Fifty Plus (50+) - IS it me or the bike?

Got my first roadie last month, and noticed that my speed is up slightly, but my heart rate is down considerably compared to when I was riding the hybrid. Now, do I want to get the cadence and heart rate up so I'm riding faster or just relax and enjoy the ride?

Well, if you miss the extra heart pumping weight, etc.....then you might try fitting out with some sandbags or a large capacity camelback. The kind of riding you do, from sniff-the-flowers up to push-till-you-puke, depends on your taste and your cycling goals. Having a new bike which seems to perform better than the old one is a good chance to experiment with what kind of cyclist you are and want to be.

Why not first make sure you're comfortable and adapted to your new position on the new roadster. Then try some different things that involve cadence, gear selection, terrain, length and intensity of ride. Guaranteed that the roadbike can have your heart going like a hummingbird's wings if you choose. But build up gradually-- as always.

Now, do I want to get the cadence and heart rate up so I'm riding faster or just relax and enjoy the ride?

Do whichever makes you happy on that particular day.

I only use a bike computer on my go-fast bike because I find that everytime I ride with one I get upset if I don't equal or exceed my previous ride's average speed.

Got my first roadie last month, and noticed that my speed is up slightly, but my heart rate is down considerably compared to when I was riding the hybrid. Now, do I want to get the cadence and heart rate up so I'm riding faster or just relax and enjoy the ride?

If you ever do it there is no turning back!!! Pretty soon you will want all the data to be downloadable to your PC so you can see all the graphics.......

Hey, I like my camelbak. I avoid having to slow down to hydrate - just dont feel good reaching down for a water bottle at anything in double digits. But then the drawback is drinking more makes for more pit stops. Oh well. I guess I'll just relax and enjoy the new ease of riding, and build up the workouts for the times I feel like it. I did my longest ride yet on the bike yesterday, a 25 miler. Used to take me about 2.5 hours on the hybrid, including a needed rest stop. On the new bike no rest stop was needed, and the ride was under 2 hours, and didn't feel tired at all! Maybe thats why I felt like I wasn't getting a workout from it.

Hey, I like my camelbak. I avoid having to slow down to hydrate - just dont feel good reaching down for a water bottle at anything in double digits.

Keep practicing, nothing I like more than to be at the back end of group going 23mph riding no hands and taking a drink. I find the faster you go the easier it is to maintain balance, I wouldn't do this going down hill but I practice no hand riding and stand up riding all of the time. Its good variation and helps you stretch.

Got my first roadie last month, and noticed that my speed is up slightly, but my heart rate is down considerably compared to when I was riding the hybrid. Now, do I want to get the cadence and heart rate up so I'm riding faster or just relax and enjoy the ride?

Exactly what I found when I got a road bike. BUT I was staying consistenly in the 75 to 85 % of my max so I was working. It just did not feel like it. What changed for me though was a new set of wheels and tyres That were far better than the OM wheels. The OM wheels were Heavy- did not roll well- and had a lot of drag. No enthusiasm to go fast. The new wheels changed all that.

I had lots of suggestions on how to get the heart rate up, like work harder, but I did not do it till I got the new wheels. Then any extra I put in was converted to speed on the hills or the flat.

As to Camelbacks- Once you have tried one- Why go back to a difficult to use bottle?

I bought a road bike a few moths ago after riding a hybrid for two years. I really enjoyed riding but now absolutely love being on the bike. With the hybrid I had trouble even doing 15 mph and I went out of my way to avoid hills. Now, I don't love hills but I'm confident that I can deal with them. The speed is up and as I said, I just love being on the bike. It's all cumulative...you probably lost 10-15 lbs of bike weight making riding easier and you're probably riding more which increases your stamina.

Hey, I like my camelbak. I avoid having to slow down to hydrate - just dont feel good reaching down for a water bottle at anything in double digits.

Gotta lose the camelback on the road bike. Perfectly OK if you are going to be on a ride longer than two water bottles will take you in a place where water is not easily available, but silly otherwise.

Gotta lose the camelback on the road bike. Perfectly OK if you are going to be on a ride longer than two water bottles will take you in a place where water is not easily available, but silly otherwise.


Why?

Gotta lose the camelback on the road bike. Perfectly OK if you are going to be on a ride longer than two water bottles will take you in a place where water is not easily available, but silly otherwise.
I sweat profusely, so for anything longer than 1 hour on a warm day I fill the camelbak with icewater, and carry 2 bottles of electrolyte / energy mix. When out for a long casual ride I might even wear the mule, and pack my SLR and a couple of lenses, though I haven't tried this yet on the roadie. BTW before the roadie, on my hybrid I had clocked downhill speeds of close to 40mph! Too scared to try that on these skinny wheels and tires. I hit a pothole at around 20mph in the park yesterday and it scared the %$*# out of me.

Why?

Let the horse carry the load. Again, if you need the extra capacity, it makes good sense. But if 2 bottles will carry all the water you need before you can refill, why carry weight on your back?

For carrying gear, a saddlebag, a handlebar bag and/or a rack would be better than having that weight on you.

I got into the camelback through the Tandem. In fact both of us did. We ride nonstop and offroad so the pilot cannot take a hand off the bars for more than a couple of seconds. Too busy changing gear and steering. Then as stoker- you cannot suddenly start fumbling about for a water bottle as that is the quickest way to find yourself inverted or picking the bits of tree out of your legs. It did get to the stage where we stopped drinking as bottles are too dangerous. With the camelback- you put the tube in your mouth and suck- 1 second to get the tube only. And as it is so easy to do- you drink. May only be a sip at a time but a sip every 4 minutes is better than being thirsty for 2.

Don't care if it does not look right on a road bike. I would rather be using the camelback up long hills or in lots of traffic than put my hand between my legs and then ride one handed for 2 minutes.