Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT
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Seriously though, look at what I said to 89th, but on top of that, I would guess that the biggest thing for you, would be to get something comfortable. You're old and have been through some shit. Make sure you can stay on the bike for as long as you intend on riding. Try more upright ones.
I'm not being a dick, I'm serious. I had to modify mine this year because I'm pushing 40 and my back is jacked up a little.
@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Seriously though, look at what I said to 89th, but on top of that, I would guess that the biggest thing for you, would be to get something comfortable.
That's a good point, especially if you are - like me - not very mobile.
Many bike vendors have 3 or 4 lines of road bike geometries.
At the top of the line, there's the "aero" bikes - they'll ride the fastest but are the most uncomfortable.
Then, there's often something like a "race" bike. Less fast, more comfortable.
Then, there's often something like an "endurance" bike. Less fast still, more comfortable still.
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires, but you can just put ordinary road tires on them (but even there I'd use 28 or 30mm wide ones for comfort).I bought a "race" category bike once, but I had to swap it for an "endurance" type bike because I lack the mobility for it. I wouldn't last 30min on an "aero" bike.
Canyon has all these lines, for instance. Check out their "Endurace" line or their "Grail" line. Depending on the frame material and components, the prices will range between $1500 and $10000. Unlike some other products, you don't really get better quality by paying more. If you pay more, you pay it mainly for saving a small amount of weight (and some gimmicks like electronic shifting) or, in some cases, for a brand name (such as "Colnago").
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I went to a local bike shop and tried three bikes out by the same manufacturer- Trek in this case, since they had a few, and then just bought the one I liked best. I’d kind of settled on a budget before I went in, and had figured I wanted a 105 group set (breaks and gears) as it probably gave best performance for money without getting stupid.
Then I rode it four a couple of weeks to get used to it then I had a bike fitting to tweak it a bit. I’ve been pretty happy with the result. I use more hard-wearing tires so it doesn’t go as fast as it might, but also doesn’t get punctures. I learned that lesson the first year.
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I went to a local bike shop and tried three bikes out by the same manufacturer- Trek in this case, since they had a few, and then just bought the one I liked best. I’d kind of settled on a budget before I went in, and had figured I wanted a 105 group set (breaks and gears) as it probably gave best performance for money without getting stupid.
Then I rode it four a couple of weeks to get used to it then I had a bike fitting to tweak it a bit. I’ve been pretty happy with the result. I use more hard-wearing tires so it doesn’t go as fast as it might, but also doesn’t get punctures. I learned that lesson the first year.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I went to a local bike shop and tried three bikes out by the same manufacturer- Trek in this case, since they had a few, and then just bought the one I liked best. I’d kind of settled on a budget before I went in, and had figured I wanted a 105 group set (breaks and gears) as it probably gave best performance for money without getting stupid.
Then I rode it four a couple of weeks to get used to it then I had a bike fitting to tweak it a bit. I’ve been pretty happy with the result. I use more hard-wearing tires so it doesn’t go as fast as it might, but also doesn’t get punctures. I learned that lesson the first year.
Which model?
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I went to a local bike shop and tried three bikes out by the same manufacturer- Trek in this case, since they had a few, and then just bought the one I liked best. I’d kind of settled on a budget before I went in, and had figured I wanted a 105 group set (breaks and gears) as it probably gave best performance for money without getting stupid.
Then I rode it four a couple of weeks to get used to it then I had a bike fitting to tweak it a bit. I’ve been pretty happy with the result. I use more hard-wearing tires so it doesn’t go as fast as it might, but also doesn’t get punctures. I learned that lesson the first year.
Which model?
@Aqua-Letifer I ended up with an Emonda ALR-5. This was a few years back now
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@Aqua-Letifer I ended up with an Emonda ALR-5. This was a few years back now
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Aqua-Letifer I ended up with an Emonda ALR-5. This was a few years back now
Emondas are great IMO.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Aqua-Letifer I ended up with an Emonda ALR-5. This was a few years back now
Emondas are great IMO.
@Aqua-Letifer no complaints from me. They have disk brakes now, mine has the old traditional type
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@Aqua-Letifer no complaints from me. They have disk brakes now, mine has the old traditional type
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Aqua-Letifer no complaints from me. They have disk brakes now, mine has the old traditional type
Oh where you do a 1/2-reverse pedal to brake? Can't beat old school.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Seriously though, look at what I said to 89th, but on top of that, I would guess that the biggest thing for you, would be to get something comfortable.
That's a good point, especially if you are - like me - not very mobile.
Many bike vendors have 3 or 4 lines of road bike geometries.
At the top of the line, there's the "aero" bikes - they'll ride the fastest but are the most uncomfortable.
Then, there's often something like a "race" bike. Less fast, more comfortable.
Then, there's often something like an "endurance" bike. Less fast still, more comfortable still.
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires, but you can just put ordinary road tires on them (but even there I'd use 28 or 30mm wide ones for comfort).I bought a "race" category bike once, but I had to swap it for an "endurance" type bike because I lack the mobility for it. I wouldn't last 30min on an "aero" bike.
Canyon has all these lines, for instance. Check out their "Endurace" line or their "Grail" line. Depending on the frame material and components, the prices will range between $1500 and $10000. Unlike some other products, you don't really get better quality by paying more. If you pay more, you pay it mainly for saving a small amount of weight (and some gimmicks like electronic shifting) or, in some cases, for a brand name (such as "Colnago").
@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires
That is what I just got, btw. (Specialized Sirrus X), but it sounds like you are looking for a bit more of a road bike so that would just be the same model but without the "X" (aka a change in tires). The base model is this: https://www.eriksbikeshop.com/specialized-2022-sirrus-1-0-flatbar-road-bike-pr5a13429/p#productInfo
Oh and I mentioned in the other thread, I like the 1x gears... you only shift up/down on the right handle bar and don't have to worry about left shifting too. I equate it to being able to do an octave using white keys without needing to use the black keys with a 2nd hand to get the exact note (aka gear) you need based on the incline. Sorry if that was racist, @Horace
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes. You also might walk awkwardly if you forgo the seat, so I highly recommend getting a seat.
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@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires
That is what I just got, btw. (Specialized Sirrus X), but it sounds like you are looking for a bit more of a road bike so that would just be the same model but without the "X" (aka a change in tires). The base model is this: https://www.eriksbikeshop.com/specialized-2022-sirrus-1-0-flatbar-road-bike-pr5a13429/p#productInfo
Oh and I mentioned in the other thread, I like the 1x gears... you only shift up/down on the right handle bar and don't have to worry about left shifting too. I equate it to being able to do an octave using white keys without needing to use the black keys with a 2nd hand to get the exact note (aka gear) you need based on the incline. Sorry if that was racist, @Horace
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes. You also might walk awkwardly if you forgo the seat, so I highly recommend getting a seat.
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@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires
That is what I just got, btw. (Specialized Sirrus X), but it sounds like you are looking for a bit more of a road bike so that would just be the same model but without the "X" (aka a change in tires). The base model is this: https://www.eriksbikeshop.com/specialized-2022-sirrus-1-0-flatbar-road-bike-pr5a13429/p#productInfo
Oh and I mentioned in the other thread, I like the 1x gears... you only shift up/down on the right handle bar and don't have to worry about left shifting too. I equate it to being able to do an octave using white keys without needing to use the black keys with a 2nd hand to get the exact note (aka gear) you need based on the incline. Sorry if that was racist, @Horace
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes. You also might walk awkwardly if you forgo the seat, so I highly recommend getting a seat.
@89th said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes.
Those are roadie shoes. Mine are SPDs. They look exactly like tennis shoes, and they have a recessed cleat, so I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
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@89th said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes.
Those are roadie shoes. Mine are SPDs. They look exactly like tennis shoes, and they have a recessed cleat, so I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
At least, if you do it's not because of your shoes.
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@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
At least, if you do it's not because of your shoes.
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
At least, if you do it's not because of your shoes.
Exactly. I can do that on my own, I don't need duck shoes and lycra to help me out.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I don't look like a dumbshit when I lock my bike up and walk into a store.
At least, if you do it's not because of your shoes.
Exactly. I can do that on my own, I don't need duck shoes and lycra to help me out.
I went out in duck shoes and Lycra for the second time this morning. 20 miles of hell. I could be getting too old for this level of humiliation.
Hopefully it gets better
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I went out in duck shoes and Lycra for the second time this morning. 20 miles of hell. I could be getting too old for this level of humiliation.
Hopefully it gets better
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I went out in duck shoes and Lycra for the second time this morning. 20 miles of hell. I could be getting too old for this level of humiliation.
Hopefully it gets better
The older you get, the less likely that lycra and duck shoes will mitigate the humiliation. Probably the opposite.
"Now look here, you Baltic gas passer... " - Mik, 6/14/08
The saying, "Lite is just one damn thing after another," is a gross understatement. The damn things overlap.
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@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Then there's "gravel bikes", and they often have the most comfortable geometry. They are often equipped with wider "gravel" tires
That is what I just got, btw. (Specialized Sirrus X), but it sounds like you are looking for a bit more of a road bike so that would just be the same model but without the "X" (aka a change in tires). The base model is this: https://www.eriksbikeshop.com/specialized-2022-sirrus-1-0-flatbar-road-bike-pr5a13429/p#productInfo
Oh and I mentioned in the other thread, I like the 1x gears... you only shift up/down on the right handle bar and don't have to worry about left shifting too. I equate it to being able to do an octave using white keys without needing to use the black keys with a 2nd hand to get the exact note (aka gear) you need based on the incline. Sorry if that was racist, @Horace
The real litmus test is if you use clipless pedals which require special shoes. If you do, you are one of those people. A faster biker, but still... getting off the bike you walk awkwardly until you switch into normal shoes. You also might walk awkwardly if you forgo the seat, so I highly recommend getting a seat.
@89th said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
Oh and I mentioned in the other thread, I like the 1x gears... you only shift up/down on the right handle bar and don't have to worry about left shifting too. I equate it to being able to do an octave using white keys without needing to use the black keys with a 2nd hand to get the exact note (aka gear) you need based on the incline. Sorry if that was racist, @Horace
I would have appreciated a trigger warning. Thank you. I will take a few moments now to collect myself, and attempt to continue on with my day.
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@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I went out in duck shoes and Lycra for the second time this morning. 20 miles of hell. I could be getting too old for this level of humiliation.
Hopefully it gets better
The older you get, the less likely that lycra and duck shoes will mitigate the humiliation. Probably the opposite.
@George-K said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Doctor-Phibes said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
I went out in duck shoes and Lycra for the second time this morning. 20 miles of hell. I could be getting too old for this level of humiliation.
Hopefully it gets better
The older you get, the less likely that lycra and duck shoes will mitigate the humiliation. Probably the opposite.
Lycra and duck shoes always enhance the humiliation.
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I often use SPD pedals, even on a road bike.
As for lycra, it is just too much fun to ride fast to give a damn about what others think about me.
@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
it is just too much fun to ride fast
Uh... wut?
How does lycra make you ride fast? -
@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
it is just too much fun to ride fast
Uh... wut?
How does lycra make you ride fast?@Aqua-Letifer said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
@Klaus said in Hey Aqua - BIKE ALERT:
it is just too much fun to ride fast
Uh... wut?
How does lycra make you ride fast?Yep. There are many things in cycling where the improvements are ridiculously small, but clothing makes a quite big and immediately noticeable difference.
