New and Full of Questions

[Cataboo]

Kimikaw - it does sound like you'd be happier with a road bike, but you can get fit to a road bike so that you ride it in a more upright touring style - you don't have to be all leaned over. It also does sound like your body type would benefit from a WSD...

But go out & test ride some bikes to see what you like.

[kimikaw]

Any reason to not go road bike?

I'm guessing that's a rhetorical question, but yeah, the reason is I'm a little afraid of them. The skinny tires are a huge change from what I have...worried they'll be squirrley and that at 49 I'm getting too old to be that hunched over. First LBS, the one close to home that was trying to get me in the men's Trek more or less told me that. Like seeing this:

you can get fit to a road bike so that you ride it in a more upright touring style - you don't have to be all leaned over.

Also a bit of am I still too big (I'm 65lbs and a bout a year into a journey to go from sedentary, obese to fit and lose 100lbs, still have 35lbs to goal. I'm currently 185 at 5'8"). Maybe a bit of still imagining myself big, big, too big for a road bike.

But having said that, I suspect just testing one will change that. A friend suggested if I'm really worried about a 23 tire, to ask the LBS if the wheel will accomodate a 32 (or 30) and have that swapped out up front.

So....first goal find a LBS I like trust, and does real fittings. Not just have me stand over, and say, yep that's the one. (at the time I had work clothes and 2 1/2- 3" heels on). Been getting lots of good hints in the fitting thread. Really glad to have found you guys. Thanks for the answers!

[Cataboo]

If you're worried about weight - maybe consider like a steel touring/road bike... A surly pacer or one of the other surlys (crosscheck?). Something that you can put fatter tires on. And when you get more comfortable you can switch it to narrow tires if you want.

jamis aurora's another.

[OakLeaf]

Shame on that first LBS.

You weigh less than most of the men they probably fit on road bikes. And a smaller frame is automatically more rigid. You're not even close to being "too big," if there even is such a thing.

And, if you're properly fit to your bike, you won't be "hunched over." In fact, it's pretty rare for a woman to be "hunched over" on a road bike, because our upper bodies tend to be so much shorter in proportion to our lower bodies than men's. It's much more common that a woman will be excessively stretched out.

If you don't have good core strength - which is the only thing that your age might possibly have to do with anything at all - you can improve that. As we get older, everyone (male or female) loses muscle mass if we don't do strength training, and the first things to go are the abdominal wall and the glutes. So if you're not doing them already, lots of planks and bird-dogs and variations of those will help your stability - not only on the bike, but in everyday life.

Other than that, being 49 has nothin' to do with nothin'. Except if you're lucky like me, you don't have to worry about bloodstains on your shorts any more.


PS - if you want wider tires than 23s, think about 25s, or possibly 28s. 30s and 32s are (1) very, very wide and heavy and (2) almost certain not to fit on a road frame. Also, if you're thinking about putting different sized tires on, the wider one should go in the back, not the front.

[Kalidurga]

kimikaw, if you would really feel more comfortable with wider tires, you could also consider a cyclocross bike. They work perfectly well on the road, often have sturdier tubing than road bikes, and can fit tires up to 32. I've got a Specialized Tri-Cross that's been adjusted to have a touring-type fit and it makes for a very comfortable, sturdy road ride.

And Oakleaf's right. Bicycling Magazine frequently runs articles about folks weighing 300+ pounds getting into cycling. You're a feather compared to that, so definitely don't worry about your weight. I would think that the two most important things to consider are the type of riding you plan to do and whether the bike's geometry can be adjusted for your comfort.

[badgercat]

kimikaw, if you would really feel more comfortable with wider tires, you could also consider a cyclocross bike. They work perfectly well on the road, often have sturdier tubing than road bikes, and can fit tires up to 32. I've got a Specialized Tri-Cross that's been adjusted to have a touring-type fit and it makes for a very comfortable, sturdy road ride.

And Oakleaf's right. Bicycling Magazine frequently runs articles about folks weighing 300+ pounds getting into cycling. You're a feather compared to that, so definitely don't worry about your weight. I would think that the two most important things to consider are the type of riding you plan to do and whether the bike's geometry can be adjusted for your comfort.

Agreed on all of this. My boyfriend was over 300lbs when he got himself a very solid Cannondale cross bike just over a year ago. That actually came with knobby 700x35s. After a while, he switched them out to slick 700x28s (which I also did on my Trek FX).

Anyway, he looooves his cross bike (which he rides exclusively on the road). And he's lost 40lbs so far.

[Yelsel]

I love 'cross bikes just for the flexibility - you can run all sizes of tire, from skinny 23s to beefy 45s in some cases (Surlys -- and still have fenders!!!). The disadvantage of going with a cyclocross bike is that there no women specific models from major manufacturers -- though since people usually get a size down than they ride in road bikes, the top tube is then also shorter.

I suggest trying a Bianchi Volpe and a Surly Crosscheck, which have a relatively short and long toptube, respectively. My only bike for a long time was a Bianchi Castro Valley, a Volpe built up as a commuter bike (generator hub and fenders). True touring geometries are also great, comfortable road bikes -- usually a bit more upright position, and with a long wheelbase they are very steady on the road. All manufacturers have realized that most people are not 18 year old racers in aero positions -- they all have road bikes with more relaxed, upright, and longer wheelbase geometry: these are usually labeled something such as sport, endurance, comfort, coast-to-coast (for the Bianchi lovers).

And there are great deals on Craigslist and eBay; plus now is a great time to shop for bikes since the 2010 bikes are coming out, and the 2009 bikes are at steep discounts. I got my 2005 Bianchi Castro Valley in the summer of 2006 for $600 (vs $799 retail); 1998 Bianchi Eros off of Craigslist for $580; and 1996ish Bianchi Reparto Course Cyclocross for $610 on eBay; 2009 Novara Carema for $400 at the REI scratch and dent sale (42 cm bike returned because the person didn't like the ride -- smart woman because it has 700c wheels, so the geometry forward of the crank is actually a tad longer than my 52/53 cm unisex bikes -- but it makes a great bike for SO with his short legs and long torso, and works okay as a guest bike for smaller riders -- the headset can be raised upwards = back).

[dinabean]

Thanks to all for the help so far! Went for my first 5 mile ride yesterday, and I am itching for more!

[featuretile]

I have a Specialized Vita - my upgrade from a comfort hybrid. I still felt I was not ready to have dropped bars, and my LBS had a year old Vita Elite on sale. I really like it, but I never did try a Dolce. It's fast and light. I have added half toe clips and changed the tires from 28 to 25's. I am able to keep up on club rides now - a combination of being more fit and having a better bike. And I am older than you - 57.

[kimikaw]

You guys made me feel brave....

So took the big jump this weekend. Hubby suggested we go test some bikes, and who was I to argue? Ended up bringing home a Dolce Compact sport (54cm). Did swap out the tires but not that much bigger - replaced with Armadillos 25cc. Also swapped out the pedals from the toe clip ones to Shimano PD-424 which work as a platform w/ tennies and with a cleat. By the time they did all the swapping out, fitting me, re-fitting me, riding their trainer, being measured and re-measured, it was too late to really ride on Saturday.

But did get to take her out this morning. Rode nearly 27miles. What a dream. Seat is a bit thinner than I was used to, but felt fine. Did have some soreness in wrists will have to work on wrist position. What was most surprising of all was how great my back felt after. The last couple of longer rides on the old bike left my lower bike a bit sore. LBS had suggested that the more upright position may have been making my spine take more jolts. WHatever, it was fine today.

And here I was all worried about being hunched over on the road bike. Not the case, feels quite comfortable. No doubt the women's frame was the way to go.

Then today after the ride went back to the shop to learn how to do the cleats with the clipless. No real problems in the trainer. Came home, circled the driveway and fell right over. OUCH, my driveway hurts. My first skinned up knee in good knows how long. But picked myself up dusted off and rode around the neighborhood w/ my son. Kept taking left foot in and out, stopping, putting down that foot. So, how long until it is second nature?

[fatbottomedgurl]

You GO!!! Wow!
It gets easier every time, just unclip before you really need to. It does become second nature... After some really long mountain bike rides I have found myself unclipping from the brake pedal on my car. Hahah.

[uforgot]

Welcome to the "fell over first time in clipless" club. Sounds like your bike is perfect for you! Now we want pictures.

And I just have to say congrats on the weight loss! First time reading this thread and you have really turned things around. At 185 pounds, you absolutely don't have to worry about your weight on a bike any more. I think it's just a mindset that you have lived with so long.

[kimikaw]

So does anyone else personify their bikes. I've thought of this one as a her, since I first saw her. So funny. Feel like I need to name her, she just hasn't told me what that is yet.

Yesterday I was able to take an earlier train home from work then I expected. As I drove home, I realized I'd have a good 30 minutes of daylight. Was throwing off work clothes, kicking off shoes as I walked in the door, eager to get on bike clothes and shoes and out the door.

Did a quick 30 minute ride, several stop signs, streets to cross, stayed upright, got foot out in time just fine. Still have to think about it really hard, but not as scared.

Anyway, here's the pics. As I mentioned earlier in the thread, A Specialized Dolce Sport compact, 54cm, 700X25cc armadillo tires, shimano pd-424 pedals (swapped those two things out at shop before I took her home). They didn't have to do a lot of switching stuff around to fit her to me. Seat up, back a bit, handlebar angle changed. Was off & on a trainer (on video) getting measured and re-measured as they tinkered around for quite a bit on Saturday. But no need to switch the stem around or anything like that.

Hubby insisted on kitting her out with emergency tool kit, tire levers, spare tube, pump etc. Only weak link in that theory is me....I currently have no clue in tire changing or emergency bike repair. Currently looking for a clinic. LBS says they do them over the winter.






Noticed today that my glutes, hamstrings seem a bit sore - hadn't felt that on the old bike in awhile (and was usually more sore in quads/adductors if I did get DOMS - delayed onset muscle soreness). Unsure if it was the slightly faster pace on Sunday's ride, the slightly different body position on this bike, the switch to clipless pedals - or probably all of the above.

And thanks for the weight loss kudos. Been well worth all the changes over the last year. Began this to keep up with my son (had him when I was nearly 40), but now this is about me. At 49 there is no doubt I am the fittest I have been in my adult life. Eat healthier, more in tune with my body. My fitness log on another forum is titled "Fit and Fabulous by Fifty", getting there, getting there!