New rider question about bike choice and frame size

[Tanya]

I'm 5'6 1/2 and I have a 17" Trek 7.5FX. In addition to when you test ride the bikes and get a feel for them, a good bike shop should be able to make sure that the bike is the right size for you. They'll make sure that your arms and legs are at the right angles when you ride.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my 7.5FX. I love it so much. I have even converted my dad into a bike rider--my brother and I bought him a 7.3FX for his birthday several months ago and he rides it every other day. And, one of my coworkers just bought a Trek because he kept hearing me rave about mine. Hm...I'm beginning to think that Trek should pay me a commission.

I ride several times a week and am now also considering using my bike to commute to work, if I can get over my fear of the crazy drivers. The 7.5FX is a zippy, fun bike. It rides smoothly, shifts cleanly, and is just an absolute joy. Having previously only ridden a mountain bike, I was concerned about getting a flat tire when driving over gritty areas, but so far, so good.

I also looked at the Cannondale and Specialized hybrids. The frames on the Cannondales seemed chunky and I wasn't a fan of the overly girly color schemes (They were white with either peach or bright pink. Not my style.) The Specialized hybrids didn't wow me, even though they are perfectly fine bikes. The Trek just fit me better and I liked how I felt when I was riding it.

Like you, I was put off by the curled handlebars of a road bike and thought that kind of bike would be too aggressive for my riding and beyond my comfort level, so I went with a hybrid. But now, I'm thinking I could really get some use out of a road bike, and might buy one in a year or so. I don't regret my hybrid purchase at all, I'm just saying that you might not want to discount the idea as quickly as I did.

[gbunker]

Thanks so much for all of the feedback! What a terrific, helpful group!

I tested out both the 17" and the 19" today- on the trainer, since the store was getting ready to close- and both seemed to fit pretty well. I think I would need to take them each out for a real test ride in order to choose.

How much of a difference does the 7.5 carbon fork make? Would a relatively unskilled rider like me notice the difference?

Also, can anyone suggest a couple of road bike options that I should try out? I am gun shy about road bikes, having flown over the handlebars of one when I was in my 20's. And this is a dorky question, but how do you reach the brakes when your hands are on the upper part of the handlebars? My old road bike had those extra cheater bar thingies, and I honestly never even tried riding with my hands on the lower part of the bars. Did I mention that I'm not very coordinated?

Thanks!
Gillian

[Eden]

I am gun shy about road bikes, having flown over the handlebars of one when I was in my 20's.

FYI - I don't want to scare you, it's relatively hard to do if you learn to brake properly, but you can certainly go over the handlebars of an upright/hybrid.... in fact I think it is probably easier to do, as you have a higher center of gravity and generally stronger/grabbier brakes.

Just saying, don't let that fear scare you off drop bars.

[gbunker]

Wow, you all have given me a lot to think about! This is really interesting.

Can you tell me more about what's preferable about riding a drop-bar road bike? Part of my commute involves riding downtown amongst lots of cars. Doesn't having your head down lower make it harder to see and be seen? I know that there are lots of hand positions avaliable on a drop bar bike, and some of them position you up higher. But how do you brake quickly if your hands are on the upper part of the bars and the brakes are down below? Is this a challenge for the less-coordinated, like me?

Thanks!
Gillian

[Velocivixen]

Hi Gillian,
Just sent you two big emails answering some of your questions.
Seriously, go to CityBikes on SE Ankeny and check out either the Surly Long Haul Trucker or the Cross Check - both steel, tough as nails, able to add on fenders, racks, etc., can put on a huge variety of tire sizes. They have drop bars but do NOT cut the fork, so the handlebars are way up high (unless you want them to cut them down). I left mine the way they were and am happy for now. They specialize in commuter bikes and are an employee owned coop. No high pressure at all.
Good luck.
Regarding braking know this: the front brake is stronger than the back brake. Don't slam on the front brake alone or you will likely go flying - on any bike. Use the front and the back. The Bike Gallery has free clinics throughout Spring to late Autumn, usually from 6-7 (see the website: flat repairs, commuting 101, basic maintenance, and gear shifting that rotate over & over).

[gbunker]

This is all so much fun! I rode some bikes yesterday: a Jamis Coda, a KHS Urban Expedition, a Surly Cross Check, and a Trek FX 7.3. I really liked both the Jamis Coda and the Trek FX 7.3. The Surly was awesome, but was a bit too much bike for me- I was a little disoriented by the bar-end shifters and the different hand positions. I think it was a little big for me, too. But I was really surprised at how comfortable the ride was. The forward position was not as weird as I had expected.

Last night I spotted a CL ad for a Surly Pacer that looks like it might be my size, and the asking price is low. It's got the Shimano Tiagra combination brake/shifter levers, so I think I might be more comfortable with those than the ones on the Cross Check. I think I'm going to go give it a look tonight. I can't believe that in the span of about a week I've gone from "maybe I could get something lighter than my Amsterdam" to "I want a zippy hybrid, but definitely not a road bike!" to "those road bikes are kinda cool, actually..."

I'm sure you all see this happen pretty frequently, LOL.

Any thoughts on the Surly Pacer? It looks pretty similar to the Cross Check and I know a lot of people love those. This bike would be primarily for commuting, at least at first. Would the Jamis Coda or Trek FX 7.3 be better suited for that?

Thanks!
Gillian

[Owlie]

I looked at the Pacer in my search for a second road bike. It's a nice bike, though I think you could do better on the components if you find yourself wanting to do longer recreational rides. I'm sufficiently short-torso-ed that the geometry probably wouldn't work without a signficantly shorter stem, but if you're not a freak like me, go ahead and test it. You have nothing to lose.

(It's steel and British racing green, though, which is a big plus in my book. )

[khosch]

Wow, you all have given me a lot to think about! This is really interesting.

Can you tell me more about what's preferable about riding a drop-bar road bike? Part of my commute involves riding downtown amongst lots of cars. Doesn't having your head down lower make it harder to see and be seen? I know that there are lots of hand positions avaliable on a drop bar bike, and some of them position you up higher. But how do you brake quickly if your hands are on the upper part of the bars and the brakes are down below? Is this a challenge for the less-coordinated, like me?

Gillian, I have been riding an Electra Townie since last October, and just bought a beautiful road bike. Like you I wanted to sit upright and not put any weight on my hands, since they did seem to fall asleep on an earlier hybrid that I owned. But recently I decided to go faster and farther - and the best way to do that is with a road bike.

You can get your LBS to install brake cross levers on the top of the handllebars, & I had mine do that because I was nervous about getting to the brakes. Also, the drop handlebars give more hand positions than straight bars, and this was important to me. When riding on the flat top part of the bars you can look around, but you won't be sitting as straight as you were on your Electra. This does require you to hold your body up and so can be tiring. I had my LBS put on a stem extender, which detracts from the beauty of my road bike, but makes it easier for me to not put weight on my hands.

Good luck!