My first road bike ride

andylo
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:07 am

My first road bike ride

Postby andylo » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:37 am

Currently I am trailing this bike - and this very well could be my first road bike ever.

Image

And no, I am not confident with the clip thing yet! Will be on flat paddle for quite a while.

Compare to my mountain bike, This thing is quite easy ride - to be honest I can just carry it with me walking with one hand :p

Going up hill is not such a drag any more. I don't even have to change gears (to my favourite 1 on the left, 3 on the right gears). I just power through it without even standing. I have a Strava segment I am competing at the moment, this morning when I am riding up hill at the speed of 80% of my previous average speed, it comes no surprise to me that I have break my personal record.

When going downhill this thing is so fast, I have the apply brake to slow myself down a little, it just got a little scary.

Couple of things I have summarized from this morning's ride:

1) My ass hurt! I think the seat post is a little too tall and it is already at it's lowest, probably need to cut it down a little.
2) Very easy to pick up speed, it's feather light.
3) Don't feel the real brake is really that useful! I use the front brake a lot (which is more effective!) Previously on my MTB the amount of brake power is more balanced front/rear.
4) The handle bar is soooo narrow! It feel like I can fall on either side
5) Changing different handle bar/riding position is a challenge!
6) My ass hurt!
7) The posture on road bike makes my palm really hurt! I feel like I am putting 50% of my body weight on my both arms.
8) This bike my is like my wife in many way - sexy looking, expensive, can get very satisfy, thrilling ride and also every sensitive, every single little bump on the way become a kick into the groin!
9) It can turn left/right in a very sharp angle! Couple of time I thought I am going to fall but I didn't.
10) There are no indication on what gear I am on, it's a little confusing to me.
11) Have I mention my ass really hurt?

Tomorrow morning will shop ride with the pack, let's see what will happen :)
Image

BrisVegas
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby BrisVegas » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:48 am

Hey Andy. When you say trialling, do you mean you bought it?

It looks new, so it should come with a bike fit. Seats should generally sit perfectly flat. Yours is a little nose down. I won't try and diagnose what's right or wrong, but go see the experts at the bike shop and get fit properly.

Flash looking bike mate. I'd have expected nothing less from you! 8)
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rangersac
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby rangersac » Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:32 pm

Nice ride Andy. A couple of points you might want to think about in terms of hand and backside pain (which any decent bike fit should be able to clarify for you).

1. Your saddle looks like an Arione from the photo (wingflex markings on the side). Arione's are quite a narrow saddle, so unless you have a correspondingly narrow bum they are a plank of wood. I'm not knocking Fizik, as I've had an Arione, but have since moved to Aliantes as they are better suited to me.
BrisVegas wrote:Seats should generally sit perfectly flat

2. +1 to the above, or even very slightly tilted back (UCI be damned). You saddle should support your pelvis so that you don't slide forward, because if you do so you get more weight on your hands, hence the hand pain. You may not notice any sliding on the flat or climbing, instead check out what happens when you go downhill.

3. Bars. Yours are rotated up, resulting in the bottom of the drops not being parallel to the ground, and the hoods being tilted back towards you. By doing this it will feel like your hands are getting better support, but actually you should try and aim to have very little weight on your hands. It comes down to core strength, which you will need build up on a road bike. Your core supports you in the saddle, and you should eventually find that you can have your hands lightly resting on the drops, hoods or bars and they don't actually take much weight. Thus IMHO I feel it's better to have the drops parallel to the ground and saddle titled slightly back, as this forces you take the weight off your hands and improves your posture on the bike.
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andylo
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby andylo » Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:52 pm

Thanks for the comments guys.

Dion, it's not mine yet and I haven't paid for it. I am test riding it for few days or even a week to see if this suits me :)

rangersac, I will talk to the guy at LBS and see how to make it more comfortable for me. :)
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Pax
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby Pax » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:17 pm

rangersac wrote:
BrisVegas wrote:Seats should generally sit perfectly flat

2. +1 to the above, or even very slightly tilted back (UCI be damned). You saddle should support your pelvis so that you don't slide forward, because if you do so you get more weight on your hands, hence the hand pain. You may not notice any sliding on the flat or climbing, instead check out what happens when you go downhill.

3. Bars. Yours are rotated up, resulting in the bottom of the drops not being parallel to the ground, and the hoods being tilted back towards you. By doing this it will feel like your hands are getting better support, but actually you should try and aim to have very little weight on your hands. It comes down to core strength, which you will need build up on a road bike. Your core supports you in the saddle, and you should eventually find that you can have your hands lightly resting on the drops, hoods or bars and they don't actually take much weight. Thus IMHO I feel it's better to have the drops parallel to the ground and saddle titled slightly back, as this forces you take the weight off your hands and improves your posture on the bike.
Disagree re the saddle, while many run saddles level, I've run mine slightly nose down over ten's of thousands of Ks on the road bike and the commuter, and find it much more comfortable. SO there is an element of personal fit to that.

Completely agree with the bars, they are rotated up terribly IMO.

Nice ride though

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missinglink
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby missinglink » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:49 pm

I was taught, rightly or wrongly, that the bottom of the drops should be at an angle so that when ‘your’ hands are on the drops there is even pressure from the bar across the palm of your hand. This ensures an even weight distribution across the hands, minimising pressure points and a secure grip on the drops when you need it.

If you have the drops parallel to the ground then you have to angle your wrists in order to firmly hold onto the drops, which is awkward and un-comfortable for extended periods of time.

+1 to the nice ride.

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moreegolfer
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby moreegolfer » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:52 pm

Nice first bike Alo. Another ozgolfer turned to cycling :)

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MattyK
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby MattyK » Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:08 pm

Moving the seat backwards on the rails will also move your centre of gravity back, and take some weight off your hands.

Shifter
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby Shifter » Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:08 pm

Love those pedals on a Pinarello...

Some thought, there's not a whole lot of drop between the saddle and the bars. Maybe flipping the stem might put your hands in a better position?
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g-boaf
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby g-boaf » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:54 pm

andylo wrote:Currently I am trailing this bike - and this very well could be my first road bike ever.

Image

And no, I am not confident with the clip thing yet! Will be on flat paddle for quite a while.

Compare to my mountain bike, This thing is quite easy ride - to be honest I can just carry it with me walking with one hand :p

Going up hill is not such a drag any more. I don't even have to change gears (to my favourite 1 on the left, 3 on the right gears). I just power through it without even standing. I have a Strava segment I am competing at the moment, this morning when I am riding up hill at the speed of 80% of my previous average speed, it comes no surprise to me that I have break my personal record.

When going downhill this thing is so fast, I have the apply brake to slow myself down a little, it just got a little scary.

Couple of things I have summarized from this morning's ride:

1) My ass hurt! I think the seat post is a little too tall and it is already at it's lowest, probably need to cut it down a little.
2) Very easy to pick up speed, it's feather light.
3) Don't feel the real brake is really that useful! I use the front brake a lot (which is more effective!) Previously on my MTB the amount of brake power is more balanced front/rear.
4) The handle bar is soooo narrow! It feel like I can fall on either side
5) Changing different handle bar/riding position is a challenge!
6) My ass hurt!
7) The posture on road bike makes my palm really hurt! I feel like I am putting 50% of my body weight on my both arms.
8) This bike my is like my wife in many way - sexy looking, expensive, can get very satisfy, thrilling ride and also every sensitive, every single little bump on the way become a kick into the groin!
9) It can turn left/right in a very sharp angle! Couple of time I thought I am going to fall but I didn't.
10) There are no indication on what gear I am on, it's a little confusing to me.
11) Have I mention my ass really hurt?

Tomorrow morning will shop ride with the pack, let's see what will happen :)

Your pain issues sound like the bike fit not being perfect - same with the hands. You'll get used to the handling - they are sensitive, you might feel wobbly until you get used to it at low speed. The gears will likewise be second nature after time. Changing gears with brifters is the best thing ever.

And classy pedals for the bike! :) Enjoy it - looks very nice.

If you change over to clipless pedals and suitable shoes - find a wide open area to practice it. And maybe try clipping in and out with the bike on a trainer or balanced against a wall until you get the memory of how to do it. Loosen the tension on the pedals too.

andylo
Posts: 120
Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:07 am

Re: My first road bike ride

Postby andylo » Sat Apr 27, 2013 3:19 pm

Thank you for your input guys :) I am taking it back on Tuesday to re-fit it so it will match how I ride it. The skinny saddle is one thing to get used to.

But it seems everyone like a narrow saddle... surely aero dynamic is not the reason, but I wonder why?
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andylo
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby andylo » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:33 am

Just a quick update re bike fit today.

I have a long leg but my arm is not that long.

The bar is rotated up because the stem is angled upward. Previous guy want to sit more upright.

The frame is too large for my body type, or should I say too long. When my arms on handle bar, instead of sitting closer to the keen like everyone else, my arm are almost fully extended forward and I almost have locked my elbow, that's when I try to reach the top end of the handle bar. Riding on sprint position become almost impossible.

So long story short, I need a smaller frame.

The hunt start again :evil:
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BrisVegas
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Re: My first road bike ride

Postby BrisVegas » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:43 am

better to find that out now than be stuck with a bike you can't make fit. Good luck Andy.
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