suzieque

Rdtompki, the same thing happened to me. My heart sank. And after all the searching. I wanted to get the Dolce Comp Triple and Specialized is out of it and so I either have to go with the Dolce Comp or check out the Ruby Elite or Dolce Elite as has been suggested.

I am just wondering if I will really notice the difference and can be happy without the triple. Has anybody ever decided not to get a triple and been happy? Any help would be appreciated. In the meantime, it's back to the LBS to check out the Ruby Elite and Dolce Elite.

Timtruro

+1, if you are not comfortable with the drops, a flat bar with bar ends is the way to go. This configuration will give you several hand positions and you can do some fairly lengthy rides without a problem.

wobblyoldgeezer

Doubles, Compact doubles, and triples

There's a world of debate!

I have a triple on my 20 year old steel Specialized tourer. I use it like travel insurance - maybe 50 out of its 20,000 miles have been on the little ring! And those, I'd have been quicker walking. Reassuring to have, though.

I have a compact double (50/34) on my current best bike. I've never been up any big mountains on it, so I have hardly ever used the smaller ring. But I live on a flat island here, and I haven't yet used it overseas.

We have a triple on our tandem. Tandems are a bit heavy, we've toured in hilly places on it, and the triple has got a lot of use.

I could make a cheap shot here and say that we use the little ring on the tandem 'cos 'er on the back isn't doing much - but that's not the case. She certainly is an equal contributor, and it's good to twiddle a heavy machine up the steeps.

And, she hasn't made very regular use of the little ring on the Trek, but found it very handy on short sudden lumps - climbing out of rocky valleys on tours. Like me on the touring bike, good travel insurance.

So - my view - it's about the terrain you foresee, a triple might not be a necessity, but what's wrong with an 'insurance' capability?

Keep us posted as your choices firm up!

stapfam

There is a crankset that is termed a "Compact Double" This has lower gearing than the standard and is not far off a triple crankset on gearing.

My first road bike had a triple fitted and I used the lowest gear up the steep hill. This gave me gearing of 30/26. Second bike had the compact with a lowest gear of 34/27. Those hills I struggled up in 30/26 were just as hard with the 34/27 but no harder.

I do have a triple on one bike but that is for the mountains (When I get back to them) But I also have another bike with a compact on that is 9 speed so I can get lower gearing with a change to mountain bike rear cassette- and a few other bits.

Unless you are in a mountainous area- and you have reasonable fitness- then a compact double shoul be OK.

suzieque

Will this ever end? I went back to my LBS and looked at the Dolce Comp again. Thought I was all set to get that and then I made the mistake of looking at the Ruby Comp. I have read that I won't be as tired at the end of a ride as I would with the Dolce because the Ruby is a carbon bike. The Ruby is so light. I also love the Dolce, though. I feels good when I ride it. What started out as hoping not to spend more than $1200 has now jumped to $1600 or $2400. But I try not to think in those terms, since I will be using the bike for probably many years. I just want to make the right choice. I also tried the Cannondale Synapse Feminine 5 but liked the Specialized bikes better for some reason.

Any thoughts?

Dchiefransom

If you're not worried about the price anymore, get the one you like the most. As far as whether a triple or a double chain ring, the worst hill I ever went down was the one near Cincinatti on I-75 crossing into Kentucky. If you have a lot of hills I'd say get a triple. Ask the shop about testing the bikes you might buy on a good hill in your area.

stapfam

Many of us make the mistake of buying at the cheaper level as we don't know if we want to stay in the sport. Not long before we realise our mistake and have to get the bike we should have got in the first place.

I only went road 3 years ago after 16 years of Mountain bikes. I went sensible by getting a good "Starter" road bike in a Giant OCR. Within 6 months I began wondering if Road bikes were for me. Then upgraded a few parts on the Bike and realised that a good bike was on the cards. Got the good bike and even bought a 2nd good bike 6 months later. And another a year later.

It does look as though the Specialise brand suits you and it is not a bad choice. Decide on what grade of bike you want to ride and whether the wallet can afford it. But be warned- N+1 is always in the background.

wobblyoldgeezer

Don't overlook the Flying Pigeon.

Tens of millions of happy users can't be wrong.

Not altogether serious

skiph

If you can wait just a little longer to buy a bike, it will be "close-out" season....where the bike company's want to get rid of last year (ie:2009) models at a reduced price. If you check out the new models, you will see that most of the time, the 'new' model is no different than the 'old' model, unless they are making major changes, which for you probably won't matter.

Due to the current economy, lots of the bike manufacturers should have 'left-over' bikes, unfortunately not in that model that you happened to want, but maybe in the next model up.

Start alluding to your LBS that you can wait for 'close-out' time to buy a bike...the bike company's are pushing out the 2010's already.

See if he will come down in price on the Elite. Nobody pays full price for bikes this time of year, especially with the economy as it is. I got almost $1000 off a 2007 Trek Pilot in August of 2007...on close-out, because I knew they were going to quit making them and the all "new" Treks were coming out.

Negotiate, negotiate....drop a few hints that you've been looking at 'other' bikes, but 'sort of' like the Ruby...then float a price about the same as the Dolce and see what happens. All he can say is no, or give you a counter offer.

It's just like buying a car...2009 = old....2010 = NEW!!!

jwh

Incase your interested: I just bought a new Madone and will sell my other road bike.
I bought it new 1 year ago. It has < 1000 miles, it is a carbon frame Felt Z35, perfect condition.
The only change I made was to upgrade the brakes to Ultegra. It fits me good (a little too big) and I'm
5'4". I would take $1200.00, it cost $1900.00 last year.
It is alot like the Synapse or Ruby in the frame geometry.

Just thought Id mention it. Good luck!

roubaixdude

My wife just picked up a Dolce Elite Compact last Thursday, she had been riding A C-dale R-300 for 7 yrs.
She broke her foot in Feb and just recently was cleared to cycle again, so she went for a bike fit for the Dale and left with the Dolce.
We went for 20 miler yesterday, and the difference of the correct frame size and having the bike fitted to her is night and day. She LOVES this bike and cycling even more now.
Going from a triple to a compact double was no problem for her, I think she is faster now !!!!
She said she does have a little problem shifting the big ring because she does'nt have enough finger to push it all the way, but it is still new and that may loosen up.
All in all she is in love with Dolce. She did get an 09, so maybe you can play with pricing a little.
Good luck with your shopping, just make sure it fits

suzieque

I finally made my decision and I got the Specialized Dolce Comp Compact last Sunday. After much thought, I decided not to get a CF bike, since I hadn't ridden a bike in about 20 years. I felt if I couldn't be happy with the Dolce, there is something wrong with me. I truly love this bike and how it fits me. When I was thinking about which bike to get, I kept going back to the Dolce and then I knew which bike was for me. If I continue to love biking as much as I do now, I will possibly get a CF bike in the future. There is no law against having two bikes as far as I know.

I upgraded the pedals, since I don't like the straps. From my experience checking out all the bikes I did, the stock pedals on most bikes were lousy, so I was happy to upgrade. Kind of like buying a car or a new house, I guess. I also got the little computer so I know how fast I'm going, the distance, etc. I got the shoes, helmet, gloves, shorts and bike top, pump, chain oil, storage rack and patch kit. I took it out on the bike trail for 10 miles on Monday afternoon after running four miles in the morning. After not riding a bike for 20 years, I was tired when I got home and fell asleep. I had so much fun on the trail and got nods from experienced guys who went flying by me on their road bikes with their bike outfits on, who obviously mistook me for an experienced bike chick, since I looked the part. LOL!

I am really nervous about getting a flat, even though I have the kit with the CO2 cartridges. My salesman said the CO2 cartridges are better than the little pump. Anybody have any experience with the CO2 cartridges? I watched the video at Specialized's site to change a flat and it seems daunting to me at the moment. I have a pump with a gauge, but I am a little afraid to use it for fear of blowing up the tires accidentally. I know it is important to check the tires before every trip, so I will do my best. I know it has to be at 100 - 110 psi. What if the chain comes off, too. Ugh! I think I will ask my bike shop to help me out with these issues. I am also going to make an appointment to get a personal fitting. I think that will be worth the money. I have a Saris bike rack and was nervous the first time I used it, driving slower than usual to the bike trail for fear it would get loose and I would cause an accident after the bike fell off. But everything went fine. It is just a matter of installing the rack properly, putting on the bike properly and making sure the straps are tight. I will learn to trust it with time. I hate being a novice again, but I will persevere.

Thanks for all the help. You all are as awesome as my bike!

BikeWNC

Is there a local bike club in your area? Maybe they have a beginners ride you could join. Cycling is most fun when it is a group activity. It's also safer and if you have a mechanical issue there will be someone to help.

BluesDawg

Don't worry. Be happy.

CACycling

Practice repairing a flat tire at home. Remove the wheel, deflate the tire, remove the tire & tube, put it all back together, inflate and reinstall on the bike. Do it on the rear so you will know how to deal with the chain as well. If it doesn't go well, try again. Once you know you can do it, it won't be an issue when you are out on a ride. Also, don't just carry a patch kit, carry a spare tube. Much quicker to replace the tube and patch the old one when you get home. And we need some pics of the new ride.

stapfam

Have to admit that if I got a flat with CO2- I would be nervous too. Let a tyre down and see if you can inflate it. And if you are worried about overinflating with a pump- I am not coming near you if you ever get in a temper. Even with a track pump you will have trouble getting the pressure to "Explosive" level.

And now onto the C.F.- bit. I do have a C.F.Bike- but I also have Boreas. 15lbs + a bit of Lightweight Aluminium and it is definitely my favourite ride.


And when you go back for the personal fitting- get them to show you how to put a chain back on if it does come off. It does happen burt rarely. And get them to show you how to repair or adjust anything else that you are worried about aswell.

suzieque

Glad it's hard to blow up a tire. I always think worst case scenario. I have heard that you need to check your tires before every ride, even if they feel and look okay. Did I hear right? I am so worried about getting a flat and being stuck out on the road and having to walk back miles and miles. Worst case again, I guess. I will have to go over this with my LBS for sure. I will also have to get a tube to carry with me, I guess. Tomorrow I am going out on the trail for an hour and a half, so wish me luck. Cell phone will be with me at all times.

I will check out the bike clubs in my area. I'm sure they have a beginners group. I saw a group last weekend and talked to a couple people and saw that they had CF bikes. I asked the lady in the group what it was like to have a CF bike compared to a non-CF bike and she said she always had a CF bike. Oh, well, okay then. Whatever.

skiph

Yep, unless you are 'heavy', tire pressure should be about 100# in the back, and 95 in the front. The 'inflate to 120#' marked on the side walls is the tire maximum, not the optimal one. I weigh 145# and that's where I run mine, 700x23c size, which I see are what are spec'd on the Specialized website for your bike. If you are a lightweight, you can drop 5# or so on each tire.

From your description of being passed on the bike trail by the 'experienced' guys...it doesn't sound like you'd ever have to change a tire. I don't know any of our guys who would pass by a lady along side the road with any kind of a problem, either a flat or a dropped chain. If there are many other male riders, you will probably attract a crowd.

CACycling is right about the patch kit...save it for fixing tubes at home, carry a spare tube and TWO CO2 cartirdges, plus some cheap tire levers to pry the tire off the rim since you probably don't have the thumb strength to do it.

And not only check the tire pressure before every ride, do a tire inspection after or before each ride to see if there are any cuts or 'stuff' stuck in the tire that might cause a puncture if it's forced into the tire if you keep riding on it.

Dchiefransom

Congrats on the bike. You can run out of CO2, but you can't run out of air. After the third flat on a good distance ride you might end up looking around for a pump.

suzieque

Gee, thanks for all the help with the flat tire issue. I will inspect my tires before I go out for any grit or other stuff that might work its way to the tube. Good point. I do hope the nice gentlemen bikers might help me if I get a flat on the trail someday. This is still a overwhelming for me, CO2, etc. I will be baffled the first time it happens. When I tried to fill my tire last week, I just couldn't get the pump into the pin thing right and after I pumped it a few times, it wouldn't let me go any further and it was only at 40 psi. Needless to say, I ended up driving my bike to the bike shop to get it filled. Felt kinda dumb at that point, but that's the only way I'll learn.

I see a number of people out on the trail with no helmets either and that bothers me. When I was out last Wednesday, I saw an ambulance and noticed a bike laying down on the grass with a helmet next to it. It made me sick. The poor biker must have been in the ambulance because there was no one next to the bike. Don't know what happened, but let's all be really careful out there.

skiph

The valve stems on the skinny tire bikes are called "Presta".

You have to unscrew the litte brass nut on the top of the valve stem, as it locks the inner mechanism of the valve.

Then, give it a quick press to un-stick it, and let a little air out before you clamp on the pump head.

Sometimes, when you start to pump, the valve will still be stuck, so the pressure on the pump side will build up until it un-sticks the valve again.

As you pump it up and hear what sounds like air leaking out, it is really from the hose side of the pump head not out of the tire. Just pump it up to the ~100# and unlock it. No air will leak out of the tube if it's done right.

Then screw the brass nut back down and be on your way. The guys at the bike shop SHOULD have shown you how to do this, especially if they sold you the pump.

Sorry to hear about the accident you saw, hope the person is OK.

rm -rf

You'll be fine with the aluminum frame. The difference between it and a full carbon frame is fairly subtle.

For a smooth ride, don't overinflate the tires. I'm about 170 lbs, and I only have 95 psi in the front, 105 in the back. A small rider could easily do 90 front/100 back.

You should sign up for the Ride Line in Cincinnati. A lot of rides are posted there, and when you sign up (free) you can get each email as soon as it's posted.
Here's the Ride Line web page: https://groups.google.com/group/CycleCincinnati to see what's been posted recently.

Most rides list an average speed. This includes slowing for stoplights, hills, etc. So the flat road speed might be 2-5 mph higher than the average. If in doubt, the ride leaders that posted the ride will tell you more information.


For instance, this email came today, for Mike Sullivan's ride:

Another good ride for a brand new rider is Carrie's Sunday ride. I think it runs most Sundays in the summer.

suzieque

Thanks for the info on the rides, etc. I could not make the Saturday ride, but I will try to make one of the Sundays. This is a new adventure for me, so a casual ride is the one for me. It would be fun to go with a group. I will go to the Web site and check that out, too.

Sounds like the riding community in my area is a good one. Thanks so much.

Fern53

Suzieque, this is exactly what I went through last year while trying to find "my" road bike. I researched, asked questions and repeatedly had to sit down and regroup to absorb all the information. I'd bought a comfort bike a few years ago, got hooked on riding again and realized that a road bike would be in my future.

My price range was similar to yours. I tried "men's" models, WSDs, straight and drop bar models, Trek, Fuji, Specialized and Giant. After 4 test rides on different days, the Specialized Dolce Elite Compact was the bike I kept going back to. In a parking lot where I had room to ride, people drove by and smiled (guess I looked like I was having a good time.) It certainly lives up to its name. Congratulations on your new purchase!

cyclinfool

OK SQ - you've had the bike for about a week, how's it going? Done your first century yet

All those fears you mentioned will indeed happen over time but they are not to be feared.
Changing tires is not difficult but to not pinch the tube takes some skill (I still have trouble after almost 50 years of experience). So if you are practicing, make sure you have a few extra tubes around, heck you may also learn how to use that patch kit too.

Putting a chain back on is messy but easy, you may find the reason some of us carry a small rag in the wedge. You know you are a skilled rider when you can do it without ever getting off the bike.

As far as bike fit, during your fit session (if you have not already done it) have them show you how to do each adjustment. You may want to purchase a little multi-tool. The fit you get in the shop will be close but not really your perfect fit. Your perfect fit is one you find on your own and it takes hours of ride time. It is those fine adjustments, a few mm here and there that make the difference when your rides get over 2 hours (or about 30 miles or more). If you do adjust on your own make marks on the bike where things are set now so you can always go back.

Enjoy!