Thanks for all the help! I did order the Bicycling Bliss book via Amazon.

I didn't know they had cycles that used your hands. Way cool.

DH and I were looking at recumbent bikes online yesterday. I think there's a store in Council Bluffs (if you can get across..LOL) but some of the prices were really high. Wouldn't hurt to do some test rides and take the "scenic route" up to I-80 today since I have my car back.

DH has a Townie which leaves your feet on the ground but it's SO slow and it doesn't fit on a bike rack. His is the 3i and while pretty powerful, despises hills and I worry a recumbent would do the same thing.

I think it comes down to a simple stability issue. I put my Brooks saddle on my Sirrus yesterday and rode with ease. It's not nearly as nimble or as fast but it's stable. It's heavier and the wheels are wider and I can get/off on w/o holding on for dear life. The Madone is so light that any movement on/off decreases her stability and I end up eating gears on my right leg.

My Madone isn't nearly as stable but as I discovered the other day is a rocket when I got over being a chicken. My son was on DH's Rat Fink chopper bike which weighs at least 20lbs, sucks at turns and for once I knew I could finally beat him. I got her going up a hill at least doing 15mph, passed him, and would have won except for the car that got in "our" way. Huge boost of confidence there.

Maybe my Madone needs slightly wider tires as they are 700x23 to make her more stable for a newbie.