One bike for everything?

[snyderd25]

..... One Bike to rule them all, and in the darkness bind them ...


Sorry. I really tried to resist. I really did.

I think she said elbow tendinitis. Gripping the bars too tightly is what I'd suspect ... that might be a fit issue directly with bars the wrong width or bend, or it might be an indirect thing where she's hanging on for dear life because the bike feels squirrelly, or it might just be a bad habit.

snyderd, what's your preferred hand position? Do you change positions now and then during your rides (hoods, drops, tops if there's room)? Do you shake your arms and hands out periodically? Do you notice yourself (or did your fitter notice you) gripping too tightly? You said three fittings, but how many different handlebars did you try?

I ended up with both tennis and golfers elbow in both elbows while training for century ride this spring. That's why I thought the relaxed fit of the casserole might work out. I definitely grip too tight, but I also put a lot of weight on upper body. I suggested changing handlebars but the fitters ( i tried two) didn't want to. We changed seat post and 3 diff stems. I do move hands a bit, mostly from hoods to straight in front. I rarely use drops. I am unable to stand and pedal in this bike ( not sure if that's fit issue). I def shake out hands and arms and stretch along he way.

[Miranda]

Cyclocross bikes rock. Love, love, love mine.

It's just a cheap no brand name internet special. But the geometry was within one cm of my Orbea carbon roadie (input of two fitters). So I knew I was good to go in ordering it on my own.

Sorry to hear about your pain issues. I've had my share of pain as well. One source of which was my ill fitting first road bike (two frame sizes too big, sold to by a lbs, not associated with the other two fitters).

I know for me it seems my physical fittness plays a role in how much pressure I put on my hands. When I am lighter, stronger, I notice less in my hands.

Good Luck!

[warneral]

Bianchi volpe is another option. I couldn't find any casseroles in Wisconsin when I went looking last week. I currently considering building a soma double cross

I'll still keep my road bike but this should work for everything else (rail trails, around town, future touring)

[eofelis]

I have a Gunnar Sport also. Mine is tiny, 41cm. It was a custom geometry frame. Dreamy ride, but still a road bike.

The Cross Check is certainly a great do it all bike, especially if you want all the tire clearance it offers. I have a Motobecane Fantom CXX (from bikesdirect . com) that is basically the same frame as the Cross Check. The 42cm size fit me just fine.

The Surly Pacer, the road bike frame, is also very nice. Not as light and fast as most road bikes, but extremely comfy and bombproof. I'd light tour on a bike like that.

What size bike are you looking at? What is your budget?

[kamikazejane]

CX bike all the way. Picked up a Specialized Crux Expert Force...love it. Throw the knobbies on for dirt training and the slicks for the road. Did a Century on it a few weeks ago and was supper comfortable the whole ride. I race around with the guys on some spirited rides with paces getting up to 24mph and really looking forward to being able to ride year round on it. I think it's the do it all bike. Pretty good in the weight department as well. The only thing to think about is if you are willing to maybe pick up an extra wheelset for slicks or possibly switch the chainring out. I wasn't too fond of the set up on mine and switched to a 50/34. I am 5'4" and fit perfectly on the 52cm Crux and I have a bad back which hasn't caused too many issues with the more upright sitting on the Crux. So yeah...CX all the way for the all around bike IMO.

[OakLeaf]

... may I ask which level(s) your back issue is at?

My PT has suggested that if I ever get back on a bike at all, I'll need to ditch the road bike. I've got issues at multiple levels, but the one that really gets nailed on the road bike is L3-4. I'm still skeptical that anything shy of a unicycle would let me ride in perfectly neutral spine regardless of terrain ... but I'd like to hear your experience.

[kamikazejane]

... may I ask which level(s) your back issue is at?

My PT has suggested that if I ever get back on a bike at all, I'll need to ditch the road bike. I've got issues at multiple levels, but the one that really gets nailed on the road bike is L3-4. I'm still skeptical that anything shy of a unicycle would let me ride in perfectly neutral spine regardless of terrain ... but I'd like to hear your experience.

My back is all out of whack. 50% of my T9 vertebrae is gone and then mild compression at T7, T8, T10, T11 and T12. Severe joint deformity in T9-T11. Disc deformity and compression all through my Thoracic as well. Everything that is going on in my Thoracic spine though has an effect on the rest of my spine. My lower back continues to try to compensate for the Thoracic and then the muscles and ligaments are constantly fighting to keep or try to pull my back back into it's natural alignment which it will never be in given the Kyphosis with half of T9 being gone. I have chronic pain every day but 75% of it was relieved with nerve ablation. Now it's just the residual pain from other nerves, joints, ligaments and muscles that are still lingering but not as severe.

The one thing my doctor said to me was to continue cycling if I can deal with the pain that I might have. He said sitting around doing nothing will only make the pain worse and affect my overall health and mental well being. I am only 33 and he knows I am a very active individual so he looks at the overall picture. I won't be doing any more damage cycling unless I crash and have a harsh force on my spine. The pain now is just nerves, muscles and ligaments getting aggrevated from the activity. So if I can deal with that aggrevation/pain then no need to stop cycling. I have noticed that my back has strengthed up and the pain takes longer to set in. I try to stretch before, during and after riding. So do I ride pain free? No. My pain is less/takes longer to set in on the CX bike because I sit more upright. On my Felt I can only last 15 minutes before back pain sets in.

So sorry you having to deal with back pain as well. I hope it gets better for you. I think I am just to the point that it's such an every day thing that it's just now a part of life.

[Hi Ho Silver]

... may I ask which level(s) your back issue is at?

My PT has suggested that if I ever get back on a bike at all, I'll need to ditch the road bike. I've got issues at multiple levels, but the one that really gets nailed on the road bike is L3-4. I'm still skeptical that anything shy of a unicycle would let me ride in perfectly neutral spine regardless of terrain ... but I'd like to hear your experience.

I severely injured my back years ago (L5 and L4) badly enough that I ultimately had to have a spinal fusion. Although I still have numbness in my left side and occasional severe sciatica, I can ride road and MTB bikes without any problem. But this requires that I do two things - walk a few miles every day (apparently that builds a good balance of back and stomach muscles) and I have to adopt a different position on the saddle (my sit bones don't bear my weight, it mostly is supported by the pelvis, which is rotated). Hope you can find a way to ride again too.

[Owlie]

CX bike all the way. Picked up a Specialized Crux Expert Force...love it. Throw the knobbies on for dirt training and the slicks for the road. Did a Century on it a few weeks ago and was supper comfortable the whole ride. I race around with the guys on some spirited rides with paces getting up to 24mph and really looking forward to being able to ride year round on it. I think it's the do it all bike. Pretty good in the weight department as well. The only thing to think about is if you are willing to maybe pick up an extra wheelset for slicks or possibly switch the chainring out. I wasn't too fond of the set up on mine and switched to a 50/34. I am 5'4" and fit perfectly on the 52cm Crux and I have a bad back which hasn't caused too many issues with the more upright sitting on the Crux. So yeah...CX all the way for the all around bike IMO.

Do you have a long torso? I'm 3" taller than you and would ride the same size! Can it take a rack? I really like the Surly Cross-check, but I don't think I can ride one, since the top tubes are LONG. There's a shortage of WSD CX bikes out there, and I need a relatively short top tube, so the Crux/Tricross might be the best bet for me.

[kamikazejane]

Do you have a long torso? I'm 3" taller than you and would ride the same size! Can it take a rack? I really like the Surly Cross-check, but I don't think I can ride one, since the top tubes are LONG. There's a shortage of WSD CX bikes out there, and I need a relatively short top tube, so the Crux/Tricross might be the best bet for me.

I am a little longer in the legs than torso. The top tube isn't long on the 52 cm Crux at all. It measures about the same as a 51cm WSD Specialized road bike from what I recall when I was getting fitted for possibly a new Amira. And then the handlebar stem has a nice raised angle as well. I am not sure about the rack but I am sure it can work. I think Specialized is coming out with a more WSD CX bike for 2013. I havn't seen it yet but I think I read it on bikeradar.com or something. I havn't had any problems with the throw in shifting or reaching for the brakes and I have small hands. The cranks they use on the Crux Force are the same they put on the WSD road bikes so it's pretty female friendly straight off the bat. Overall, I can't say enough positive things about the bike. I know I saw some brand new ones on ebay over the past month if you are looking to save a few pennies.

[Rubylvr]

Hi-
I was wondering how you compared your specialized Ruby and your Gunnar sport? I am seriously thinking of switching my Ruby frame for a Gunnar steel.
ANy input appreciated.

[nuliajuk]

Steel fatigues over time as well. My old touring bike, which I had for 23 years, eventually started to feel too whippy for comfort. And I've seen steel frames break - usually track frames, while some large and muscular sprinter is starting off the line for a kilo. There is no perfect material that lasts forever.
As to a do-everything bike, I vote for cyclocross bikes as well. My husband loves his Ridley Crossbow, and he has no intention of riding 'cross, ever. It gets ridden with touring tires to do the bulk of his riding. The carbon road bike comes out only occasionally. I bought a steel touring bike 2 years ago, but now I'm thinking that it's a waste for someone who doesn't tour, much heavier and more sluggish than his Crossbow. I'm thinking of selling it to buy something like the Ridley, perhaps a Kona Major Jake.

[Blueberry]

If I were looking for the 1 bike, I would be looking hard at a Surly Straggler. It has different dropouts, that make fenders easier (they can be a pain on the rear of a regular cross check when a flat happens).

I have 2 cross bikes, and have never ridden (and never intend to ride) cross.