Need Technical Help!

[Allie1DukeFn]

Thanks All! This is where I'm at.....the LBS said that most definitely my brakes needed to be adjusted (I knew that) but they also said my seat was too low which was probably stripping me of power as well.

They gave me a loaner road bike with the normal handlebars on it to take home and try. The guy I talked to really felt that in the long run I'd have more pain on the longer rides sitting more up and down with the flat bars. He said it would start giving me back pain from sitting for long periods of time with my spine all stacked up on top of each other instead of stretched out.

He said that if I felt after riding the loaner I could live with those handlebars - they'd figure out what to do - hot rod the bike I just got or swap out the entire bike.

I rode for a little ways as soon as I got the loaner home. I didn't love it - but I think I can get used to it. I did feel pain, but in different areas more along the sides of my back - which he told me to expect. He said those aren't muscles you generally use so for the first few rides you will get sore. i do think I'm going to ask for the second set of brakes along the flat part of the bars. I just still get that "oh sh*t feeling" and having the breaks all the way down kind of freaked me out. I think I'd feel more comfortable having that safety net. To compensate I was riding mostly with my thumb around the top part of the brake - so I could get my fingers to the brakes quickly - but I have really weak hands - and I could tell just from the little bit I was riding that would kill me if I did it for too long.

Surprisingly I also really liked the different shifters as well. Again, I have really weak hands - so being able to use my whole hand to shift instead of just my thumb was great. I'll just have to put labels on my handlebars to remind me which way is which! I can't remember for the life of me!

And the best part - my DH was having to work to keep up with me and I wasn't really going that hard! WOO HOO! The hills were still a challenge - but I could see a difference in how well I was able to do them. It wasn't nearly as much work!

Thanks all! Especially to Bike Goddess who really got me thinking twice about the flat bar handlebars! That really made me go back to the LBS and revisit the topic with them to make sure I had the right bike. I think with the normal handlebars - everything will work out just fine!

[bikerz]

i do think I'm going to ask for the second set of brakes along the flat part of the bars. I just still get that "oh sh*t feeling" and having the breaks all the way down kind of freaked me out. I think I'd feel more comfortable having that safety net. To compensate I was riding mostly with my thumb around the top part of the brake - so I could get my fingers to the brakes quickly - but I have really weak hands - and I could tell just from the little bit I was riding that would kill me if I did it for too long.

I have those brakes on the flats and I love them! I used them all the time when I started out, and only more reently have I been using the other brakes as well, as I feel more comfortable in the hoods. I hardly ever ride in the drops.

[gilly]

I too have cyclocross brake levers on all my road/touring bikes. Like you I have small and weak hands, I nearly gave up road cycling for good, until my (not so) Lbs suggested such levers
Enjoy