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Old 11-09-14 | 03:40 PM
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New to biking

Like I literally learned to ride yesterday after a three hour session taking an REI class. Well, I think it took me two hours to learn since the first 30 minutes was talking, and we probably rested for 30 minutes.

In any case after never being on a bike before, to doing four rounds around a dmv parking lot, I am pretty ecstatic. By the way, I'm 36 year old male.

This is the problem. I purchased a bike a month ago. A purchased a road bike. I have yet to take it out. I was going to take it out this morning to practice, but it felt awkward compared to the hybrid bike that we used in my class yesterday.

What do you suggest I do, to become a good cyclist? Should I go out and practice with my road bike, or should I wait until Tuesday and borrow my friends mountain bike to practice?
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Old 11-09-14 | 04:02 PM
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From: Upstate NY

Bikes: CAAD 12, ROS 9+, and some others

There's no substitute for time in the saddle. Just go ride it. Someplace out of the way without much traffic or pedestrians would be best to start.
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Old 11-09-14 | 06:52 PM
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From: Fort Worth TX

Bikes: Trek Madone4.5, Fuji Newest, DaVinci Joint Venture, Pacific Dually, Kuota K Factor Thruster

Any bike you aren't used to will feel awkward. A little riding should fix that. On the other hand, a bike that you bought before you learned to ride may not fit you well. You might want to get an experienced friend or a bike shop to check the fit on your road bike.
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Old 11-09-14 | 07:08 PM
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From: La Jolla, California

Bikes: Trek (Fisher) 29er Mamba, Giant 64cm Defy

Great advice from the prior posters. Relax, it is going to take time to adjust to any bike. I have precisely the same issue, and I rode 240 miles this week on my road bike. This afternoon I took the mountain bike or for an easy 10 mile ride. Guess what?

It felt WEIRD! A bike on which I've ridden 2,000 miles in the past 12 months, felt WEIRD!

Just ride.
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Old 11-09-14 | 08:50 PM
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Get a Copy Of Effective cycling Effective Cycling | The MIT Press so you wont get taken out trying to ride in a Car saturated world
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Old 11-10-14 | 09:41 AM
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From: Middle of da Mitten

Bikes: Trek 7500, RANS V-Rex, Optima Baron, Velokraft NoCom, M-5 Carbon Highracer, Bacchetta Quattro, Catrike Speed

Go out and ride it. Of course it will feel different, but it's still a bike.
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Old 11-10-14 | 10:14 AM
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Even after riding for months, my road bike felt awkward until I rode it for awhile. Go ride.
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Old 11-11-14 | 07:23 PM
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I second the recommendation to have a close friend or reputable bike shop tell you if the road bike fits you properly (and get more than one opinion). The last thing you want is to start riding it regularly and later find out that the frame is too small or that the seat and/or handlebars weren't positioned correctly. I know more than one "bike enthusiast" who has had serious medical problems, including back problems, because their bike didn't fit correctly. Correct bike fit is more important on road bikes than on hybrid bikes or upright utility bikes because the hunched over position can cause strain on the back, shoulders and wrists.

If you'll only be riding a couple miles at a time, getting the fit perfect is not necessary. If you'll be doing rides of 10, 20, 50 miles at a time, proper fit becomes crucial.
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