Help!

ccorrick

Thanks!

Yes the 28" is accurate. Saddles, levels, a square, and a tape measure were all involved.(kinky indeed). I will check out all the suggestions!. I've been riding for a long time now, and to me all this is kinda second nature. It's hard to compute what's needed for someone exactly a foot shorter and only 100 lbs! We're hitting the bike shops tonight. Stupid price limit is moving up already....wish I could spend more for her.

C-

JuneBug

I kinda want an aluminum frame suitable for a crit bike.

yeah. well I want a LOT of things and this is probably not happening THIS year. My bike is a good 'all purpose bike' But not the best for time trials or for crits.

You know what you have to do. Is just get a lot of friends that ride and are the same size as you.
Rich friends with lots of bikes.

that new LOOK frame ( the one that Jalebert rides) wow. carbone with LUGS. I do believe you can't see the aluminum but its in there somewhere.
check it out. http://www.lookcyclesusa.com/f-kg481.htm

JuneBug

OH sorry! I have to say that I was a mountain biker long before I got my first road bike. I already knew what I wanted and saved and really shopped around every chance I got. I found a great deal and had to get it. It was almost a steal.... once in a lifetime chance.
The funny thing is that my husband was totally ANTI ROAD at the time of the purchase and I literally bought it without his knowing. LOL!
I had to sneak it home and hide it from him somehow so I just put it up in the bedroom LOL ((just kidding!))
yeah well...I stared at it for days. like a work of art. I justified the expense by reminding myself that at my age some women go out and ger fur coats that cost that much., or more! this is better than a fur coat ,dangit! plus no one had to kill anything for it.

THEN.....he went out and got a nice road bike shortly after and NOW all he wants to do is ride his road bike. He got really buff, shaves his awesome legs, and we ride together all the time.
AND....we met some wonderful people on the club rides that we would have never met on the mountain bike trails.....and therein lies the addiction.

see sometimes men just need a good kick in the pants to see the light!
by the way. Dont get her TOO nice of a bike because they are really good 'man magnets' truly .

Spin baby

I prefer my steel mountain bike as well....and that's great for ripping around the trails and paths... but it is a tank on the pavement for sure.

I'll ride it as long as I can though... at least until my knees demand an easier ride, or I decide to take to the pavement on a regular basis.... ; )

brightgarden

haha!

well well well. that is my sweetheart bike too! can you just imagine how far down the seatpost is on that thing? good thing i don't have a digital camera.... especially right now with all my holiday fat still hanging over my beltline...

but, after tonight, must tighten up.

happy mardi gras!

ccorrick

Wanted to thank everyone again. Went with a new OCR 3. It's entry level for sure, but has some nice features with a new rider in mind. Was around what we could afford, so didn't have to finance any of it or anything.
The compact frame sure makes it easy. Just forget worrying about stand over and focus on the length! I don't personally like the look of it, but that's just a cosmetic thing. No biggie. She road it on a trainer, and knew it was a lot better than the thing I pieced together. Now the saddle hunt begins. Maybe I'll luck out and the first one will work!! (snicker yeah, right!)

C-

JuneBug

Hey a GOOD inexpensive saddle ( even with Ti rails!) is the Avocet woman's O2. it is really comfy! check the reviews on that one. and I found one for under 30 and that 's not bad...with TI rails. I think for entry level too it is nice. I know saddles are so personal! LOL
I bet you can't wait to go test it out!!!!

brightgarden

Well, I feel guilty hogging this thread. I didn't see this posting earlier--traffic here was fast and furious.

Yes I feel scrunched, and the only way for me not to feel scrunched is to get over my stupid unconscious auto-tummy-tucking reflex (the thing that makes me do my best to always make sure my tummy is flat). So when I just relax and let my tummy hang, well, I'm fine. But I have to THINK about it--my tummy doesn't relax all by itself. I am all too well trained over the years (brainwashed, more like it). And oddly, I like my somewhat rotund little tummy. It's almost as cute as my butt.

At-home breathing exercises help because you can't do deep breaths holding your tummy in....

Oh, in a couple of weeks when I get my shimano spd-r pedals, I'm having my fitter drop my handlebars (by moving the spacer above them). We'll see how that works. I just can't stand feeling like I'm just a big kite out there--just what I avoided getting a hybrid for...

JuneBug

I am going outside for the first time NOW to bike before heading off to work. But I tell you I been training with my head down , eyes closed, for a couple months now inside on the trainer. I know its going to hurt my neck muscles when I find myself having to look UP and down the road. I am not going to expect much today. just get it over with . LOL.
I just read that it takes a couple weeks to train up your body to go aero. I been trying to discipline myself to go into my tuck when I am training indoors. I hope it helps. I feel scrunched all the time and just use my core muscles to overcome it.

I think pilates and leg raises helps a lot. You know if you got access to a REAL ROMAN CHAIR. where you can hook your legs under, support your bum, and go back when you do abs. Its scary the first time but get someone to spot you. it gets your whole core in shape fast. even the hip flexors.

I got a pudgy tummy too. ... . Hmmm. must be a beer belly. well fortunately its not skin suit weather. LOL
CARB UP!!!!

brightgarden

hehe. mine is a beer belly.

my boyfriend is a beer buyer, which has both its benefits and its disadvantages. luckily, he specializes in belgian ales (oooohh so yummy!).

but seriously, i'm of the opinion that women naturally have round tummies and that it's actually quite beautiful. it's the clothing that makes it look terrible. the low hiplines on the latest pants help a lot because showing midriff (letting it more or less be) is so much better than tucking it away where you get self-conscious about it bulging out under the belt.

now if i could just deprogram myself...

diane143

Mine is from chocolate. Is there hope? I had a concave stomach till my mid-20's. Man I miss that!

JuneBug

mine is my incredibly large chest. HA! just kidding !@ heee.

beer. and message boards. and winter.

actually I am in denial about my pudgy tummy. I just realized an easy way to lose 3 inches immediately.... just by slather on self tanning lotions.!!
I just need a good tan. yeah that is it!
I think I need to join an 'abs anonymous' class. I confess!
ITs been three weeks since my last sit up.

ccorrick

Hello again girls,


Well, now my wife is hooked. She's been hitting the road almost every day, and when it's raining she's asked me to put the bike on the trainer!! I'm kinda amazed to tell you the truth. She's experienced no saddle trouble at all, and doesn't have any complaints about the "adjustment" period. (Sheesh, my butt hurt so bad when I started I couldn't move!!) Anyway, she's doing great.

Next problem has risen!! Where the heck can I find her clothes? Are there any women's brands that run extremely small? She's 5'2" and about 100 lbs. I ordered her some performance shorts and a jersey in small but they are a bit to big. She can wear them, but it doesn't fit right. I have a pair of women Pearl shorts on the way, but I don't know if they will be small enough either?

Is there a brand out there that has xs or just runs smaller than the norm?

Thanks!
Christopher

brightgarden

Where are you? Can you not stop by the local Hudson Trail Outfitters, EMS or REI to try on shorts?

My housemate also wears astonishingly small shorts (all xs except for her winter tights--which she gleaned from me). We found them shopping around at those places mentioned above. Canari has XS that are small. and I think you'll be ok with the Pearl Izumi also...

Performance bike shop brand isn't exactly the best fitting thing for me or anyone I know.

As far as jerseys go, good luck! I personally get most of mine at REI. The two I got at performance are just OK, and don't fit in the places I want them to fit. I also bike in bra-tank tops or tri-ath tops in the summer because they fit better AND have pockets.