting shorter reach brakes.

Just keep practicing. Before you know it, everything will feel very natural to you. I hope you have lots of fun and safe miles ahead of you.

Oh, and you have to give your bike a name!!!!

[Tri Girl]

Wow- she's a beeeeeeauuuuty!!! I love the look of the white and black- very classy!! Soooo glad you found a bike that you love (and that loves you in return by being super comfortable).

Congrats on the latest addition to your family! May you have lots of fun together!

[teawoman]

Regarding the road vibrations, are you using padded gloves and a good pair of cycling shorts? One word of advice regarding bumps and what not on a road bike. Keep your grip light and some bend in your arms, especially when going over rough pavement. Also, don't overinflate your tires. I typically run mine between 10 and 20 psi less than the specified maximum pressure. You might play around with it a bit to see what feels best for you.

Oh, and you have to give your bike a name!!!!

Yeah...I was wearing my tri shorts, so it will prolly help to get real bike shorts. I have gloves. And I should add our city roads are in pretty crappy condition as roads go...we have been mass whining about it lately so there's construction all over to resurface. Several bad Canuck winters and no repair in the Spring have made them horrible. The 4 blocks that run by my house have just been redone and feel great...I could just do that loop about 70 gabillion times .

Hmm...dunno what to name her. She is very classy looking, so something kind of over-the-top classy.

[nomummytummy]

Also, don't overinflate your tires. I typically run mine between 10 and 20 psi less than the specified maximum pressure. You might play around with it a bit to see what feels best for you. [/QUOTE]


I found that when I did this I kept getting punctures. When I inflated them to the recommended pressure, no more flat since. (Bet that comment jinxes me for the weekend!)

[short cut sally]

congrats on the new bike, you must be in cloud nine from the sounds of it..i remember getting my new bike and it was like cloud nine. i rode for a little bit with the toe cages, and found that i actually had more incidents of non-safety issues than i did riding clipless. i fell over more because i couldn;t ever get my feet out in time. so i took the straps off for awhile but didn't like how my feet would slop all over the pedal. i bit the bullet and went with mtb. bike shoes and spd peddals. so worth it, but it took several months for me to go to that..i got used to my bike, the road, shifting, etc, then i made the plunge. good luck and enjoy your new beauty!!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Also, don't overinflate your tires. I typically run mine between 10 and 20 psi less than the specified maximum pressure.

I also keep my tires at about 10-15 lbs less than the stated maximum. When I had them at max I noticed my spokes and wheels making funny noises, for one thing.
People sometimes assume that "maximum psi"=suggested psi. Max pressure simply means Don't go over that pressure or your tire might explode! It doens't mean that's the ideal pressure to ride on.

[cosc]

Your new road bike sounds glorious. I know what you mean about whizzing down a hill and trying to keep speed and bike under control. Sometimes my start position on a descent will be on the flats so I can bodily catch more air to slow, as I gain more speed I get into drops to use brakes more effectively. Feather your braking on a descent to have more control. I'm just a pokey cyclist, still learning and am sure many great cyclist on this board can help you.