Originally Posted by staple
Thanks for the advice. I think we'll try either 32 or 28c tires (have to make up my mind which). The crushed limestone trails we ride on are quite nice, well maintained and not rutted.
We had already heard from a cycling friend that Terry saddles were worth looking into, so we're going to try some out this weekend.
late, excellent point about having more grip options with drop bars. I hadn't really thought of that. I've been surprised so far that 20-mile rides don't wreck my wrists, though I'm careful to wear gloves and keep my wrists straight. I avoided bicycles for many, many years, because I assumed riding would kill my wrists. I'm glad to have learned otherwise.
I have been trying to support my weight more with my legs when riding, which I hope will help otherwise. Bike shop was not a tremendous help with adjusting when I bought the bike -- set me up with a frame based on my height, but didn't make any adjustments. I think the bike is reasonably comfy as is, but it may need some fine tuning.
Thanks for the tips.
I ride my raleigh hybrid on our local WI limestone trails with 700X25's (came W/700X32) without any trouble except in early spring when the frost has just come out and they are still soft. There are numerous items that can be adjusted to your preferences. Things like the saddle forward and back on the mount, up and down height, tilted front or back. that bike probably also has an adjustable handlebar riser. When I first started riding my new bike this spring I took along the proper wrenches and adjusted things, drove a few miles to see and moved it again if I didn't like it. One of the first things I did was replace the "comfort" saddle with something narrower and harder. I now have about 400 mi on it and think it's where I want it.