cranky old road 

Bring platform pedals and a 15mm wrench with you.

dtmooreh

Yeeah, not sure if he would like me wrenching on a bike that's still his

VegaVixen

Hey, so you can now see how ridin' the PA metric would have messed with my TT schedule.

But I do disagree: DNF (a willingness to not complete) vs DQ (a willingness to complete, but a miscalcuation at fault) are two very different animals.

We'll see about the ride. It appears that we already have some differences in our riding philosophies.

I'm personally thinkin' you should forget "mileage," and "time in saddle" and focus on shorter intervals, if you want to go faster. But what do I know? I'm just a flatlands cyclist who started ridin' again in January, and is already at 22+mph average over 10 miles....

VegaVixen

The LBS will wrench on the bike for you, dtmooreh, if you are serious about possibly (no guarantee) buying the bike there. You should seriously drop in a various LBS's around Charlotte (check the Yellow Pages) and ask what they may have in stock for you at your size, and at what price. Take a notepad, and write these down. At one such shop (I recommend Right Gear in Kannapolis) get professionally measured for a bike. You will not regret the time or expense with regard to know what size bike you need in every way (I know I never did, and I'm a tall, thin woman, unusual for my height). Why is this weekend so paramount in your purchase anyway? Relax, and make sure you get the right-sized bike for you, even lower-end. You'll enjoy it more, and will be more inclined to ride more often. And, that's one of your goals, eh?

wolfpack 

Hey Vega,

Sorry to hear about your donkeyballs ride. Get that steed fixed so you can do well on the last 2 TT's.

K

dtmooreh

This bike was a used one from Craigslist A Fuji Aloha that is a really good deal. The bike is 600, and it includes alot of stuff that I would need to buy separate. (trainer, computer, etc..) And the fitting is $40 bucks? What all do they do? I thought they just measured your height and length of legs and arms... They must do more than that for 40 buckaroos...

And this weekend is important because....because..I just want to start riding!

Here's the bike: https://charlotte.craigslist.org/bik/388106165.html

BikeWNC

So much of my training is short intervals. I do 2, 3, and 5 minute power intervals all the time. Not lately though because of my leg issue. I do longer climbing intervals and very long tempo intervals. I pretty much do it all except this year I haven't worked on very short 30 sec to 1 minute stuff.

As for mileage, I don't even worry about it at all. It doesn't mean squat up here. How can one compare any ride when the hills dictate the pace? As for time in saddle, well there are plenty of guys here that ride more than I do and are still really fast. I'm pretty sure I can do a 22mph tt. I do that as a 1 hour tempo ride with some light climbing involved. At least I had earlier this year. I did a metric at 20.3 mph with 3000' of climbing. That's not garmin calculated climbing either.

Right now though I'm into riding for fun. We have the best roads to ride, with the best scenery and low traffic. I just want to heal completely and keep my fitness. Actually I'm climbing really well right now for me which makes it all the more fun. So the TT will be another fun thing to do on the bike. I'm looking forward to it. Maybe not the drive down and back to Charlotte though.

BikeWNC

DNF just means "did not finish". Nothing else implied. It doesn't mean a willingness to not complete at all, just that the competitor did not finish. For whatever reason. I have time a lot of races, raced and have had a few DNFs myself. And never was it from not wanting to complete the event. Sometimes ***** just happens.

VegaVixen

Ahhh, BikeWNC.... Another diff, then. DNF, for me, is essentially, "Did Not Finish" by choice. I did that the first time. Until...I found out I could get back out there, and, as lousy as I felt, as usual, during the first two laps, I didn't "DNF," but continued to ride what I thought was the correct number of laps, before I faded, past the finish line. A disqualification, for sure. But, alas, a "senior moment," as you call it, farked up my whole evening.... (mad at me, and not blaming equipment -- at least I had the opportunity to get back out again and farked it up on my own misjudgment, and maybe you haven't experienced this possibility....).

Glad your ridin' is just for fun, BikeWNC. And, you'll probably still smoke a 22+mph average TT your first time down in the flatlands. <shrug> Good on ya! But don't expect me to come up there and be able to equally-easily handle your grades and endless uphills, in spite of a 22mph average over ten miles down here. <serious Vega look>

dtmooreh, don't be in such a hurry. If you're buying this bike to last you for a few years, then you shouldn't buy impulsively in one weekend, especially sight-unseen via eBay or Craigslist. Especially at your height and weight, you need to be sure that the bike is particularly well-suited to you. Why not go to Right Gear in Kannapolis (look for 'em online, and make an appt with Jim). Yes, it will cost you about $40. But it's well worth it to know exactly what you need. Otherwise, when buying sight-unseen, you're buyin' a pig in a poke!

I trust that guy....

Don't let the "tax-free" weekend swell your financial head, baybuh. Better to get the right bike plus tax than to get the wrong bike at the "right" price.

Edit: BikeWNC, sorry if I come across as being particularly sensitive to a ride up yon' way, or to anything you've suggested to me. I'm just tired after a long day of reviewing financial records, and trying to decide what is and isn't a real fire on a Friday. <shrug>

I loves my mountain-men, and depend fully upon them to pull me along the BRP.

dtmooreh

I'll call Jim on Monday and make an appointment. They open at 11am, and I have to be at work at 1. Eek, I hope I have time.

I'm going to stop by Performance Bike on sunday, too. 20% off for club members and 10% off with a coupon...30% off a bike's a good deal!

I know, I know. I'm still thinking the wrong way, but I want as much bike for $600 as I can get.

BikeWNC

Actually Vega, I think we're more the same than different.

As for riding up here, I don't expect anything. Perhaps I would hope you came with an open mind and a willingness to have fun. But I think that would be easy for you to do. The hills will expect a bit more.

Usetacould

I am now in town, near the airport.

VegaVixen

Ustacould, check this site for some rides in Gaston County. You're not so far from there if you're out near the airport. I understand that they have some not-so-slowpokey folks on some of those rides. warrenl and substructure can probably tell you better which ones are the fast and which ones are the faster rides.

joshnc

Don't even bothering going to Bike Line they are the worst bike shop in Charlotte. The owner is a prick.

polara426sh

That pretty much sums up my sentiments. They used to have a couple of pretty cool wrenches, but they both went to other bike shops.

Usetacould

I just got back from the crit. Lotta breaks that never got more than 40 seconds, but the last one was pretty good. Ya just gotta love two-up sprints with the field not too far behind.

I wish I could have stayed around to party, but I have to get up at 5:30 tomorrow.

VegaVixen

Ustacould, maybe I'll yet see you on a Gaston County ride? Otherwise, you could join me and polara for a ride in Harrisburg (near the UNCC area) sometime before you leave. I'm sure we'll both try to keep up with you once we give you the cue sheet, and this can only be good for us. But if you don't think you have the time, well, that's how the ol' ball do roll from time to time, eh?

Usetacould

I hope getting to ride with y'all works out. I think I'll be done for the day around 4pm each day, so a 6pm ride might work for me. I've only been back on the bike for a week or so and averaging about 16 on some hellaciously hilly stuff, so I'm not sure what I'll do on the flats. I ain't the rider I used to be, hence my BF name. Of course I wasn't hot shizzle then either.

joshnc

One that I know went to Bicycle Sport. I can't wait until they open a shop in the University area to run bike line out of business.

dtmooreh

I rode the Fuji Aloha today and it fits me really, really well. Rides smooth and is incredibly light.

But -- the wheels are 650s. I've seen a few reasons why not to get 650s, and some reasons to get them. For 600 bucks including a $150 stationary trainer, should I go for it anyway?

*edit* Are there any reliability issues? For a commuter who doesn't race at this point (for 1-2 years at least) would there be much noticeable difference in a 5-mile each way ride?

polara426sh

I hate to sound like a broken record, but that would be a much less than ideal bike for you, regardless of fit. It would make for a pretty poor commuter bike, and isn't very well suited to the roads around here. You need something that climbs, corners, and descends well and is comfortable. A road bike. Tri bikes are designed for going fast straight. They aren't very good for climbing and they won't corner as well as a road bike. The 650c's would be hard to find in town if you needed to replace a tire quicker than you could order one from the net.

BikeWNC

+1

Besides, no one will want to ride with you when you show up on that bike. Tri geeks sort of have this rep for being very erratic. And since the bike is made to be ridden in the aerobars they are a hazzard in a paceline. Just sayin'.

dtmooreh

It's the best bike I can find for the money and for what it comes with. I've talked to a couple of my friends in the area who bike and they all thought it would be a good bike to start on to commute (partly because of the price). There's a (fairly) flat greenway between my school and my job, and I only live a short distance from the school.

I was able to control the bike pretty well using the bullhorns and the aerobars. I think I'll also get better and more stable the more I ride with them and practice with them. I'll try and break that reputation Also, I could work up to being able to buy a true road bike for commuting, and use this one in the TTs at LMS.

I've been told that I should be able to sell it for at least as much as I paid if the bike ends up not suiting me as well as I am hoping. I truly do appreciate all of your advice, and I mean no disrespect to any of you if I end up purchasing this bike.

wolfpack 

well, i don't know you at all dtmooreh, but i do know Vega, Polara, & BikeWNC, and i can say you are getting some very good advice. tho, if you don't want to listen to it, that's your choice.

i've been riding for a year and a half now, and i wouldnt want to ride with someone on bullhorns/aerobars who is a newbie. sorry.

it is a tri bike afterall. tri bikes and road bikes are two different horses.

*edit*...don't ask for advice here if you're not ready to listen to it....just sayin'

dtmooreh

I haven't only been asking for advice here, Wolfpack. I've asked a couple people who have been cycling for years and they said that this bike would be a nice starter for me. Sure, one of the guys is a triathlete, but the other is a roadie. I listen to all advice given to me. It just so happens, and again I mean no disrespect, that I trust people I know personally more than I trust anonymous people on the internet.

I will be getting more confidence on the bike doing solo rides before I would even consider riding with others. I would definitely not want to hurt anyone. I'm used to hurting myself, so the solo rides are fine. Also, when they turn out to be right and I realize the bike does not work for the type of cycling I do (which I already know the bike isn't for my type of cycling), I will grovel at their feet and beg for forgiveness. At this point I need a good starter bike so that I can get some good seat time and solo training in. I don't plan on using this bike to compete in road races, that's too far down the line. I will maybe use this bike in a few group rides at slower to medium paces after I am comfortable, just not races.