General Cycling Discussion - NOOB needs help /w bike decision THANKS ^_^

Hi... i'm just as new to this forum as i'm new to "real" bikes... all my previous bikes were from "toy" stores... all busted now... not worth fixing..

now i'm looking for a bike that rides nicely on the sidewalk/road.... won't go on much off road (except for passing FAT pedestrians on the sidewalk :D )

right now.. i'm only riding 2KM to school... but i plan to start going on bike trails (but i dunno where to start that either... :( )

you can say i'm a total bike noob... :p

well... since i'm looking for that type of bike mention above... you think hybrid/comfort bikes are ok??... i already have a road bike... but find it too bumpy for sidewalk/curbs... they hurt :mad:

Cyclepath (http://www.thecyclepath.com/danforth_page_1.htm)

this store sells some bikes with prices... i've yet to find other stores with this selection... so which of the following bikes would be the best? can you gimme da top 5 choices?

Hybrid/Comfort
2002 Trek Navigator 100……….reg. $ 479.99 … sale price $ 419.99
2002 Trek Navigator 200……….reg. $ 539.99 … sale price $ 499.99
2002 Trek Navigator 300……….reg. $ 679.99 … sale price $ 639.99
2002 Trek Navigator 500……….reg. $ 949.99 … sale price $ 899.99
2002 Specialized Expedition……….reg. $ 499.99 … sale price $ 449.99
2002 Specialized Expedition FS……….reg. $ 599.99 … sale price $ 549.99
2002 Specialized Expedition Sport……….reg. $ 689.99 … sale price $ 649.99
2002 Specialized Expedition Elite……….reg. $ 799.99 … sale price $ 749.99
2002 Trek 7300……….reg. $ 799.99 … sale price $ 749.99

btw: this is found in their "specials" sections... and continue to BIKES... then you'll see the stuff above...

THANKS PEOPLE!!!!

opps... that's canadian dollars mentioned above... forgot this was internation site...

erm... wasn't i told this site helps lots of people with bikes??? :rolleyes:

maybe i posted in the wrong forum... or my thread title isn't catching enough for you experienced bikers.... :mad:

plz people... i need some help with my decisions...

Well, give it some time, lots of us
don't really post until after work.

I really can't say much about the bikes you
listed.
You mentioned a road bike, what type?
If your as new to this as you state than
that hard/bumpy feeling will pass as you
get into the swing of riding and your body
adjusts.
You sound young (not a bad thing, just an observation)
and I would bet a hybrid/comfort bike wouldn't
work for you much past a month or two.

Just my .02 worth,
Marty

good observations.... though i made it obvious ;)
i'm 17 actually...

i'll attach the picture of my road bike here... but don't expect anything $$$ or superb... friend of mine told me it's around 10-15 years old..... but i find that it still functions 100%... just don't like the bumpy feeling... even after i added the CCM gel seat :rolleyes:

you can't say much about the bikes i posted?? then maybe this link (http://www.trekbikes.com/bikes/2003/compare/compare.jsp?bike1=1216600&bike2=1212600&bike3=1322000) should help you...

i just need a long lasting bike that doesn't make my butt hurt on the sidewalk.... so i think comfort bikes will do me good... however i don't know which model or brand i should buy...

because of your location and age a mountain bike might be more fun. They work great with city tires. trek has an excellent sport seat they sell seperately with lots of padding but still look great. how about a specialized hardrock pro (discs) with a new york lock $499US(bike) + $100US(lock).

heh.... i don't act my age... if that's what normal people assume...

ur suggesting a MTB???... but they dun come with seat suspension posts... aww... man.... i really have no clue what to buy then....

Because it appears to have the better components, I'd have to say the Trek Navigator 300. It almost rivals the Specialized mounts.

The Specialized bikes are pretty expensive.

Welcome to the forums.

:p

Originally posted by Viper
Because it appears to have the better components, I'd have to say the Trek Navigator 300. It almost rivals the Specialized mounts.

The Specialized bikes are pretty expensive.

Welcome to the forums.

:p

ok..... that sounds good... can you tell me why Specialized are so $$$?

I would imagine that between the two brands, Specialized offers a better frame (one with a higher grade of aluminum) and of the components some are of higher level than what is installed on the Trek 300.

Go to the Specialized web site at:
http://www.specialized.com/SBCBkModel.jsp?san=03ExpeditionSE&bl=comfort&my=2003

to review the specs on the Expeditions and compare with the Trek web site you previously supplied.

Good luck :p

i just need a long lasting bike that doesn't make my butt hurt on the sidewalk

try riding on the street.

Originally posted by fore
try riding on the street.

i would... but i don't feel like getting hit by a car thank you... :o

Specialized offers better frame and components eh? i will review the specs... but i know those specs won't mean a thing to me... since i don't know any brands in bikes...

totally different senario when you ask me about computers ;)

come on man. i spend at least an hour and a half every day on the streets riding a fixed gear with a very weak front brake. if you keep your eyes open and your wits about you cars are not as big a problem as they seem.

ok.... i might try it.... guess i was raised to be scared of riding on the streets....

i mean.... those cars like going like 70KM/h.... and here i am on bike doing 25-30KM/h... and i'm always scared about those damn drainage holes on the right side of the road... ugh... hate those things...

i guess i'll try it... :(

where are you in Toronto dude? :D

Originally posted by fore
come on man. i spend at least an hour and a half every day on the streets riding a fixed gear with a very weak front brake. if you keep your eyes open and your wits about you cars are not as big a problem as they seem.

the best thing you can probably do for yourself right now is to stay off the busier streets if it's possible, at least until you build up some confidence.

a million people will tell you to do a million different things in order to ride in what they view as a safe matter. while they may have a point, it's up to you to decide what's reasonable for your own situation. if you decide you just don't like riding on the road, don't do it.

ah yes whereabouts are you in Toronto, try riding in the streets, this will give you a little confidence if your ride outside the downtown core...

i am right downtown Toronto..lol and have bike lanes outside my home... most cars(including police) park there to get their Tim hortons.. soooooo although riding in the city is daunting... if you keep aware you can find some great rides around... get to Cherry Beach and ride through to Thompson park... or to Lee, try the otherway along the lakeshore/queens quay and stop for ice cream by sunnyside :) yummmm
don valley is interesting, brickworks when you get your mtn bike and if you really want to do some road cycling.. check out the Toronto Bicycling Network... their site has rides going out all the time.. hit up with a group and you will have a ball.
good luck and have fun..
p.s. cars can be fun when you draft them ....:D

Probably the best style of bike for street/trail use, for a rider not afraid of drop bars, is the cyclo-cross/tourer.
This is sportier than a full expedition tourer, and is really a CX bike with threaded eyelets for rack and fenders.
Bianchi Volpe, Jamis Nova, Trek OX etc.

You can change the bike from a fast road bike, to a long distance tourer, then into a mud-plugging CX at the change of a tyre.

where are you in Toronto dude?

i'm in Markham.... so... right above TO..

ur right.. i should stay off big roads.... but the problem is.... there ARE only big roads in markham... no little streets like downtown toronto... btw... you can't even drive at 60KM/h in downtown... where up here people go up to 80KM/hr in 60KM/hr zones.... ugh...


You can change the bike from a fast road bike, to a long distance tourer, then into a mud-plugging CX at the change of a tyre.

so you're saying i can just change my tires on the bike above... then it will be considered a "mud-plugging CX" (whatever that means. :( ) you have good opinion MichaelW... but i don't understand what most of those terms mean... "drop bars" "cyclo-cross/tourer"... etc.... sorry bout that... really new to "real" bikes...


and if you really want to do some road cycling.. check out the Toronto Bicycling Network... their site has rides going out all the time.. hit up with a group and you will have a ball.

yea... i went to their site... however most of their rides occur in downtown... i have no clue how to get their by bike... can i take my bike into the TTC??

most of the tbn rides DO NOT occur in downtown toronto.. only a few tour/fun rides and critical mass..check the list carefully.. there are lots of them out by you.. they also have directions to get there by subway, bus.. or arrange sharing a ride with another member.
i was riding with a club.. D'ornellas.. they are at lawrence and warden.. we ride from the shop north on warden to 14th.. from there we split up and go in groups along decided routes.. some east, some west, a lot north.
my first ride with them(3rd time on a bike) was north on warden(it is a very very busy road) and along stoufville rd to unionville.. this is all on a saturday... you do know how busy unionville and markham are on a saturday? :) no one drives over 60 unless they are on hwy 7 or 48 going north. both of which i have rode on.:)
toronto streets are littered with pedestrians.. tons of cyclists who don't know how to say "on your left!" and a gazillion streetcar tracks!!! oh did i mention double busses and ambulances ...?
try Boyds sports in uxbridge... they have a group that goes out.. i believe there are others in markham too.
but d'ornellas ride anywhere from warden east to durham college north past aurora and west to king city and beyond.
check it out
http://www.dornellas.com
another fun ride is along the oak ridges morraine.
have fun.
i wish i lived out in markham.. lots and lots of back roads and if you get to kennedy and 16th.. ride north on kennedy.. lol that hill just never ends :D

well... 14th and Warden is super close to where i live.... i can get there in like 10 minutes... (Kennedy and Steeles)....

yea... i know how busy Warden can get... but no where near as busy as HW7.. omg that road is busy on weekends.... even filled up at night... i haven't been to downtown during rush hours... so i don't how crowded it is there...

i ride up kennedy from steeles to Highglen everyday... that's how i get to school :D ... of course i ride on the sidewalk and use the grass as the passing lane (not good choice... really bumpy on road bikes) ...

if possible... you think we can meet?... i'll feel terribly stoopid just going to the D'ornellas shop (warden and lawrence... arg... so far!!) and asking them about riding with them... i gotta start somewhere.....

check out their site and don't feel stupid..lol that is how i felt.. Eon d'ornella and the group that rides there are extremely nice.. however there are some very hardcore riders there... and i USED to ride with them.. i have a personal excuse.. but you being a guy will be accepted right away... sorry that was the way it went for me.. the men were fabulous to me.. helpful and since i had just started riding then.. they had a lot to give.. in advice :) one guy was riding a tandom one week and offered me a draft geeez.... i was trying the best i could at 27km/hr and still being dropped!!
depending on your skills... they offer the best training help around in this city... eon and aubrey also run a spin/fitness centre right near where you live , if you can talk to aubrey.. you will never want to ride with another group.
what i am saying is.. if you are a guy.. you will fit in fine.. a lot of the ppl there have been riding together for years.. but as a newbie woman.... i tried really hard... there is one particular group of women who are... lets say.. not forgiving of a slim blonde who didn't know how to keep up to Eons easy pace of 45km/hr. they continually dropped me. and although being lost around musslemans lake is fine... i found a longer way back :) i really felt like a schmuck on some of those days.
i am currently training on my own for my epic ride/run... the canadian death race.. , in the middle of moving my home...:) just before i fly to alberta for the race.. i can meet ya some time.. but training with dornellas doesn't fit into the schedule right now.
they ride during the week soon and on both sat and sunday.. if you live that close i strongly advise phoning and talking to Eon or one of the guys there.. it is also a great bike shop if you want some advice on gear.
my experience with them was good and bad.. if i had already been riding for a couple of years i am sure i would have had less of an ego bashing.. as it is.. i plan on going back and showing off my skills.. heheheheh.. this winter i would like to train with aubrey.. a national and olympic champion.. he works wonders on skinny minnies like me.....i hope :)
i honestly do believe that riding with that team will make you get off the sidewalks, become a stronger /smart rider .. you may even get to race sooner than you think.. two women from the team qualified for the hawaii ironman the summer i was there.. go for it!

wow.... you went at 27KM/h and you were still dropped??.. :confused: :confused:

i can't even do 45KM/h constantly.... and they do that speed with ease... :eek: oh boy.... looks like i have to do some serious training...

i was hoping for some fun rides ilke a tour... so racing isn't that important to me... seeing that i can't do 45KM/h constantly... i couldn't even race against the casual rider... :eek:

well... i might just give them a call when the weather gets better... then maybe i can go out for a ride with them... but i dun think it's fair just because i'm male... that i'll get accepted.... that ain't right... (i wonder if they preference nationality... then i will never get in :mad: )

and yea. i wanna get off the sidewalks... but don't have enough courage... still too scared of cars at the moment.. hahah.... must get with a big group of riders so i feel more safe...

you will like the guys...all ages, all nationalities, all levels of skills...and some of the young girls are still in high school :)
get out and try them.. riding with a group is a wonderful experience.. i learnt a lot.
you can do 45km/hr ? cool... i can manage that consistently on the downside of a hill..lol
only a few of the riders are riding like that.. rides vary from 50-110 plus km.. you have a choice which group you want to ride with.. they usually decide when they meet in the parking lot in front of the shop early mornings they have leaders and they alternate pulling.. if you want to try it.. go for it.. one girl and i managed to pull for almost 20 minutes..lol there are large groups usually.. starting out about 14-20 or more then splitting up.. so you can actually get some nice rides in.
go for it.. have fun.. and if you get a chance to, check out their web site.. and the fitness factory
later :)

oh yes.. as for the tbn... they have touring groups(called easy rollers..lol).. but they also have major riders( called advanced tourist... they are not touring believe me).. one of the leaders i know works at Europe Bound...... he races and does the longer rides. if you want check out their site too and maybe do the niagara-toronto ride? they stipulate how fast these riders are in the groups on the site.. so you can get with the crowd you want.

erm.... i said can't do 45KM/h :D

but anyways... i'll look forward to meeting those guys... just wait for all the stoopid ice/snow to wash away... and SUMMER TO COME.... muahahaha....

maybe i should bring my road bike in for maintenance too... since i've never done anything but ride it... and lock it... hahah..

lol their shop is very decent.. nice guys.
i still don't have a lock for my bike..lol if i can't take it inside with me... i don't go in! :)

p.s. there is a bike map downloadable through the tbn network
tons of great riding in nicer weather.

After looking at the pic of your bike, I wonder if some of the ride problems you are having aren't based on the fact that you have the seat way too low. A quick guide to saddle height is to sit on the bike and put you heel on one of the pedals when it is straight down at the bottom of its rotation. If you your leg is straight or very slightly bent at the knee, you are close. Riding with your seat seriously too low puts all of your weight on your butt and not on your legs. This makes for a bouncy and uncomfortable ride. Especially after a bit of time on the bike.

You could also try a suspension seatpost. There are several to choose from and all are supposed to be better than nothing. Good Luck!

yep.. got the bike map from that site... so i hope to travel somewhere soon... dunno how long i'll last by myself... hahahh

i definitely give those d'ornella ppl a call when the weather gets better....

how come you don't have a lock??... i'm planning to get a new lock if i buy a new comfort bike (original point of this thread...)... so i'm looking towards the NY locks from Kryptonite... ppl seem to like em at this forum...


After looking at the pic of your bike, I wonder if some of the ride problems you are having aren't based on the fact that you have the seat way too low.

hhhmmmm...... i'll try adjusting the seat higher then... so i just sit down and my legs should be almost straight with the pedals?? that's gonna be hard to adjust the seat, sitting and moving the post at once....hahahh.. but i'll try that too..

as for the suspension seatpost... they all come with the bikes i listed above... so i'd rather get a new shiny comfort bike instead of just adding a suspension seatpost to my road bike... i read some posts i this forum that road bikes shouldn't have suspension seatpost.... doh well.... thanks for ur help :D

Just FYI, the "mud plugging CX" refers to cyclo-cross bikes. They're built to be about as fast as road bikes, but more durable like mountain bikes. They don't come with a suspension, but riding style will help more anyways.
Comfort bikes (as I understand them) are designed for leisurely riding on bikepaths and less aggessive trails and wouldn't be the best for commuting, although might work for sidewalk riding.
Drop bars are the handles bars you see on most road bikes that curve down to give the riding more hand positions and a more aggressive riding style.
Ok, now my thoughts:
If you plan on in the future riding further than the 2 miles you mentioned on a regular basis, you should probably go with a road bike and learn how to ride on the street safely and quickly. Watch to see where other cyclists ride the streets you're considering, whether it's in the bike lane (if there is one), on the sidewalk, or in the street. If a number of people ride a certain street, it should be safe for you as well, as long as you pay attention.
If you plan on just staying on the sidewalks and doing entirely short rides (i.e. less than 3-4 miles), my recomendation is to get a mountain bike and put slick tires on it. Mountain bike tires run at a lower pressure which helps with bumps more than you might think, although there is significantly more rolling friction, which slows you down.
Keep asking questions, you'll get it figured out.

iamlucky13

aaaww.... so those are CX bikes... that sounds good!!!..... fast as road bike.... good..... rugged as mountain bikes.... good... :D

maybe if i put fat tires AND suspension post on these CX bikes then it would be more comfy??

would i be able to go 30KM/h easily on a comfort bike? (Nav300 is main choice IF i do buy one...)


i just need to go fast and feel comfy at the same time... :D :D :D :D

ShadowVilcan, first things first, usually there is a response to a question like yours as follows. Get yourself to a Bike shop and test ride something! Well once this snow is gone!
But that's the best way to do it. If you want something that can be ridden on trails, Im assuming bike paths? go for a Hybrid, if you think you would like to start Mountain biking, then its better to get a Mountain bike, with a semi decent front fork. Also as somone pointed out, get a good lock, especially if you are letting it sit outside. If you spend 400 on a bike and 15 on a lock, thats not a very good investment. You may have to buy both again.

as far as commuting goes, I ride on the road's here alot, I live Mid town, I've Commuted to Downtown and Scarborough, al backong Eglinton / Lawrence / Yonge / Bayview, without any problem. You have to stake your claim, and not give it up. but you have to also not hop curbs around cars, blow stop signs, etc... show respect and give it, you'll get it back!!
Also, stare the drivers in the eye, when you do that, they do give you much better respect.

man.... i really have to meet some of you guys (and gals juciluci ;) )

you went up to scarboro... that pretty close to me too...

yea.... if i do buy a bike... i'm gonna look for that kyrptonite NY U-lock... some ppl on this forum say it pretty good... i will go to the LBS and check out what they got... but i wanna be prepared first, since i haven't been to a LBS before :p

all my previous bikes were from toy stores... so this last time i'm gonna get a real bike... and pay so much for one :rolleyes:

iamlucky13 mentioned about CX bikes... so that combination of speed and ruggedness sounds good to me... maybe i'll look for something like that... since i don't think comfort bikes will let me go at 30KM/h +++.....

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

i just checked out the CX bike from Trekbikes.com...

their XO 1 is retail $1000 US........ :eek: :eek: :eek:

that's like $1500cdn... guess i'm back to comfort bikes... :rolleyes:

Originally posted by ShadowVlican
:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

i just checked out the CX bike from Trekbikes.com...

their XO 1 is retail $1000 US........ :eek: :eek: :eek:

that's like $1500cdn... guess i'm back to comfort bikes... :rolleyes:

Have you thought about a used bike? Like just a couple years old?

Get yourself sized up and maybe find a Kona Jake the Snake used or something.

Just an idea for you if you are interested in a CX bike.

Personally if I were you (and assuming you can carry everything on your back) I'd keep your current bike and just shine it up a bit.

You will have the 400$ in your bank. A decent mode of transportation (treat yourself to some new tread for the tires :)

AND with a older bike stupid thieves that only know that shiny paint = $$ will avoid your bike.

IMHO thats what you should do.

But what do I know? I'm only a 19 year old guy that made a stupid decsion to take out a loan on an acura he could barely afford while in highschool and is still trying to pay off his debt.


Ck

well... that can certainly save me some big money...

i should ask my LBS about the options of tires available to me...

i've attached a pic i took close to my tire... maybe that can help??

Ok here is something for you.

Around here bike shops are pretty crooked. BUT their is one shop that I REALLY trust. I only deal with one guy their (not to say that the rest aren't good i just deal exclusively with this guy and have for over 2 years) due to the level of trust I have with him...

If I were you I'd literally bring the bike in tell them your intentions tell them you dont want it "upgraded" just replace worn out parts(again if you dont trust them they will ream you through and through) just tell them stuff like brake pads/lube stuff replace worn cables etc; and see how wide a tire you can get on there.


Maybe a CX tire would be a good plan. It depends if you have trouble with what you have.

Like I said before you could probabyl just keep using that and save your $ for some fun bike if you decicde you want to do Mountain Biking do it right.


Anyway if you have any more questions ask away (or if I didn't clarify something someone else is more then welcome to)

CK

Originally posted by ShadowVlican
Hi... i'm just as new to this forum as i'm new to "real" bikes... all my previous bikes were from "toy" stores... all busted now... not worth fixing..

now i'm looking for a bike that rides nicely on the sidewalk/road.... won't go on much off road (except for passing FAT pedestrians on the sidewalk :D )

right now.. i'm only riding 2KM to school... but i plan to start going on bike trails (but i dunno where to start that either... :( )

you can say i'm a total bike noob... :p

well... since i'm looking for that type of bike mention above... you think hybrid/comfort bikes are ok??... i already have a road bike... but find it too bumpy for sidewalk/curbs... they hurt :mad:

Cyclepath (http://www.thecyclepath.com/danforth_page_1.htm)

this store sells some bikes with prices... i've yet to find other stores with this selection... so which of the following bikes would be the best? can you gimme da top 5 choices?

Hybrid/Comfort
2002 Trek Navigator 100……….reg. $ 479.99 … sale price $ 419.99
2002 Trek Navigator 200……….reg. $ 539.99 … sale price $ 499.99
2002 Trek Navigator 300……….reg. $ 679.99 … sale price $ 639.99
2002 Trek Navigator 500……….reg. $ 949.99 … sale price $ 899.99
2002 Specialized Expedition……….reg. $ 499.99 … sale price $ 449.99
2002 Specialized Expedition FS……….reg. $ 599.99 … sale price $ 549.99
2002 Specialized Expedition Sport……….reg. $ 689.99 … sale price $ 649.99
2002 Specialized Expedition Elite……….reg. $ 799.99 … sale price $ 749.99
2002 Trek 7300……….reg. $ 799.99 … sale price $ 749.99

btw: this is found in their "specials" sections... and continue to BIKES... then you'll see the stuff above...

THANKS PEOPLE!!!!

I am riding a Trek Navigator 300. Mostly road, but some gravel, etc. I like it. Would buy it again.

:)

There you go!!!! Kenneth, meet up with this the shadow....you two can work through this and make sure that he finds what he really needs.

Shadow....soft gelly seats and suspension posts do not make a softer ride. What you need is "miles on the bike" to tone your leg muscles to absorb the shock of riding. An experienced rider will tell you that they stay seated most all the time, but in truth they actually spend less than 20% of the time with full pressure on the seat. the higher mileage the rider, the harder the saddle...strange huh?

There you go!!!! Kenneth, meet up with this the shadow....you two can work through this and make sure that he finds what he really needs.

:o who's Kenneth? :o

so you're saying that a soft seat and gel pads don't make a softer ride??.. hhhhmmm.. i'd really have to ride miles before i can feel comfortable on this road bike... cause i can't seem to go that far without feeling pain...:mad:

maybe it's not adjusted properly to fit me...:rolleyes:


I am riding a Trek Navigator 300. Mostly road, but some gravel, etc. I like it. Would buy it again.

yea... that seemed to be my choice if i were going to buy a new bike... thanks

chad

i'm going to bring my bike in to the LBS (bayview cycle) and have them check stuff out... if i can place a CX tire on it... i hope it will make a better ride and allow for less bumpy rides too... it'll prolly cost me alot to "tune-up" this bike... since it hasn't been tuned for HOW MANY YEARS? :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

thanks for all the replys people!! i'm learning more and more about bikes as i read through this forum... but my actual skills haven't improved... i feel super tired after 10sec at 30KM/hr :mad: looks like i need more training...

Originally posted by ShadowVlican
ok.... i might try it.... guess i was raised to be scared of riding on the streets....

i mean.... those cars like going like 70KM/h.... and here i am on bike doing 25-30KM/h... and i'm always scared about those damn drainage holes on the right side of the road... ugh... hate those things...

i guess i'll try it... :(

riding on the road can be intimidating
Yet IMHO you are actually safer there
than on a sidewalk, sidewalks have many
obstacles (streelights, people) while
on the street you may have to deal with
pot holes. As for riding in traffic, you will
just have to get used to it, as long as you
are visible, predictable and aware of your
enviroment then you should be fairly safe.

if you ask me, people are in a much greater
risk of getting hurt driver cars (getting into accidents)
than you are of getting hit while on a bike....
:rolleyes:

something that I always try to remeber, is that
drivers tend to have trouble seeing you, so if you need
to make a move in traffic signal!

good luck :)

p.s. that saddle does not look very comfortable to me..

yea..... i if i have to ride on the road... i'd have to purchase some flashing LEDs and reflectors for my bike..

i've attached another picture... that seat you are seeing is actually covered by the CCM Gel pad... i put it over the regular seat hoping that it will smooth out bumps on the sidewalks...

actually... i've gotten really good at avoiding people... even when the sidewalk is super crowded... i get slip right past every single pedestrian... light posts are no obstacle for me...

i'll have to learn to ride on the road... i actually tried a little bit today... as the light went red... i went on the road where all the cars were stopped on the other side... i had the whole road to myself!!!... but i was still scared... i rode super fast (35KM/h is super fast for me :rolleyes: ) and quickly went back to the sidewalk... i find it so scary to ride beside cars and trucks...

anyone living in Toronto... STEELES.AVE is a super crowded street... anyone able to ride comfortably on that... i solute (spl?)you!! :D

Ask the LBS to show you some seats while your their.


Tell them you want a nice road saddle (not some stupid "comfy" thing) but you dont need a titanium railed or carbon railed one a chromoly one would be fine.

Shouldn't hurt to much. Also tell them you dont want that bike overhauled just want it in good working order. When they understand what you want they will work with you. They like long term customers. Fly by nights dont keep anyone in business.

CK

You know shadow, that bike looks like it still has a decent number of miles left in it. Like some others have said, probably the best thing to do is try and get the current bike set up to your satisfaction. You can still keep your eye on the shops in case something too good to pass up comes your way or you decide you want a different style of bike.
You should know that if you go with CX tires, the change in bumpiness will not be dramatic.
Also, here's the scoop on seat's: Position is essential. Your leg should be basically straight at the bottom of the stroke if your heel is on the pedal, since you pedal with the balls of your feet, this will leave your knees just barely bent when actaully riding. This gives you the most power, is easier on the knees, takes some weight off of your butt, and makes the transition from riding on or off the saddle easier. The other thing is that most people don't use gel seats because on long rides, you can't shift your weight to avoid sore spots, since the seat forms to continuously distribute force. After a couple of weeks of riding a good road saddle, your muscles should get used to it and you will notice it less.

i'll prolly borrow that digital camera again and take a picture of the real seat under my gel pad...

so i ask them for a road saddle with a "chromoly" rail... ok! i'll defintely become their long term customer... i'll keep bringing my bike back for tune-ups since i don't know how to do it myself! :D

iamlucky13

hhhm... changing to CX tires won't make much difference?.. aww. :(
yea... that bike still has alot of miles in it... simply because i can't endure on those 25KM rides that everyone else does so leasurely... i REALLY need to train... i'm so out of shape (not that i'm some fat@$$....hahahha)...

i'll also take the gel pad off and try to get used to the friggin hard seat...:rolleyes:

thanks again people! :D