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newbie's road bike questions



 
 
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  #1  
Old May 5th 05, 11:56 AM
Claire Petersky
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"Jim" wrote in message
ups.com...

Some bikes
(with the mountain bike-style brakes) can accomodate wider tires --
does it mean the rims are wider and more
tolerant of abuse? I try to minimize the maintenance.


I am no wrench and also try to minimize the maintenance. But having narrower
tires does not mean that the bike is flimsier -- less stable, maybe. Wider
tires are more sluggish, though. I use 28" tires for commuting, which are
plenty fat.


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Claire Petersky

Personal page: http://www.geocities.com/cpetersky/
See the books I've set free at:
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  #2  
Old May 6th 05, 02:00 AM
Jim
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Default newbie's road bike questions

Greetings,

I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right? Some bikes
(with the maountain bike-style brakes) can accomodate wider tires --
does it mean the rims are wider and more
tolerant of abuse? I try to minimize the maintenance.

I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers.
Would I look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the
fitting?

-Jim

  #3  
Old May 6th 05, 02:19 AM
Vee
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Jim wrote:

I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right?


Depends on the specific wheels and how well they're built. Many road
wheel configurations are strong enough for commuting.

I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers.
Would I look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the
fitting?


Tell them exactly what you want - a reliable, upright commuter bike.
Touring bikes come to mind (Cannondale, Fuji, Trek, etc. make
affordable models), but many types of bikes can be good commuters. In
other words, you have lots of options, and if a particular shop doesn't
want to help you, that's inexcusable and you should go someplace else.

-Vee

  #4  
Old May 6th 05, 02:23 AM
bryanska
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Jim,

Last year I bought my first road bike, used. I struggled with fit
because I didn't go to a shop. Only now am I getting it right and
beginning to enjoy it.

But it was worth it. Road bikes just glide, dude. They're so fast
compared to mtn bikes it's crazy. And you get used to it. Now I can go
30 miles after dinner, no problem. With my Haro Escape mtn bike, 30
miles took all day.

You can probably get the shop to put on flat bars with ends, if the
drop bars look too freaky. That'll keep you upright, or a tall stem. By
next season, you'll probably want the drops.

But be cautioned - get ready to spend a lot of time on fit. Be prepared
to hear that any problems are because of fit... and brace yourself for
the weird conclusion that they probably are. Sounds goofy, but it's
true. These are like pain machines 'till you get 'em just right, when
they turn into extensions of your body.

And I totally recommend the clip shoes. They're the purchase that makes
the single biggest difference. Again, scary at first but totally worth
it (you'll fall, and laugh about it).

  #5  
Old May 6th 05, 02:31 AM
David L. Johnson
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On Thu, 05 May 2005 18:00:22 -0700, Jim wrote:

Greetings,

I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right?


Flimsy for bouncing around on trails, maybe, but not on roads.

Some bikes
(with the maountain bike-style brakes) can accomodate wider tires --
does it mean the rims are wider and more
tolerant of abuse? I try to minimize the maintenance.


Commuter bikes tend to get a lot of abuse, but most of it is unrelated to
tire width. Mostly it's weather-related, plus the odd pothole or car.


I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers. Would I
look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the fitting?


Mention it. If he/she reacts like you're a dork, head for the door. Find
another shop.

--

David L. Johnson

__o | Deserves death! I daresay he does. Many that live deserve
_`\(,_ | death. And some that die deserve life. Can you give it to
(_)/ (_) | them? Then do not be too eager to deal out death in judgement.
-- J. R. R. Tolkein

  #6  
Old May 6th 05, 02:32 AM
efistrat
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You ask good questions. Please take your time looking for the right
road bike for you. There are several very nice road bikes that will
mount 35mm wide tires, but the first bike shop you visit may try to
sell you "what Lance rides."

The more up-right position you desire can be accomplished by getting
the tops of the handlebars approximately level with the seat. Again,
there are several bike frames that do this very nicely and some bike
shops that subvert your goals by cutting the steerer tubes very short
before you have a chance to tell them you want it longer.

I don't mean to seem unnecessarily hard on bike shops, but I visit
quite a few and I observe what they have out on display. There are
some enlightened ones, however, with a mixture of lean, mean, racing
machines and serious road bikes for the rest of us. Talk to the people
at the shops about what you want. What you want is reasonable and
doesn't require settling for a department store comfort bike. The good
shops will know exactly what you're talking about.

  #7  
Old May 6th 05, 03:49 AM
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Try a cyclocross bike. Great for commuting , much faster than MTB and
with skinny tires almost as fast as racing bike. The position is more
upright. Can easilt fit wide 700c tires

  #8  
Old May 6th 05, 04:46 AM
Dan Lenski
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I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right?


I would say those narrow few-spoke rims ARE flimsy. They were originally
meant only for racing (racers can afford to throw away their wheels, so no
big deal for them) and they probably won't last as long for commuting use.
Stick with 32 or 36 spoke wheels, you'll find there are extremely sturdy.

I would say a well built touring/cyclocross bike is easily strong enough
to handle some rough roads, and will still feel a lot faster than a
mountain bike. My opinion is that the biggest problem with narrow tires
is discomfort rather than risk of damage. I've gone over some huge
potholes on fast group rides that I thought would kill my road bike, and
not had any problems other than a sore butt.

I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers.
Would I look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the
fitting?


One of the great things about road bike handlebars (drop bars) is that
they offer a variety of hand positions. If you put your hands on the
hoods (just above the brakes), you're almost as upright as on a
similarly sized mountain bike. If you put the down in the drops, you're
more aerodynamic.

I got my first road bike just about a year ago and haven't gone back. The
transition was a bit weird, but now I love it. I've owned 3 road bikes
since then and have settled on a homebuilt touring bike, which is
incredibly comfortable and fast.

Dan
  #9  
Old May 6th 05, 05:11 AM
Werehatrack
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On 5 May 2005 18:00:22 -0700, "Jim" wrote:

Greetings,

I've been riding mountain bikes and would like to try road bikes for
commuting. Road bikes (mostly the narrow rims and the few spokes on
some models) look flimsy to me -- is my impression right?


Most road bikes are far more than robust enough for a hefty rider to
use in a daily commute. They are not fragile...but as they are not
presumed to be likely to be abused in the same manner as a mountain
bike, they are not built to be as massive.

Some bikes
(with the maountain bike-style brakes) can accomodate wider tires --


The fork and frame clearance is, in my experience, just as much of an
issue in this area.

does it mean the rims are wider and more
tolerant of abuse?


Not automatically...and equating "wider" with "stronger" is an error.
Weel strength derives from many factors, and some narrow rims may well
be much less susceptible to impact damage than some wide ones.

I try to minimize the maintenance.


Doesn't everyone[1]? Beyond a certain point, however, this becomes
self-defeating.

I intend to ride in a more up-right position than those racers.
Would I look dorky when I meantion this to the salesperson doing the
fitting?


Perhaps you might ask to look as a hybrid instead; the upright
position is assumed on those, and the road-bike-derived attributes
that you seek are present without the implied need for the folded-down
posture.




[1] Answer: No. Some people go out of their way to spend extra time
on bike maintenance. If that makes them happy, I find nothing to
criticise in their choice of pastimes.

--
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Words processed in a facility that contains nuts.
  #10  
Old May 6th 05, 05:21 AM
Jim
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On the Trek Web site, the 520 touring bike and the XO 1 cyclocross bike
are categorized under specialty bikes, separate from road bikes. They
both look like road bikes, the XO 1 more so with a 46/38 crank set and
a
12-26 cassette instead of the 520's 52/42/30 and 12-32 (many gaps, more
like a mountain bike-style cassette). I would not be using the
32-tooth gear, but I would be missing the closely spaced gear ratios.

For reference, the 1000 road bike is set up as 52/42/30 and 12-26, and
so
is the 1000C "comfort" road bike.

On the Cannondale Web site, the T800 touring bike is equipped with a
48/36/26 crank set and a 12-34 cassette, and the Cyclocross bike, 46/38
and
12-26.

I like the cyclocrosses. What do you think?

-Jim

 




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