cycledorchy

I have been a fan o cycling since i was a kid, but I finally got off my behind and started ridiing seriously a few months ago. I started with a cheapo mountain bike purchased at Target but I am gradually saving my pennies for a really good road bike. I used to play world of warcraft for hours and hours and I decided that cycling was a far better way to spend my limited free time! Nice to meet everyone!

East Hill

Hi cycledorchy, there are tons of people here from your neck of the woods--check out the regional forums and say howdy to your fellow Texans .

What kind of road bike are you looking at? WOW is probably ok, but cycling is definitely a better use of your time .

Welcome to BF!

East Hill

cycledorchy

I've been trying to keep my expenditure under $1000, so I've been looking at the Trek 1.2 or something like that. I've also considered BikesDirect but I'm curious as to what various cyclists' opinions are of the products they sell there. I test-rode a specialized allez and I LOVED it, like riding on nothing but speed...but a bit pricey for my starter budget. And I'm trying clipless pedals for the first time tonight so everyone wish me luck that I won't fall and break my ***** on the pavement !

I'm currently riding 5-10 miles a day 3-4 times a week and then doing one long ride, up to 20+ miles on the weekend, resting the off days or doing (some) strength training.

East Hill

The general opinion about BD seems to be that if you know how to put a bike together, and know what size bike you need, it's a valid option. If you have never worked on bikes, or really need to get properly fitted, it's not such a good deal.

Some LBS won't put them together for you if you buy over the internet, some will. You'd want to check with the local shop to make sure.

Good luck with the clipless pedals .

East Hill

bac

I would wish you luck, but you've got to fall to learn. Trust me.

Many welcomes to BikeForums!!

... Brad

cycledorchy

Were, no pun intended, a SNAP. I had to adjust the cleats and tension a couple times to get the balance jsut right, but ocne i got going, I was able to unclip my left foot for stop sign and stoplight stops, and I didn't fall once! But once some lady in a minivan almost took me out, I was able to brake and unclip just in time to veer away from her as she peeled, not looking, out of a driveway. But I LOVED riding with them, I felt like my pedalling was much more effiecient and my feet were far less fatigued.

:-) thanks for the welcome!

East Hill

Hurrah! Keep that attitude, and perhaps you will never experience the dreaded slow-motion falling-over-at-the-stoplight-whilst-clipped-in-and-having-a-carful-of-giggling-teenagers-laughing-at-you sensation.

East Hill

Little Darwin

I would suggest Bikes Direct as an option if you can do your own wrenching... I haven't used them yet, but I wouldn't hesitate if they had a bike I wanted.

Also, the strange thing about clipless is you won't fall until there is a witness.

I have ridden a few hundred miles on clipless, and I have been on 3 organized rides with them... I fell on each of the organized rides, each time with at least one witness... at least the last one was on grass.

Almost forgot... The reason I popped into the thread, is I remember driving through Katy while on vacation. Looks like nice riding. I remembered it because my friend had a cat named Katy.

kjmillig

Welcome to BF from Sugar Land. There are lots of Houston area folks here. There's always something interesting going on.

cycledorchy

still no falls from riding with the clipless. I have the tension turned all the way down so it's pretty easy to clip in and out. I saw a bunch of other cyclists pedalling along in Katy the past two days, if any of you saw the big guy in red with a white bike helmet on a red cheapo mountain bike, that was me waving at ya.

have a great new year and thanks for the welcome !

BruceH

Hi cycledorchy, I'm a newbie too. bac is right, you're going to fall sometime. We all do. I've been riding a long time with clipless and fell not too long ago. It's no big deal so don't feel bad and try not to fall on someones $2600 bike like I did. Nothing hurt just my pride.