VioletU

Hello all!

I'm new to the forums and preparing to venture back into cycling, too.

Back in the late 80s, in my teen years, I did some road racing and I loved it - speed! wind through my helmet! and all that.

After being diagnosed with exercise-induced asthma, and being told to 'calm down' on my riding, I grudgingly switched over to recreational mountain biking. It took me a while to adapt to what felt, to me, like a big clunky bike. But I started to like it - until the pain hit me. I was then diagnosed with shoulder/neck issues and found that there was absolutely no comfortable position in which I could ride..

Now I'm in the process of finding an upright bike - slowly but surely investigating cruisers and commuter bikes that don't require me to lean forward but that are light enough to let me enjoy a bit of speed (once I get myself back in shape). I've mostly accepted that I won't be zipping along the roads anymore, so I'm trying to make the shift to riding purely for pleasure and maybe even to get myself to work and back (about 7km each way) from time to time.

On a non-bike front, I'm married, a mother to 2 teenagers and an almost-teen, I manage an outreach team focused on reducing disease transmission (is that vague enough?), and my hobbies include canning, reading, and other activities generally suited to someone who has been quite sedentary for a long period of time.

I'm looking forward to settling in and getting to know some of you better - I feel a bit warm and tingly reading some of the posts here already. I guess it's just like riding a bicycle, huh? You never forget the joy.

Barrettscv 

Welcome to Bikeforums?

no1mad 

Welcome aboard

Something else to consider (because of your neck/shoulder issues) would be recumbent bikes (2 wheels) and trikes (3 wheels).

Juha

Welcome to BF. I was just about to suggest bent bikes, but no1mad beat me to it.

--J

JamesRL

Welcome, I see you had (have?) a Bianchi Sport SX. I had one too, though I had a bare frame and built it up.

I took many years off as well, but getting back into road biking.

Welcome from Brampton. It is a great group of people.

RonH

Welcome to Bike Forums. I too was going to suggest a recumbent or a trike (3 wheeled recumbent).

VioletU

I do still have it - my plan is to disassemble it and hang the frame. I know I'll never ride it again, but I can't bear to part with it (and it's been in my garage for far too long). Such good memories!

This afternoon I tried out a Giant Via W and felt too upright (!). Then I ended up picking up a Specialized Crossroads Step Through - the test ride went really well, and I think I've got everything set up to make it comfortable (though it'll take some experimentation - and we've got a tornado watch going on right now).

Thanks for the welcome, everyone!

JamesRL

If you do go ahead and dissassemble it, let me know. I'm building up a Bianchi from a bare frame. I have most of the parts (from another Bianchi), but am missing a few. Its not a Sport SX, but its another Japanese Bianchi. Unfortunately the only decal left is on the head tube.

This is the colour I had, but it isn't my bike. https://www.flickr.com/photos/646546...th/5897027522/
I've always lusted after Celeste, but haven't gotten there.

The Via W looks classic.

Lacumo

Welcome to BF and a big +1 on a bent (or maybe even better a trike) with one of those full back/full bottom lawn chair type seats. I think the biggest danger in one of those for you will be your falling so in love with it that your family ends up missing you and possible problem #2 might be that they’re not cheap. Good luck with whatever you end up doing.

VioletU

I'm laughing out loud - that's exactly the colour of my Sport SX, too. I love it. I will absolutely let you know when I get around to disassembling it - and you'll be completely welcome to whatever parts you'd like. I won't have any use for them!

The Via W was awkward for me - apparently I have an oddly sized body? short arms?

JamesRL

Its not Celeste, but it was a striking colour. At the time I was single, and I did get positive comments from women on the street when locking it up. I bought it at a bike store as a bare frame, it sat there for a while and didn't sell, so I made an offer.

The Bianchi I'm working on now doesn't have the seat stay engraving, and the fork is chromed and has no engraving either. And I can't find the original decals so it won't be a perfect restoration, but it wil still be a fun ride.

VioletU

That's one area where I really need to start beefing up my skills - back in the day, our team had a guy who acted as our mechanic. I didn't have to do anything to my bike other than show up with it before rides. I no longer have that luxury and need to get my skills up fast - before I start commuting, at least, though there's a lbs less than a block from my office (phew).

I will have to dig out my Bianchi and see what kind of shape everything is in. Do you want the assorted pieces after I take it apart? I see that you're not too far from me.

JamesRL

I'm not a great mechanic, and I don't have all the tools, but I am learning. I am planning to going to one of the co-ops in Toronto to get help installing the Bottom Bracket/Cranks and the Headset.

To start, get a kit to change a tube, and if you can one of those small toolkits incase something comes loose while riding. When you get a new bike, depending on how well it was assembled, often something will come loose, and after a while cables will stretch and you may have to adjust the brakes because of that. See if your LBS has classes, I attended some many years back, and I bought a book on maintenance (ZINN).

I would be happy to have the assorted pieces when you are done, and if I can lend a hand, I'd be happy too.