Thanks. I just finished another ride this morning, and it was a little bit easier than yesterday and I did 11 miles, still about 11-11.5mph. Guess it'll take time. I need to keep a log of what I ride/goals etc. on a calendar, I think it'll help a lot.
Yeah my bike is still brand new and a good starting bike. I don't see any need to switch it anytime soon. That being said, I hate the tube shifters on it, so I think I'm going to set a goal of about 600 miles on the bike and buy brake shifters as a treat.