Bethany, I am beginning to understand why bike "nuts" have more than one bike. Apologies to any one who might fit this description. But today I rode my beautiful bike on paved roads in the county. I even passed a lady who was far more fit than I. I went the furtherest on a bike I have ever gone. I rode 38.5 miles. It was windy because this is KS. I had a great ride. And my clipless shoes help me work with my bike in the most amazing way. It's why I got the bike I got. I told the guy I wanted a bike that would let me go further in less time. Ta-da. It was perfect.

BUT if I did most of my riding in town, I'm not sure the clipless shoes would be worth the hassle. I have had my new bike for probably two months now and I'm really starting to feel at home on it. It really took that long and I'd say I'm not there yet. I have to be pretty conscious about my clipping in town.

And conversely, this bike isn't the bike to run errands on. It's expensive enough that (even though I have a bike lock) I worry about it getting ripped off.

How can I be thinking about "another bike" at this point in my love affair with my Madone, and yet...

Bethany, if you don't have a trip odometer on your bike get one. They help you notice how you are getting better compared to yourself. I also have a Polar FT7 Heart rate monitor and so I also monitor my heart rate and calorie burn on my rides.

And, I spent two years riding my ancient Raleigh down many of the same roads I rode today. I have come a long way from someone who thought an 8-10 mile ride was pretty good (and it was when I first did it).

So trick your bike out so you are doing the kind of riding you want to do. Think about what kind of riding you want to do and where you want to do it. And do that. But track your miles and your tolerance and your average speed. If you keep at it, it will get better.