Loving my bike...

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Well, I've had quite a little 'journey' in getting familiar with my new Luna custom bike after it arrived a couple months ago...

First, I had a nasty head cold/ailment when it arrived in early Spring. I couldn't ride anything at the moment. I tried, but was having lots of trouble trouble with learning the gearing (going from bar end shifters to brifters). Couldn't get the hang of it at all.

Then came a week of freezing rain and slush. No biking.

Right when the weather turned nice, I injured my hip while roller skating and that put me totally out of commission for 3 weeks. Could barely limp around and terrible pain.

Then my hip got better, and the weather was good!...
Started riding it, but was having trouble with the shifting- kept dropping my chain no matter what I did.
We had to do a LOT of little test rides combined with many minute derailleur adjustments- that took a couple more days of endless adjusting, testriding, and re-adjusting.

Finally, we seemed to hit the magic sweet spot for the shifting smoothness!

Then immediately a week of rainstorms hit.

FINALLY, 2 months after the bike had arrived, the shifting/my health/the weather have all come together, the stars have aligned properly, and I can at last get a feel for how the bike fits me. Yikes but that took a long time! I managed to get like 3 good longer rides on it and everything is humming along, purring like a kitten.

Anyhow, I rode 20 miles today and the bike felt just wonderful. I can now truly say that I LOVE my new bike. It's sweet.
I feel better weight balanced on it, and it feels like I am connected to the machine as opposed to just riding on top of it. I no longer feel like my weight is too far forward on my hands as with my longer top tube bike. I am comfortable in all the various hand positions on the bars- tops, hoods, drops. Plus, I can actually get a firm wrap-around grip on my brakes- a real delight!

It's a honey.



more pix of my Luna Bike




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[LBTC]

BSG - what a wonderful post!!! Thank you! You've made me happy all over again!

I am soooo glad you love your bike! It's the sweetest feeling! And didn't all those delays just make this so much sweeter? Enjoy her every moment!

Will you name her?

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[Mr. Bloom]

kept dropping my chain no matter what I did.

Silver got me one of these:

http://www.rei.com/product/670913

Wow! What a difference!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Silver got me one of these:

http://www.rei.com/product/670913

Wow! What a difference!

Yes, we have a similar one coming in the mail. DH had some dropping problems on one of his bikes and that gizmo helped a lot.
I don't seem to be dropping my chain anymore now though- I think we got everything fine tuned really well.

Still can't think of a good name. It will come....

[LainiePants]

Wow, that must have been unbearable, having a bike that awesome (and new!) and not being able to enjoy it like it deserves! I'm glad things have turned around for you two.

And I love the matching yellow bar tape! Very slick

[smurfalicious]

Oh my gosh she's beautiful! That color is awesome! I never would have picked it but boy if I ever get a custom job I may have to consider it. She looks so classy with the Brooks and your adorable bag on the back.

*sigh* I know about having toys you can't play with but hopefully tomorrow. At least my not riding isn't from injury, sorry to hear you've been so accident prone lately.

[elk]

wonderful!! I think the spell must have broken...the roads open up and back we go!!

I'm still waiting for a photo of Lisa ON her Luna.....

[Crankin]

Glad you are feeling better, the weather Gods are finally smiling, and you've got the shifting down. Now you will be all set when we ride to your house in July!
OK, it's 5:15 AM and I have to get ready to leave on my commute.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Glad you are feeling better, the weather Gods are finally smiling, and you've got the shifting down. Now you will be all set when we ride to your house in July!

You mean August 1st or 2nd, right?

Yes I've got the shifting down and the derailleurs are finally perfectly adjusted!

[mimitabby]

Yay Lisa!
You won't need that gadget on your nice bike! we had it put on our clunky old tandem, and it helped some of the time. On a nice bike like your Luna, once it's in tune, you should never need that thing. I don't see your inclinometer!

[ginny]

I just had to tell you that I love your bike so much that I emailed Luna today to see about building one for me! I hope you are still loving your new baby! She really is super pretty!!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I just had to tell you that I love your bike so much that I emailed Luna today to see about building one for me! I hope you are still loving your new baby! She really is super pretty!!

Wow, Ginny- that is so cool!

Be sure to tell Margo that you got inspired by the pix and description of "Lisa from NY"'s butternut colored bike.

Well I noticed this morning that I've put almost 500 miles on my Luna now, and I know you'll be especially glad to hear that I love this bike more and more every single day. She still does seem brand new to me, though we have totally 'bonded' at this point.
Margo did a TERRIFIC job of translating my many body parts measurements and my desires into the absolutely PERFECT bike for me in every way. I am so utterly comfortable on it and I just could not be more thrilled. My previous elbow pain from my other bike is GONE, I'm faster, and my weight is so nicely centered- I don't have that yucky feeling of tipping forward too much anymore. I feel I can get more leg power behind my pedaling now. I can enjoy the nicer steering of a slightly longer stem too, yet this stem would be too long on my other bike....but not on my Luna. I can ride equally comfortably in all positions on my handlebars- how'd she manage that?? I also discovered that I can ride no-handed on my Luna and not on my other bike....more proof of being well balanced weight-wise. I just can't say enough good things about the bike Margo built for me.

I am even considering selling my beautiful Rivendell at some point in the future (!!) to replace it with a second Luna exactly the same as my current one, (or maybe just the same but with fenders and racks for errands and touring trips, and in another yummy color!). I do like having two bikes, in case one gets damaged or needs LBS adjustments, etc. This Luna does everything for me, and I don't feel the need for a different kind of bike, just a secondary bike pretty much the same.
(Last year I thought I'd go out of my mind not being able to ride the several times I had to leave my one bike in the LBS several days at a time for various minor stuff!)

Anyway, give my regards to Margo and if you need any input or other help don't hesitate to PM me.
If you go ahead with getting a Luna, you should start your own thread and keep us all posted step by step, from the planning stage to the riding!
You know how we all on TE love to hear the details of everyone's new bikes!

[ginny]

That's awesome that you have found a bike that fits so well! I have to admit that I just love the butternut color you chose... in fact, in all my bike shopping lately, I keep telling myself, I'll just pick a bike and get it powder coated a cool mellow yellow . When I emailed Luna, Margo (?) - I mentioned TE, but not you by name. I'll be sure to do that. Maybe she'll give you a screaming deal on the next bike . Did you know there is a picture of your bike on her web site? Not only do the riders look like they fit perfectly on their bikes, but the bikes are SO aesthetically pleasing as well! I'm hoping to have her build me a commuter/touring bike. I just can't find touring bikes that seem to fit well enough, and if I'm going to spend lots of time on that bike, I figured I'd start there then, at some point, upgrade from my beloved bianchi to a custom road bike.... maybe someday...

Congrats again on a well fitting a pretty bike!

[tulip]

Ginny, I have one too, and even though it was originally built for someone else, when I went to visit Margo and check out the bike, it ended up fitting me perfectly, so it's just like custom. I wrote the check then and there and had her send it to me. I'd definitely get another one, maybe an Orbit 'cross bike next time, set up for touring.

[elk]

So what is the process?

Do send her your measurements or do you go to a fitter?

and why did you pick Luna than, say, Sweetpea or Terry? Are there other women "only" builders?