newbie intro and first bike advice

[F8th637]

RoadBunner, I recently was in the market for bikes and spent an afternoon, wearing jeans, trying out like 5 bikes: a few cyclocrosses, an entry-level road bike, and a touring bike. The next day I was incredibly bruised in my sit bones as well and couldn't ride my brand new bike for a couple of days while they healed up. I had been riding indoors but on a cushier wider seat on my old bike. I had issues with the saddle that came with the new bike the first few rides but now I pretty much have no problem. You'll bruise for a little while like I did but in time it too shall pass. You may want to spread out the days you test bikes if you have the bruising problem like I did.

[KSH]

Well, don't pick a bike based on how comfy the seat is, because that can be changed out. As for your sit bones... you just have to break your butt in on the bike. If I don't ride at least 3 days a week, my sit bones are typically always sore when I get back on. Yes, padded shorts help this some, but will not completely fix the problem.

You have a lot of choices there. Maybe you should sit down, make a chart and list the components and your general feedback on each one.

You also need to know what you want and don't want. Do you want a full carbon bike? Do you want all 105 components? All Ultegra? A mix of both? Does it matter to you? Do you want a comfort road bike, like the Ruby or the Giant.... or do you want a racing road bike? Do you care about the color?

As for the double versus triple. If you ride serious hills, get a triple. You can switch it out to a double once you get stronger on the bike. But starting, you might want to get a triple.

By really narrowing down what you want and don't want... you can narrow down your search some.

Also, you said your budget is $2,000. Does that also include... bike shorts... clipless pedals... shoes... a tool bag with goodies inside... bike pump... water bottles... bike computer... new saddle... etc? That stuff and easily run up a $150-$500+ bill. EASY!

When I went to look for a new road bike (started with a Trek 1000), I knew what I was looking for. Once I found the bikes that fit my criteria, I test rode them. One bike stood out amoungst the crowd. When I rode it, it wow'ed me... and I knew it was the one.

[breezy]

I was in your same situation last year. I rode those bikes and analyzed components and cost...I spent weeks trying to figure out what was right.

In the end I went with the carbon Trek Pilot 5.0 WSD. Why? Cause I liked the Trek dealer more than the others. Cause 2K was my upper limit and you get what you pay for so I went for the bike that cost exactly 2K. Cause I liked the color.

As someone new to a road bike I found it impossible to determine which one felt better, I knew the few that didn't feel good but after that they all seemed the same to me.

They tried to talk my into a double but I went with a triple because it is more important to me that I can get up hills than that I can shave a few seconds off a straight-away time.

I went with the Pilot because I tend to have issues with my shoulders and long distance comfort was again more important that a few seconds of speed.

A year later I am still happy with my purchase, mostly because I know I can talk to my LBS.

If you go by saddle comfort, you will wind up picking the first bike you ride on a given day. The pain should go away after a few rides, no matter what saddle you have.

[lesliesf]

Hi I just purchased a carbon road bike in December. I narrowed my choices down to the Trek 5.0 Pilot and the Specialized Ruby Expert. I also live in SF and tested these bikes going up a very steep hill! The Ruby did a better job of climbing and was more $$ but at the sale price, I got a deal on an 2007 bike.

I tried just about every brand of carbon road bikes in the $2000 range and in the end just felt like the Specialized bikes fit my body better. As another poster stated... the right bike will just stand out and you will know that is the one! Good Luck!

[Starfish]

Hi Bunner! (I love your user name...I used to have a rabbit, and we just called him The Bun.)

Everyone here has good input. The one thing I would add is to see if you can arrange for a longer, calmer test ride one way or another.

I remember trying to find my first bike. I really had nothing to compare anything to, so it was really hard to tell any differences when I rode. The traffic issue on test rides pretty much erased any way for me to tune into how the bike really felt.

There was one bike that I ended up not buying, and regretting it within a few months, all because the test ride was in traffic that I was NOT equipped to handle as a new person.

You might ask the shops if you leave them your credit card, your diamond ring, your firstborn, whatever...if there is any way you can take the bike with your car somewhere calm to really relax and see how it feels to you.

And, the sit bones are likely to be sore for awhile...even if you have the right shorts and a good saddle...my butt always has to get used to the saddle if I am off for awhile.

[RoadBunner]

Thanks everyone, for all the suggestions! Especially in regards to the bruised feeling and triple feed-back. My boyfriend (who already has a bike) and I just bought a hitch and bike rack for our car in anticipation of getting out riding together and for bringing the new bike home.

I'm not sure if this is the way to do it, but I've decided down to two LBS's and will be going back to see what is best for me that they have. I just felt very comfortable with them and for a newbie that's really important for me.

Most likely I'll be between the Trek and the Orbea. The Giant is a great deal and felt nice but I'm not in love with the look of the bike and I'm sad to say it counts for something for me

I am becoming a total geek about this staring at geometry charts (even though I have little clue to what it all means and my small knowledge will probably get me into trouble--I had a prof. in college who used to say, "A little learning is a dangerous thing."). KSH, I will be making charts!

I will try to get out for a longer ride, too. Both shops offered to even get a bike sized for my boyfriend so he could accompany me on a longer ride, but I was too much of a chicken to want to take it out in traffic.

One new question. My boyfriend suggests I get bike shoes and clip-in from the get-go...I'm more inclined to use platform pedals to get my bike mojo back before strapping myself on. But then a part of me thinks maybe it is better to get used to everything at once so I don't have to unlearn habits. Thoughts?

Starfish, I am a total rabbit lover. The picture is of my beloved lop

[Starfish]

Of course looks count in your new steed!!

And, just my .02, go for the clipless shoes and pedals right off the bat. My experience was that it was way harder to flip the cages around and get settled into that than it ever was with clipless. I waited a year or two, and once I got clipless, I was in heaven. It was way easier, and I wondered why I waited.