newbie intro and first bike advice

[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.

[RoadBunner]

Oh, I am definitely not going to mess with cages. They would probably be more dangerous for me. I was thinking more along the lines of the type of pedals my bike as a kid had

Thanks also for that comment about the look of the bike. I would hate to say it to someone at the LBS, though!

As a side-note: I am a runner and would wear the ugliest shoes ever if they were the best for my body-type and would prevent injuries...I'm a little surprised this doesn't cross over into bikes!

[Starfish]

Oh, I am definitely not going to mess with cages. They would probably be more dangerous for me. I was thinking more along the lines of the type of pedals my bike as a kid had

Thanks also for that comment about the look of the bike. I would hate to say it to someone at the LBS, though!

Go for clipless.

You know, I have made it clear to my LBS that looks and color are part of the package for the next bike. I'm still on my first road bike, and hoping maybe this summer/fall to get a new one. My bike is OK...but it doesn't make me want to turn around and give it a second look when I put it away...

You know how certain cars just make you want to pinch their butts? The Ferrari 456 GT comes to mind...well, I want my next bike to give me the same feeling. I will not settle for another plain-to-me bike this time around. I want the next bike to be sexy, knowing that it is all in the eye of the beholder.

My experience is that the guys in the bike shops get it.

[rij73]

I think looks definitely count... And I think bike shop guys feel the same way. If not, then the highest end bikes would all be ugly instead of drop-dead gorgeous, right? Part of what has gotten me really into biking is the beauty of a really nice bicycle. Once I started paying attention to the style, it became just as important as the function. I think the car analogy is good... People who are into fancy cars, are really into the looks.

[Spec&TrekGirl]

Definitely go for the clipless pedals right away. I bought a pair for my mountain bike years ago but was afraid I'd be trapped in them and crash, so I never put them on. When I bought my first road bike (Trek 1600) about a month ago I decided to go for it and had the LBS put them on my new road bike. I took a few rides around a large parking lot practicing getting in and out and I'm still kicking myself for waiting so long to try them - it is so easy you won't believe how quickly it becomes natural. Just find a safe place to practice for a little while.

I also second the idea of going with the LBS you feel most comfortable with, especially just getting into it like I am. There's a lot to be said for feeling welcome rather than a burden when you bring your bike in for an adjustment.

I debated mostly between the Giant OCR1W and the Trek 1600 (both close-outs so they were great deals) and went with the Trek mainly for the looks (along with the ultegra rear shifter over the 105 and it was a little lighter which justified the $150 difference in price).

[Julibird]

Go clipless! Also, style-wise, you just can't rock a sweet ride like the Onix Dama without being clipped in! Taint right!

You can totally do it. If you want to practice clipping in and out - put your sweet baby on a trainer (LBS will have one you can use in the shop, or borrow one - you're gonna need one anyway if you live in the north) and get used to the technique.

Then ride on some grass and practice. It will take ten minutes to build the muscle memory to perform the task. If you fall, it won't hurt and you just might want to film it and put it up on youtube!

Also, any add ins, like arch supports, shims, that you use in your running shoes, put in your stylin' road shoes. My .02.

Go new bike!