Marathon Trainers

1

Bike Questions For Cash (Read 88 times)


Bugs

    The guy at the bike store suggested I get a Specialized bike instead of Trek. We compared the Sport ($680) to the Trek 1.5 ($825) and it had all the same stuff. These both have the Sora Shifter. The Dolice Elite($896) has Tiagra shifter.

     

    I really don't know how much time I will have to bike. Maybe 2-3 hours a week. I'd love to alternate long runs with long bike rides. Will that work for training? I know nothing is better for training for running than running, but I'm hurt right now and feel like nothing is worse for running that running.  Bottom line I want to XT more.

     

    So are the Tiagra shifters worth it? I think the sora might be a pain how you have to move your hand to shift when riding low on the handle bars. Thing is my husband will kill me if I want a different bike in the next six years. I got to get the right one now.

    Bugs

    AmoresPerros


    Options,Account, Forums

      Maybe nice if you could ride them around a little bit, even in the parking lot? Or mounted on a trainer? I mean test-ride. Dunno if they do that.

      It's a 5k. It hurt like hell...then I tried to pick it up. The end.


      Bugs

        I test drove a model below the Specialized that had the Sora Shifter. Clearly it is not as nice as the one by the break. I could rent a bike (one with the better shifter) for a weekend to see if I LOVE the shifter. All rental fees go towards purchasing a new bike if you buy one. Maybe I'll rent two bikes and go on a bike ride with my husband.

        Bugs

        Cashmason


          That sounds like a good plan Bugs.    Try them out.    A ride around the parking lot wont tell you that much.

           

          You should ride a hill, and try to shift gears as you go up.   Do the gears shift nicely,  or do they jump sprokets and slow to shift?

           

          The cheap bikes are will last you fine.   But find one where some feature,  like the thumb shift on the Sora wont drive you nuts.

           

          You will almost certainly want a nice bike in a year or two,  but  both those bikes should serve you just fine, as long as  there isnt a feature that drives you nuts.

           

          Don't discount the look of the bike.  Its minor,  but I love the way my orange bike looks.  The white isnt bad,  but I dont go Wow when I look at it.    I feel much more motivated to ride the orange one.

           

          And yes,  you are wanting to ride for the same reason I started.  I was hurt and wanted to keep on training.

           

          I get a free email every week from Road Bike Rider.     Below are notes from todays missive.

           

          1.  ROAD NOTES
           
          Ed's note:  Our friend Andy Pruitt, director of the Boulder (Colorado) Center for Sports Medicine, has become even more prominent in cycling than when he teamed with RBR's Coach Fred Matheny to write the bestselling eBook, Andy Pruitt's Medical Guide for Cyclists.
           
          Among Andy's more recent achievements has been the design of Specialized's Body Geometry (BG) road and MTB shoes as well as the company's high-performance footbeds.
           
          But bike fit and riding position remain at the core of his contributions to our sport. Andy uses the advanced Peak Motus 3D Motion Capture fitting application at the Boulder Center and continues to refine the Specialized BG Fit system used in bike shops.
           
          In a dream-come-true scenario, he spends time in Europe working with pro riders on Specialized-sponsored teams, including Astana with Alberto Contador and the Saxo Bank squad of Fabian Cancellara and the Schleck brothers. Of course, he continues doing fits for riders of all levels at the Boulder Center.
           
          When Andy speaks about bike setup, it's wise to listen. We've attended training camps where he has shared his expertise with sport/recreational roadies, expanding on key points found in his Medical Guide.
           
          To help improve your position as the season gets started, here are 9 rule-of-thumb fit tips from one of Andy's camp talks, "Can we have performance and comfort at the same time?"
           
          ---Wind-tunnel tests have proven that being narrow is more important than being low. At a certain point, a lower position compromises comfort and sees diminishing aero returns. Roadies can improve efficiency most easily by keeping legs and arms in line with our bodies, not splayed into the wind. A handlebar no wider than the shoulders is key.
           
          ---Make a fist and measure across the 4 knuckles. The difference between the top of your saddle vs. the top of your handlebar should not exceed this number. An easy way to check is to set your fist atop the handlebar (vertically, pinky down) and have a friend eyeball it from a few feet away. 
           
          ---Your most comfortable riding position should be with hands on the brake lever hoods. This is the "neutral position" from where you can move to the tops near the stem or the drops. When you get the on-hoods position right, these other locations will be usable too.
           
          ---Your reach to the lever hoods should put your wrists in the "handshake position." That is, a straight extension of your arms with wrists not cocked up or angled down, which can cause strain and pain.
           
          ---Your knee bend at bottom dead center of the pedal stroke is a better indicator of correct saddle height than numbers produced by leg-length formulas. For most riders, knee bend should be within a degree or two of 30 degrees.
           
          ---To get the correct knee bend, a traditional method still produces a very good starting point: With your bike mounted level in a trainer, sit square on the saddle while wearing your cycling shorts and shoes. Put your heels on the pedals. Pedal backwards. Adjust saddle height till your knees straighten but hip movement is minimal. Then when you clip in, knee bend will be on the money.
           
          ---The benefit of a bike custom built for your body dimensions is not to automatically put you in a perfect position, but to put you in a "fit window" of 1-2 centimeters. Then you can make adjustments to maximize comfort and efficiency.
           
          ---When all is said and done, your riding position should put 60% of your weight on the back wheel and 40% on the front. This is important for bike control as well as comfort.
           
          ---Finally, stay aware of how your body reacts to riding and make position improvements as necessary. Fit is not static. Various things affect it, including simply getting older and losing flexibility.
           
          Ed Pavelka
          Editor, Publisher, Still Tweaking After All These Years