Is this a normal experience?

[flash]

Hi Lori,

Definitely talk to your LBS about what wasn't comfortable during your maiden voyage on your new bike!

It's possible that some or all of the discomfort is related to the "new position" (compared to your old bike) -- even a subtle change (such as saddle height up or down by half a centimeter) can cause some discomfort (legs, back, pressure on arms/hands) at first, and that is why making gradual changes in bike fit is critical.

It's also possible that describing the pain/discomfort to the shop where you bought your bike will set off some 'red flags' regarding fit isues, and the shop may be able to swap out components (to change things like stem length/angle, handlebar width and height, seat position (fore/aft, angle, height)) or tweak your fit a little more to make you more comfy.

Don't be shy ... the LBS is there to help you. They want you to be happy with your bike and passionate about cycling for a long time. Plus, you'll save a lot of your own time by asking them for help!

Monica

[Kano]

When I went from "comfort beast" to road bike this past spring, my sales guy did what I think of as rudimentary adjustments -- kind of the stuff you'd do for anyone, you know, seat, handlebars, that sort of thing -- and suggested I take it home and ride it for a couple of weeks, then come back for the more "custom" stuff, when I knew what was the bike and what was me.

HE expected me to be uncomfortable for a while, changing position so drastically, and I knew that would likely be an issue too. (he may have thought I was a crazy lady, who wouldn't ride it more than about twice, cuz there I am, in jeans and tennies, a short round lady, saying I want this "more power" bike.

Took my bike home, put on my clipless pedals (poor cannibalized beast sits in the basement, wheels off and all, cuz DH kept breaking spokes and "borrowing" my wheels, so I couldn't ride her if I wanted to! and I don't, really, with the platform pedals. I have grown to really dislike those...)

Anyhow, back to my subject -- went for a ride, loved it, but my hands hurt. Got different gloves to help that (twice) and a few weeks later, I did take it in for some tweaking on the handlebars, along with shims on the brake levers. I also bought a new saddle, and have puttered with its position off and on all summer, but that's all the adjusting that's been done: raised the bars a barely noticeable (by eye) bit, and the saddle. I've gotten much stronger overall, and learned a few things about where to put myself on the bike (the Tour de France is important educational TV, you know -- see what they do, try it, it's amazing!) and with very little mechanical fine tuning, I'm incredibly comfortable on my bike!

(Me, I've undergone extensive "fine tuning" this summer, heck, you could almost call it a major overhaul!)

Karen in Boise

[Lori]

You could not find the bike because I typed in the wrong bike.

It is a girls Giant MTX 225.

I took it to the LBS today and had the seat and handlebars adjusted and it made a huge difference. I really appreciate all of the responses and help.

I do have a second question though.......

I notice that I feel everything in the road through the seat. Even the seams in the sidewalk. I upgraded my saddle so I do not have any problems there, so far. I am just wondering if there is a different seat post that will help with that.

Why do I have a feeling that this is going to be an obsession instead of a hobby !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As always, thank Ladies.

[HillSlugger]

A carbon seatpost will absorb a lot of the road vibration and a suspension seatpost is also a possibility. Are you wearing padded biking shorts?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Nothing wrong with feeling the seams in the street while you are riding- unless you are experiencing discomfort because of that. If you are like me, then the more you ride the less the small things will bother you.
If the tiny bumps bother you- you could also switch to fatter tires rather than buying a carbon seat post...if your bike will take fatter tires. Fatter tires definitely give a smoother cushier ride. A cheap test is to not inflate the tires you have to full limit- try 15 pounds less than max.

[coyote]

Along the same lines as Lisa's thinking....you might want to see how much air your tires have in them. If they are at the max. PSI, you could take about 10psi out. That might make a difference. Some tires have a min and max. If yours does then try playing around with them.

[jusdooit]

What ever gave you the idea this would become an obsession? LOL.
Never feel dumb, you're just learning. And trust me there's a lot to learn.
BTW ditto on the tires.

[malaholic]

Take a close look at the saddle angle - is it tilted slightly downward? If so, adjust it until it is nice & level; that may help if you are having lower back pain. When I bought my bike the saddle was angled just a few degrees down and my lower back was just killing me - the guy leveled it out, and I've not had a back problem since.

If you're feeling too "stretched out" you may also want to have some other adjustments made to effectively shorten the length of the cockpit and give you a more upright riding position. This could be along the lines of either using a shorter stem, or rotating the bars up, or changing the angle of the stem to raise the bars, or sliding the saddle slightly forward (note on saddle sliding - that may also take your knee position out of whack so don't do it if your saddle is already adjusted correctly). As you ride more and start to ride more aggressively, you may eventually want to return to a lower riding position.

I'm not really sure about the legs aching, where does it hurt & what type of pain is it?

[OakLeaf]

If you were riding a steel frame before, aluminum transmits way more road shock. Keep your elbows bent, wear gel gloves.