My first road ride

[Hathor]

Okay, how the hell do you people do 100+ miles? I did just over 20 for my first ride on a road bike. It was pretty fun; I forgot about that feeling of coasting down long hills when you were a kid. I just think it would get old pretty fast to be in that postion more than a couple of hours. My hands were getting tingly, too. Do you guys think that is just because I am not used to all that downward/forward pressure on my hands? Or maybe it is because I was totally incapable of relaxing my shoulders/upper back and it was cutting off the blood supply. Ever have these problems? Maybe it goes away with time. Anyway, the open road was cool.

[nigel]

100+ is insane no matter who ya are! hehehe I tend to stick with 40-60miles with the occasional 25mile sprint rides. The hand pressure may be a little with your position, as well as getting used to it. Also road or mtn, always let yourself relax, you never need a death grip on a bar or to be tense at all. Just hold on lightly and let the bike do the work, use your arms, legs (seat steer) only as a guide when needed. Also you want to remember that when road riding, you sometimes have to make yourself stand up now and again to give yourself a rest, since your so used to mtn riding where your off the saddle without thinking of it. Now ya gotta make yourself get off the saddle sometimes!

D

[syntaxjunkie]

As someone who's been riding road for about a year, I've had to learn/get used to a lot of new body position things that work very differently from my mountain bike. On a mountain bike, you change body positions a lot more: standing, sitting, pivoting in the saddle, etc. On a road bike, you're more likely to maintain the same basic body position for longer periods of time. But you have more options as to where you put your hands on the bars.

Typically, your hands will be hooked over your brake/shifter levers. In this position, the thing I've had to remind myself to do is to keep my elbows bent slightly--not out to the side, but bent down so you lean forward a bit. If your arms are straight, you lose all of your body's flexibility and whatever you encounter on the road travels straight through you. Even 20 miles of smooth pavement can take it out of you if your body's rigid.

You also have the option of dropping below the levers and leaning farther forward, which I find works pretty well on steady inclines and sprints. Or you can sit up straighter and hold your hands on the flat part of the bars nearest the stem. This is relaxing, but I've had to get used to the fact that there are no brake extensions there anymore (like the ones I had on my 10-speed in high school). Lastly, I've found it helps to take each hand off the bars from time to time and hold it behind my back for a bit, wiggling my fingers so that they don't get cramped.

I'm sure there are more experienced riders out there who could give you better advice. But this is what I've figured out so far. You'll be doing centuries before you know it.

[GearDaddy]

Okay, how the hell do you people do 100+ miles? I did just over 20 for my first ride on a road bike. It was pretty fun; I forgot about that feeling of coasting down long hills when you were a kid. I just think it would get old pretty fast to be in that postion more than a couple of hours. My hands were getting tingly, too. Do you guys think that is just because I am not used to all that downward/forward pressure on my hands? Or maybe it is because I was totally incapable of relaxing my shoulders/upper back and it was cutting off the blood supply. Ever have these problems? Maybe it goes away with time. Anyway, the open road was cool.
Your bike setup and your position might need some tuning. It may be that your seat is angled forward too much. Try notching the nose upward a bit and see how that feels. Also, your saddle-to-bar drop might be too large, or your seatpost-to-handlebar distance might be making you reach too far forward, which is usually corrected by changing the stem length. You should be able to keep your hands on the hoods with arms slightly bent and be pretty comfortable. Also you should be able to keep your hands in the drops without feeling like you're completely bent over. If you put your hands on the tops of the bars, you shouldn't feel much like your leaning on the bars at all.

I find that my position on the road bike is only slightly different than on my mountain bike. Yes, you do lean bit more forward on the road bike, but it shouldn't be so much as to feel like you're leaning heavily on the bars.

It also helps to build your core body strength up a bit. I find that early in the season it feels like I'm leaning on the bars more, mostly because my abdominals and lower back are not used to the position on the bike. Eventually, it strengthens so that I can go no-handed even when bent over in a more aero position. If you watch the pros, they can let go for long periods of time (e.g. taking on/off a jacket or loading up with water bottles) while still being in an aero position.

Yes, riding a road bike for many hours can be straining, especially for back and neck muscles. It helps to keep a good position where you are not hunched over or arching your back, rather try to keep your back flatter and let your shoulders relax. Also, it is helpful to stretch your back and neck periodically while riding.

Personally I like setting up my handlebars so that the tops of the bars are flat going up to the hoods, rather than angled downward. This allows me to turn my palms down with the hoods in between my middle and ring finger, and lay my forearms on the handlebars. It's almost like having aero bars, and is more comfortable to me than riding in the drops (and a more aero position too). In fact many people like to use aero bars simply because they find them to be a more comfortable position for long periods of time.

[PWAXON]

A lot of road bikes come with cheap uncomfortable bar tape. Change it out with Cinelli Cork, Its the best. And a good set of padded gloves helps too.

[grizzly adam]

Congratulations!

I would agree with pretty much everything stated above. I don't race or anything, but I started riding a road bike when I was about 8 or 9 years old. I did my first double-century (in two days) when I was 10.

It's a different bike altogether, so you're going to feel weird. You're body is saying, "what the...???". Give it some time. Some things you'll get used, some things you'll have to change - like maybe the seat angle, or the stem. I good idea to see if you have the right stem length is to ride the drops and then glance down at your stem and look for your front hub. If the stem length is close to correct, your bars should cover the hub. If you find the hub behind the bars, then you may want to consider a shorter stem.

The bar tape is a great suggestion. If you don't have some already, get some good gloves. You also don't have to be tied to one position on the bars during the ride. Move your hands around. That'll help.

Again, congratulations! Pretty soon you'll be warming up for the Ironman. Then you can pull Paul and I through the last 15 miles of headwind. :)

[Hathor]

Awesome advice everybody. Looks like I just need to get out and ride some and get used to the bike. I'll definitely get some new tape and gloves (more stuff to buy - geez!) and pay attention to the stem. I had no idea tape could make a difference. We put on a longer stem at the shop already (based on the "where's the hub" rule). I was rewatching some of the Tour though, and I noticed their elbows are really bent, and mine are relatively straight. Maybe this stem is too long. (Some of that may be that I unconsciously want to lock my elbows, though. Must learn to relax!) Thanks!

[TomT]

I'd concentrate on keeping the elbows bent, since it is really easy to lock your elbows without even knowing that you are doing it. This puts alot of pressure on your hands, elbows and shoulders.

Your 2300 comes with some decent tape. My road rides have the stock Bontrager tape on the newer one and new Cinelli Cork on the older one. The tape on the new ride may have a Bontrager logo on it but it feels similar to the Cinelli Cork. I actually spend more time on the hoods, where the tape doesn't really make a huge difference. I would hold out on the tape.

Good gloves will add some comfort also.

[soupboy]

...first - make sure whoever sold it to you fits you proper. Tape and gloves make a difference, but I prefer gloveless. Salsa makes some nice cushy tape.

Narrower bars, aero position, etc. took some time to get used to. Like others said, no death grip. I hold my bars only strong enough to keep control of the bike - stay loose.

I rarely find myself in the drops - maybe only on downhills. I like riding on the hoods most of the time and climbing (while seated) with my hands on the elbow (where the bar turns from straight in front of you out to the hoods) and my arms loose with elbows relaxed out to the side. This relaxes my upper body and lets you focus on driving up the hill. Out of the saddle I prefer to be on the hoods.

Be sure to change your hand position regularly and stand up and stomp every now and then to use different muscles and loosen things up.

I've worked up to the mid 40s in distance but now I have to remember to bring more food/goo since I ran out of energy before I ran out of aerobic capacity.

Sean

[Trevize1138]

I also recommend sizing. If you elbows are locked, even if you're simply unused to the road bike there could be a sizing issue. Remember: women's arms tend to be proportionately shorter than men's, so a shorter stem could help, or even sliding the seat forward on the rails a bit (but, not too much so that your knees aren't too far ahead of the balls of your feet ... talking proportions again, women's legs tend to be longer than men's).

If you haven't had the bike sized for you and adjusted to the last centimeter, then do it! :) You'll be 10X more comfortable. It made all the difference for me: I used to get uncomfortable after 10 miles of road riding, then I got Jamie at Sunrise Cyclery to look at my setup. He raised the seat post about two centemeters, slid the seat back a centemeter or so on the rails, tipped the nose up a couple degrees ... and that was all it took. After that I rode 30 miles like it was nothing :banana: .

[Hathor]

I also recommend sizing. If you elbows are locked, even if you're simply unused to the road bike there could be a sizing issue. Remember: women's arms tend to be proportionately shorter than men's, so a shorter stem could help, or even sliding the seat forward on the rails a bit (but, not too much so that your knees aren't too far ahead of the balls of your feet ... talking proportions again, women's legs tend to be longer than men's).

If you haven't had the bike sized for you and adjusted to the last centimeter, then do it! :) You'll be 10X more comfortable. It made all the difference for me: I used to get uncomfortable after 10 miles of road riding, then I got Jamie at Sunrise Cyclery to look at my setup. He raised the seat post about two centemeters, slid the seat back a centemeter or so on the rails, tipped the nose up a couple degrees ... and that was all it took. After that I rode 30 miles like it was nothing :banana: .
See, that's what I want to do so I KNOW I am fitting on the bike the way I should. They put me on the bike on a trainer at Penn, but didn't seem to go that in depth. Will most bike stores size a bike for you if you just bring it in?

I purposely got a Women's Specific bike, because I have short arms and short legs; my bike is pretty much as small as they come (John thinks it is really a kid's bike :cryin: ). I am confused, because my arms are outstretched, but even with the longer stem they put on, I can still see the hub out in front. Harumpf. Still had a good ride today, though. (Uh oh, that's 2 days on my road bike and zero on my mountain bike!)

[nigel]

See, that's what I want to do so I KNOW I am fitting on the bike the way I should. They put me on the bike on a trainer at Penn, but didn't seem to go that in depth. Will most bike stores size a bike for you if you just bring it in?

I purposely got a Women's Specific bike, because I have short arms and short legs; my bike is pretty much as small as they come (John thinks it is really a kid's bike :cryin: ). I am confused, because my arms are outstretched, but even with the longer stem they put on, I can still see the hub out in front. Harumpf. Still had a good ride today, though. (Uh oh, that's 2 days on my road bike and zero on my mountain bike!)
If you have time on Sunday i can fit it for you.

D

[Ogre]

It sounds like it's worth going to a bike store where they cator to racers.
(Grand Peformance, Gravity Lab, Flanders....)

They will be very experianced at setting up proper fit. The "hub" thing is a general guidline. The proper fit is very carefully examining all points of contact, the distance between and relative heights.

They will give you a good starting point, then you may need to tweak things from there. I have my saddle slightly higher than proper fit would suggest due to a bad hip and a slower spin. I needed to get a new stem (10mm shorter) and handlebar (wider) from a professional fit. My road bike feels perfect.

Even though I have good gloves, soft tape and a good fit I get hand pain/cramping whenever I ride too tense. I need to remind myself to completely relax my upper body. This just doesn't come naturally too me, but the more often I ride the more relaxed I get.

For me anyway, once my body gets in "bike shape" riding down in the drops is the most comforable to my upper body. Of course switching positions often helps all types of soreness and cramps.

Just to give you something else to worry about, it took me 4 saddles to find one that is comfortable.

[gopherhockey]

Well, I finally went over to the "dark side" and did my first significant road ride with Liz yesterday! I'm riding a demo Trek while mine is on order (Thanks Penn!)

This bike is obviously not set up for me and since its a demo I'm not going to bother... but I did feel quite a bit of the pressure on my thumbs. I kept wanting to hold the top of the bar (like a mountain bike). Didn't they used to have brake levers that ran under the top of the bar? ;)

I really enjoyed the ride.. this is really going to add to my love of cycling... and with our IS department moving out to Eagan next year I'll be able to ride to work!

I'm a bit unnerved by the traffic though. I prefer the larger shoulders - at least for now until I get used to how close the traffic comes. Big trucks go by and I actually feel them pulling me into traffic. It will take some time to get used to that.

Mountain Biking will always be my favorite though (I think.. doh!)

I feel like such a beginner though! :p

[SickBoy]

Don't worry John, you'll find yourself on the local hammerfest sprint rides in no time... :crazy2:

[Magic]

John, who did you deal with at Penn of Woodbury? On your next trip back ask for Jimmy Steffan. He is the store manager and knows what he's talking about when it comes to bikes. Jimmy & I go way back, he'll treat you good. Glad to see you've made the move to the dark side, glad to have you.

[PWAXON]

Well, I finally went over to the "dark side" and did my first significant road ride with Liz yesterday! I'm riding a demo Trek while mine is on order (Thanks Penn!)

This bike is obviously not set up for me and since its a demo I'm not going to bother... but I did feel quite a bit of the pressure on my thumbs. I kept wanting to hold the top of the bar (like a mountain bike). Didn't they used to have brake levers that ran under the top of the bar? ;)
Welcome to the "Dark Side" As you are already learning time on any bike is time well spent.

And yes thay have top of the bar brakes. I've seen them on some low end bikes. But I don't think you would want to be caught dead riding with them:D

[gopherhockey]

John, who did you deal with at Penn of Woodbury? On your next trip back ask for Jimmy Steffan. He is the store manager and knows what he's talking about when it comes to bikes. Jimmy & I go way back, he'll treat you good. Glad to see you've made the move to the dark side, glad to have you.
Yup, Jimmy is the man - great guy to work with, very helpful!

[KleinCrazy]

Welcome to the "Dark Side" As you are already learning time on any bike is time well spent.

And yes thay have top of the bar brakes. I've seen them on some low end bikes. But I don't think you would want to be caught dead riding with them:D
Hey, They still make them!!! You can get inline levers made for cyclocross bikes. Paul and other make them.

Just an FYI.

[TML]

I'm a recent first time owner of a road bike as well (thanks Doug!). I've been on a number of rides now and I'm finding a lot of truth to what others have said as well. I definitely find myself moving around and stretching while on the bike to try and stay relaxed. I move my hands around quite a bit but ride most of the time with them near the hoods or near the elbows like Sean. It took me a few rides to get my saddle position adjusted correctly but I've done a couple of long rides with it the way it is now, and it feels great. I am curious to try a slightly shorter stem though. I start to feel a little stretched out if I ride right on the hoods for an extended length of time.

Definitely a whole different world than Mtb. A great new addition to my cycling experiences.

[soupboy]

...Paul's are titties but you can pick up a set of Tektros dirt cheap, just look on eBay. Be sure that you get the proper bar diameter though, a lot of road bikes are coming with 31.8mm bar diameters (near the clamp) and that could cause fitment issues.

I think I'm going to flip my bars over and cut off the drops to make quasi-TT bars. I just don't get much benefit or joy in the drops.

Sean

[TML]

Big trucks go by and I actually feel them pulling me into traffic. It will take some time to get used to that.


I was out on a ride north of stillwater the other day on a rural road with nice wide shoulders. On a couple of long uphills I got passed a few times by big grain trucks and semis doing about 60. When they went by it was great how their draft would just continue to pull me up the hill for a few seconds.