NBD bicycle content

[Scott O]

Very cool bike! I was always a steel guy but now have a CF FS mtn bike and picked up a used CF road bike - way smoother than steel! That bike is begging for some miles to be put on it. Enjoy.

[Larry Pattis]

The Specialized folks want everyone to go to the softest spring...my local shop is quite sure of this.

I am also in the 145-148 range, and I can tell you that it's one heckuva smooth ride!

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

The Specialized folks want everyone to go to the softest spring...my local shop is quite sure of this.

I am also in the 145-148 range, and I can tell you that it's one heckuva smooth ride!

It could well have soft springs. I was unaware of there being different ones, or I was told but was in info overload and forgot I do remember that McLaren Technologies ( of Formula One notoriety ) was in on the design

[Larry Pattis]

They should have supplied three springs (one installed at a time), and at your weight I recommend having the medium one installed for a few weeks...then go to the soft spring.

If you have the soft one in there, I guess you could just go with it.

It will be most noticeable when you get out of the seat, initially.

If you bought the bike locally I would hope that they would take care of this for you...but I'm perhaps a bit spoiled with a simply GREAT local shop.

[brancher]

Very sweet!! I have a soft spot for the Roubaix's, very nice architecture. Very close to my Masi CF bike.

The Ultegra is sweet as well - I built up a Lynskey last fall with Ultegra 6800 drivetrain. Liquid!

Good going!

[Twelvefret]

I bought a Kona Sutra last year which allows me to ride gravel, dirt, and paved road.
http://konaworld.com/2017/sutra.cfm

I've added some Arkel luggage.

[imwjl]

Nice.

We (I share bikes with same height wife) got our first plastic bikes in the past two seasons. They're nice but I think a bit over-rated or at least like lots of nice stuff in the realm of diminishing returns because we're now in a world with so rich with consumer choices.

I try to avoid road riding like the dentist or colonoscopy but suspect some form will be in my future. All the richness with product selection will help. There's upright, traditional racer stuff, gravel grinders, cross, touring.....

We've taken fitness and getting strong very seriously. Cancer and almost 2 years of nasty complications from it for one family member. Outliving a parent and overcoming being a fat kid for me. A bike is a magical tool for that. It took me months to build up to doing just a little running. I got much more accomplishment on a bike in same time. My wife got on a bike while she was still tied to tubes and a medical machine.

Someone I know with Parkinson's is on a trike. I see a guy in my neighborhood who had a stroke on a trike. Most metro areas have decent pathways. I have a feeling 2, 3 or 4 wheels pedaling could be the same magic for a lot more people.

I look forward to knowing our accomplishments. We've jumped on the fitness tracker thing and it's been fun to see the progress and get nudged when we're slack.

[Neil K Walk]

Congratulations!

It's interesting how the technology has progressed. It's been 15 years since I bought my Trek and it's still plodding along but I never got into riding on single track. That's OK, with the advances in technology it's actually more akin to the lower tier hybrids nowadays - though the front crankshaft is worn, the bike is relatively heavy (compared to my wife's new Trek FX2) and the saddle is unforgiving.

It's ironic because for years she showed little interest in biking but her midlife crisis was more of a motivator than seeing me come back from a 30 mile ride dripping with sweat. Now I may have to upgrade just to keep up. We need to get new bikes for the kids too though - maybe even one of those aforementioned trikes or a tandem for our 13yo autistic son. Don't laugh - I've seen them, on busy local roads no less!

[KevWind]

Originally Posted by Larry Pattis

They should have supplied three springs (one installed at a time), and at your weight I recommend having the medium one installed for a few weeks...then go to the soft spring.

If you have the soft one in there, I guess you could just go with it.

It will be most noticeable when you get out of the seat, initially.

If you bought the bike locally I would hope that they would take care of this for you...but I'm perhaps a bit spoiled with a simply GREAT local shop.

The store has a really good local reputation so I am not worried. I suspect they realized I was fairly green as far as road bikes and all the new tech, and was starting to get that "deer in the headlights" from all the info they were relating . They seem to be interested in cultivating a long term relationship, they offer free lifetime adjustment . Yesterday when I picked up the bike they did what they call a "sizing".... put me on their rolling rack and measured things and took leg angle readings moved the seat slightly down and forward from those readings.
Then told me to go ride for a week or two and come back in to make any re-adjustments I thought I might want.

[FrankHudson]

Nice bike! Like that color scheme.

The combination of carbon fiber and the shock insert thing may help cope with comfort on less than smooth roads and paths.

I use fatter tires than I did as a young guy to get more cushioning from the street irregularities, cracks, expansion joints, etc. on my older bikes, which also mean that I'm good to go for gravel and reasonable condition dirt paths too.

[KevWind]

Since this the only other remotely modern bike I have ridden has been my mountain bike my comparison will be to it .

Quick preface: I ride a 19 mile round trip (out and back same road ) in the foothills of the Rockies, so it is basically all either steep up and down or moderate up and down . With only about a 1/4 mile of relatively flat.

Definitely very pleased in ride and comfort aspect, it is as smooth if not actually smoother in the front than my mountain bike which has front shocks .


Perhaps because of the carbon frame, the specific design of frame and the seat tube flex design --There feels like less vibration coming from the rear into the seat and pedals.

Interestingly enough the seat although smaller that the one on my mountain seems to be more comfortable. On my mountain bike if I stay in saddle (and don't stand up to pedal ) for too long, the bottoms of my feet start to get a numb tingling . That did not happen on this ride

Since last Feb. because of injuries and a variety of other activities I have not been able to ride my normal 3 to 4 days a week and have fallen off my best pace and times buy about 8- 10 minutes .

This ride was some 14 to 16 minutes faster than my current times with the mountain bike. But only about 4 to 5 minutes faster than my best times a year ago
My goal is to train back to that level and see what times are then .

As for climbing the hills with the weight advantage I had anticipated it being significantly easier to climb the hills but this was not the case. I realize now that the difference in gearing (this bike ) being taller gearing than the mountain bike in the lowest range , so it was actually a little bit more work to climb the steepest sections albeit a few MPH faster ( which is probably better for me training wise ) so gets a and a cancels out (until I get in better shape )

Lastly the change in the type and location of the shifters took some getting used to. On the rear cassette I did a fair amount shifting up (higher) when I when I wanted to shift down to a lower gear . So that will take some more riding to get right .
Overall very pleased indeed.

[brancher]

Originally Posted by Scott O

.... picked up a used CF road bike - way smoother than steel!...

Not....

Nothing beats the feel of good ol' Reynolds 853 steel (sorry...)

If you don't believe me, try a Jamis or Trek 520 (or Surly LHT, Soma, .... ).

Apples and oranges....

[RP]

I find that my TREK DS4 suits my cycling needs/style really well on both pavement and gravel paths....

[Scott O]

@Kevwind - talk to your shop about different gaering options. They may be able to put a smaller chain ring up front to help climbing.

[Scott O]

Originally Posted by brancher

Not....

Nothing beats the feel of good ol' Reynolds 853 steel (sorry...)

If you don't believe me, try a Jamis or Trek 520 (or Surly LHT, Soma, .... ).

Apples and oranges....

I'll be back to talk to you later!