davidsky

I'm going to wait on getting a new bike. I repositioned the handlebars and got a new saddle for my Royce Union. Once I get used to riding I'll think about getting a road bike after I've saved some money.

Jtgyk

That's really the way to go. I have decided pretty much the same thing. My reward for losing the next 70lbs will be a new bike.

Doesn't stop me from keeping my eye out for a bargain though.

Tom Stormcrowe

David, I rode a Royce Union Gibraltar for about the first year.....it did pretty well. I even did my first loaded tour on it.

davidsky

I love those names they had. Mines called Kilimanjaro. I'd say my RU is equivalent in quality to the Mongoose or DiamondBack bikes you'd get at a place like Dick's Sporting Goods. It came from Sears back in 1996 or so.

Mr. Beanz

Cool ,just some tips taht might help the comfort issue making it even better.

You can loosen the brake levers and slide them up or down on the bars to your preference. Just the other day, I moved my levers upward making it easy to reach the hoods where most ride. Just cause a bike has drops doesn't mean you spend most of the time in them. I spend about 80% on the hoods. Only drop down when sprinting or cranking.

You can buy a shorter stem placing the bars closer to you, easier to reach.

You can slide your seat forward or back. Seems simple but some riders don't know this.

You can buy a seatpost that doesn't have a set back (angle on the post that holds the seat away from the handlebars) I changed it on mine making the seat more forward, easier to reach the handlebars. The seatpost with no setback is straight up and holds the rails staight up from the seatpost line without the angle back. Ask the shop if you have any questions. They will 'splain it to you.

Just some simple stuff.

v1k1ng1001

Start shopping road bikes now so you know what you want when your bank account fills up.

davidsky

My current bike has a 5 inch riser comfort style bar. It came with a straight bar but I changed it. When I put the new bar on it was stretching the brake cable because it wasn't long enough. I just ordered a new brake cable so I can straighten out the front lever and raise the stem somewhat.
I remember the old Schwinn Varsitys having an extra set of brake levers on the top of the bar.
Do any roadbikes still have these?
Can't say I know what "hoods" are.

davidsky

Good idea, it will also help me get to know the local shops.

Mr. Beanz

Hoods are the rubber cover that covers teh brake levers on road bikes. If you have flat bars, you more than likely don't have hoods and roadbike brake levers.

Yes, some Specialized hybrid type bikes still have that brake lever on the upper side of the bars. I think you can find them on some websites bikepart websites like Nashbar and Performance.

v1k1ng1001

The Jamis Satellite used to have that extra set of break levers. It was a damn good $700 road bike in my opinion.

The 2007 model comes with the secondary levers but the 2008 does not. The 2008 is listed on their website as $785 although I still think that is a good deal.

Halthane

The levers you refer to on the old schwinns are sometimes referred to as suicide levers, because they are known to unexpectedly break off. Some new bikes, especially cyclocross and hybrid/comfort bikes will have a second set of brake levers inline with the cable. These are sometimes called interrupter or cross levers. But if you have a riser style bar this probably isn't all that relevant to you.

davidsky

I got my new saddle today. Unfortunately the new brake cables didn't come with housings (thought they did by the pictures, it was just black cable) so I'm going to have to go to an LBS tomorrow to get housings.