It's a Trek! :D

[Duck on Wheels]

Red candy cigars all around. It's a Trek.

Today my guts were finally back in shape for some test riding (though they still protested painfully when the bus hit that bumpy stretch of road on Science Drive!). Anyways, twinges or no twinges, I wanted to test those bikes. Also, I sold my car today so I both need and can afford a better bike.

The Jamis has a ride smooth as butter! Also very smooth shifting. And my back and shoulders were ok with the fit, but the geometry of the bike had me sitting so high I couldn't get a toe down without standing down off the saddle entirely. I was glad I wasn't clipped in!

The Specialized has a very efficient, stiff frame. Also a good fit for my back and shoulders, and not quite so high a perch. But it's so stiff that I felt every bump in the road, which made me a bit nervous and I could also envision it making my arms very tired.

The Trek was nearly as smooth a ride as the Jamis. In addition to equally smooth and precise shifting the buttons were easier for me to understand (on the Jamis the thumb button was up on one side but down on the other, on the Trek the buttons for front and back have the same effect on effort). Furthermore, it has a geometry that allows me to get a toe on the road while seated. So it was kind of like Goldylocks testing the beds -- too soft, too hard, just right.

The LBS found a triple chainring set that somebody had traded for a compact double. The triple is actually a notch up the scale in terms of price and quality, but they said they'd make that an even trade and throw in the work time for free too. They've already put on a shorter stem with a steeper angle, which made the fit pretty much perfect, though I think we'll raise the seat just a smidgen when I pick up the bike tomorrow. On the way home I bought a Serfas Carma saddle from the other shop owned by the same guy. They'll put that on for me tomorrow when I pick up the bike.

I think her name is Ruby Slipperz, because of the jewel-like candy-apple red color, the slipper-like sloped diamond geometry (as opposed to the stilleto-heeled Jamis), and the fact that I'm about ready to head home.

[songlady]

Congrats! Sounds like a great bike

[Brina]

glad you found your "just right"

[mtkitchn]

pictures, please!

[Duck on Wheels]

pictures, please!

For now this'll have to do:
http://www.trekbike.co.uk/2006/index...eID=15&ID=266#

[Trek420]

beyooteeful. Now, what size (cm) is Ruby? I'd best get going finding you a rental for your visit.

[yellow]

Oh, glad you got the red one. So much more comely than the silver one!

[snapdragen]

Red bikes are very fast. Almost as fast as blue.....

[Geonz]

She's fast and sleek... much nicer than a silly car!

[Quillfred]

Wow, she's a beaut No-longer-bikeless-in-WI !!!!

Have many hours of biking thrills.

Puff, puff, (wish I knew a good Groucho joke to toss in),

Quillfred

[Duck on Wheels]

beyooteeful. Now, what size (cm) is Ruby? I'd best get going finding you a rental for your visit.

Hmmmm. I should know from metric. Let's see ... 1" = 2.54cm so 20" = 58cm. But you could just go with 20", which is the number Ruby has on her frame.

Last time I test rode, the lbs guy who was serving us suggested putting a 75mm 17degree stem on her (_that_ they do in metric!), but the guy helping me today was skeptical. He thought that a stem that short and steep might make her steering twitchy. He let me try an 80mm tho, also shorter and with a steeper angle than the nearly level 10mm she came with as standard. The 80mm fit me ok and the steering was still fine. I found I had two hand-and-back positions to switch between -- down on the heels of my palms for less wind resistance or tighter control, up on the balls of the palms to stretch my back. Felt good either way, but also felt good to switch. I was ok on the 10mm too, but tended to go up onto my fingertips for a "posture break", which is probably not good in a situation when control is suddenly an issue.

Buuuut ... before you rent anything, I need to hear back from the movers about box sizing and a cost estimate with and without the bike. If it's cheaper and/or more doable to simply take her as checked luggage, she may be with me the whole trip. In fact, maybe I just sit on her, click my heels together and say "I want to go home".

[Lise]

Oh, she looks so beautiful! The only thing I regret about the Bianchi is that she's not firey red like the Fuji I tried! I secretly (no longer secret) covet a red bike. Red is a very fast color. I am so happy for you, to find "your" bike. Wishing you many, many happy miles.

Lise

[Dianyla]

Red bikes are very fast. Almost as fast as blue.....

Bwahahahaa!!! I wholeheartedly concur!

[maggiedatongue]

She's beautiful! I've been interested in the same line of bikes and will be testing Trek FX 7.# (depending on what they have in stock) next week. I'll be anxious to hear an update on how you get along. Congrats!

[betagirl]

Congrats! I think it's the same color as my Trek 1200. It sure is a purty red. Good to hear your guts are acting better also.

Red bikes are very fast. Almost as fast as blue.....

Indeed.