I Bought My First Road Bike!!! (long)

[laura*]

I guess I'm dense, I thought they were the same cables and housing whether used for brakes or for derailleurs.

That was true once upon a time (before indexed shifting) ...

[Bike Writer]

Velocivixen, congratulations! Your new bike sounds wonderful and I can't wait to see photos either.

[blue_angel]

Congrats on your new bike! There's nothing better than being excited about a new bike and all the fun things you can do to it/with it/on it!

I'm not sure what you mean by "sizing a Brooks"? Do you mean selecting which model you want?

Also, be careful of leaving your steerer tube too long. I don't know what the vertical rise is that you're riding with, but if you ever get into an accident that pitches you forward, the steerer tube is in exactly the right spot to punch a hole through your chest. That's typically why shops like to cut them down ASAP.

[pll]

Congratulations on the new bike! I'll join the choir hoping to see pictures soon.

The VO hammered metal fenders are gorgeous, but I will make a plug for SKS plastic fenders (they also have them in silver) because they are more rugged than aluminum ones. If you will be locking the bike outside, it will get knocked against the post. A long, long time ago, I had a bike with aluminum fenders and those got plenty of dings. Drove me crazy.

[Velocivixen]

@blue Angel, regarding "sizing" some saddles, for example, Bontrager market seats in different widths. I suppose they want you to have your ischeal tuberosity measurements (sits bones) and buy a saddle in the correct "size". Based on my riding position, etc a Brooks B 17 is the best candidate. Thanks for the info on the steer tube too. I know I'll have a learning curve and as I get more confident and perhaps comfortable I might have them cut it down some.

@pll, I love my SKS chromoplastic fenders on my current bike. They onlymcome in silver with thin black racing stripes though, but I'm actually leaning away from metal. SKS makes Longboard fenders in beige, but I take my bike on the light rail trains and often hang it up, so super long fenders in the rear may end up getting squished when I flip my bike up to hang the front wheel on the hook. So before I buy fenders, I'm taking the new bike on the train to see what's what. My SKS fenders have been squished on the train and still are perfect!

[pll]

Planet Bike and Zefal have some plastic silver fenders, too:
Planet Bike Cascadia Hybrid - http://ecom1.planetbike.com/7056.html
Zefal Para gon - http://www.zefal.com/zefal/produit.php?key=220

[KnottedYet]

Love my Planet Bike fenders, added Buddy Flaps. They are really really REALLY fabulous in the rainy PNW, and look great on my Cross Check.
www.buddyflaps.com

I have these: http://www.buddyflaps.com/mudflapgirl.htm My bike enjoys the sarcasm (and even the touch of irony)...

Used a punch to poke a hole into the "mini flaps" on my fenders, and attached the Buddy Flaps to them. (from underneath, so the mini-flaps end up overlapping the Buddy Flaps)