Hitting the road for the first time...

[MyRubyE]

Wow ladies, thanks for the great tips!!!

1) Yes, I definitely need to relax and the death grip is a problem and I'm conscious of it. Will try the piano trick & and will - sing... it's definitely in my head.

2) Core strength - both of you are right; I did find when I lost control - if I took a deep breath and squeezed the seat with my thighs and sat upright a little more that I had better control, so definitely will work on my core/waist strength.

3) Bike and Saddle fit - I had my LBS fit me to the bike. I'm 5ft 2in and the bike is 48cm frame. They tested me with a 44cm frame and a 48cm but nothing in-between. My in-seam is roughly 28in. I think the fit is ok, and I've been playing with the saddle sliding it up and back. The saddle feels comfy. Yes, I definitely have a problem riding with one hand and have a fear of letting go. But, it's definitely something that I probably need to test out more to see if the reach is causing the problem; when I bend at my waist slightly forward I have more of a bend to my elbows. Will have to think about this more and play around with it some more. Will let you know.

Thanks again!!