Fifty Plus (50+) - Wifes night out.

So here I am on a friday night and the wife is out for the evening. Just bought the TCR up from the shed to get ready for Sundays ride. One thing I have already found out is that CF is easy to clean. Spot of wax furniture polish on a cloth and the dirty stains on the paintwork just fall off. Have to work at it on the white bits though so glad I do not have a totally white bike.

Have changed to the Ultegra wheels for Sunday as I was not happy last week. Hoping that a known set of wheels will cure the couple of problems I had. This has also changed the gearing slightly as the rear cassette is 12/27 instead of the 12/25 it came with. Won't change the front Chain ring to a 34 yet though, just to prove that this bike does go uphills. Couldn't resist it though and stripped off the "Extras" that are on the bike and with the Ultegras on- I now have two sub 16lb bikes. I'll have to get back to the LBS to confirm this though as they have the checked scales and mine may not be right.

Just got the pair of them side by side to measure up and the only difference I can find is that the TCR's bars are higher. May have to lower them an inch or so to stop the lower back pain I had last time out but two different bikes- and they are almost identical on fit. They do feel different on ride quality though and although the CF frame does not transmit any road shock back to me- I do like to be able to feel the road. Only a few more rides will confirm my initial thoughts but I can see that I am going to be hard pressed to have a favourite out of these two. Now all I have to do is get out and ride them. Just wish we had a Ventoux within riding distance to see if they can both climb the slopes.

So here I am on a friday night and the wife is out for the evening. Just bought the TCR up from the shed to get ready for Sundays ride.

Does she know you have the bike in the house:rolleyes:

When the cats away----



And I feel like a mouse right now playing with the bike- No!!!!!!!!- bikes as Boreas crept in aswell. Waiting for the Phone call to go and collect 6 or so drunken females from the Restaurant. My life will be hell when they get back.

Just got the pair of them side by side to measure up and the only difference I can find is that the TCR's bars are higher. May have to lower them an inch or so to stop the lower back pain.

Stapfam: Can you say more about this? Most folks raise the bars to help deal with back pain. Tell me more about your experience and why lowering them helps. Tks.

Was she out with that boyfriend you've told us about before?

Just wish we had a Ventoux within riding distance to see if they can both climb the slopes.

I wonder if they will climb Ventoux as well with you riding them as they do by themselves?

Stapfam: Can you say more about this? Most folks raise the bars to help deal with back pain. Tell me more about your experience and why lowering them helps. Tks.

I have compressed vertebrae in the lower back and when I started road riding I did have the usual problem of wanting the bars as high as the Saddle. When I got the race geometry bike- the bars were about 1.5" further away and with the bars at the same height as the saddle- I hit the critical area of strain going on the veretebrae. Lowering the bars took that strain away. Then with the TCR- The bars are higher- even though saddle to bars is the same as Boreas. 20 miles into the first ride and with my hands on the hoods- I got lower back pain. Getting down into the drops and the pain went.

The difference in height is not great and I dare say that if I shortened the reach and raised the bars to the same as the OCR -I would not have a problem. As it is stretching out has taken the strain and the pain away.

Attachments are of the 3 bikes so you can see the difference. OCR 1st- then Boreas and finally the TCR. As saddle height is the same on all 3 bikes- You can judge the bar height by the position of the dent on the garage door just above the bars.

AND EDIT.

Just picked up the girls from the restaurant and taken them home. Luckily there were 4 of us to pick them up- but why didn't I get the young girls in my car? All I got were the sedate 50+ers that know they can't take too much alcohol and they were still stone cold sober. Far more fun to take the young 20 year olds that have inbibed a respectable amount.

The different handlebar positioning is interesting. I would be surprised if I could make it for 1 mile on the Boreas.

The different handlebar positioning is interesting. I would be surprised if I could make it for 1 mile on the Boreas.

Tom- You are riding the type of bike I was 18 months ago- Straight handlebar bikes. When I went road it took me 3 months to feel comfortable riding on the hoods. I never went into the drop position except downhill and that was only to reach the brakes. Then after 6 months I decided to practice in the drops. 20 seconds was all I could manage at a time. Worked at it for a further 6 months before I would use the drops into a headwind or when I wanted to power on without it feeling awkward. Still felt more comfortable on the hoods though. Then I got Boreas after a year and after trial and error- The bars finished up where you can see them. Headwind and downhills and I am comfortable in the drops but still do most of the riding on the hoods. Ridiculous part is that If I check on the speedo- Then I am faster by at least 1mph by going into the drops- whether it is on the flat- on the start slope of a hill- and most definitely into the headwinds. Aerodynamics of course but Riding these road things does take some practice and I still find the OCR- the mountain bike and the Tandem as comfortable as Boreas.

Just picked up the girls from the restaurant and taken them home. Luckily there were 4 of us to pick them up- but why didn't I get the young girls in my car? All I got were the sedate 50+ers that know they can't take too much alcohol and they were still stone cold sober. Far more fun to take the young 20 year olds that have inbibed a respectable amount.

But at least you can't be accused of anything.......