Very new and a little scared

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

How long did it take you to feel confident/comfortable on a road bike? 100 miles? 100 hours? I am doing alright, but still not at all comfortable with signalling (bike gets all squirrelly when I try) or with getting out of the saddle while riding.

For me, I started getting comfortable at about 1000 miles. That was when i was able to stand up while pedaling, take a drink from my water bottle while riding ( i still prefer to stop though), and do traffic arm signaling while riding etc. It was also when i became less nervous in traffic. May I suggest a mirror to help you in traffic a little bit?

Beware of feeling 'too' confident.

[Crankin]

I would say I got comfortable with signaling at about 700-1,000 miles. I wasn't able to stand for a couple of years. And I still don't stand on big climbs... it takes too much energy and hurts. I can spin up just about anything, but I do stand on short rollers.
After 10 years, I am still not so good with the bottle. Yea, I know what to do, but my coordination kind of sucks. I still prefer to stop. If it's a flat road and I can slow a bit, I'm OK.
Riding in groups and commuting to work got me over the fear of traffic. While I don't ride in downtown Boston, I do ride in suburban traffic and in some situations I would have never dreamed of just 3-4 years ago. I feel pretty confident, too. I am very cautious and safety oriented, and I don't really care what others think.

[JennK13]

There's no set time to get used to doing these things. Take your time - people get hurt when they push themselves too far before they are ready.

As for the bumps, you have to keep a relaxed hold on the bike. Keep soft hands, dont grip too hard, and keep your elbows soft. When we're too stiff and rigid, it jars us even more and harder, thus scaring us even more. When your arms are bent and soft, they will absorb the bumps you go over.

[Owlie]

The first several rides I took on my road bike were terrifying. I'm still not entirely comfortable with signaling (hence my preference for bike paths or riding with DBF). Bumps...that's been an issue for me too, and I just try to remember that the bike wants to stay upright as long as it's moving...and to try to relax the death grip. Easier said than done, I know...

[PamNY]

For me, I started getting comfortable at about 1000 miles. That was when i was able to stand up while pedaling, take a drink from my water bottle while riding ( i still prefer to stop though), and do traffic arm signaling while riding etc. It was also when i became less nervous in traffic. May I suggest a mirror to help you in traffic a little bit?

Beware of feeling 'too' confident.

Yikes -- are you talking about 1,000 miles to transition from hybrid (or other) to a road bike? That's alarming.

Of course, if I get a road bike, that will be a good excuse for keeping my hybrid for a while, thereby helping other family members get used to the idea of having multiple bikes around.

[Librarygirl]

Reading this thread with interest as I too just purchased my first road bike (riding a hybrid prev) and took it on its first 'real' ride yesterday. Goodness, after about 15km I stopped and my arms were so sore and stiff from holding on for dear life!

I nearly toppled when going across a bridge on the pedestrian section and the wheel went through a vertical 'ridge' in the pavement - those darned skinny tyres seem to want to be eaten up by those sorts of things. Then I had another freakout when I had to turn and wind down a ramp off the bridge - the other cyclists seemed to be looking pretty wary at my wobbliness! It was exciting but quite nerve-wracking how differently it handles from my solid heavy old hybrid - quite squirrely and skittish.

Am really hoping it doesn't take too long to adjust to - have signed up for my first metric century in October and really want to take my lovely light fast road bike along rather than plodding on the hybrid!

[Owlie]

You'll get used to it. I felt my bike was squirrelly at first--my prior bike experience was the bike I had as a kid and the DangerBike that my friend lent to me to get used to riding a bike again.

I think "comfortable" means different things. I got used to the bike's handling quickly, after 20 or 30 miles. I got a lot more comfortable (in both senses) after I got a new saddle. (That helped with the death grip and sore arms.) I can stand for about five pedal strokes before feeling wobbly. I'm still getting comfortable with taking my hands off the bars for more than a few seconds. Grabbing a water bottle while riding is not going to happen. Don't worry too much. Just keep riding.

[WindingRoad]

I know it's already been mentioned but it's key to not have a death on your bars. Let the bike do what it needs to do in order to allow it to absorb impact. If you are clenching the bar you are transferring every little impact strait into your shoulders. This is why it's important not to ride with your elbows locked too. I have ridden the Avail and it's a super plush ride but it is a compact design so it is very responsive which is absolutely awesome feeling once you get used to it. Just keep in mind the bike has been engineered to be a wonderful piece of machinery just let it do its job and try not to fight it. I would suggest that any new rider try riding with a group, it really is a great place to learn from other riders.

[derosarah]

Oh Christie1, thank you so much for starting this thread! I am a huge chicken about my bike-- likely stemming from a fall years ago when foot cages were the trend and I wasn't used to getting my feet out after stopping (very embarrassing fall in college on the first day of classes-- bloody ankles and worse ego-bruise). I am on the same bike, but have taken off the cages and put new tires on (it's a mountain bike that I basically tried to make into a commuter bike)... and it scares the crap out of me!

It makes me feel a lot better knowing that other riders have some fears and also some input about what they do and prefer (the best was knowing I'm not the only one who cannot get a drink from my bottle while riding! Camelback to the rescue!).

No real input here to help-- just a thank you for the post! Best of luck out there!!

[Librarygirl]

Yes, I agree totally derosarah, it's great that Christie1 started this conversation - just sharing our experiences helps so much and reassures Having other people say 'Hey, I'm feeling like this too!' and also 'This will pass though and it will get better...' is so comforting!

That's why I love this forum so much, it's kept me pushing on to new frontiers with my cycling and given me confidence and knowledge in so many areas.

Thanks everyone for being so great and helpful!

Linda