I did it!! My First Road Bike

[MelFel]

Hi All-

Thank you for your encouragement last week. I spent the weekend visiting bike shops and testing bikes (and testing employees at the bike shops). Many bikes and test rides later I am the proud owner of a lovely Specialized Dolce Pic is attached (I think...). The only think I don't totally love about the appearance is the pink, I'm going to have to see what I can do about that.

I brought her home and went for an 1.5 hour ride yesterday, so much fun and none of the pain or pukiness that I often experienced from running (I switched to cycling b/c I can't run marathons anymore, too many injuries). However, my sit bones are rather sore this morning.

As a side note, my DH also purchased a bike this weekend. He and I are the exact same height, but it was amusing to compare notes on which bikes worked for each of us, as the one he ended up loving (Trek 1000) I felt very uncomfotable and unstable on.

[indigoiis]

Congratulations on yer lurvely new ride.
And the pink is cool - it's not too pink. Just little pink bits.
Kind of punk pink, not pepto-bismal pink.

Think of Pinky Tescadero (sp?) in Grease. Now you're cool!



I look forward to hearing ride reports!

[mimitabby]

congrats on the new bike! the Dolce is a great bike.

[keeper]

Congratulations on your new bike! I bought the exact same bike a couple of months ago and I love it!! (The pink clenched the deal for me )

[sundial]

ALL RIGHT!!!! You picked a GREAT bike! Congratulations to you and your hubby on your new bike purchases. I'm a Specialized fan myself and hubby is a Trek owner too. Go figure!

When you get a chance post a pic of you perched on your new bike. We love to see proud new owners and their bikes.

[mixie]

Congrats and welcome to the family I love my Dolce too. In fact, I just came inside from giving a her a bath and lubing up the chain. We got kinda dirty yesterday on our ride

I like the pink and black combo, mine is a blue/white 06 model. I want to know why anyone in their right minds puts white bar tape on a bike? Looks nice but gets brown fast.

[sundial]

I want to know why anyone in their right minds puts white bar tape on a bike? Looks nice but gets brown fast.

Because it's coooooooooollll.

Soft Scrub will clean it right up.

[cinnamon_toast]

Congrats!!! I hope the two of you have many wonderful memories together.

I am an ex-runner, too, and don't EVER see going back. I thought running was the only thing that we keep me lean and trim but was I ever wrong... Biking is great for that and so much less of a chore than running is.

I see you are in NYC - where do you plan to ride?

[MelFel]

Thanks for all the good wishes and compliments!! I think you ladies are right, its not so much pink as to be Barbie-dollish. I post some pics of me riding as soon as I have them.

Riding in NYC - right now I'm taking the shortest routes possible on the streets to the bikeway on the East River, last night I rode down the River to the bottom of Manhattan, cut through Battery Gardens and headed up the bikeway on the west side, which I know pretty well because I used to run there. I'd like to try Central Park soon, I just have to figure out the best way to get there without getting hit by a taxi. The other benefit of the Park is that I know the mileage of all the loops from running, elsewhere I have to use Google maps.

[sandra]

Congratulations on the new bike. I actually love the little bit of pink on it.

[rij73]

Yay! Congrats from a fellow New Yorker.

ETA: Cinnamon - there are so many nice places to ride in NYC. All of the TE ladies should come do a cycling vacation here! There are the paths virtually all the way around Manhattan as well as Central Park in Manhattan and Prospect Park in Brooklyn. There is also a 40-mile rails-to-trails paved route starting in Yonkers going north. Haven't done that one yet, but it's on my list. Another ride I have done is going over the Washington Bridge to New Jersey and riding River Road. It's a beautiful scenic practically car-free road along the Hudson River in Palisades Park. There is some serious climbing on that ride!

[MelFel]

Thanks RIJ. I might have to ask you more about some of those routes soon. Other than Central Park and the East/West side bikeways I don't know much. I'm going to pick up a map today (all the ones I've found online are so small I can't read anything).

[cinnamon_toast]

Well you will have to keep an eye out for my sister... LOL. She rides the same route. Not like you are inundated with choices there!

[rij73]

Thanks RIJ. I might have to ask you more about some of those routes soon. Other than Central Park and the East/West side bikeways I don't know much. I'm going to pick up a map today (all the ones I've found online are so small I can't read anything).

Almost every bike shop has the NYC Cycling Map. Make sure you get the 2007 version.

[MelFel]

Cinnamon - yeah, this might be one of the few instances where being in NYC affords less choices rather than more.

RIJ - thanks re: the 2007 version. I meant to pick one up when I picked up my bike and totally forgot, so I'm going to the shop in my neighborhood on the way home tonight.