Getting comfortable with the drops

[breeze]

Thanks, Jiffer, for clarifying. I should have been more clear myself! Sorry about that!
/newb

After trying an assortment of road bikes, I can definitely feel the difference in position when using the drop handlebars (instead of the position on my hybrid or MTB), and found myself being wobbly/tentative when trying to go down "into" the drops as well.

Thanks so much, y'all for your comments. I'm learning so much around here, and just wish that I could chat with a bunch of knowledgeable cycling ladies in person more often. I think I'm going to try to find a riding group once I get the new bike settled, and maybe I'll look for a women's group.

[Jiffer]

I highly recommend you find a group to ride with and, yes, if you can find a women's specific group even better. I started out on a tandem with hubby, so it was a good way to ease into group rides and I learned a lot. However, if I were starting out now, I'd ride with our club's women's ride on Sundays. It is perfect for beginning women who want to ride in a group and glean from others and ride at a pace that is more typical for beginning to intermediate women. I tried it once after I had my own bike and had already ridden with the regular club several times. By that time it was too easy for me, but I could see how I would have loved it as a beginner without a hubby on a tandem.

You can learn a lot from other riders and most cyclists are very friendly and helpful. (It's them serious racer types that you "sometimes" get the snub from!)