Hey everyone,
Been lurking the past few weeks and making my first post. Last fall I somehow got mixed up with a crowd that goes on rides regularly, and I really loved joining them even though I was terribly out of shape and riding an old Wal-Mart mountain bike on paved trails with them for 20-30 mile rides. OUCH.
So before spring broke I knew I needed a lighter bike that had pavement-friendly tires and didn't have that energy-sapping suspension. That's all I really knew...after being totally overwhelmed by the considerations at multiple LBS', ended up with a 19.5 Men's Jamis Coda, it felt good on a test ride, and was within my budget.
Two questions:
1. Given that it's too late now to really ask if that bike is appropriate for my weight (I'm 6', 235) Are there stock parts I should replace...namely tires/tubes/rims?
2. The bike rides faster than my other bike...which is great for riding with my friends, not so great for riding with my son, which I do more often. I don't like the idea of him sitting in a trailer. Is a trail-a-bike something I should/could consider, or are there dangers/drawbacks? He has a 16" Raleigh, could possibly use one of those tow bars?
If I can get a good solution for riding with the kiddo, I will put a lot more miles on the bike more regularly, and be ready for those longer rides really soon!
Thanks for your tolerance of my learning curve
JJ