Originally Posted by
John W Foster
...We went out looking at performance hybrids and road bikes because of a desire for more speed with less effort. We just did not find anything we liked the fit or feel of. ... My first question is, will we ever find the level of comfort we are used to in a more performance oriented bike?
Probably not.
Road-racing-style bicycles aren't really made to be comfortable--and there's really not much difference between brands of bicycles. If you pay a lot more for an upright bike it will be lighter and function somewhat better, but it isn't really any more comfortable than a cheaper one.
... secondly , is there an "old shoe" factor that a new bike will never feel as good as your old at the start? Thanks John
Depends on how old the "old" one is. You aren't getting any younger. Poor ergonomics that are merely an annoyance to a younger rider are often significant pain to someone older.
You could take a look at recumbents. Not all recumbents are fast; some are quite slower than an upright bike (but still more comfortable!). The ones that you recline the most are generally the most-aero.
The
Bacchetta Strada is a fairly-fast bike that doesn't cost too much, and would probably be far more comfortable than any upright bike you could buy. I'm kinda lusting after a
RANS X-Stream right now, though I don't know when/if that will ever happen.
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