Help Pooks Find a New Bike

[mimitabby]

Just for the adventure, take a peek at the Rivendell "Protovelos." Kind of a grab bag bike shopping adventure!

(I'm not at all seriously suggesting you get one, just saying here's something interesting)

http://www.rivbike.com/bikes/protovelo

ha he was talking to me where he said "A Protovelo is not the frame for you if you're a chronic worrier, if you need reassurance that 'it'll be OK..' "

[pooks]

The guy was a fairly new rider, I think -- he'd been on a hybrid and this was his first roadie. I think he was naive, pleased as punch with his new bike, and wanting to share the joy. He was a very nice young guy.

I'm not sure the 57 is all that much too big, especially with the seat lowered a bit. But I just wasn't ready to try it yesterday.

I do think I need to test as many bikes as I can -- even just parking lot tests -- until I begin to get a feel for what I'm doing, and the differences. It's possible that it was "new position nervousness/tension" that was the main part of my problem on that Allez. It's also possible that it's something about my shoulders and upper body strength that I need to work on, at least partially. I really do get tense in my shoulders.

I can think of a number of things I can do, including just taking one of the shop's bikes out for a few miles to see if I loosen up any or adjust or if it gets worse, etc.

If you get a professional fit, is that to a particular bike? Or are those measurements that you then take with you to determine what kinds of bikes to try? Does a professional fit tell you what geometry to look for, etc.?

I am now really wondering about the 52. I thought it sounded small. The guy looked at me and said, "We're about the same, I think, let's try a 52, this is what I ride." Then after adjusting the seat a couple of times, he said it looked like a good fit, and that I wasn't stretched too far or bunched up, and that if that was a bike I was interested in that they'd then start working on the stem, handlebar, etc.

[mimitabby]

Pooks, 52 might be too small, but remember your stand over height (which relates to the 52) is not the only important measurement.
In a factory made bike you might have to get a smaller sized bike to get the top tube length that is best for you. So don't worry so much about 52's 54's and 57's worry about what it feels like. When you go into a bike shop, stay in the range of 52, say, try a 54 next time. If it makes your head and neck feel much worse, that's clearly not the direction you need to be going in.

[pooks]

Got it.

[pooks]

DAY TWO (of test riding)

I went to a local Jamis Dealer.

"How tall are you?"

"Between 5'7" and 5'8"."

"I'd start you off on ... let's try a 51."

Wow, these guys sure do want to put me on a small bike. And this guy (like the one before) said, "I'm 5'7" and I'm on 55, but I ride more stretched out than you're probably going to want to."

He was NOT 5'7" but I don't suppose I have to tell you women that? Probably closer to 5'6" but hey, who's counting? However, he has much shorter legs and longer torso than I have for what that's worth.

Okay, so anyway, he happened to have a 2006 Jamis Quest 53 that he eyeballed and decided that actually, I should try it, and he made a couple of adjustments and I rode it and --

Smooth as silk. Wow! And NO tension in my shoulders. Maybe it's a more relaxed position than the Specialized Allez? Not sure. I just know for the first time I (OUCH!!!) understood the term "painful in the girly bits."

I was hoisting myself up off that skinny seat to relieve the pressure (but also because it felt better on my legs -- same as on my hybrid) but other than that, it felt really nice.

By the way, Xeney will be proud. When he asked how it felt, I told him it was immediately better than the Specialized Allez I rode, and that it felt pretty good except -- I suddenly realized I was about say "girly bits" and said, "except for pressure on the genitalia." He nodded and started adjusting the saddle a bit.

I went back and he got me on the trainer and worked some more with it, and finally got a 54 Jamis Ventura (entry level aluminum) and adjusted it, and said he'd like me to give it a try, just for size. (I think he may have said it was a similar geometry to the Quest, but I'm not sure he said that.)

I did. Still had pressure issues with the seat, and when that's going one? Sometimes hard to discern other problems, if ya know what I mean and I think you do. But it was a better fit for my legs, I'm pretty sure. Felt a tad less comfortable through the shoulders, and I took it back to him and told him that I might need the WSD for the handlebar width and he said he could put a narrow handlebar on the 54 and it would do the same thing, but he thinks I don't need the WSD, that my torso and legs seem to be more 50/50 and the WSD is for women who have shorter torsos in comparison to their legs.

I also told him that the steel bike was MUCH smoother riding and he seemed like that might have surprised him a bit, and he said he was glad I noticed it, because it was true. (I'm glad I noticed, too. It's one of those things that I didn't know if it only came into play when you've ridden a few miles or not, but with this, it was IMMEDIATE.)

The other thing, he said that the kinds of adjustments we'd be making for my leg extension was about saddle adjustment, not bike frame? At least, I think that's what I understood.

I rode both bikes again, realized I was beginning to confuse myself and the saddle was not getting any more comfortable, and then told him I had a lot more test riding to do, but I was sure I'd be back.

And that was my adventure in test riding for today.

[mimitabby]

hey, that's great! what about going back to that shop with your Brooks saddle?

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Pooks, for what it's worth:
here is the rivendell sizing method:
http://www.rivbike.com/how_to_pick_y...g_a_frame_size
I am 5'5" with a PBH of 80cm, and I take a 53-54cm Rivendell.
NOT the same system for other bikes!

All brands are slightly different, and no one can say Oh you are 5'8" so you need a size ___ frame. It is not the same from brand to brand. It's only a START to begin with standover clearance- you will need to address reach/toptube length as well, for one thing.
Glad you liked the Jamis steel bike!
You are doing great and learning more every day- that's wonderful! The more you know when you do actually buy your bike, the better choice you will make.

[pooks]

I thought about that. I told him I was on a Brooks now, and he said, "Oh, if you've gotten used to a Brooks you're going to want to stay on a Brooks," whatever that means.

[pooks]

Thanks, Lisa. The first time I went through this process, I wanted a bike NOW. I am pretty sure that even if my husband hadn't ordered the bikes, I would have ended up with the wrong bike, just because I didn't understand how important getting the RIGHT bike was, and was very impatient.

This time, I'm enjoying the process and of course have a bike at home to ride in the meantime!

[mimitabby]

IT means you have been SPOILED. You know what COMFORTABLE means. and they can't BS you into trying one of their ultralight rockslab saddles.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

IT means you have been SPOILED. You know what COMFORTABLE means. and they can't BS you into trying one of their ultralight rockslab saddles.

Or their marshmallow gel torture instruments....

[SadieKate]

IT means you have been SPOILED. You know what COMFORTABLE means. and they can't BS you into trying one of their ultralight rockslab saddles.

It simply means she has found the saddle that works for her. Sheesh. I ride an ultralight and very firm saddle and it suits me to a T, thank yew very much. No pain involved.

[pooks]

And what the heck, I test rode another bike this afternoon.

A Lemond Etape. This is at the LBS with the 20+/Brooks-appreciating guy, who sized me up and said, "I'm going to start off with at least a 55, what have the others been putting you on?"

Okay, so the Etape was a 55. I got on it, and the seat was comfortable. (!!!!!) I didn't ride far. Just did a spin around the parking lot. Aluminum -- not as nice as the steel Jamis Quest I rode this morning, but the bike felt pretty good. Unfortunately I didn't get to ride it much more because when I came back to where he was waiting and I went to get off the bike --

I forgot my foot was in a cage.

One scraped and dripping knee later ....

We looked at the Tourmalet in the shop and talked about it, and I told him I'd come back later (maybe tomorrow) to ride it. They have no WSDs in that shop, however. They do have Felts, so I am sure I'll try a Felt or two, too. If not tomorrow, soon. This is the one LBS that is near enough for me to ride my bike to.

He said, again, that he'd recommend me not going any lower than a 55. (Oh, and when I told him I'd ridden the Jamis he knew where I'd been and says he has all the respect in the world for the guys there. He did not say that about the place that put me on the 52, however.)

So, that's the latest.

[maillotpois]

It simply means she has found the saddle that works for her. Sheesh. I ride an ultralight and very firm saddle and it suits me to a T, thank yew very much. No pain involved.

Ditto. Everyone's different. My saddle's a firm, light men's racing saddle (with all important cut out) and I've ridden it up to 250 miles at once comfortably. (While I did ride it on my 375 mile ride last year, it wasn't exactly comfortable because of operator error and because that was stupid far. )

[KnottedYet]

YAY POOKS!!!!

I'm so glad you're riding lots of bikes! And glad you like steel, and can feel the difference in the frame materials already! Look at you, being the bike connessuer. (o0k, I can't spell fer diddly today)

When you start narrowing down your choices to your top 3 or 4, I'd definitely take your Brooks with you. You don't want an unfamiliar saddle to distract you from the bikes.

Can I also recommend that you ride the test bikes without using cages or clipless? Again, it's just a distraction if they aren't something you're already used to.