ahhh. I wrote something and when I pressed on the post button, it was all gone. So let's try again and bear with me if 2-3 replies or similar appears all of a sudden.

You are right. It is mostly anxiety. And certainly not major reasons to stress. Yes I am afraid of falling. Maybe because I've been injured and into physiotherapy since this past Jan (and last treatments were 2 weeks ago). So very long time in PT - not counting previous knee surgery, so all remain fragile. Still not allowed to run, but allowed to cycle. Nothing requiring knee shocks, or elbow (had 2 minor tears - but ok for now) for that matter. So that too scares me.

We are more than equipped for tires. So the changing part is not worrying me. It's more my reaction if I get a flat (never encountered that with the hybrid) so that part stresses me a lot. The fact it is carbon and I found out later (after purchase) that Kuota had a bad reputation for carbon bike frame breaking in 2 while riding and injuries occured. From what LBS told me after, it was true. Kuota changed their way of making bikes and it should not happen again. At least under normal riding.

I will look up that Mantra thread tonight (at work now and not supposed to be surfing. hihi)

I will also order new tires (and I suppose tubes to match tires) and see how better I feel on the bike.

If that does not work, and time does not help, I will put that bike on a trainer for the winter and get a new bike next spring. There is so much stress I can handle. It is supposed to be fun...not stressing to be riding. hahahaha

Anyone know where to get the best tires (tubes) on-line? Not necessarily the high-end priced ones. If I can have pink on the tires, that would be the cherry on the sundae. I want tires to be comfortable. I don't care about the floating on air while riding and racing like the coyote.

You are also right in the sense that it does take time to learn on such bike. Which I was not expecting at all. Thus may be my exaggerated stress riding. I mean, we’ve been riding bikes since we’re probably 3YO…and at 50YO I’m having these issues. Hahaha

From what I understand, my fit is perfect. No pain, no discomfort from riding it, very comfy. BUT! Yes I do have a too- tight grip on the handles and I know it. Only feel pressure on my palms and it will create soreness to the point of numbing my little finger on right hand until I relax the grip. I have gel padded gloves and it will still hurt from too much grip. I’ve been told also to add end-bar to my handlebar to get a different hand position, which is lost when I switched from those road bars to flat bar.

So with this bike, I have to remind myself, “let go of the tight grip. You won’t control the bike better and will only get sore hands with white knuckles”. hihi. So yes I do talk to myself. It sounds worse than it is too actually. From what others have told me, my position on the bike looks very good. I ride very straight - no swaying, very stable (from what I've been).

I don’t know what the stem length is. Would have to look it up. I’m sure the day I relax my grip on the bar it will change the “riding” a lot too.

I don’t know of such classes in the area. They are all bike clubs, with mostly guys and it’s whom is going to be faster than the next. Even hubby has issues with it because they (most cyclists) do not ride for fun and leisure but for speed. But hubby loves his club riding most of the time. He has some buddies he likes to ride with side-by-side but other than this, they are really tough. And most classes I’ve read about are either spinning, or those power cadence or whatever classes. So nothing really for starters. 

Thank you for hearing me. Feels much better than the board I was on before where it was macho and testosterone kicking in and not understanding how we, women, can feel sometimes and turn everything into a joke.