outwest5

Here are pics of the new bikes. They need a little tweeking, will do that next Saturday.

warning! random yammering about stuff.

Mine:
The handlebars feel too high. There are a lot of spacers in there for some reason. I have been riding a bike with drop handles that are level. These aren't level and it feel like I am sitting too upright. The frame is a compact one, so even with the handlebars lower, I shouldn't be all hunched over. I want the handlebars level or near level at least.

Also, since it is a womens specific handlebar they are narrower than I am used to. It actually feels better to not have my arms spread so far apart, but I do need to get used to it. There isn't as much room to move my hands around on the bar. The shop set aside a wider handlebar while I decide. They felt the bar should be about as wide as my shoulders or something along those lines. I haven't formed enough of an opinion about that except that it is different. I DO LOVE that I can reach the brakes without a major strech, though! My finger/s fit nicely around it without moving my hand to get to it.

I am going for a 20 mile ride this morning, so will be able to tell better (waiting for work traffic to be gone).

The seat feels angled too far down in the front. This seems like a quick adjustment, too.

re: fit. They told us to ride the bikes for a week and then come in next Saturday for a full fit. We have an appointment for that. The shop is a really busy one, so Friday afternoon when we picked up the bikes the fit guy was fitting someone with another waiting. I thought riding them for a week was a good idea, too.

These are the wheels that come stock on the ZW4, so I decided to get the same ones on the ZW6 frame. I didn't think much about spoke breakage. How often does that happen, anyway? Which means - I wonder if the warrantee that comes with the stock ZW4 would pertain since I took a ZW6 frame and put different different wheels on it. My spokes look more expensive than the Giants. Hmm. I wonder, too, if I should have gotten the black wheels instead of the silver. There seems to be a lot of bling going on! I don't necessarily like bling.

The saddle, I am not so sure about yet, but it does feel nice to have my hip bones actually landing on a seat instead of hanging over it! It doesn't look all that wide. I am surprised a womens speciic seat is making much difference.

I know I have to do the clips, although I am skeptical that they are going to make that much difference in my riding. I wanted to get used to the bike first plus we have not done much homework on clips and shoes and want to look at all the options. Those are a lot of money. I don't want to mess that up. Someone told me to make sure to get shoes you can walk around in. Why would someone get shoes they were uncomfortable walking around in? sigh. I am sure there is a reason.

Isn't this just a triangle with round things spinning? There is a huge learning curve with the new road bikes. When I was young, it seemed much simpler. You just rode. The answers should be easy. I decided that I wanted to try to get a bike I did not need to upgrade over and over. My decision on the Ultegra and the 'better' wheels came from that perspective. I would hate to think I made a boo boo about those things after all that research! oy. I do not think I will ever have Dura Ace envy.

All my thoughts about tweeking do not seem insurmountable. It is a new bike and I want it perfect for ME. I love the way this thing rides and corners. I am going to get it just right.

my husbands: so far he is really happy. He wants the handlebars moved. He thinks they are too high also. He likes his seat and is thinking he will keep the 23 tires he wanted to try instead of using the 25s it comes stock with.

Mine


the wheels that seem to have a lot of bling. Not sure I like that. They come in black. I think I will go ask about that, but I have a gut feeling thye would have to be ordered. These ones they had in stock:


husbands


I like that the bikes are so different looking

NOS88

Sounds like you've got a real good start on one of the things many members of this forum love.... tinkering with fit, equipment (especially saddles, wheels, pedals, stems). I know for me one of the joys of owning bikes is that they are not so complexity that I can't work on them and make adjustments, sometime just for something to do. Some of us have been "tweaking" for years.

AzTallRider

I think bike shop folks see one of us older types and assume we are out of shape and inflexible.

Most women angle the seat down more than most men.

IMO, you need to either get black wheels (and spokes) or add some silver somewhere to complement the wheels.

Don't think of them as shoes, think of them as foot-pedal interface devices. Whether you are able to walk on them at all is not relevant to cycling.

Sounds like you are having fun!

BluesDawg

Both bikes look great. Too bad they couldn't spend more time fitting the bikes before you took them home, but hopefully they can get them fine tuned for you next week. Looks like both bikes have plenty of room for lowering the bars by removing spacers and flipping the stems. Enjoy!

stapfam

Good that you will find the faults before next weeks fitting But I thought the bars were high on both bikes. Flip the stem and spacers out are an easy adjustment.

Ultegra is a good move so don't think you have gone too high on Group. Wheels and better wheels are always a good thing. I have an aversion against Black spokes as many years ago they were not always Stainless steel and coated. They could have been any metal and broke very easily. At least you can see Stainless and Those wheels do not have bling. Bling is over the top- they are quality and show it. The bar width is down to you but you have a week to decide.Just make certain they are the righ twidth for you.

And Clipless pedals**********??? We'll get your entry forms off to you for Club Tombay. They will be different but most of us that use them will say that they do add to the ride. Choice is for you to make but if you do go clipless- decide if you want to be able to walk around on rides. That will tell you which type of pedals and shoes to get.

Nice bikes- now go out and ride them.

outwest5

I just got back from a 10 mile ride to check it out. I found myself constantly shoving my rear back to get more stretched out. Definitely need the handle bars lower. I do not think the bike is too small. I think it is the handlebars that are annoying the heck out of me- and maybe the seat angle is messed up.

This is the right size bike. It is a womens tall which equates to about a 53.5 in a mans? The geometry is different. My old bike was a mens 54, so it is about the same, but my arms feel much comfier on the handlebars. I am 5'7" tall, but have longish arms and legs kind of like Olive Oil. I have a hair under a 32 inch inseam. It doesn't seem like my knees are coming up enough, but maybe they aren't supposed to. The crank is a 170. I realize there is hardly a scrap of difference between a 170 and a 172.5, but perhaps I should have the 172.5 for my leg length> eh. too many opinions on that one, nevermind. I will ask the bike shop dude. Maybe I just need to get used to it.

I flew (for me at least) up this hill we have around here. Wow, that was awesome. I used to just huff and puff and eventually get off the bike to walk it up that hill. This bike is also really cushy on the road. nice, nice, nice

There I was zipping along feeling all fast and spiffy when this kid around 20 on a mountain bike went flying by me on the road just to keep me in my place. LOL

Rick@OCRR

Those are both beautiful bikes and well worth the time you need to invest to get them dialed in just right for you (and your husband).

Sounds like your first ride was (mostly) fun too! Just keep riding, keep working on the fit details, and you'll be riding fast and far before too long!

Rick / OCRR

LesterOfPuppets

I imagine if you tilt your seat back a bit your butt will settle into the spot on the saddle where it's supposed to be and you won't have to push yourself back. With your long arms a longer stem may be necessary. I'd probably cross that bridge after flipping the stem and moving some spacers above it, though.

I have a 32.5 inseam and prefer 170mm. I just like spinning smaller circles better. I run 172.5 on my road bikes however because I want them closer to my 175 MTB cranks. I've tried 170 on the MTB and I can't get up the local test hill (about 15 yards up a 30 degree slope) with the short cranks.

Well, I only tried about 10 times with the shorties but still seems like I woulda made it once.

BluesDawg

Might be a good idea to take the old bike with you when you take the new one in for a fit so they can take measurements and try to duplicate the old bike's position on the new bike.

outwest5

Back from the bike shop. They flipped the stem and I rode it home- OH so much better. They said try it with the spacers in there this week and on Saturday they will take one or both out if I need it, but to try it for a few days first. They also moved the seat back a half an inch.

I told them I wanted the black wheels instead of the shiny silver. No problem (phew- I was worried about that). They ordered them on the phone while I waited for my bike handles to be flipped.They will be in next week (again cominng from the East coast). They said to keep the ones I have on there while I wait.

I bought a little bike computer and they put it on. I thought it would be fun to get one right when I got the bike so I can see how far I go on it. It has quite a detailed instruction book - reading for later today.

While I was waiting I checked out the shoes. Ugly damn things, aren't they?

AzTallRider

Sounds like you have a great LBS that is doing all they need to do for you to be 100% satisfied. That's great.

But you have to get over this thing about those things being shoes...

stapfam

Cycling shoes have to be practical and looks do not count much unless you are going Clubbing after the ride.

I will warn you- There are shoes and there are shoes that are comfortable. Try the shoes on before you buy and make certain they fit. Cycling does require a stiff sole and even if you do not go Clipless for a while- proper cycling shoes will help the feet on comfort.

And just a warning---Do not try on the Sidi shoes. They are one of the best shoes around and they are expensive but once you have tried on a pair of Sidis's- nothing else will do.

Edit-It will be of interest once you have got the adjustments made on the bike- to post a pic of it again up against the bike as you got it. Before and after if you like- just to show others how subtle little changes can transform a bike.

AzTallRider

I had been using a pair of cheap Lake MTB shoes and SPD pedals for two years. I finally got some Sidi road shoes (PBK had size 50's) and Look KEO pedals, and I switched things over Friday night. I went for an 80 mile training ride Saturday morning, and my feet hurt like hell! But I have problem feet: Long, narrow, with high arches. I had tried the Sidi's without my usual custom orthotic inserts for the first ride because the inserts let my heel slip a bit. I'm sure I'll get them sorted out. At least I hope so. Moral of the story is, you have to find what works for you.

Oh, and both pairs are fugly.

LesterOfPuppets

I just wear running shoes in clips and straps. It simplifies my life a great deal and I don't blame my slowness on it much.

B. Carfree

I would recommend you stay with the 170 mm cranks. I'm over 6'1" with a 34" inseam and I used 170 mm cranks for decades. Avoiding cranks that are a bit long will help you learn to spin at a proper cadence (90-110 rpm) and avoid injury. Higher cadence spinning will also allow you to travel longer distances without getting lead in the legs. Just my opinion, and others or your experience may convince you otherwise. Part of the beauty of cycling is that there is no one right way.

Also, sweet rides. Enjoy riding the heck out of them.

BluesDawg

I think my shoes look great. YMMV.

miss kenton

Trust me, be very wary of heeding a man's advice on the angling of your saddle. In fact, if he tries to give you advice on the angle of your saddle, nod, smile sweetly, hand him a piece of sandpaper, and tell him that most men stuff this down the front of their bike shorts when they ride.

Hermes

Recently, I got the Shimano R310 custom fit shoe (last years model) to replace my R300. These are heated at the bike shop in an oven. You put them on and they put a plastic bag over the foot and connect it to a vacuum pump. The plastic is drawn around the shoe and forms the shoe to the foot. I use orthotics and the R310s have a flat bed. The orthotics go in before the custom fit. These are the best fitting and most comfortable cycling shoes I own. And I think they are very cool looking and match my white bar tape and saddle.



My wife has the Specialized S Works. I really wanted them but they did not fit. I think the S works are very nice looking.

Hermes

The sandpaper goes on the time trial saddle to keep one from sliding forward but on the OUTSIDE of the cycling shorts. The inside is just wrong.

As I recall, the UCI banned the use of any material on the saddle to keep one from slipping.

Hermes

I think they look great too.

outwest5

outwest5

Those Specialized S works don't look so bad, actually.

miss kenton

Now you're talking!! Do the cleats match?

CraigB

I like the last pic of the bikes - they look like they're anxious to get out the door.

Monoborracho

It's Valentine's Day. Don't leave those two bikes alone in a warm dark room tonight or you might have a new tricycle in the morning.