New to Cycling - Need Advice

[FitFreak]

I purchased my bike today. I decided to get the Jamus Ventura sport (female version). While I really liked the Dolce, when I test rode the Jamus it felt right from the beginning. I have to admit that, unfortunately, price had a little to do with it as it was $300 less than the Dolce. I also like the attention and service I got from the bike store. I really felt that they wanted to make sure I left completely satisfied. The owner of the store even rode beside me on my first test ride giving me pointers and advice. when I picked up the bike later that afternoon he spent about an hour with me going over everything including a changing a flat and then did another test ride with me. Maybe this isn't unusual when purchasing a bike, but I was kind of surprised.

Eventually I'll have to get different pedals when I get proper bicycle shoes, but for now I'm going to take it around the neighborhood a few times, get used to riding a bike again.

Thanks to everyone for your advice. It was really helpful and got me thinking about so much when looking at the bikes.

[OakLeaf]

That's great! Sounds like a wonderful shop! Enjoy your new bike!

[KatyLady]

I just Googled the Jamis Ventura - VERY nice looking bicycle. Sounds like you found a great LBS too.

[kermit]

Glad to hear you found the right one! Where did you get it? It sounds like you've got a great LBS for life.

[FitFreak]

I bought the bike at a little bike store in Royal Palm Beach called Flying Wheel Bicycles. They really were fabulous to deal with, especially as a novice who knows essentially nothing about cycling. It was a great experience.

I took the new girl out for a spin yesterday with my BF. We went about 11.6 miles and miraculously I didn't drop dead. There was a terrible wind and everytime we road into it my speed went down about 2 mph. It was brutal, but my BF assures me that as I ride more it will get easier. I'm still skeptical.

I'm really looking forward to our next ride. Amazing how addicting this is after one ride.

[kermit]

It will get easier and yes the wind(and smoke) sucks right now. When your starting out remember to keep a good cadence and the speed will come. I have been doing intervals with cadence(Carmichael video) and it helps alot. Enjoy!

[Kano]

Yes, be very careful riding in the smokey conditions!

Wind does make a difference when we're riding -- it's GREAT when it's a tailwind, but headwinds are just no fun at all. Almost like riding up a hill...

Karen in Boise

[drtillman]

While I am not a woman I am a physician with many female patients who are very active athletes at all levels. While obviously not eligible for the "Sheena Ride" I felt compelled to let everyone know how impressed I was with Sheena herself, assuming she is the one that fitted my bike at Downtown. Her professionalism is unmatched. I have literally bought $80,000 automobiles with less involvement from the dealer. She took at least a half-hour fitting my bike and even gave a lot of "insider tips" way above and beyond any other $2,000 purchase I have ever made.

Arnold Tillman, MD
Certified Age Management Physician
Cenegenics Medical Institute of Boca Raton
atillman@cenegenics.com
770-548-7722

Eat clean and train hard!

[jenniferh]

I rode tons of bikes before deciding recently. Ultimately I choose the Trek 1.5 (non WSD) bike. It just felt best. Don't limit yourself to WSD.

[blumensh]

I went to my Trek store all ready to buy a WSD 1.2 and thankfully they were sold out of them because for a little less I ended up getting (what I think) is a much better bike. I ended up getting a 2009 Fuji Finest 1.0.

It's interesting though I am 5'3" and the Trek Store and another store both told me I needed a 50 and I had very little clearance. Being a newbie with no experience at all I went with what they told me but they just did based on my height. Then I went to performance and got fitted by a woman and I actually ended up with a 44! Evidently I'm disproportionate. The 44 feels so much better to me but I never dreamed I'd need that small of a frame.

[OakLeaf]

A 44 cm men's frame may well have the same top tube length as a 50 cm WSD frame.


EDIT: Sorry, didn't realize that the Finest was a WSD bike.

Still: here are your specs. '09 Fuji Finest in 44 cm: effective top tube length 505.0 mm.
'10 Trek 1.2 WSD: 50 cm, effective TT length 511 mm; 47 cm, effective TT length 494 mm.

So your Fuji is shorter than the 50 cm Trek they were trying to fit you on... but longer than the next smaller Trek, which still has a taller seat tube.

And... they've taken down the specs on my 50 cm '07 Cannondale WSD, but I'm 95% sure that it has the same 505 mm top tube as your 44 cm Fuji.


That's why you ride lots of bikes until you find the one that fits you best.

[blumensh]

A 44 cm men's frame may well have the same top tube length as a 50 cm WSD frame.

It's a Fuji Finest so it is actually a womans bike.
Fuji
Description XS (44) S (47) M (50) L (53)
SEAT TUBE 440.0 470.0 500.0 530.0
TOP TUBE 505.0 510.0 520.0 535.0

Trek
Description XS (47) S (50) M (52)
SEAT TUBE 42.5 47.6 49.3
TOP TUBE 49.4 51.6 52.9

So roughly speaking the 47 Fuji and a 50 Trek would be comparable. I would have definitely gone with a 47 trek. The 50 felt way to big for me but my itty bitty 44 fits perfectly.

I just realized we posted at the same time It does make me feel better to see that though because I was really worrying that maybe I got too small of a frame but now it makes sense.