Gonna' join Stapfam on the Dark Side
 

Okay, its been a week so I'll confess. I bought my first road bike since 1972. But I waited till today to take a picture, as the Brooks saddle arrived last night.

I was in the Metropolis at a bike shop last Sunday. Now I had looked at a Trek Pilot (drop and straight), Specilaized Robouix, and a Giant OCR, but every drop bar seemed like it just stretched me out. I had spent 2 hours at a large Dallas area bike shop test riding bikes and nothing seems comfortable to me. To top it all off, I was about to give up on a drop bar bike because in a couple of weeks I'm having surgery to fix a rotator cuff that I tore when I flipped a mountain bike last fall. The surgeon understands bikes pretty well and has already told me that a drop bar, bearing significant weight on my arms, would be tough to do for some time, probably several months. So, I had pretty much been looking at flat bar road bikes.

Anyway, I stop at one of the smaller bike shops on the way home, and sitting there is last years Fuji Absolute, an 8-speed straight bar with Shimano Deore DR's and shifters and Tektro brakes. They want less than $400 for it. Everything seems to fit okay, its certainly lighter and faster than my touring bike, so I buy it, with a set of SPD pedals.

I brought it home and fitted it out with my Cyglo light for early morning riding, a Cateye computer, bottle cages, and bar ends from the "extra MTB", a Schwinn Mesa. On Monday morning I take off for a ride and don't make it a mile before the seat is killing me. I go back home, strip the Brooks 67 off the tourer, and ride it that way this week. I've already put well over 100 miles on it, with a 50 mile morning ride today to check out the Brook seat. Okay, so no one puts a spring seat on a road bike (the Flyer is a sprung B-17), but I figured what the heck, its my tail. Was pretty comfortable today, but I'm still getting it dialed in and fitted.

So, I guess now I'm a little bit of a roadie. Riding my regular routes it seems like I picked up at least 2 mph over the 35# Schwinn tourer. Here's a pic of the new bike, along with the old (refitted with its seat).

I think I hurt my old bikes feelings by not riding it this week. When I refitted the seat this morning the front tire was flat. That was my first flat in over 1000 miles on that bike. The touring bike is outfitted for tomorrow's day trip to the swimming hole at the lake.

Mono......you're every bit a roadie. Gorgeous bike right up to the spring loaded Brooks. John Stamsted some years ago rode across Australia on an upright (moustache) bar. Onroad, offroad......looks like a high mileage bike. European randonneurs (a tough bunch) used to ride sprung saddles. What wheels? Adjustable stem?

Mono......you're every bit a roadie. Gorgeous bike right up to the spring loaded Brooks. John Stamsted some years ago rode across Australia on an upright (moustache) bar. Looks like a high mileage bike. European randonneurs (a tough bunch) used to ride sprung saddles. What wheels? Adjustable stem?

Nothing that a pair of Cyclocross tyres won't cure. Great looking bike, and I, reverse to you was looking at a straight bar bike initially- but Thought that if I was going to ride the black stuff- I might aswell go the whole hog. So far- I haven't got down into the tucked position- that is too wierd, riding with my head between my knees.

On the saddle front- I am using the stock San Marco that came wth the bike and although I haven't done more than 20 miles in a ride- it seems to be OK.

Plan my settling down ride for next week, and still not certain If I want to go offroad for a 65 mile ride or take less time and Do nearer 75 or 100 on the road bike. Depends on whether anyone else is coming with me to see a load of idiots doing their yearly exercise.

YOu can say that again.