Quote Originally Posted by warneral View Post
I think you have a beautiful crusin' bike! I have a trek Navigator that I'd like to set up the way you have yours. Nice for putsin' around town and riding low grade trails. I would guess that a bike with more gears would probably be a good choice for your next bike.

My Navigator is heavy and we have some killer hills in this area. By the time I get up one of my local hills on my Navigator, I'm ready to go home (only 3 miles away). I can now get up that hill quite easily on my lighteweight roadbike. My Navigator was weighed today - 33lb without basket, etc. My Roadie is 20lb. Makes a big difference. Not just because of the weight, but because of the way I'm sitting on the bike. Sitting upright is comfy, but doesn't get you too far up hills!

At least these thoughts can help you be easier on yourself when you're puffing up hills! The bike makes a BIG difference!

The whole reason I started getting into Road biking is because of the hills where I lived. Earlier in the spring we were planning a move to be closer to bike paths which are rails-to-trails (aka flat). Now I'm trying to embrace the hills where I live and get the bike to help me up them
Thanks Warneal, that gives me encouragement AND a reminder to follow my own advice and that would be to "listen to your body" and be kind to it, even when you are pushing yourself.