Velvet wrote:
> I really enjoy this bike=20
But you say you're not happy doing basic stuff on it. I really enjoy my =
unicycle, but that's not the same as thinking it's the ideal transport=20
solution for my typical cycling needs.
> My local hills are killers. Short of mountainbike gearing that won't b=
e=20
> solved till I get decent leg muscles, and lose a lot of weight.
But you've fast road gearing, so you're making life difficult for=20
yourself. On our Tour du Nord I used my granny a lot (I've got the same =
triple chainwheel, but 11-34 at the back and a 26" drive wheel): I=20
couldn't have done it with a set of gears like yours and I /have/ got=20
the strength for cycling. There are more riding venues than Surrey and=20
Cambridge and you don't have a wide gear range that will cope with them=20
all without a great deal more experience, the sort of experience you'd=20
want for doing Audax rides.
<snip>
> If that's not a long ride then you obviously have a very different idea=
=20
> of them to me.
No, that's a long ride to me. But it is /not/ a long ride to people who =
do Audax events, and that is the sort of ride your bike is targeted at.
> Quite honestly, yes, I could go get a 200 quid bike from halfords, with=
=20
> lower gearing, and potter about on it for short rides, but I doubt it=20
> would be comfortable for a 50 mile ride, and I honestly doubt it would =
> get me up hills any better.
Why shouldn't it be comfortable at 50 miles? If it has the right saddle =
it'll probably be more comfortable: you've said you don't like the=20
weight on your arms and a more upright position with a shorter tube will =
have far less weight on your arms. And who said anything about a =A3200 =
bike from Halfords? I suggested a good road oriented hybrid with a WSD=20
frame. The chances of that being more comfortable are very, very good=20
because you'll be less stretched out and get weight off your arms, which =
you have specifically pointed out as something you're not so keen on.
> Yes I perhaps should have been more clued up when I got the bike
I'm not trying to lay any blame anywhere, just pointing out that for the =
all the love you express for the bike you are having far more trouble on =
it than you probably would on something less sporting.
> I'm having a really good time with this bike
Though you seem to be "not happy" with quite a few things when you're=20
out on it. And that information comes from /your/ posts.
> Perhaps you'd like to find a bike that'd fulfill my requirements, both =
> on weight, rack fitting ability, etc, for 800 quid? I know I looked an=
d=20
> sure as hell couldn't.
What do you feel, say, the Marin Muirwoods Compact Womens wouldn't=20
manage for your basic criteria? That's =A3415 though you'll need to spen=
d=20
extra on rack and mudguards. That's a quick look through the EBC=20
catalogue rather than an exhaustive search, btw.
> Since you seem to be an expert on my needs, I'd be interested to see=20
> what bike you'd suggest.
I'm not an expert since all I'm saying is a vague "what you've got seems =
to give you a lot of problems, perhaps you'd be better elsewhere".=20
Though a /guess/ off the top of my head would be something with 26"=20
wheels so the frame isn't unnecessarily stretched, and a WSD shorter top =
tube quite possibly a Good Thing. Flat bars with bar ends, because=20
there's no point in having drops if you're not happy using them and the=20
bar ends will give you alternative hand positions (though if you're not=20
stretched out with weight on your arms so much there's be less need of=20
these in any case.
> I'm sorry if I sound like I'm getting a pissy, but - well - I am.
Which is fair enough: you put a lot of effort into finding the Right=20
Bike and someone saying it looks like you got the wrong one is a slap in =
the face. But considerable effort looking for bikes doesn't guarantee=20
you got the right one. I wanted a "racer" as a kid. Dreamed of one for =
years, finally got just what I /thought/ I wanted... but it wasn't=20
actually the right bike for me, though I never admitted it all the while =
I rode it.
> really pleased that I got *this* bike, even though I do recognise that =
I=20
> would have done better by getting a different frame built up now
If you had something specified for sports riding then there's a good=20
chance it would /still/ be the wrong thing, even custom built. Read=20
Myra's bike articles on why 26" wheels would probably be better for you=20
than 700c. Getting a frame built up requires a good chunk of experience =
to decide what is really right. Myra had a custom frame built based on=20
lots of experience and IIRC she never used it 'cause it turned out it=20
was all wrong when push came to shove.
> hindsignt. I've made huge strides in my ability to ride it, and my=20
> confidence in it.
Though you still keep coming up with things you're not happy to do on=20
it. These include being able to use the brakes at maximum=20
effectiveness, and if you stop and think about that then that is a=20
*Really Bad Thing* not to be able to do. I keep on harping about things =
like braking and signalling because they are *fundamental safety=20
issues*, and riding a bike that compromises your ability to do either=20
strikes me as tempting fate. It's all very well saying you can walk=20
around the nasty bits, but that could be much more than you bargain for=20
on a 50 mile ride.
> only on the pavement as a kid, so I knew it was probably going to be=20
> hard work to get the confidence up, but that was my choice.
But choosing a tricky bike to start on doesn't make it the right choice=20
just because you thought about it before you chose. People can be wrong =
about things.
> Given that, I don't think I'm doing too badly, to be honest.
I think you're doing amazingly well given the problems you encounter. I =
think there's a good possibility you'd do far /better/ than you already=20
are if you had a more user friendly bike that doesn't force you into a=20
riding position that makes controlling the bike more of a problem for=20
you than it needs to be.
> getting a lot of enjoyment out of it - and whether you think I would ge=
t=20
> more from a different bike or not is beside the point. If I got a=20
> flat-barred hybrid, yes it might be easier, but am I ever going to do=20
> what I want to do on this one? =20
Why on earth not? There's nothing intrinsic to a flat barred hybrid=20
design with 26" wheels that requires them to be heavy or incapable of=20
speed or distances. A =A3200 from Halfwits, no, but why on earth would=20
you think I meant something like that? My local CTC ride organiser has=20
a Thorn 26" flat bar hybrid, and she doesn't complain about the weight=20
and doesn't seem to have trouble doing distances at a reasonable rate.=20
It's a lovely bike and it's right for what she does. Which seems to be=20
pretty much the sort of thing you want to do...
Pete.
--=20
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net
[email protected] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/