I bought a bike that I don't like. Help me fix it?
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I bought a bike that I don't like. Help me fix it?
Hello. I've been lurking here for a while but this is my first post. (be gentle)
I'm getting back into riding and going at it full steam. I've been riding a ton, though I have little interest in anything other than commuting and riding for fun. The first bike that I bought, I liked a lot. It was a vintage Peugeot (Reynolds) Cro-Mo frame. Decent components, etc. Unfortunately, rather than taking the time to find the correct seatpost for the bike, which, as I understand it is an uncommon size, the person that I bought it from cut off the top of the seat tube on the frame and used a wedge type seatpost that works like a stem. It would NEVER stay up and the seat moved all over the place. Because he cut it, a seat post clamp could not be used.
Getting to my point, I got fed up with that bike and bought a new one. I didn't have much of a budget so I went for a new SE Draft Lite. Steel frame, forks, etc. I know that it's hi-ten steel. At the time, I didn't care. It's a bit heavier than my other bike was but that's not the problem. My biggest problem with this bike is that every bit of road bumps, big and small, goes straight into my hands. This bike is SOOOOO freakin' rigid it just kills me. My hands go numb and are sore a lot of times.
So, finally, my question; How can I remedy this without buying a new bike? New forks? My other bike's forks had a curve and these are straight so it would seem that I'm taking the brunt of any force directly into my hands. Also, I'm sure the hi-ten steel is stiffer than cro-mo or carbon. Also, I can't dump a lot of money into it. Any suggestions are appreciated.
I'm getting back into riding and going at it full steam. I've been riding a ton, though I have little interest in anything other than commuting and riding for fun. The first bike that I bought, I liked a lot. It was a vintage Peugeot (Reynolds) Cro-Mo frame. Decent components, etc. Unfortunately, rather than taking the time to find the correct seatpost for the bike, which, as I understand it is an uncommon size, the person that I bought it from cut off the top of the seat tube on the frame and used a wedge type seatpost that works like a stem. It would NEVER stay up and the seat moved all over the place. Because he cut it, a seat post clamp could not be used.
Getting to my point, I got fed up with that bike and bought a new one. I didn't have much of a budget so I went for a new SE Draft Lite. Steel frame, forks, etc. I know that it's hi-ten steel. At the time, I didn't care. It's a bit heavier than my other bike was but that's not the problem. My biggest problem with this bike is that every bit of road bumps, big and small, goes straight into my hands. This bike is SOOOOO freakin' rigid it just kills me. My hands go numb and are sore a lot of times.
So, finally, my question; How can I remedy this without buying a new bike? New forks? My other bike's forks had a curve and these are straight so it would seem that I'm taking the brunt of any force directly into my hands. Also, I'm sure the hi-ten steel is stiffer than cro-mo or carbon. Also, I can't dump a lot of money into it. Any suggestions are appreciated.
#2
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I'm getting back into riding and going at it full steam. I've been riding a ton, though I have little interest in anything other than commuting and riding for fun. The first bike that I bought, I liked a lot. It was a vintage Peugeot (Reynolds) Cro-Mo frame. Decent components, etc. Unfortunately, rather than taking the time to find the correct seatpost for the bike, which, as I understand it is an uncommon size, the person that I bought it from cut off the top of the seat tube on the frame and used a wedge type seatpost that works like a stem. It would NEVER stay up and the seat moved all over the place. Because he cut it, a seat post clamp could not be used.
As for your problem at hand, ride quality, try wider tires, I assume the SE came with stock 23c tires; go for something wider such as 28c or 32c.
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Squishy grips or bar tape would grant you slightly more comfort (Oury, Lizard Skins, etc). Maybe a stem with more rise so you don't have so much weight on your hands. Do you wear cycling gloves?
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Sadly, I don't think a squishier grip is going to help enough. No, I don't wear gloves. I don't feel that my riding position is different from my last bike and I didn't have any of these problems.
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I hate to break it to you, but if a steel bike with 28c tires feels jarring to you, then you should maybe try a mountain bike or a hybrid.
(for what it's worth, my carbon road bike is very dampening over the bumps)
(for what it's worth, my carbon road bike is very dampening over the bumps)
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That's why I'm asking if switching to a Carbon, Aluminum, or Cro-mo fork would help. This is not my first road bike. I went from one road bike to another and the first did not cause me pain.
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And most definitely something with a shock absorbing front fork. The fresher the pavement the better, helps a lot with rigid forks.
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Aluminum will be a lot worse than steel. My frameset is Al and it can be bad sometimes, depending on the road, but my girlfriends Draft lite is the smoothest ride ever compared to my bike. Maybe find someone who has an aluminum bike and ride it for a while so that your own doesn't seem all that bad.
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with the exception of adjusting the cockpit, playing with tire pressure and getting some cycling gloves (or going to drop bars w/ gel pads under the wrap), the ride is about as nice as it's going to get.
i do have an aluminum fixed with carbon forks. the felt vibration to the hands is a -little- better after switching from aluminum forks, but still much harsher than steel. i like my Al bike, a lot, but in the end prefer steel.
HTFU may seem a bit harsh, but the bike is what it is.....
i do have an aluminum fixed with carbon forks. the felt vibration to the hands is a -little- better after switching from aluminum forks, but still much harsher than steel. i like my Al bike, a lot, but in the end prefer steel.
HTFU may seem a bit harsh, but the bike is what it is.....
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Are you sure the distance between the saddle and the bars is the same as the other bike? Same amount of drop?
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Aluminum will be a lot worse than steel. My frameset is Al and it can be bad sometimes, depending on the road, but my girlfriends Draft lite is the smoothest ride ever compared to my bike. Maybe find someone who has an aluminum bike and ride it for a while so that your own doesn't seem all that bad.
Why not try gloves?
To the OP: The Draft Lite is generally considered to be one of the less stiff frames out there, which is why I suspect there might be something else to this issue than the ride. I'd be interested to know if you have it set up exactly like the Peugot or just close. Small differences can have a big effect when it comes to comfort.
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My aluminium bike is the smoothest-riding bike I own. Much more than frame material matters for ride quality.
To the OP: The Draft Lite is generally considered to be one of the less stiff frames out there, which is why I suspect there might be something else to this issue than the ride. I'd be interested to know if you have it set up exactly like the Peugot or just close. Small differences can have a big effect when it comes to comfort.
To the OP: The Draft Lite is generally considered to be one of the less stiff frames out there, which is why I suspect there might be something else to this issue than the ride. I'd be interested to know if you have it set up exactly like the Peugot or just close. Small differences can have a big effect when it comes to comfort.
#20
Your cog is slipping.
Ahh, I see. I read "the rules" and, to be honest, it seems like an excuse for the little guys who got beat up in high school to make fun of other people because their spandex don't match their bike. Oh, and also a justification for wearing spandex in the first place.
Why don't you post a pic of your current setup?
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Steel frame and fork, wider and softer tires, and a fairly upright position compared to my bike (Al, harder, more narrow tires, etc). Her bike isn't set up very closely to mine at all, and I still find it pretty comfortable, just because of the little things. Dampens all potholes and bumps and everything on these ****ty Michigan roads.
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Ahh, I see. I read "the rules" and, to be honest, it seems like an excuse for the little guys who got beat up in high school to make fun of other people because their spandex don't match their bike. Oh, and also a justification for wearing spandex in the first place.