Originally Posted by
Gpaw44
I am 60 years old 5'9" and weight in at 172 and have been riding a Trek 7.5 FX for the last 7 years. I try to get in 16 miles a day. Here lately I am in need of speed and would like to get a road bike. I would appreciate to hear from you and what you are riding. I would like to stay with a flat bar but the more I read the more I am beginning to understanding you can get used to the drop bar. Thanks in advance.
Salsa Campion (aluminum road frame with a carbon fork and full Shimano 105 group)
Pake FG/SS (fixie)
Fisher Opie (aluminum Mountain bike setup for freeriding and urban assaults
Redline Monocog 29er (SS mountain bike)
Serrota T-Max (steel mountain bike frame with XTR drivetrain and carbon everything else)
Santana Arriva Tandem (currently in rebuild phase)
Whatever I happen to have picked up to rebuild then pass on down the road....)
I am 55 years old and have been riding road bikes since I was ten. I love bikes, any bikes, and have been carfree for 23 out of the past 28 years, and I ride daily. Currently I am riding the fixie or the Serrota on clear days and the Opie when conditions are questionable.
I build and modify bikes for friends and friends of friends all the time and your post reminded me of a bike that I modified for a friend who wanted to do sprint triathalons but she had bought a Specialized hybrid (essentially a road bike with flat bars and slightly wider tires) and didn't want to buy a second bike. We set her up with 700c road tires, modified gearing, and bar ends and a "tri-type" center handlebar extension (she can put drops on later and effectively have a relaxed road bike). She was extremely happy and competitive in local events. What this experience proved to both of us was that no matter what you start with, you can make changes slowly that are more in line with whatever your current needs are. No need to shuffle through several bikes on your way to what works best for you, just make small adjustments as you progress. Ride Safe.