Gear tips for a roadie newbie? and random musings

[lph]

ooo, got a pair of really nice "long legs" (amazing what money will buy ), a sleek little PI saddle bag and a jersey WITH pockets on sale yesterday. Boring colour but cheap.

But I have another question if anybody's still reading this thread: reach, yet again. I have my saddle set up to the correct position, as far as I can tell. Tha handlebars are low, but feel fairly comfortable. I've always "ridden low" and my back is quite flexible, eg. I can put my hands flat on the floor with straight legs.

The drops are a bit of a reach, but I can still bend my elbows if I "have to". But if I do I have trouble pedalling - my thighs start hitting my upper body! Ribs and shoulder, I'm flatchested. Um - maybe I'm just not supposed to bend that far over (and pedal)? To pedal efficiently it feels better to have my hands up on the hoods with elbows more bent. I can also keep my elbows narrower like that.

I'm wondering if I should try a shorter stem or slightly higher handlebars.

[DirtDiva]

Have a play with the angle of the bars too. Can you flip your stem to get a little more rise? Neither of these will necessarily be the answer, but they're the cheapest options, so worth trying first!

[roadie gal]

I vote for arm and leg warmers this time of year when the temps can go from chilly to very warm over a short period of time. I have the thigh-ankle leg warmers, not just the knee warmers. They were cheap from Performance.

For shorts, try www.aerotechdesigns.com. I have 3 pairs of their Top Shelf shorts ($49.95) that have lasted for over 4 years. I find them more comfortable than my PI's which were double the price.

I almost never use my jersey pockets. I carry a Camelbak on all of my rides. I'm a big drinker and I like to have the room to carry extra food, clothing, phone, etc.