My first road bike ride
-
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:07 am
My first road bike ride
Postby andylo » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:37 am
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.
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
-
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:37 pm
- Location: Townsville, QLD
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby BrisVegas » Fri Apr 26, 2013 10:48 am
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!
- rangersac
- Posts: 1438
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 11:01 am
- Location: Southern Tasmania
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby rangersac » Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:32 pm
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.
-
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:07 am
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby andylo » Fri Apr 26, 2013 1:52 pm
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.
- Pax
- Posts: 1277
- Joined: Sun Aug 03, 2008 5:23 pm
- Location: Sunshine Coast, Qld
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby Pax » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:17 pm
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.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.
Completely agree with the bars, they are rotated up terribly IMO.
Nice ride though
- missinglink
- Posts: 66
- Joined: Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:48 pm
- Location: Perth, WA
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby missinglink » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:49 pm
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.
- moreegolfer
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Thu Jun 17, 2010 3:39 pm
- Location: Toowoomba QLD
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby moreegolfer » Fri Apr 26, 2013 2:52 pm
- MattyK
- Posts: 3257
- Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2010 1:07 pm
- Location: Melbourne
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby MattyK » Fri Apr 26, 2013 3:08 pm
-
- Posts: 129
- Joined: Mon Aug 23, 2010 5:23 pm
- Location: Perth, WA
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby Shifter » Fri Apr 26, 2013 5:08 pm
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?
2010 Malvern Star Oppy A4
- g-boaf
- Posts: 21488
- Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2011 6:11 pm
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.
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.
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.
-
- 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
But it seems everyone like a narrow saddle... surely aero dynamic is not the reason, but I wonder why?
-
- Posts: 120
- Joined: Wed Jan 09, 2013 10:07 am
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby andylo » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:33 am
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
-
- Posts: 582
- Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 9:37 pm
- Location: Townsville, QLD
Re: My first road bike ride
Postby BrisVegas » Tue Apr 30, 2013 9:43 am
Return to “General Cycling Discussion”
- General Australian Cycling Topics
- Info / announcements
- Buying a bike / parts
- General Cycling Discussion
- The Bike Shed
- Cycling Health
- Cycling Safety and Advocacy
- Women's Cycling
- Bike & Gear Reviews
- Cycling Trade
- Stolen Bikes
- Bicycle FAQs
- The Market Place
- Member to Member Bike and Gear Sales
- Want to Buy, Group Buy, Swap
- My Bikes or Gear Elsewhere
- Serious Biking
- Audax / Randonneuring
- Retro biking
- Commuting
- MTB
- Recumbents
- Fixed Gear/ Single Speed
- Track
- Electric Bicycles
- Cyclocross and Gravel Grinding
- Dragsters / Lowriders / Cruisers
- Children's Bikes
- Cargo Bikes and Utility Cycling
- Road Racing
- Road Biking
- Training
- Time Trial
- Triathlon
- International and National Tours and Events
- Cycle Touring
- Touring Australia
- Touring Overseas
- Touring Bikes and Equipment
- Australia
- Western Australia
- New South Wales
- Queensland
- South Australia
- Victoria
- ACT
- Tasmania
- Northern Territory
- Country & Regional
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Mr Purple
- All times are UTC+10:00
- Top
- Delete cookies
About the Australian Cycling Forums
The Australian Cycling Forums is a welcoming community where you can ask questions and talk about the type of bikes and cycling topics you like.
Bicycles Network Australia
Forum Information
Connect with BNA
This website uses affiliate links to retail platforms including ebay, amazon, proviz and ribble.