What prompted you to buy your first road bike?
05-03-06, 03:17 PM
#1
is slower than you
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What prompted you to buy your first road bike?
I road a mountain bike for many years, sometimes riding offroad but mostly commuting to classes when I was in college. I didn't buy my first road bike until a few years ago, and it was really two things that prompted me to do so:
REASON 1: Spinning Classes -- I started doing these at the gym because I heard they'd kick my a$$. They did, and they made me realize cycling was a great way to stay in shape. And since there was no good singletrack in the area at the time, a new road bike was the obvious choice.
REASON 2: Around this same time, I saw the movie Quicksilver on TBS.
Yes, I'm a sad, sad man.
REASON 1: Spinning Classes -- I started doing these at the gym because I heard they'd kick my a$$. They did, and they made me realize cycling was a great way to stay in shape. And since there was no good singletrack in the area at the time, a new road bike was the obvious choice.
REASON 2: Around this same time, I saw the movie Quicksilver on TBS.
Yes, I'm a sad, sad man.
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05-03-06, 03:23 PM
#2
I'm fine.
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I wanted to go faster. And for the life of me I couldn't figure out what I was doing on a mtb when I never went off-road.
My mtb is now my winter/beater commuter bike.
My mtb is now my winter/beater commuter bike.
05-03-06, 03:25 PM
#3
Stop it.
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I want to be the next Gord Fraser. 
05-03-06, 03:28 PM
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I was a runner thorughout high school and college. By the time I got to my mi 20's my knees and back hurt just about every time I ran, so I sat on the couch and got fat for about a year. Around that time I began to look at alternatives and a college acquaintance was selling a new $99 Nishiki 12 speed he purchased at Sears for his wife (wife didn't want anything to do with it). So for $99 I got it and began to ride 8-10 miles at a time. At first I wore no special equipment. They I bought a helmet and gloves. The next year I got spandex. A few years later, when the bb on the bike broke (I like to say I wore it out), I decided to upgrade to a Bianchi that cost 10x more than the Nishiki. A couple years later I moved to clipless pedals. And the rest is history. (Funny thing, riding got rid of my knee pain and lowered my blood pressure!)
05-03-06, 03:38 PM
#6
WTF is that smell?
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A friend of mine convinced me to come ride with him one day. I haven't stopped since.
05-03-06, 03:41 PM
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I know what I am about to say is not the norm, but when I dropped a (edit: fat, slow) roadie on my MTB I thought... I wonder what would happen if I got a bike like his? 
05-03-06, 03:49 PM
#8
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I'd been racing NBL and ABA BMX for years, and I'd just graduated high school. I figured it was time to "grow up", and picked up a sweet Bianchi roadie to replace my custom Free Agent (that was when Free Agent was a small company and would do custom frames) BMX bike.
Interestingly enough, I still have my Free Agent frame/forks, my Pro Neck stem, my CW handlebars, my Redline Flight Cranks, my Shimano DX pedals, and my Dia-Comp caliper and lever; don't have the Bianchi, though.
Interestingly enough, I still have my Free Agent frame/forks, my Pro Neck stem, my CW handlebars, my Redline Flight Cranks, my Shimano DX pedals, and my Dia-Comp caliper and lever; don't have the Bianchi, though.
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05-03-06, 03:50 PM
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half man - half sheep
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I got tired of seeing those fast pacelines going by and I couldn't begin to hang on with my Trek 850.
05-03-06, 03:51 PM
#10
or tarckeemoon, depending
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I think my parents wanted me out of the house. It worked.
05-03-06, 03:52 PM
#11
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A couple of things.
Had a Mtn bike for about 13 years. My dad got into cycling in a big way 2 years ago. He has lost probably 150+ pounds and we started riding together.
Did 2 metric centuries last year. Realized that the only way I was going to do a full century was to get a faster average speed. (I think it took about 5.5ish hours to do the metric on my mtn bike, about the limit of my a$$).
Also, a friend talked me into doing an olympic tri with him later in the year. That coupled with the end of year sale at performance on Giant bikes sealed the deal.
Had a Mtn bike for about 13 years. My dad got into cycling in a big way 2 years ago. He has lost probably 150+ pounds and we started riding together.
Did 2 metric centuries last year. Realized that the only way I was going to do a full century was to get a faster average speed. (I think it took about 5.5ish hours to do the metric on my mtn bike, about the limit of my a$$).
Also, a friend talked me into doing an olympic tri with him later in the year. That coupled with the end of year sale at performance on Giant bikes sealed the deal.
05-03-06, 03:52 PM
#12
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I raced Mountain bikes and was told by Dave Wiens that I needed to train on a road bike.
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05-03-06, 03:53 PM
#13
I play in the street.
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Being used to MTB's, I rode my friend's road bike and said "Damn, this thing is fast. I want one NOW."
05-03-06, 03:53 PM
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Moving to a town on the side of a mountain prompted me to get a road bike for my commute. I didn't want to ride my mountain bike up these hills.
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05-03-06, 03:56 PM
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american flyers and greg lemond.
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05-03-06, 04:00 PM
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Sensible shoes.
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I like riding them. Probably explains my wife as well, come to think of it.
05-03-06, 04:04 PM
#17
is slower than you
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Originally Posted by CastIron
I like riding them. Probably explains my wife as well, come to think of it.
I kid.
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05-03-06, 04:04 PM
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Great thread!
I rode MTB for years. All of a sudden I saw my riding buddies getting much faster. I asked them what they were doing and they replied "riding our new road bikes." That was all it took. That was probably 8 years ago and my MTB has collected dust ever since. Since then I'm on my 4th road bike and have the same old MTB sitting there doing nothing.
I rode MTB for years. All of a sudden I saw my riding buddies getting much faster. I asked them what they were doing and they replied "riding our new road bikes." That was all it took. That was probably 8 years ago and my MTB has collected dust ever since. Since then I'm on my 4th road bike and have the same old MTB sitting there doing nothing.
05-03-06, 04:11 PM
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I was getting my MTB tuned up at the local Sporting good store. It already had slicks on it and I was trying to get some of the dual suspension stuff tightened to the point of being non-bouncy because I felt I was losing energy to the sproing of the bike. While the guy worked on the bike, I took a Cannondale road bike off the rack and road it around the store.
I always hated road bikes... until I rode one.
I always hated road bikes... until I rode one.
05-03-06, 04:15 PM
#20
staring at the mountains
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It was 2003, and a little bit of Lance, a little bit of cash, and I was tired of driving to a trailhead; I wanted to just leave the house and ride. Then I think I put only a hundred fifty miles on it the next two+ years. Last year I registered for a charity ride, putting a goal in front of me. Once I spent three+ hours on the bike, I was in love....
05-03-06, 04:15 PM
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I started cycling at the beginning of last summer on a hybrid. By August i was doing about 25-35 miles on my weekend long rides and felt that I would be better off on a road bike. I picked up a Trek 2100 and promptly crashed and broke my collar bone in two on the 2nd ride
05-03-06, 04:16 PM
#22
Nonsense
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I had been riding my mountain bike on the road a little bit and had wanted a road bike for years, and finally had saved up enough money to show my dad I was serious about wanting one. I asked him to lend me the rest of the money I needed, and I'd pay him back as I worked.
05-03-06, 04:24 PM
#23
OMG! i'm a DURT gurl!!!!
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uhm..... i dropped a bottle of wine on my toe and hurt is bad (broke it?) and couldn't do my normal workouts... needed to have a way to burn calories.... rode my old kmart/walmart bike (forget which) and hubby made the mistake of saying "if you keep this up... we'll have to get you a road bike!" that weekend... we bought me a roadbike... and created a cycling gear shopping monster!
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life's too short to ride a crummy bike..........
OCP and PROUD!"OCP is not just about attitude, it's a way of life!"
life's too short to ride a crummy bike..........
05-03-06, 04:36 PM
#24
Skybird
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I never really considered an MTB because there's no trails anywhere nearby, while the road is right outside my door. Somehow the idea of driving someplace to ride a bike just seems, ... odd.
05-03-06, 04:38 PM
#25
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We did not have MTBs when I started. I have both now, just like the road feel better! Love to mess with the F700 … however I need the endurance qualities of a road bike. Simply do not ride enough! Started riding due to my family and friends during the early 70s. Now I want to ride with my young son (11 yrs) and get fit.