Clydesdales/Athenas (200+ lb / 91+ kg) - Did my first 30 miler

I'm a fairly new road biker, and at 5'11" 220, slightly overweight, I would imagine I qualify as a clyde. I have just begun road biking, and my only complaint thus far is that the seat is not the most comfy thing in the world. I have a bone-stock 2005 Bianchi Eros with Campy gears and could not be more satisfied with the performance. I did not maintain tire pressure for my first two rides, and that resulted in flats. But now I'm educated, and run the correct pressure and everything has been running more smoothly.
Does anyone have any seat recommendations? I want something with a thin profile, but slightly more comfy than the stock bianchi seat.
Since last week when I received my Garmin Edge 305, I have been logging my road trips and jogs. Definitely the most interesting exercise gadget I have used to date. I recommend it for anyone training to lose weight - you can know your heart rate and work with it to achieve conditioning/weight loss results. It also has a great calorie read-out! Here is my Motionbased Digest:
moncureww.motionbased.com
By the way, this forum has been wonderful so far - I've occasionally chimed in with a question here or there, but lurking I've been able to find answers to many questions I've had along the way! Thanks all!
Webb

I'm a fairly new road biker, and at 5'11" 220, slightly overweight, I would imagine I qualify as a clyde. I have just begun road biking, and my only complaint thus far is that the seat is not the most comfy thing in the world. I have a bone-stock 2005 Bianchi Eros with Campy gears and could not be more satisfied with the performance. I did not maintain tire pressure for my first two rides, and that resulted in flats. But now I'm educated, and run the correct pressure and everything has been running more smoothly.
Does anyone have any seat recommendations? I want something with a thin profile, but slightly more comfy than the stock bianchi seat.
Since last week when I received my Garmin Edge 305, I have been logging my road trips and jogs. Definitely the most interesting exercise gadget I have used to date. I recommend it for anyone training to lose weight - you can know your heart rate and work with it to achieve conditioning/weight loss results. It also has a great calorie read-out! Here is my Motionbased Digest:
moncureww.motionbased.com
By the way, this forum has been wonderful so far - I've occasionally chimed in with a question here or there, but lurking I've been able to find answers to many questions I've had along the way! Thanks all!
Webb
Congrats on your first 30! Good job!

Wait til you do your first century or double century day! Then see how you feel (besides tired that is!).

Saddles? Selle Italia comes to mind or a Brooks leather saddle. Make sure either one fits your sit bones though!

Next Sunday I plan on leaving early in the AM and doing a 50-60+ miler, and during the week do 10-15 a day, or hit the trainer in the gym. This week I'll scope out some rides others have done in my area on Motionbased, then follow their lead and try to get my 4-hour ride in. The roads here are nice and wide open with very few cars - but running my 23mm tires at such high psi rattles me to death on some of those country roads. Bigger roads are fine. But thank goodness I got a steel bike with a carbon fork instead of the aluminum specialized the bike shop had recommended to me initially! And with this much riding - I mean about 50-60 miles so far, and probably 100-110 next week (including my ride next Sunday) - when should I head in for my first tune up at the LBS?



Congrats on your first 30! Good job!

Wait til you do your first century or double century day! Then see how you feel (besides tired that is!).

Saddles? Selle Italia comes to mind or a Brooks leather saddle. Make sure either one fits your sit bones though!

The Specialized Avatar comes in a 155 width for wide bodies and it is fairly light.

Next Sunday I plan on leaving early in the AM and doing a 50-60+ miler, and during the week do 10-15 a day, or hit the trainer in the gym. This week I'll scope out some rides others have done in my area on Motionbased, then follow their lead and try to get my 4-hour ride in. The roads here are nice and wide open with very few cars - but running my 23mm tires at such high psi rattles me to death on some of those country roads. Bigger roads are fine. But thank goodness I got a steel bike with a carbon fork instead of the aluminum specialized the bike shop had recommended to me initially! And with this much riding - I mean about 50-60 miles so far, and probably 100-110 next week (including my ride next Sunday) - when should I head in for my first tune up at the LBS?
When you see any warping of the wheels.

I'm 6' 230 lbs and found by changing my tires to 25's and running them at 95-100 psi improved the ride. You don't need to run the tires at the max pressure. By lowering the pressure it smoothed out the roads.

I'm a fan of Brooks saddles and weigh in at 235lbs (thats 5-10 lbs lost since I started this summer!...just weighed myself yesterday) Several clydes have reported extreme discomfort/lack of durability with them, but I think it takes 250+ to cause this effect.

I think stock saddles are designed to be troublesome as the OEM's little way of helping the LBS make more sales in saddles (which are probably a better % profit than the bikes) My new Pilot's stock saddle got swapped out for the Brooks as soon as I was done with my first ride yesterday.

when should I head in for my first tune up at the LBS?


The initial tune up is necessary to readjust the shift and brake cables primarily. Also, to check the wheels to make sure they are true.

Usually after 30 days or a couple hundred miles. Sooner if you're riding as much as you.

If the shifting performance is poor, go ahead and take it by the shop.

What occurs is that cables are a bunch of individual wires wound together to form the cable. During the initial use, the cable gets stretched and the wound wires get pulled tighter. The overall effect is the cable gets longer. Thus, your derailleurs and brakes fall out of proper adjustment.

Also, your spokes get "Set" and bead themselves. Sometimes a couple spokes need to be adjusted to make sure the wheel is true.

I'm a fan of Brooks saddles and weigh in at 235lbs (thats 5-10 lbs lost since I started this summer!...just weighed myself yesterday) Several clydes have reported extreme discomfort/lack of durability with them, but I think it takes 250+ to cause this effect.

I think stock saddles are designed to be troublesome as the OEM's little way of helping the LBS make more sales in saddles (which are probably a better % profit than the bikes) My new Pilot's stock saddle got swapped out for the Brooks as soon as I was done with my first ride yesterday.

I have three; a Champion Flyer, B-17 and a B-67 and they all differ as to how long they took to break in. The B17 took the longest and the Flyer in about 50 miles. When I say break in, I mean the initial break in. They only get better as time goes by, up to maybe 15,000 miles. I weigh 265 and don't see any durability issues. Remember, its leather and each one comes from a different cow!!!
I'd rather ride a Brooks than any plastic and foam/gel contraption and I will even go so far as to say, I wouldn't ride an upright bicycle if I couldn't ride a quality leather saddle. Instead, I would ride my recumbent and avoid the whole saddle/comfort issue and be faster in the process....but I like my old Raleigh and I am most gratefull for my broken in Brooks, it makes riding upright tolerable!:eek:

I'll also put in a vote for Brooks saddles. I have two, a Champion Flyer and a B-17 deluxe. My Champion Flyer also broke in a little quicker than the B-17, but they were both more comfortable than the ones I took off right from the start. If you don't want a Brooks, you might want to check out the Specialized saddles. They have a way of checking your sit bone width so they can find the correct saddle for you.

Smokey

Several clydes have reported extreme discomfort/lack of durability with them, but I think it takes 250+ to cause this effect.



I've owned Brooks saddles for years, and thats the first I ever heard of that!!!
Durability issues??????.........On a "Brooks"?????........man, thats funny!!!!!

"Comfort" issues, maybe...(although I find that hard to believe too).......but durability??????

"Brooks" saddles are freakin "bombproof". I mean they could probably survive a nuclear blast. My Brooks "Professional" is made out of two million year old 'triceratops skin' (well almost) but it is certainly the most comfortable bike saddle I've ever owned. It was great right out of the box, and when I bought it a year ago I weighed 267. Now I'm down to about 240. The only "issue" I have is that the original honey colour has turned into a dark, silky brown colour from the sweat and the proofhide, and really looks sexy IMO.

If there are "any" durability issues, it would have to come from a very heavy clyde riding one of the titanium railed Brooks. Sort of like hauling a small bulldozer in the bed of your half ton pick-up truck, then wondering why it broke.