Now I just feel silly...

[Pascale]

Ok, so when you are on a road bike, and you look straight down, should you be looking directly at the middle of your handlebars? or slightly ahead? or behind?

[Over50Newbie]

I don't have a clue. I will look down while riding tomorrow. And you really mean "Straight Down" , right? Not just looking down at the road ahead of you. And does it make a difference if the handlebars are straight or drop? As you know, I have straight ones. I would guess that if you are in the drop position, and not on your hoods, your head would be in a different place.

[Pascale]

I do mean "straight down" - cuz the guy at Hoigaards asked me, but when I told him the answer, it's like he didn't know if what I answered was what it was supposed to be (kinda lost confidence in him at that point...)

[Over50Newbie]

Stay tuned... I'll let you know tomorrow. For now, it is past midnight here in CT and I'm going to bed.

It will be interesting to see what others have to say, especially the more experienced riders.

[pooks]

I don't know the diff between townie, comfort and hybrid either. I guess I'm lucky I got a hybrid instead of ... I don't know, whatever that first bike I looked at and liked was!

[DebW]

Ok, so when you are on a road bike, and you look straight down, should you be looking directly at the middle of your handlebars? or slightly ahead? or behind?

For me it's slightly behind. I saw on some bike fitting site that if you are riding on the hoods and looking ahead, your nose should be about 1 inch behind the handlebars. Knowing this would require a 2nd person to drop a plumbbob from you nose while you look ahead. A professional fitting would take lots of other factors into account and is the best way to go.

[Grog]

I'm definitely "behind" my handlebars. I haven't checked specifically but I think that if you split the space between the tip of the saddle and the stem in imaginary thirds, my nose, when looking down, would be at about the line between the middle and the front third.

[Pascale]

I'm definitely "behind" my handlebars. I haven't checked specifically but I think that if you split the space between the tip of the saddle and the stem in imaginary thirds, my nose, when looking down, would be at about the line between the middle and the front third.

Ok, on the Terry bike I was almost directly over the handlebars when I looked down, and maybe a bit in front - which made me constantly feel like I was on the verge of tumbling forward - I thought it felt a bit small!

[Bikingmomof3]

Pascale,
You are not alone. I put about that many miles on mine going bewteen 16-21 mph. I *want* a road bike, but I never would have gotten on it. With my "comfort" bike, I am pushing it to the limits and loving biking (something I was terrified to do for 37 years). I am practicing, and gaining strength and endurance, while saving up for a "real" road bike.

[Kano]

Pascale,
You are not alone. I put about that many miles on mine going bewteen 16-21 mph. I *want* a road bike, but I never would have gotten on it. With my "comfort" bike, I am pushing it to the limits and loving biking (something I was terrified to do for 37 years). I am practicing, and gaining strength and endurance, while saving up for a "real" road bike.

Me too -- there's definitely a road bike somewhere calling my name! "Right now" I'm thinking about getting the clipless pedals, cuz then I'd be used to using them when I DO get that road bike some day, and I'm thinking about those slick tires for this bike (they'd be fat slicks....) but after taking a week off due to travel, I feel pretty certain that there's SOMETHING wrong with the fit (I think I'd be at the bike shop right now if it wouldn't be too hot to ride back home after!), and that makes me wonder how much work/money/etc. do I want to put into this bike, when I could put it into that road bike... (it's probably something minor, like seat adjustment and/or handle bar adjustment, which isn't necessarily a good thing at all!)

Meanwhile, I'm practicing too! (neighbor lady said she rode so much farther so much easier soon as she hopped on her new road bike, though..... GOSH it's tempting!)

[Bikingmomof3]

Me too -- there's definitely a road bike somewhere calling my name! "Right now" I'm thinking about getting the clipless pedals, cuz then I'd be used to using them when I DO get that road bike some day, and I'm thinking about those slick tires for this bike (they'd be fat slicks....) but after taking a week off due to travel, I feel pretty certain that there's SOMETHING wrong with the fit (I think I'd be at the bike shop right now if it wouldn't be too hot to ride back home after!), and that makes me wonder how much work/money/etc. do I want to put into this bike, when I could put it into that road bike... (it's probably something minor, like seat adjustment and/or handle bar adjustment, which isn't necessarily a good thing at all!)

Meanwhile, I'm practicing too! (neighbor lady said she rode so much farther so much easier soon as she hopped on her new road bike, though..... GOSH it's tempting!)

It is indeed tempting. Fortunately (or not), the boys have school starting soon and any money for new bike goes towards school clothing, supplies, and sporting fees. So as tempted as I am, it is not in the budget.

I do like your idea of new pedals, to become used to them. Great idea. I am trying to find creative ways to push myself with this bike and prepare myself for next summer when I can hopefully buy a new bike.

[morsecode]

I have no idea about any of this, but it sounds like you are doing great.

Good luck finding your perfect road bike!!!

[Kano]

Pascale --- for what it's worth, I'm doing the same thing you are! I have the Specialized Expedition, and am putting at least 50-60 miles on it every week too! And -- except when I do a bunch of hills, my speeds are in that same neighborhood.

Earl thought they'd be perfect because he thinks we will enjoy mountain biking -- After a couple of "mountain" type rides, I'm pretty sure that I will NOT be a mountain biker. So far, he's managed to keep me off road bikes, I think with the goal of making me wait for next season. Have fun searching for your perfect road bike!

Karen in Boise

[Pascale]

Karen - glad to know I have some company out there!! Too bad we're so far away - we could go out and kick butts together - ROFL

[Kano]

Karen - glad to know I have some company out there!! Too bad we're so far away - we could go out and kick butts together - ROFL

You never know, Pascale! Family's all back there, so we visit now and again -- usually the road-crud season, though, you know, that stuff on the roads that you can't exactly call snow.... If we could kick butt during THAT time of year, we'd really be kicking butt!

Karen in Boise