New Bike . Wow that's uncomfortable

[Jools1902]

Hi . I have just joined the site as I am relatively new to cycling. I did go down to Paris last year on my old bike but it was just too much for the old thing to attempt our trip to Brussels this May. I bought a Carrera Zelos 2014 yesterday from Halfords and it's a great looking bike. The trouble is I took it out today on a training run, and it. Is so uncomfortable. The tyres are rock hard and I can literally feel every jolt in the road shoot up into my teeth. This is horrible as I am used to my old bike with lovely comfy tyres. What do I do about this? Are the tyres just bog standard ones? Can you in fact get tyres that won't make you feel like you are riding on rims alone? Also I can shift my saddle back and forth. Should I be bent over a lot when I cycle or more upright? Sorry if this is a really stupid post, as I said I am very new to all this. Thanks Jools

 

[cyberlegend1994]

First - welcome aboard! Second - did you have any type of fitting done when you bought the bike? An improperly-fitting bike will be very uncomfortable so you definitely need to look into that. There are a lot of variables involved in a bike fitting so you need to do plenty of research to find a good fitter in your area if the shop you bought the bike from doesn't do fittings.

 

[Jools1902]

No I didn't have a fitting. I just sat on the bike to get the saddle height. Should my leg be fully extended ( or just under ) on the downward peddle? It isn't at the moment but when I sit on saddle I am on tip toes so do not know if saddle can be any higher. My saddle can slip both forwards and backwards so thinking maybe move it forward to save me having to reach so far all the time. I have to admit , my first time out on those slim tyres was awful. I felt every bump in the road rattle my teeth. I am thinking maybe swap bike for a hybrid with softer tyres. What are the disadvantages of this? Are there any advantages to a hybrid on the road?

 

[doss]

Regarding your fit on the bike I would go to a local bike fitter (most shops do this ) and get correctly fit on the bike by a pro this makes a world if difference. A roadie is going to be harsher riding yet faster and more nimble than a hybrid, your fit will also cause some of the harsh ride as do your tyres and pressure you run in them. Hybrid bikes are great for cruising park paths but if you are looking at distance and speed they are less efficient Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Volnix]

If you decide to stick with a drop bar road bike instead of a hybrid (with possibly a suspension fork) then there are a few options for a more "comfy" ride.

First is to change your bike for an "Endurance" type road bike.

These have a more "upright" position and some times they have "shock absorbing" mechanisms in the frame. (Zerts inserts for example in the specialized Secteur).

Also Steel and Carbon bikes are apparently more shock absorbent then Aluminium. They cost double too.

Other options are:

1. A seat post with suspension?
2. Wider tires.
3. More plush handlebar tape.
4. A more plush bike seat.

Etc.

I kinda love stiff bikes. They feel much more predictable when going fast. I ride a spec. Allez and it's just great on the road. But there is a small patch of cobblestones that I go over sometimes.... That's a different story, the bike then feels like I am riding a hydraulic power breaker.

What was your previous bike?

 

[danfoz]

Leg should be slightly bent at bottom of pedal stroke.

Don't use the saddle fore/aft to adjust the reach, that is to determine the relationship between your knees and the pedal - use a different length stem instead. 1 or 2cm shorter will probably make a big difference, maybe a local shop has a cheap replacement in the used parts bin.

Get slightly wider tires 25c or 28c (it probably came with 23c), and don't inflate to the max pressure. Tire pressure should correspond to a riders weight. If you weigh 200lbs+ the max pressure is ok, otherwise let a little air out your tires.

Best advice above is to go to a bike shop and have it setup for you. It might cost 10 or 20 quid but in the long run it will be worth it.